Sains Malaysiana 46(8)(2017): 1191–1200

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2017-4608-04

 

Factors Influencing the Distribution of Chl-a along Coastal Waters of East Peninsular Malaysia

(Faktor Mempengaruhi Taburan Chl-a di Pesisir Pantai Timur Semenanjung Malaysia)

 

F. SHAARI & M.A. MUSTAPHA*

 

School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

 

Diserahkan: 14 Jun 2016/Diterima: 8 Februari 2017

 

ABSTRACT

Determination of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) distribution in the coastal waters is important to understand the coastal environmental conditions. This study was conducted to understand the spatial and temporal distribution of Chl-a along coastal waters of east Peninsular Malaysia and factors influencing its variability using Chl-a data derived from Aqua MODIS satellite (1 km spatial resolution) from January 2006 to December 2012. Chl-a variability was described using empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis. In-situ data (temperature, salinity, density and nitrate) and rainfall data from the Department of Meteorology were analyzed using spatial interpolation to determine factors influencing the distribution of Chl-a. The seasonal progressions of Chl-a showed high value during northeast monsoon along the coast. This variability was described by four modes of the EOF analysis. The first mode (72.08% of total variance) indicated seasonal cycle with high variability along the coast. Second mode (17.03% of variance) explained the northeast monsoon with high variability from river mouth to the south. Third mode (2.39% of variance) indicated variability during southwest monsoon along the coast and much higher to the south. Mode 4 (1.93% of variance) explained the inter-monsoon period observed along the northern and southern coastline. Concentration and distribution of Chl-a were related to availability of nutrient influenced by rainfall. The thermohaline front was also observed to play an important role in accumulation of phytoplankton biomass during northeast and southwest monsoon.

 

Keywords: Chl-a; Coastal waters; empirical orthogonal function (EOF); nitrate

 

ABSTRAK

Penentuan taburan klorofil-a (Chl-a) di pesisir pantai adalah penting bagi memahami keadaan persekitaran pesisir pantai. Penyelidikan ini telah dijalankan untuk memahami taburan reruang dan masa Chl-a di pesisiran pantai timur Semenanjung Malaysia dan faktor yang mempengaruhi variasi taburan menggunakan data Chl-a daripada satelit Aqua MODIS (1 km resolusi reruang) dari Januari 2006 hingga Disember 2012. Variasi Chl-a diterangkan dengan mengunakan analisis fungsi ortogon empirik (EOF). Data in-situ (suhu, saliniti, ketumpatan dan nitrat) serta data hujan daripada Jabatan Meteorologi dianalisis dengan menggunakan interpolasi reruang bagi menentukan faktor yang mempengaruhi taburan Chl-a. Taburan musiman Chl-a menunjukkan kepekatan tertinggi semasa monsun timur laut dan tersebar di sepanjang pesisir pantai. Variasi ini diterangkan melalui empat mod analisis EOF. Mod pertama (72.08% daripada jumlah varians) menerangkan kitaran bermusim dengan variasi yang tinggi sepanjang pesisir pantai. Mod kedua (17.03% daripada jumlah varians) menerangkan keadaan monsun timur laut dengan variasi yang tinggi di muara sungai ke arah selatan. Mod ketiga (2.39% varians) menunjukkan keadaan monsun barat daya di sepanjang pesisir pantai dan lebih tinggi di bahagian selatan. Mod keempat (1.93% variasi) pula menerangkan keadaan peralihan iaitu di sepanjang bahagian utara dan selatan pesisir pantai. Kepekatan dan taburan klorofil-a di bahagian selatan pesisir pantai didapati berhubungan dengan ketersediaan nutrien yang dipengaruhi oleh curahan hujan. Struktur termohalin didapati memainkan peranan yang penting terhadap pengumpulan biojisim fitoplankton semasa monsun timur laut dan barat daya.

 

Kata kunci: Chl-a; fungsi ortogon empirik (EOF); nitrat; pesisir pantai

RUJUKAN

 

Abd Rahman, M., Fadhli, A., Mustafa, M., Mohd, R. & Khiruddin, A. 2012. Sediment variation along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Ecological Questions 16: 99-107.

Ahmad, Raihan B. Sheikh & Toshihiro, I. 1986. Chlorophyll-a content off the Terengganu Coast. In Ekspedisi Matahari’ 85: A Study on the Offshore Waters of the Malaysian EEZ, edited by Mohsin, A.K.M., Mohamed, M.I. & Ambak, M.A. Universiti Pertanian Malaysia. Occasional Publication 3: 117-120.

An, N.T. & Du, H.T. 2000. Studies on phytoplankton pigments: Chlorophyll, total carotenoids and degradation products in Vietnamese waters. Proceeding of the SEAFDEC Seminar on Fishery Resources in the South China Sea Area IV: Vietnamese Water Thailand. Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center. pp: 1-18.

Huang, B., Wu, F., Yang, Z., Fu, J. & Kikuchi, K. 2009. Multi-scale climate variability of the South China Sea monsoon: A review. Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans 47: 15-37.

Baldaci, A., Corsini, G., Grasso, R., Manzella, G., Allen, J.T., Cipollini, P., Guymer, T.H. & Snaith, H.M. 2001. A study of the Alboran Sea mesoscale system by menas of empirical orthogonal function decomposition of satellite data. Journal of Marine Systems 29: 293-311.

Hodges, B.A. & Rudnick, D.L. 2006. Horizontal variability in chlorophyll fluorescence and potential temperature. Deep-Sea Research 53: 1460-1482.

Dai, M., Zhai, W., Cai, W., Callahan, J., Huang, B., Shang, S., Huang, T., Li, X., Lu, Z., Chen, W. & Chen, Z. 2008 Effects of an estuarine plume-associated bloom on the carbonate system in the lower reaches of the Pearl River estuary and the coastal zone of the northern South China Sea. Continental Shelf Research 28: 1416-1423.

Dong, L., Su, J., Wong, L.A., Cao, Z. & Chen, J. 2004. Seasonal variation and dynamics of the Pearl River plume. Continental Shelf Research 24: 1761-1777.

Hong, S.S., Bang, S.W., Kim, Y.O. & Han, M.S. 2002. Effects of rainfall on the hydrological conditions and phytoplankton community structure in the riverine zone of the Pal’tang reservoir, Korea. J. Freshwater Ecol. 17: 507-520.

Huang, X.P., Huang, L.M. & Yue, W.Z. 2006. The characteristics of nutrients and eutrophication in the Pearl River Estuary, South China Sea. Marine Pollutant Bulletin 47: 30-36.

Jamshidi, S. & Yousefi, M. 2010. Concentration of Chlorophyll-a in coastal waters of Rudsar. Research Journal of Environmental Science 4: 383-391.

Li, W.K.W., Lewis, M.R. & Harrison, W.G. 2010. Multiscalarity of the nutrient-chlorophyll relationship in coastal phytoplankton. Estuaries and Coasts 33: 440-447.

Lorenzen, C.J. 1966. A method for the continuous measurement of in vivo chlorophyll concentration. Deep-Sea Res. 13: 223-227.

Masson, D. & Peña, A. 2009. Chlorophyll distribution in a temperate estuary: The Strait of Georgia and Juan de Fuca Strait. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 82: 19-28.

Nazmi, S.M., Mustapha, A.M. & Lihan, T. 2013. Satellite derived measurements of coastal water chlorophyll-a variability. World Applied Sciences Journal 21: 879-887.

Peńaflor, E.L., Villanoy, C.L., Liu, C.T. & David, L.T. 2007. Detecting of monsoonal phytoplankton blooms in Luzon Straits with MODIS data. Remote Sensing of Environment 109: 443-450.

Polovina, J.J. & Howell, E.A. 2005. Ecosystem indicators derived from satellite remotely sensed oceanographic data for the north pacific. ICES Journal of Marine Science 62: 319-327.

Robin, R.S., Vishnu, V., Pradipta, K., Muduli, R., Rajkumar, J.S.I. & Palanisami, S. 2010. Vertical distribution of biological characteristics and phytoplankton community structure in the shelf waters off southwest coast of India. International Journal of Current Research 8: 016-034.

Shen, S., Leptoukh, G.G., Acker, J.G., Yu, Z. & Kempler, S.J. 2008. Seasonal variations of chlorophyll - a concentration in the northern South China Sea. Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters 5: 315-319.

Sierra, J.P., Sànchez, A.A., Del, J.R., González, J.F., Movellán, E., Mösso, C., Martínez, R., Rodilla, M., Falco, S. & Romero, I. 2002. Spatial distribution of nutriens in the Ebro estuary and plume. Continental Shelf Research 22: 361-378.

Suchint, D. & Puntip, W. 2000. Sub-thermoline chlorophyll maximum in the South China Sea. Proceeding of the SEAFDEC seminar on fishery resources in the South China Sea Area IV: Vietnamese water Thailand. Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center. pp: 1-17.

Tang, D.L., Kawamura, H., Lee, M.A. & Dien, T.V. 2003. Seasonal and spatial distribution of chlorophyll-a concentrations and water conditions in the Gulf of Tonkin, South China Sea. Remote Sensing of Environment 8: 475-483.

Tesi, T., Miserocchi, S., Goni, M.A., Langone, L., Boldrin, A. & Turchetto, M. 2007. Organic matter origin and distribution in suspended particulate materials and surficial sediments from the western Adriatic Sea (Italy). Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 73(3-4): 431-446.

Wahbah, M.I. & Zughul, M.B. 2001. Temporal distribution of chlorophyll-a, suspended matter, and the vertical flux of particles in Aqaba (Jordan). Hydrobiologia 459: 147-156.

Yasser, A.K.A. 2003. Use of phytoplankton abundance and species diversity for monitoring coastal water quality. MSc. Thesis. Universiti Sains Malaysia (Unpublished).

 

 

*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: muzz@ukm.edu.my