Central Mindanao University Academic Paradise of the South
Nearly a decade of biodiversity monitoring at Mt. Musuan took the international stage as Central Mindanao University shared its research at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC 2026) held from June 28 to July 3 in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China.
Representing the University was Dr. Florfe M. Acma, Director of the Institute of Biological Sciences under the College of Arts and Sciences, who presented the oral paper, “Biodiversity Monitoring of Mt. Musuan, an Academe-Managed Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Site of the Philippines.”
The study examined biodiversity trends in Mt. Musuan over nearly a decade and highlighted the site’s documented role as an ecotourism destination. It is an offshoot of a Commission on Higher Education (CHED)-funded research project implemented by CMU under the leadership of Academician Dr. Victor B. Amoroso.
During her presentation, participants expressed appreciation for CMU’s sustained efforts in establishing and monitoring an academe-managed Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) site at Mt. Musuan. They recognized the University’s commitment to environmental stewardship and biodiversity conservation through long-term ecological research that generates valuable scientific data for conservation and sustainable ecosystem management.
In addition to presenting her research, Dr. Acma served as moderator for the scientific session on “Inventories, Endemism and Extinction Risk” and as one of the judges for the conference’s research competition, reflecting her expertise and active contribution to the international scientific community.
Reflecting on the week-long conference, Dr. Acma emphasized that addressing biodiversity loss requires collective global action.
“It takes the collaborative efforts of nations to mitigate the problems of the degradation of our tropical forests, halt biodiversity loss, and ensure that forest ecosystem services are maintained,” she said.
With the theme “Achieving a Shared Ecological Civilization for Long-term Resilience,” ATBC 2026 brought together scientists, researchers, conservation practitioners, and policymakers from around the world to exchange knowledge and advance solutions for tropical ecology and biodiversity conservation. Hosted by the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the conference is organized by the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, the world’s largest and most influential academic society dedicated to tropical biology and conservation.
Dr. Acma’s participation showcased CMU’s continuing contributions to biodiversity research while strengthening the University’s international research linkages and fostering collaborations that support the conservation and sustainable management of tropical ecosystems. [Iyren Neri with information from Dr. Florfe M. Acma, Director, Institute of Biological Sciences]
