The School of Environmental Science and Management-University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB-SESAM), in partnership with Philippine Environmental Science Association, Inc. (PESA), hosted the first installment of SESAM ExChanges for this yearlast January 17, 2025 at SESAM Board Room. 

SESAM-UPLB invited no other than the 2025 Birdsall-Dreiss and LAMoreaux Lecturer from the Geological Society of America’s Hydrology Division, Dr. Bayani Cardenas, a Los Baños native and a UP Rural High School alumnus.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Rico C. Ancog, Dean of SESAM-UPLB said that the concept of ridge to reef serves a vital in our work in environmental science and management, emphasizing the intricate connections between terrestrial and marine ecosystems as we explore the relationships between volcanic hydrology and submarine groundwater. “The talk will uncover the critical role these systems play, supporting biodiversity along our coast”, Dr. Ancog added.

Dr. Cardenas, is currently a professor of hydrology at the University of Texas at Austin’s Jackson School of Geosciences. He chose the Philippines to be the first leg of his lecture series that will cover 70 educational institutions, mostly in the United States.

With research interest on flow and transport processes across different hydrologic settings, water quality and quantity problems, and scales using a combination of theoretical, computational modelling and observation, Dr. Cardenas presented his study entitled “Ridge-to-Reef Hydrogeology: Submarine Groundwater in the World’s Most Biodiverse Coasts.”

He narrated in his presentation the field works he conducted in the Philippines, particularly in Anilao, Batangas, where he investigated the warm seeps or hot springs under Twin Rocks along the coast of Calumpan Peninsula.

“We analyzed the ground water at the beach to gather radon in water, salinity, temperature and partial pressure of CO₂, to identify its effects on the coral reef of Anilao”, said Dr. Cardenas. He added that radon is a useful tracer for submarine groundwater discharge (SGD). He found out that the groundwater at the beach in Anilao has high radon, low salinity, low nutrient concentration but the groundwater is also acidic and high in CO₂. “High CO₂ is bad news since it indicates coral bleaching”, he added.

He said the coral reefs in Anilao is very important since it is in the Coral Triangle, encompassing the Philippines, central and eastern Indonesia, considered as the “center of the center” of marine biodiversity with more than 500 species of corals and 200 species of fish in Philippine waters. 

His study found out that volcanic SGD is prevalent in the coast of Calumpan Peninsula and possibly in other parts of Verde Island Passage region. Volcanic SGD is diverse in terms of sources in geochemistry and it implies different flow processes. He also said that volcanic SGD is most likely important for the region’s coastal ecology and biogeochemistry.

SESAM students may find ideas and inspiration from these results and methods used by Dr. Cardenas, as they pursue their graduate studies, particularly those who are involved in marine ecosystems and geological studies.

Aside from the more than 50 on-site participants, this 17th SESAM Exchanges was also attended by more than 200 participants via Zoom and Facebook Live. SESAM ExChanges is organized by CETD, led by For. Sofia Alaira, with support from team members Dr. Thaddeus Lawas, Ms. Cherry Padilla, Ms. Jessa Aquino-Cando, EnP, Mr. Patrick Cabangbang, and assisted by Ms. Rosemarie Laila Areglado-Dimasuay.