ELEVATED SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE REDUCE THE RASTRELLIGER KANAGURTA POTENTIAL FISHING GROUNDS IN THE MALAYSIA’S EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE (EEZ)

Yeny Nadira Kamaruzzaman^1* & Muzzneena Ahmad Mustapha²

¹Faculty of Fisheries and Food Science, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21300 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

²Department of Earth Sciences and Environment, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

*Corresponding author: y.nadira@umt.edu.my

Climate change influences the distribution and abundance of marine species in the world, and fish respond to the climate in a variety of ways. In the 21^st century, the ocean’s temperature is projected to increase by 1 to 6 °C depending on the climate scenario. The Indian mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) is one of mackerel fishes from the Scombridae family which one of the most commercially crucial epipelagic species where it is caught in the Malaysia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This species is fast-swimmers which normally schooling in large aggregations and migratory seasonally. Thus, understand the relationship between environmental variables and processes that associates with fish abundance and distribution is a crucial for fishers in order to achieve an optimal fish landing targets. R.kanagurta potential fishing grounsd was predicted using boosted regression tree (BRT) model by integrating R. kanagurta catch data together with high resolution satellite data such as chlorophyll-a (chl-a), sea surface temperature (SST) (MODIS-Aqua) and sea surface height (SSH) (AVISO). This study aims to determine the impact of elevated SST on the potential fishing grounds of R. kanagurta in Malaysia’s EEZ. The elevated SST was based on temperature projection of IPCC-AR5-RCPs scenarios. BRT modelling result indicated that during the Northeast monsoon, at elevated SST of 3.30ºC, the potential fishing grounds was found to reduce along the coast of Malaysia’s EEZ. Meanwhile, during Southwest monsoon and inter-monsoon transition, at elevated SST of 1.80°C, 2.60°C and 3.30°C showed a significant reduction in the potential fishing grounds of the R. kanagurta especially along the coast of the EEZ off SCS. Results indicated that under climate change scenarios, fish migration will occurs when the SST rise and there is a shift towards cooler or deeper areas. Therefore, understanding the impacts of temperature increase would contribute towards future sustainable fisheries resource management strategies.

Keywords: Boosted regression trees, Elevated sea surface temperature, Exclusive Economic Zone, Potential fishing ground, Rastrelliger kanagurta

LAND USE CHANGE BY DAMMING ACTIVITIES INFLUENCES THE WATER QUALITY AND ICHTHYOFAUNA DISTRIBUTION OF A SMALL TROPICAL RIVER IN MALAYSIA

 Shazana Sharir^1*, Azhari Mohamad², Shafiq Zakeyuddin³, Farah Ayuni Farinordin⁴, Nurfatin Zulkipli⁵, Abdullah Samat⁶Amir Shah Ruddin⁷ and Shukor Md. Nor⁸

¹Faculty of Fisheries and Food Science, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Terengganu

^2,6,8 Faculty of Science and Technology Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia UKM,Selangor

³TNB GEN CO., Jalan Ayer Itam  Bangi, Selangor

⁴Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA (Jengka Campus) Jengka, Pahang

⁵University of Debrecen, Department of Hydrobiology Debrecen, Hajdú-Bihar, Hungary

^*Corresponding author: shazana.sharir@umt.edu.my

The development of dams is often related to the change in land use that involves huge water catchment areas. These activities have been significantly impacting the water quality of the river and influencing the distribution of fish faunas. This study elucidates the Spatio-temporal impact of damming phases on the water quality and distribution of fish in a small river system located in Hulu Terengganu Malaysia. The changes in land use, water quality parameter, and fish distribution were observed during the pre-development phase, construction phase, and impoundment phase of the dam. Satellite images from the different phases of development were used to compare the changes in land use and forest cover. An assessment of water quality and fish diversity in the river was conducted systematically at four locations representing the system after the impoundment which are the riverine zone (ST1), transition zone (ST2), lacustrine zone (ST3), and downstream zone (ST4). From the study, there was a significant difference in the water quality parameter observed between the different phases of development at the studied locations. The distributions of fish fauna between zones of the river were significantly different during each phase of development where the highest abundance of fish during the construction phase was in the riverine zone (37.1%) and, during impoundment was in the lacustrine zone (38.1%). A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) cumulatively explained that Total Suspended Solid (TSS), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and temperature were highly influencing the fish assemblage during the Construction and Impoundment phase. Our results suggest that the ichthyofauna responded to the impact of dam development by averting from the disturbed area due to the change of physicochemical components of the water body. The Ichthyofauna community in the newly inundated ecosystem should be monitored periodically as the environment is dynamic and changes in the trophic structure of the ecosystem may impact vulnerable fish species.

Keywords: Anthropogenic Activities and River, Fish Distribution, Impact of Dam, Water Catchment Area

DNA BARCODING STUDY OF SHELLED GASTROPODS IN THE INTERTIDAL ROCKY COASTS OF TERENGGANU, MALAYSIA

 Nur Ilham Syahadah Mohd Yusoff¹, Izwandy Idris², Azwarina Mohd Azmi Ramasamy², Han Ming Gan³, Nursalwa Baharuddin⁴, Min Pau Tan^1*

¹Institute of Marine Biotechnology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.

² South China Sea Repository and Reference Centre, Institute of Oceanography and

Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, 21030, Terengganu, Malaysia.

 ³Department of Biological Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, 47500, Malaysia.

^*Corresponding author: mptan@umt.edu.my

A precise and comprehensive assessment of species diversity is fundamental and crucial across many biological studies. However, delimiting species through morphological approach remains challenging especially when samples are incomplete or degraded in the repository museum, or when morphological variation is high as a result of phenotypic plasticity, in which has been commonly observed among the marine snails. Molecular approach through DNA barcode is increasingly used to obtain taxonomic information on targeted organisms. Unfortunately, DNA barcode of marine gastropods from Malaysia was scarce, despite located within the high biodiversity hotpot region. In this study, marine shelled gastropods collected from the intertidal coastal waters of Terengganu, Malaysia were identified morphologically and then sequenced through a barcoding DNA approach using LCO1490 and HCO2198 primers. Samples vouchers were kept at the South China Sea Natural History Museum, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. The CO1 sequences delimit 59 samples into five families (Muricidae, Nacellidae, Neritidae, Trochidae and Turbinidae) and 18 species (Morula spinosa, Tylothais aculeata, Purpura bufo, Planaxis sulcatus, Reishia clavigera, Reishia bitubercularis, Reishia luteostoma, Astralium rhodostomum, Turbo bruneus, Turbo chrysostomus, Monodonta labio, Trochus histrio, Nerita albicilla, Nerita chamaeleon, Nerita litterata, Nerita undata, Nerita costata, Cellana toreuma). The medium to small-sized shelled sea snails, Nerita was the mostly found genus at the sampling areas. This study flags an important effort in constructing a DNA barcode library for this taxon within this geographical region. The results contribute to the environmental-based DNA and biodiversity monitoring, as well as provide sequence data for systematics studies of this group of organisms in the future.

Keywords: Gastropods. Mollusca, sea snails, DNA barcoding, biodiversity, Malaysia

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT TRANSPORTATION STRATEGIES ON THE DAILY GROWTH RATE, BACTERIAL COUNT, AND PHENOTYPIC CHARACTERISTICS OF KAPAPPHYCUS SPECIES

Ma. Ryndellyn T. Cabanas¹, Jonalyn P. Mateo^1,2*, Anicia Q. Hurtado², Maria Rovilla J. Luhan²

¹Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanology, University of the Philippines Visayas Miagao, Philippines 5023

²Institute of Aquaculture, University of the Philippines Visayas Miagao, Philippines 5023

*Corresponding author: jpmateo@up.edu.ph

Seaweeds are the top aquaculture product in the Philippines with Kappaphycus sp. being the most cultivated due to their carrageenan content. Poor environmental conditions, lack of seaweed banks, pathogenic bacteria and epiphyte infestations are the major problems faced by the industry as they affect the quantity and quality of seaweeds and carrageenan. These prompted numerous research and development efforts for efficient cultivation and post-harvest techniques, yet the transfer of cultivars is still overlooked where the handling and transportation can result in mortality. In this study, ten different transportation strategies were applied to the Kappaphycus sp. that were obtained from Tiabas, San Dionisio. The transportation strategies are in I.) covered treatments: a = only seaweeds in polystyrene boxes, b = ice and seaweeds in polystyrene boxes, c = seawater and seaweeds in polystyrene boxes, d = seawater, ice and seaweeds in polystyrene boxes, e = seaweeds in rice sacks; and same with II.) Sun-exposed treatments. Only the daily odor, color, bacterial count and daily growth rate were observed. Among the transportation strategies, seaweed transported in rice sacks got the poorest odor score, also the seaweed transported inside polystyrene boxes without water under the heat had the worst color and high bacterial count, and seaweed transported in polystyrene boxes with seawater under the heat had the lowest daily growth rate at - 2.11±1.16 % day^-1. Seaweed transported in boxes with seawater and ice measured a low bacterial count, also seaweed in boxes with water showed a superior color score, both in covered vehicles. However, seaweed in sacks exhibited the best odor and daily growth rate measurement at 4.37± 1.163 % day^-1. Therefore, seaweed transported in sacks is recommended given 3 hours of travel only even under the heat.

Keywords: Kappaphycus sp., transportation strategies, biosecurity, sustainability

MANGROVE COMPOSITION, ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN BARANGAY BUENLAG, BINMALEY, PANGASINAN, PHILIPPINES

 Geronimo R. Rosario¹, Lorena Felix-Aquino¹, Jennie B. Fernandez¹,

Rosie S. Abalos¹ and Kristine E. Tamayo²

¹College of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Pangasinan State University-Binmaley Campus, San Isidro Norte, Binmaley, Pangasinan

²Daniel Maramba National High School, Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan

This study assessed the mangrove species composition, density, ecosystem services and management practices in Barangay Buenlag, Binmaley, Pangasinan. To determine the species composition and density, five (5) quadrats measuring 5m x 20m were placed alternately at 200-m interval along the riverbanks. On the other hand, a focus group discussion (FGD) was conducted among concerned participants from Barangay Council, fishermen and local residents to determine the mangrove ecosystem services and management practices. Results of the study showed that there were 7 species of mangroves belonging to 5 families identified along the riverbanks; Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora mucronata, Bruguiera cylindrica, Avicennia officinalis, Sonneratia alba, Lumnitzera racemosa and Excoecaria agallocha. R. apiculata registered the highest mean density with 0.184 stands per 100 m² while Lumnitzera racemosa gained the lowest with 0.002 stands per 100 m². The mangroves provide the basic ecosystem services from provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural. Key management measures employed ranged from planting seedlings, prohibiting cutting of mangroves and avoiding dumping of wastes.

Key words: Species Composition, Density, Ecosystem Services, Management Practices

COMPLETE MITOCHONDRIAL GENOMES OF PEACOCK EEL (MACROGNATHUS SIAMENSIS) AND PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS AMONG SYNBRANCHIFORMES

Oanh T. Truong, Sang Q. Tran, Binh T. Dang^*

Nha Trang University, Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, Viet Nam

^*Corresponding author: binhdt@ntu.edu.vn

Macrognathus siamensis is an economically and ecologically important freshwater fishes in the Mekong and Chao Phraya Basin. Here, we use EzRAD-seqs data of M. siamensis collected from the Lower Mekong Basin to build the completed mitochondrial genomes. The circle genomes are 16,548 bp in length, consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes and one control region (D-loop). The overall base composition of M. siamensis is 29.9% for A, 26.9% for T, 28.5% for C and 14.8% for G, with an AT bias of 56.8%. To explore their taxonomic status and the relationship within Synbranchiformes, the phylogenetic tree involving 22 synbranchiform mitogenomes (represented for 11 species) available in the GenBank was constructed based on the Neighbor-Joining approach. The phylogram was divided into two clades: clade 1 included Mastacembelidae and Indostomidae, while clade 2 performed Synbranchidae. Within the family Mastacembelidae, M. siamensis M. pancalus was close related species, and they form sister clade to Mastacembelus spp.  Macrognathus aculeatus, however, clustered in the same clade with Sinobdella sinensis (sequences difference from 0.5 to 1.1%). For the family Synbranchidae, Ophisternon, and Monopterus were placed in the same group, and then displayed the sister clade to Ophichthys. The genetic variation was detected between Monopterus albus samples collected at different geographical areas in China. Our result was also confirmed the placement of the family Indostomidae (previously belong to the order Scorpaeniformes) as a sister group of Mastacembelidae in the order Synbranchiformes. The complete mitogenome may add new information to existing mitogenome data for Synbranchiformes, providing further information that may contribute to their taxonomy, evolution, and phylogeny.

Keywords: Lower Mekong Basin, Macrognathus siamensis, mitogenome, phylogeny, Synbranchiformes.