Publications

Amanda Hodgson, Christophe Cleguer (2026)

This document reports on the activities conducted under the IKI Seagrass Ecosystem Services project in support of Output I: Methodological tools for data collection and monitoring of seagrass ecosystem status and threats developed or enhanced and applied to conservation actions in all five project sites.

Digdo, A.A., Astari, E., Arinda, B.R., and Cahyono, T. (2025), BIO Web of Conferences.

Published in BIO Web of Conferences, this study explores the use of drones and artificial intelligence to detect dugongs under limited-resource conditions in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Combining CMS Dugong Questionnaire data, seagrass habitat mapping from the Allen Coral Atlas, drone surveys, and AI-assisted image analysis, the researchers conducted 28 flights covering 12.09 km² and recorded 56 dugong sightings. While manual image analysis proved more reliable, AI detection achieved only 17.6% precision, highlighting the need for larger and more diverse training datasets. The study demonstrates the potential of combining affordable technologies, habitat data, and local ecological knowledge to improve dugong monitoring and guide conservation in areas where resources and population data are limited.

Project Seagrass (2026).

This article highlights new research revealing the critical role of seagrass meadows in supporting the livelihoods and food security of millions of people living in poverty across the Indo-Pacific. The study estimates that at least 18 million people living in poverty fish in seagrass meadows, including around 6.5 million who may depend entirely on these habitats for subsistence and fishing-related income. It also finds that households experiencing extreme poverty are more likely to depend exclusively on seagrass fisheries and that seagrass-dependent households earn around 23% less than other fishers. The findings highlight the importance of integrating seagrass conservation into poverty alleviation, food security, sustainable fisheries and development strategies, particularly in vulnerable coastal communities.

Unsworth, R. et al. (2022), Science, Vol 377, Issue 6606 pp. 609-613

Jones, B. et al. (2022), Ocean & Coastal Management, Volume 225 (106247)

Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Department of Agriculture, and Department of the Interior and Local Government (2001). Philippine Coastal Management Guidebook No. 5:  Coastal Resource Management Project of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Cebu City, Philippines, 106 p.

Stankovic, M. et al. (2021), Science of the Total Environment. 156858.

Bevitt, K. (2020), WorldFish

Bujang J.S. et al. (2018), in Finlayson C., Milton G., Prentice R., Davidson N. (eds) The Wetland Book. Springer, Dordrecht.

Fortes, M., et al. (2018), Botanica Marina 61 (3)

Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). (2016). C. Cabrido (Ed.). Quezon City, Philippines: BMB-DENR, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) – Global Environment Facility (GEF), Foundation for the Philippine Environment.

UNEP/CMS Secretariat, Bonn, Germany (2015)
CMS Technical Series No. 32

Asian Development Bank (2014)

Fortes, M.D. (2013), Philippine Journal of Science, 142: 95-111

United Nations Environment Programme (2012)

Final Report for Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) Project (2012)

Aragones, L. (2012), Sirenian Conservation: Issues and strategies in developing countries, Chapter: 7, University Press Florida (pp.68-70)

Fortes, M.D. (2012), Coastal marine science, 35(1): 178-181

Lawas, Sarawak. 26-29 July 2011

National Biodiversity Working Group (2011). Ministry of Economy and Development, United Nations Development Programme & the Global Environment Facility

De Iongh, H. et al. (2009), Scientific Report, Institute of Environmental Sciences. Leiden and Research Centre for Oceanography, Jakarta.

Bujang, J. S. et al. (2006), Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management. Vol.9 (203-214)

Rajamani, L. et al. (2006), Ambio. 35 (5): 266-268

United Nations Environment Programme (2001)

Zerner, C. (1994), Law & Society Review, 28(5), 1079-1122