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Lake
Buluan
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Location:
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6°39'N, 124°50'E; southeast of Buluan Town, on the boundary between Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat Provinces, south-central Mindanao. |
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Area:
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6,500 ha. |
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Altitude:
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c.35m. |
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Biogeographical
Province:
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4.26.12. |
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Wetland
type:
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14. |
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Description
of site:
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A large freshwater lake and associated marshes in the upper basin of the Mindanao River. The lake is fed by a river rising in the hills of southern Mindanao, and drains north via the Buluan River into the Mindanao River. It is the third largest lake in Mindanao and the sixth largest in the Philippines. The lake is shallow, with a depth of 3-6m, greenish in colour, and has a muddy bottom. The pH values range from 6.8 to 7.3, and the dissolved oxygen is 6.9 p.p.m. |
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Climatic
conditions:
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Humid tropical climate with the rainfall more or less evenly distributed throughout the year (Type IV). |
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Principal
vegetation:
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The aquatic vegetation includes Ipomoea reptans, Pistia stratiotes and Eichhornia crassipes. There are rice paddies in surrounding areas. |
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Land
tenure:
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No information. |
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Conservation
measures taken:
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None. |
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Conservation
measures proposed:
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Land
use:
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Fishing, mainly for Labeo rohita, Tilapia mossambica, T. nilotica, Ophicephoius striatus, Cyprinus carpio and Trichogaster sp. Other species caught include Anabas testudineus, Guossogobius giurus, Clarias sp and the freshwater shrimp Macrobrachium sp. Cultivation of rice in surrounding areas. |
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Possible
changes in land use:
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| Disturbances and threats: | The intensification of agricultural activities in the immediate vicinity of the lake may result in increased siltation. |
| Economic and social values: | The lake supports a rich fishery, with production estimated at about 1,600 kg per hectare per year. |
| Fauna: | The lake has a diverse fish fauna, and the marshes are known to be important for waterfowl, but few data are available. About 100 Javan Pond-Herons Ardeola speciosa were observed in reed marshes on the western shore of the lake in January 1982. This species had not previously been known to occur in the Philippines, and it is assumed that colonization has taken place in recent times (Kennedy et al., 1984). |
| Special floral values: | No information. |
| Research and facilities: | Some studies have been carried out on the fisheries. |
| References: | Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (1984-85); Kennedy et al. (1984). |
| Criteria for inclusion: | 1b, 1e, 2b, 3b. |
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Source:
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Haribon Foundation and Perla M. Magsalay. |