'I- ' " .' .' . J
DIVERSITY AND COMPOSITION OF FISH FAUNA AT TELAGA AIR ESTUARY
Faznur Fateh Bte Firdaus@Nicholas 23493
QL 615 "17 2112 Bachelor of Science with Honours (Aquatic Resource Science and Management) 2012 If- , j i< .' ... ' I Pusat Khidmat Maklumat ~kademik UNlVEP.sm MALAYSIA SARA'~AK
DIVERSITY AND COMPOSITION OF FISH FAUNA AT TELAGA AIR ESTUARY
F AZNUR F ATEH BTE FIRDAUS@NICHOLAS
Thus project is submitted in partial fulfillment ofthe requirement for the degree of Bachelor ofScience with Honours (Aquatic Resource Science and Management)
Faculty of Resource Science and Technology UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA SARAW AK 2012 , . I : • • t 'l
DECLARATION
I hereby declare that no portion of the work referred to in this dissertation has been submitted in support of an application for another degree or qualification to this university or any other institution of higher learning.
Faznur Fateh Bte Firdaus@Nicholas Aquatic Resource Science and Management Department of Aquatic Science Faculty of Resource Science and Technology University Malaysia Sarawak
-=--. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to extend by profound gratitude to my supervisor Dr. Khairul Adha A.Rahim for all the advice, guidance and moral support throughout the study. Not forgetting my co supervisor, Dr. Samsur Mohamad, Masyitah Ibrahim, Shareena Nazlia and Nur Hazwanie Izyan bt Mohd Nizam for all the effort during the field samplings and data collection.
My special thanks also to the Telaga Air fisherman and boat man with their willingness in helping me for the field work. Not forgotten also a special remembrance to lab assistance En. Zaidi and En.Azlan for their willingness to assist me in this study.
Finally, my special thanks for my family for their moral support and motivation for me to finish this project. Last but not the least to those that helped me in this project. May Allah bless all of you. , . ~ , • I
Table of Contents Page
Acknowledgement...... I
Table ofContents...... II-III
IV - VI List ofTables and Figures ......
Abstract...... •...... 1
1.0 Introduction & Objective...... 2-3 1.1 Objectives...... 3
2.0 Literature review ...... 4 2.1 Estuarine and mangroves ecosystem...... 4-5 2.2 Fish fauna ...... 5-6 2.3 Water quality ...... 6-7
3.0. Materials and Method ...... 8 3.1 Study sites ...... 8 3.2 Fish sample ...... 10 3.3 Fish identification and preservation ...... 10 3.4 Data measurement and collection ...... to 3.5 BODs_...... 11 3.6 Sample analysis ...... 12
4.0 Results.....•.• ~ ....••...... •...... •.•....•...•...... •...... •..•...... ••...... ••.•...... 13 4.1 Fish fauna ...... 13 4.2 Species diversity indices ...... 17 4.3 Physico-chemical water quality parameters ...... 18 4.3.1 pH...... 19 4.3.2 Dissolve oxygen...... 20 4.3.3 Temperature...... 20 4.3.4 Salinity...... 21 4.3.5 Turbidity...... 21 4.3.6 Depth...... 22 4.3.7 BODs ...... 22 4.3.6 Water current...... 23
II """'. t, ' 1
5.0 Discussion...... 25-30
6.0 Conclusion and recommendation ...... 31
7.0 References...... 32-34
8.0 Appendices...... 35 - 44
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LIST OF TABLES
Page
Table 1: GPS coordinate reading for Station 1 until 8 Station 5.
Table 2: Apparatus used for physico-chemical water 11 quality parameters at Telaga Air estuary.
Table 3: Number of fish family, fish species and number 13 of individuals sample collection for each station
Table 4: List number of fish families and species 15-16 collected from 5 station of Telaga Air estuary.
Table 5: Diversity indices of fish fauna at Telaga Air 17 estuary.
Table 6: Mean and standard error for the phsico-chemical 18 water parameters at sampling stations.
Table 7: One way ANOVA of physico-chemical water 19 parameter.
IV ~. f . . ' .. ' f
LIST OF FIGURES
PAGE Figure 1: The sampling station at Sg.Sibu, Telaga Air estuary 9
Figure 2: Percentage of ten highest individual fish family at Telaga Air 14 estuary Figure 3: Mean of pH value for each sampling station at Telaga Air 19 estuary.
Figure 4: Mean of 00 value for five sampling stations at Telaga Air 20 estuary.
Figure 5: Mean of temperature value for five sampling stations at Telaga 20 Air estuary.
Figure 6: Mean of salinity value for five sampling stations at Telaga Air 21 estuary.
Figure 7: Mean of turbidity value for five sampling stations at Telaga 21 Air estuary.
Figure 8: Mean of depth value for five sampling stations at Telaga Air 22 estuary.
Figure 9: Mean ofB005 value for five sampling stations at Telaga Air 23 estuary.
Figure 10: Mean of water current value for five sampling stations at 23 Telaga Air estuary.
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LIST OF APPENDICES
PAGE Appendix 1: List of fish families, species, common name and number of 35 individual caught from station 1
Appendix 2: List of fish families, species, common name and number of 36 individual caught from station 2
Appendix 3: List of fish families, species, common name and number of 37 individual caught from station 3
Appendix 4: List of fish families, species, common name and number of 38 individual caught from station 4
Appendix 5: List of fish families, species, common name and number of 39 individual caught from station 5
Appendix 6: List of fish families, species, number of individual eN), total 40 length (TL) and weight with their standard deviations (SO) caught in station I
Appendix 7: List of fish families, species, number of individual eN), total 41 length (TL) and weight with their standard deviations (SO) caught in station 2
Appendix 8: List of fish families, species, number of individual eN), total 42 length (TL) and weight with their standard deviations (SO) caught in station 3
Appendix 9: List of fish families, species, number of Individual (N), total 43 length (TL) and weight with their standard deviations (SO) caught in station 4 44 Appendix 10: List of fish families, species, number of individual (N), total length (TL) and weight with their standard deviations (SO) caught in station 5
VI Diversity and Composition of Fish Fauna at Telaga Air Estuary
Faznur Fateh Bte Firdaus@Nicholas
Aquatic Resource Science and Management Faculty of Resources Science and Technology Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to determine the diversity and composition of fish fauna at Telaga Air th estuary from 4th _5 February 2012. Five sampling stations were selected and fish were collected using three layer gill net after the 10 to 15 minutes of net deployment. A total of 237 individual fish from 26 families and 52 species were collected. The highest individual fish were collected at ST3 and the lowest at ST5. The most ubiquitous fish collected were from family Sciaenidae with 10 species and covered 32.70% of individual fish. Eight types of physico-chemical water parameters were taken and analyze using one way ANOVA showed that there were significant differences among all stations.
Keyword: Telaga Air estuary, family Sciaenidae, fish composition and diversity
ABSTRAK
Kajian ini telah dijalankan bagi menentukan nilai kepelbagaian dan komposisi ikan di kawasan paya bakau Telaga Air pada 4-5 Febuari 2012. Lima stesen bagi aktiviti penangkapan ikan telah dipilih dan pukat insang tiga lapis digunakan dan dibiarkall selama 10 sehingga 15 minit dipermukaan air bagi tujuan penangkapan ikan. Sejumlah 237 individu ikan daripada 26 famili dan 52 spesis telah dianalisa. ST3 merupakan stesen tertinggi kutipan sample ikan manakala ST5 merupakan stesen yang terendah klltipan sample ikan. Famili Sciaenidae telah mendominasi kutipan ikan sebanyak 10 spesis dengan jumlah sebanyak 32.70% individu ikan. Lapan jenis parameter kualiti air telah diambil dan dianalisa menggunakan analisis variant satu hala, hasil analisa tersebut menunjukan terdapat perbezaan ketara bagi parameter kualiti air di setiap stesen.
Kata kunci: Paya bakau Telaga Air,famili Sciaenidae, komposisi dan kepelbagaiall ikan
1 11 -' 1 I •
1.0 Introduction
The ASEAN region is one of the mega-biodiversity centers of the world that
containing significant values of mangroves, coral reef and seagrass meadows in the
world and south-east Asian mangroves represent about a third of the world's
mangroves of 18 million ha (Chong and Sasekumar, 2002). This mangrove ecosystem
comprises elements from marine and terrestrial habitats due to the interpenetrate both
ecosystem and also the tide influence (Lacerda et al.,2001).
This dynamic ecosystem is characterized by a variety of primary procedures,
grazing and detrial food chains, a high degree of interaction between the water column
and bottom, a complex food web and a large number of generalist to feeders (Day et
al., 1987). It also characterized with poor soil condition composed of silt, sand, clay
and decomposing organic matter is home to many species with unique adaptive
features (Mashhor et al., 2006).Mangrove forest is allocated between land and sea and
subjected to daily tidal flooding. Mangroves are estuarine areas of high productivity
providing a ready supply of organic matter, which utilized directly and indirectly by
marine fishes, shrimps, crabs and others (Chong, 2007).
Currently, mangroves forest diversity become declined due to unsustainable
forestry practices, illegal harvests agriculture, construction, urbanization and
reclamations for coastal development. In addition, estuarine organisms also have
exposed to variety of natural stressor which is varying spatially and temporally. Due to
their complexity and uniqueness, estuaries present challenges to understanding the
effects of stressors and the underlying causes of these effects on biological components
of estuarine ecosystem (Adams, 2005). Thus, the combinations of various
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anthropogenic impacts have invariably eroded the carrying capacity of mangroves
habitat to support the diversity aquatic fauna (Chong, 2007).
Fish can be as one of the biological indicator for natural ecosystems. Estuarine
fishes are known for their tolerance to fluctuation of salinity, temperature and oxygen
in that ecosystem. Estuaries are also as a medium for the fauna that pass regularly
between freshwater and the sea as part of their life cycle.
1.1 Objectives
a) To identify the fish diversity and composition in the Telaga Air estuary
area.
b) To examine the physico-chemical water quality in the sampling stations
ofTelaga Air estuary.
3 2.0 Literature review
2.1 Estuarine and Mangroves Ecosystem
Estuaries can be simple defined as portion of the earth's coastal zone where
there is interaction of ocean water, freshwater, land and atmosphere (Day et al., 1987).
Estuaries and coastal waters often contain various mixtures of fresh and salty water
that gives challenging circumstances for the aquatic organisms to survive. The often
changing mixtures of fresh and seawater create difficult osmotic gradients that greatly
affect coastal organisms (Valiela, 1991).
Odum and Schelske (1962) referred that the productivity of estuaries depends
on five factors. Ebb and flow water movements resulting from tidal action, the
abundant supplies of nutrients, rapid regeneration and conservation of nutrients due to
activity of microorganisms and filter feeders, three types of primary production units
(marsh grass, benthic algae and phytoplankton) which insure maximum utilization of
light at all seasons and lastly year-around production with successive crops.
However, three categories of energy sources can also be determined at this
ecosystem. There are the mechanical energy of moving water, sunlight penetration and
also organic and inorganic fuels imported into estuaries (Day et al., 1987). All of these
components are needed for the primary productivity activities and gives sustainability
to aquatic ecosystem.
In the tropics, mangroves forest not only serves as a source of edible aquatic
animals but also provide shelter, wood for fuel and variety for natural products.
Mangroves also act as nursery ground for juvenile aquatic animals especially for
anadromous and catadromous fish species. One of the reason why estuaries as best
4 "" PUlat Khidmat Maklumat Akademik UNlVERSm MALAYSIA SARAWAK
nursery ground is due to the low predation rates on small fishes and the effectiveness of predators hunting visually that is reduced by the turbidity (Wootton, 1992).The condition in mangroves can be serving, usually with the temperatures in mangrove generally ranged from 20 - 40°C with salinities ranged from 0 to 46 ppt and highly variable oxygen concentrations (Wootton, 1992).
Generally, mangroves are fragile ecosystem and are under pressure due to the human activities such as direct throw of waste industries, logging activities, agricultures, channelization of rivers and also shrimp aquacuItures farm. The major effects for the destruction of mangroves ecosystem may loss the habitats of juvenile fishes, and also others animals such as extinction of Proboscis monkey that are only endemic in Borneo region. Some ecosystems may be somewhat more resilient and resistant than others, however it is a need to conserve the polluted and fragile ecosystems (Alongi, 1998).
2.2 Fish fauna
The ecological importance of estuarine and coastal ecosystems throughout the world is well known. Their biological productivity and physical diversity, as well as mineral resources and strategic location have gained a great biological and economic importance (Yong, 1999).
Chong et at. (2010) recorded total of 1951 species of freshwater and marine fishes belonging to 704 genera and 186 families are in Malaysia. Generally, brackish water, euryhaline and marine fishes are threatened mainly by overfishing and habitat destruction for human proposed. Freshwater habitats encompass the highest percentage of threatened fish species (87%) followed by estuarine habitats (66%), of the 32
5 species of highly threatened (HT) species, 16 are freshwater and 16 are largely marine
euryhaline species (Chong et al.,2010).
Fish fauna distribution in Sarawak mangroves area quite unique and
diverse. Many studies has been done regarding to the fish diversity and composition at
Sarawak mangroves area such as such as coastal zone of Kuching Bay (Yong, 1999), at
Paloh mangrove area (Maximus, 2005), Kuching Wetland National Park (Noordiana,
2008), Rambungan mangroves area (Nurnadiah, 2008) and Sg. Semariang and its
tributaries (Nur' Asyikin, 2010).
The fish species ecosystems for each study location are difference due to the
special habitat preference of the areas. For instance 24% and 23.39% of family Ariidae
dominated the Paloh and Rambungan mangroves area respectively. However, 32% of
family Ambassidae was dominant in Kuching Wetland and 20.2% of family Mugilidae
dominated at Sg. Semariang. There are other several factors that influence the
distribution of fish fauna. This included the seasonal changes in freshwater inflow and
other environmental conditions that may induced changes in density and species
composition of mangrove fishes along estuarine gradients ( Ley et af., 1998).
2.4 Water quality
Water quality plays important role for fish distribution. Difference fish species
preferred to difference ecology for their habitat and life cycle. The negative impacts
from human activities also affect the water quality in the rivers and coastal area and
relatively disrupt fish habitat. In that concern fish also used as biological tools for
monitoring the environment condition. The results of studies which fish were used as
indicator species which directly related to the protection aquatic biota (Y ong, 1999).
6 Physico-chemical water parameters also known as abiotic identities factors for the fish distribution. Fishes can only survive within a certain range of an abiotic identity such as temperature, pH, dissolve oxygen, and presence of toxic substances.
Outside the range capability, the fish dies and the factors may act as lethal factors
(Wootton, 1992).
7 I ., ,. .r
3.0 Materials and Methods
3.1 Study Sites
These studies were conducted at Sg.Sibu Telaga Air estuary and located nearby
to the mangroves area and mostly the villagers' works as fisherman. Sungai Sibu is the
main river tributaries and approximately 7.12 km in length from the Rambungan
river's tributary until the river mouth (Google Earth, 2012). Global Positioning System
(GPS), GPSmap 60csx Garmin model is used to mark and recorded the coordination of
sampling sites and Table 1 show respectively the GPS reading for each sampling
stations. Five sampling stations were selected and marked as ST1, ST2, ST3, ST4 and
ST5 as shown in Figure 1.
Table 1: GPS coordinate reading for Station 1 until Station 5
Station GPS Coordinate
ST 1 N 01°40.643' E 110°11.341' N 01°41.226' E 110°12.408' ST2 N 01°40.752' E 110°12.575' ST3 N 01°39.129' E 110°14.191' ST4 N 01 °39.926 E 110°14.627' ST 5
8 A' I;
Pulau Tukong South China Sea N --- 0 , , ~T2 + Sg.Rambungan
~--->o( I ( ~:----r-J
Figure 1: The sampling stations at Sg.Sibu , Telaga Air estuary. *STl-ST5 indicate sampling station
9 " '.
3.2 Fish Sample
Different types of gill net with different mesh size were used for fish sampling.
The lengths of gill nets used were approximately 120 m and the mesh sizes are ranging from 6 to 8 cm. The net deployment for each station was in average of 10 to 15 minutes. Sampling activities were done during low tide level starting from Station 1 to
Station 5 by rising of water level by time.
3.3 Fish Identification and Preservation
Fish identification followed Yusri et al. (2010), Mansor et al. (1998),
Department of Fisheries Malaysia (2004) and Fish Base (2001) until species level. The data from fish identification is used for further analysis to determine the fish composition and diversity for each station. Unidentified fish samples was further determined in FSTS laboratory.
Fish samples were preserved in 10 % formalin for two days to stabilize fish tissue anatomical form and structure. Then, the samples are replaced with 70% ethanol
to ensure the specimens more pliable and maintain for long period of time.
3.4 Data measurement and collection
Samples were measured based on total length (TL), fork length (FL) and
standard length (SL) to the nearest centimeters and weight was recorded for each fish
samples to the nearest gram unit by using standard procedure, Mansor et al. (1998) and
Department of Fisheries Malaysia (2004). Ruler and a portable electronic balance were
used respectively for the fish length and weight.
In-situ and ex-situ parameter were taken for water quality analysis. The in-situ
parameters were pH, dissolve oxygen (DO), temperature (0C), salinity (PSU), turbidity
10 (NTU), depth (m) and water current (m/s). Only biological oxygen demand (BODs) parameter was taken for ex-situ parameter. Data of physico-chemical water parameters were analyzed using one-way ANOV A by SYST AT7 software (Wilkinson, 1996) and
Table 2 shows the apparatus used for physico- chemical water quality parameters.
Table 2: Apparatus used for physico-chemical water quality parameters at Telaga Air estuary.
Physico-chemical Water Apparatus/model Parameters
Salinity (PSU) MA887 Seawater Refractormeter, Milwaukee pH and Temperature (0C) Mi 105 Phi temperature meter, Martini Instrument
Turbidity (NTU) Mi 4 I 5, Martini Instrument
Dissolve oxygen (mglL) 00-5510, CT Lutron
Water current (m/s) 2000 Portable Flowmeter,Flo-mate
3.5 BODs
Triplicate of 150 ml of water sample was placed in a BODs bottle. Initial DO reading were recorded and the bottle were wrap using aluminum foil after ensure that there were no bubbles trap inside the bottle. DO was taken after five days the sampling bottle been wraped and the BODs was measured using the formula:
BODs (mg/L) = OJ - D5
Where: D\ = DO of day 1 ; Os = DO of day 5
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3.6 Samples Analysis
The fish samples were analyzed with diversity indices, fish diversity Shannon-
weaver indices (H') (1963), fish evenness Pielou similarity index (J) (1969), Margalef
richness index (D) (1968) and species composition in percentage. Below are
respectively formulas for each diversity indices:
a) Shannon-Weaver Indices (H') (1963)
H = n Log n - L fi Log fi
n
Where n = Sample size, fi = Number of individual for each species
b) Pielou Similarity Index (J)(1969)
J = H
LnS
Where H = Diversity of species, S = Total number of species
c) Margalef Richness Index (D) (1968)
D = (S - l)/Log N
Where S = Total number of species, N = Total number of individual
d) Species Composition in Percentage
Number of individual of a given species X 100% Total number of all fish collected
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4.0 Results
4.1 Fish Fauna
A total of 237 individual fish belonging to 26 fish family and 52 fish species were collected. The highest number of individual fish collected was from ST3 with 71 individual
fish and following by ST1, ST4, ST3 and ST5. The highest number of fish family was at STI
with 14 tish family and the lowest was at ST5 with four fish family. A total of 19 fish species
were found in STI and 13, 12 and nine were found at ST2, ST4 and ST5 respectively. Table 3 shows the detail information on number of fish family, fish species and individual fish by each station. Table 3: Number of fish family, fish species and number of individuals sample collection for each station
Station (ST) No. Family No. Species No. Individuals 1 14 19 60 2 8 13 37 3 12 19 71 4 8 12 43 5 4 9 26 TOTAL 237
There were ten highest individual fish collected in term of fish family such as
Sciaenidae (32.70%) following by family Engraulidae (13.74%), Tetraodontidae (13.27%),
Leiognathidae (12.32%), Ariidae (9.48%), Clupeidae (9.0%), Synodontidae (7.1%)
Ambassidae (1.8%), Carangidae (1.4%) and Pristigasteridae (1.4%).
The lowest individuals of fish number in term of fish family are Cynoglossidae,
Dasyatidae, Drepanidae, Eleotriidae, Hemiramphidae, Hemiscylliidae, Latidae, Mugilidae,
Paralichthyidae, Platychephalidae, Plotosidae, Potynemidae, Scatophagidae, Sillaginidae,
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Stromateidae and Terapontidae. All of these fish family contribute as much as 9.95% from the whole fish family.
Percentage ofTen Highest Individuals Fish Family in Telaga Air
Teraodontidae •••1iEiEi:iZ:::J 13.270 Synodontidae ]t1!&l£lZJ 7.109 Sciaenidae 1fi!.B~:!:~=!::!!===::::==~=:=J 32.701 Pristigasteridae 1 1.422 -! 12.322 Leiognathidae _._._11 • Percentage Engraulidae ••••m~~ 13.744
Clupeidae ••••9.005
Carangidae 1.422
Ariidae ••a!:!::::J 9.479
Ambassidae 1.896 -i""----r-.---'---.---I---r---.--- 0.000 5.000 10.000 15.000 20.000 25.000 30.000 35.000
Figure 2: Percentage often highest individual fish family at Telaga Air estuary
Ten species from family Sciaenidae were collected. These include Nibea soldado,
Johnius belangerii, Johnius coitor, Johnius sp., Pennahia anea, Johnius dussumeirii,
Otholithes ruber, Daysciaena albida, Paranibea anea, Paranibea semiluctosa and Johnius
carrola. However, there were also 18 fish family collections by single species. The
representative fish families were Ambassidae, Carangidae, Dasyatidae, Drepaneidae,
Eleotriidae, Hemiramphidae, Latidae, Leiognathidae, Mugilidae, Paralichthyidae,
Platycephalidae, Plotosidae, Polynemidae, Scatophagidae, Sillaginidae, Stromateidae,
Synodontidae and Terapontidae. The complete number of fish family, fish species and
individual number of sample collected for each station as in Table 4.
14 Table 4: List number of fish families and species collected from 5 station ofTelaga Air estuary. (ST = Station survey)
Famili \Species ST 1 ST 2 ST 3 ST 4 ST 5 Total
Ambassidae Ambassidae sp. 2 2 4 Ariidae Arius sagar 10 2 D Arius sp. 2 2 Arius swnatranus 4 4 Osleogeneiosus militaris 1 1 Carangidae Alepes vari 2 2 Clupeidae Atule mate 2 Anodolltostoma chacunda 10 2 13 Hi/sa kelee 1 1 Ilisha macrogaster 1 2 IIlisha pristigastroides 1 Raconda russelina 2 2 Cynoglossidae Cynoglossus arel 2 2 CYlloglossus lingua 1 Dasyatidae Dasyatis zugei Drepaoeidae Drepane punctata 2 2 Eleotriidae Bu/is amboinensis Engraulidae Coilia dussumieri 3 Coi/ia macrognathos 4 4 Setipinna breviceps 2 2 Setipinna melanochir 1 1 Setipinna taty 4 4 Stolephorus indicus 2 2 Thryssa mystax 6 3 4 13 Hemiramphidae Zenarchopterus dispar Hemiscylliidae Chiloscyllium punctatum 2 2 Latidae Lates calicarifer Leiognathidae Gazza minuta 6 10 10 26 MugiUdae Oedalechilus labiosus
15