Sains Malaysiana 47(9)(2018): 1941–1951

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2018-4709-01

 

Water Quality Influences on Fish Occurrences in Sungai Pahang, Maran District, Pahang, Malaysia

(Pengaruh Kualiti Air ke atas Keterdapatan Ikan di Sungai Pahang, Daerah Maran, Pahang, Malaysia)

 

ZULKAFLI ABDUL RASHID¹, MOHAMMAD NOOR AZMAI AMAL²* & SHAMARINA SHOHAIMI²

 

¹Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Fisheries Research Institute, 71600 Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus, Malaysia

 

²Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

 

Received: 8 May 2015/Accepted: 4 August 2016

 

ABSTRACT

This study assesses the influence of water quality on fish occurrences in Sungai Pahang, Maran District, Pahang, Malaysia. Water quality and fish samplings were conducted at seven sampling sites in the district for 13 consecutive months. We used canonical correspondence analyses (CCA) to determine the influence of water quality on monthly fish species occurrences. The ranges of water quality parameters were quite high considering the measurements were made during rainy and dry seasons throughout the year. A total of 2,075 individual fish was captured which comprised of 22 different families and 65 species. Family Cyprinidae recorded the highest number of fish species of the area (27 species; 41.5%), followed by Bagridae (five species; 7.69%) and Pangasiidae (five species; 7.69%). Three fish species categorized as endangered, including Balantiocheilos melanopterus, Probarbus jullieni and Pangasianodon hypophthalmus were also collected. The collected fish species were divided into three groups (A to C), which was clearly separated in the CCA ordination diagram. The most important water quality variables for the fish occurrences in this river were pH, followed by temperature, conductivity, alkalinity and phosphate. Data analysis indicates that the occurrence of fishes were influenced by a combination of water quality parameters, but not associated with sampling month. The results present a new data from a study of fish assemblage and their habitat condition which may be important in fisheries activity and fish conservation of the river in the future.

 

Keywords: Fish assemblages; fish occurrences; Malaysia; Sungai Pahang; water quality

 

ABSTRAK

Kajian ini menilai pengaruh kualiti air pada keterdapatan ikan di Sungai Pahang, Daerah Maran, Pahang, Malaysia. Pensampelan kualiti air dan ikan telah dijalankan di tujuh tapak pensampelan di daerah ini selama 13 bulan berturut-turut. Kami menggunakan analisis penghubungan berkanun (CCA) untuk menentukan pengaruh kualiti air pada keterdapatan spesies ikan setiap bulan. Julat parameter kualiti air adalah agak tinggi memandangkan pengukuran dibuat semasa musim kering dan hujan sepanjang tahun. Sebanyak 2,075 individu ikan telah berjaya ditangkap yang terdiri daripada 22 famili dan 65 spesies yang berbeza. Famili Cyprinidae merekodkan bilangan tertinggi spesies ikan di kawasan tersebut (27 spesies; 41.5%), diikuti oleh Bagridae (lima spesies; 7.69%) dan Pangasiidae (lima spesies; 7.69%). Tiga spesies ikan yang dikategorikan sebagai terancam, termasuk Balantiocheilos melanopterus, Probarbus jullieni dan Pangasianodon hypophthalmus turut dikumpul. Spesies ikan yang dikumpul dibahagikan kepada tiga kumpulan (A hingga C), yang secara jelas telah dipisahkan di dalam gambarajah penyelarasan CCA. Pemboleh ubah kualiti air terpenting untuk keterdapatan ikan di Sungai ini ialah pH, diikuti dengan suhu, kekonduksian, kealkalian dan fosfat. Analisis data menunjukkan bahawa keterdapatan ikan dipengaruhi oleh gabungan parameter kualiti air, tetapi tidak berkaitan dengan bulan persampelan. Keputusan menunjukkan data yang baharu daripada kajian kumpulan ikan dan keadaan habitat yang mungkin penting dalam aktiviti perikanan dan pemuliharaan ikan sungai pada masa hadapan.

 

Kata kunci: Keterdapatan ikan; kualiti air; kumpulan ikan; Sungai Pahang; Malaysia

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*Corresponding author; email: mnamal@upm.edu.my