Environment and Ecology Research Vol. 12(3), pp. 270 - 280
DOI: 10.13189/eer.2024.120305
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Assessing Landscape Functionality of the Cogonal Area: Implications for the Restoration and Enhancement of Mt. Kitanglad, Lirongan, Talakag, Bukidnon

Khyzer Jake P. Cabañelez ^1,*, Sherwin S. Sevilla ¹, Kirk Patrick Loise Uy ², Arnele Mie A. Fanuga ², Joylinber P. Tandingan ³, Ruben F. Amparado ¹, Peter D. Suson ¹, Hilly Ann R. Quiaoit ^1,4
1 Environmental Science Graduate Program, Department of Biological Science, College of Science and Mathematics, Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology, Philippines
² Department of Fisheries, Marine, and Environmental Sciences, College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Aquatic Sciences, North Eastern Mindanao State University – Lianga Campus, Philippines
³ Department of Environmental Science, College of Forestry and Environmental Science, Central Mindanao University, Philippines
⁴ Managing Director at CDO Riverbasin Management Council, Cagayan de Oro City 9000, Philippines

ABSTRACT

Monitoring the landscape as a functional unit provides a broader understanding of its essential components and the interactions among them. However, the burdensome and costly nature of monitoring changes in the physical, chemical, and biological attributes of soil after landscape restoration or shifts in land use may employ extensive soil sampling and laboratory analysis. This study utilizes Landscape Function Analysis (LFA), a simple and cost-effective method to evaluate the landscape functionality, to investigate the present state of the cogonal area within the buffer zone located in the protected area in Mt. Kitanglad, Talakag, Bukidnon. This is part of a bigger study assessing the trend of recovery of established restoration sites, and focusing on the cogonal area from a 2020 baseline based of the three LFA indices: soil stability, water infiltration, and nutrient cycling. The findings reveal that all cogonal sites exhibited slight to moderate improvement in the LFA indices which were mostly influenced by surface resistance to disturbance, basal cover of perennial grass, and soil texture. However, the cogonal area still shows low LFA results, indicating that it is far from achieving a state like the control site. Nonetheless, this signifies the occurrence of natural regeneration processes within the site. The implementation of rehabilitation and restoration measures holds promise in improving the current state of the site.

KEYWORDS
Landscape Function Analysis, LFA, Rehabilitation, Restoration, Landscape, Landscape Functionality

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Khyzer Jake P. Cabañelez , Sherwin S. Sevilla , Kirk Patrick Loise Uy , Arnele Mie A. Fanuga , Joylinber P. Tandingan , Ruben F. Amparado , Peter D. Suson , Hilly Ann R. Quiaoit , "Assessing Landscape Functionality of the Cogonal Area: Implications for the Restoration and Enhancement of Mt. Kitanglad, Lirongan, Talakag, Bukidnon," Environment and Ecology Research, Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 270 - 280, 2024. DOI: 10.13189/eer.2024.120305.

(b). APA Format:
Khyzer Jake P. Cabañelez , Sherwin S. Sevilla , Kirk Patrick Loise Uy , Arnele Mie A. Fanuga , Joylinber P. Tandingan , Ruben F. Amparado , Peter D. Suson , Hilly Ann R. Quiaoit (2024). Assessing Landscape Functionality of the Cogonal Area: Implications for the Restoration and Enhancement of Mt. Kitanglad, Lirongan, Talakag, Bukidnon. Environment and Ecology Research, 12(3), 270 - 280. DOI: 10.13189/eer.2024.120305.