Arthropods, like insects (beetles, butterflies), have great socioeconomic importance.  Moreover, their roles in the ecosystems cannot be underestimated.  However, conservation studies on arthropod fauna species are not yet available particularly in Mt. Malindang in Misamis Occidental.  An inventory of the various aspects of arthropods especially the entomofauna conducted by Ballentes et al. (CMU) showed the unique position of Mt. Malindang, as well as the relationship of these to vegetation zones, elevational range, and conservation resources.  The project was implemented from June 2003 to may 2005.

Findings

• Mt. Malindang consisted of voluminous arthropod species with several still having no descriptions and identification.  This was indicative of the vast arthropod resources that are still untapped in the country.
• An estimate of 741 arthropod species in the current inventory did not include the canopy and litter arthrophod species thereby more species are yet to be accounted.  The association of endemic arthropod species with endemic host plants showed coexistence of these organisms.  Thus, conservation of endemic host plants was also necessary to conserve the endemic arthropods.
• The generally higher arthropod species diversity in forest ecosystems, specifically in the mixed dipterocarp forest, compared with the agroecosystem was a manifestation of higher habitat and food resource diversity in the forest.  The proximity of vegetation types provided higher percentages similarity of arthropod species.

Further study is suggested on taxonomic identification of the still unidentified species to have more detailed infformation of all the species of the different groups.  The study also recommends increased information dissemination on arthropod resources use.

Source:Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development.  Highlights 2005. Los Baños, Laguna:  PCARRD, 2006. 167p.