The Agusan Marsh comprises 11 habitat types and subtypes—the freshwater swamp forest (with Terminalia, peat swamp and sago palm forest subtypes), secondary scrub forest, herbaceous swamp forest, open water (oxbow/floodplain lakes, pools) and flowing water (rivers, streams)—that cover all of 113,000 hectares (not the reported 113 hectares). But only a dozen or so scientific articles have been written on it, based on the “Proceedings of the 2007 Scientific Conference on the Agusan Marsh” which was sponsored by Unesco. Enchanting as it is, the marsh remains relatively unstudied and therefore needs not only herpetologists (experts in reptiles such as crocodiles) but also other scientists to undertake research on its hydrology, sediment dynamics and biodiversity because of its ecological importance.

Primavera, J. H. (2010, September 21). R&D in Agusan Marsh. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A14.