Sains Malaysiana 43(5)(2014): 757–766

Sr/Ca, Mg/Ca and Ba/Ca Ratios in the Otolith of Sea Bass in

Peninsular Malaysia as Salinity Influence Markers

(Nisbah Sr/Ca, Mg/Ca dan Ba/Ca dalam Otolit Ikan Siakap di Semenanjung Malaysia sebagai Penunjuk Pengaruh Saliniti)

AFIZA SURIANI SARIMIN & CHE ABD RAHIM MOHAMED*

School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

Received: 20 January 2012/Accepted: 23 August 2013

ABSTRACT

The otoliths of sea bass (Lates calcarifer) were sampled from 23 locations in Peninsular Malaysia in order to analyse the Sr/Ca, Mg/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios. This study found that these elements/Ca ratios in sea bass otoliths correlated with the salinity zone (thalassic series) compared with elements/Ca ratios in ambient water. The contradictory pattern of Sr/Ca ratios and Ba/Ca ratios in otoliths were found according to salinity zone variations. Thus, oligohaline waters showed highest Ba/Ca ratios while the highest Sr/Ca ratios were recorded for saline waters. The terrigenous enrichment of Ba in water also affects the Ba content in otoliths. The presence of Mg in otoliths acts as a rival to Ba, thus affecting Mg and Ba deposition. Meanwhile, Ba is the tracer for salinity fluctuations based on the partition coefficient (D) and shows significant changes. However, the elements in otoliths were found to originate indirectly from the water column. The sequence of the elements/Ca ratios in otoliths and ambient water were as follows, Sr/Ca>Mg/Ca>Ba/Ca and Sr/Ca>Ba/Ca>Mg/Ca, respectively.

Keywords: Ba/Ca; Mg/Ca; Otolith; Sr/Ca; thalassic series

ABSTRAK

Sebanyak 23 lokasi di Semenanjung Malaysia telah dipilih untuk persampelan ikan siakap (Lates calcarifer). Otolit ikan siakap dianalisis untuk mendapatkan nisbah Sr/Ca, Mg/Ca dan Ba/Ca. Kajian ini mendapati nisbah elemen/Ca dalam otolit mempunyai korelasi dengan saliniti berbanding nisbah elemen/Ca dalam air ambien. Nisbah Sr/Ca dalam otolit didapati bertentangan dengan nisbah Ba/Ca dalam otolit dan berubah mengikut saliniti. Oleh itu, nisbah Ba/Ca dalam otolit adalah tinggi dalam air oligohalin manakala nisbah Sr/Ca dalam otolit adalah tinggi dalam air masin. Pengkayaan unsur Ba dalam air ambien mempengaruhi kandungan Ba dalam otolit. Manakala, kehadiran Mg dalam otolit adalah pesaing kepada Ba lalu mempengaruhi pengenapan Ba pada otolit. Unsur Ba merupakan penyurih berdasarkan pekali sekatan (D) menunjukkan perubahan yang signifikan. Walau bagaimanapun, sumber elemen dalam otolit adalah daripada pengaruh air ambien. Turutan nisbah elemen/Ca dalam otolit dan air ambien didapati masing-masing adalah Sr/Ca>Mg/Ca>Ba/Ca dan Sr/Ca>Ba/Ca>Mg/Ca.

Kata kunci: Ba/Ca; Mg/Ca; otolit; Sr/Ca; siri talasik

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*Corresponding author; email: carmohd@ukm.my