Bioassessment of Setiu Wetland using freshwater algae

Proposal prepared by: Name: Aidil Imran Bin Affandi UK: UK19504 Course: Bachelor of Applied Science (Conservation and Management of Biodiversity)

1.0 Introduction Community of algae functions as a biological indicator of spatial and temporal environment change. Algae parameters have been used in bioassessment programs. For water quality assessment, algae have been used as biological indicator in some area in Malaysia. By using algae as biological indicator, it can be used to identify the various type of water degradation and can be used for other environment indicator (Wan Maznah, 2010). Bioassessment play a main role in the measure the health of the stream and also water quality. Bioassessment is an important method to evaluate the health of aquatic life and it is also a better way to define aquatic life uses (Karr 2006, in Fetscher and McLaughlin 2008). Without biological assessment, it will lead to environmental stress, such as fish kill . Fish kill is a damaging that happens to fish where a population of fish is dead because of algae bloom (B.S. Swingle, 1966). Besides fish kill, eutrophication also one of the causes that may need bioassessment to evaluate the health of aquatic life. Eutrophication is a process where water bodies (lakes pond and river) receive excess nutrient that can stimulate the growth of algae. It can kill animal that leaves in the water because attendance of algae. Algae are single plant that exists in the wetland. Wetland can be classified in many different ways. There are two general classifications that can be used. Based on vegetation and the other is based on physical features. For the vegetation features, they are swamps are dominated by trees, marshes are dominated by grasses and bogs are dominated by shrubby vegetation. For the physical characteristic, it can be seen through their water source and pattern of water delivery (hydro), and also conformation and position on the landscape (geomorphic). Detention of water, lower velocities represent the characteristic of wetland itself. This matter will allow the sedimentation of inorganic material. The effect of wetland is more complicated on organic matter. (W.M. Lewis, 2001). Objective of the study is to investigate water quality and stream health of algae using bio assessment information.

2.0 Literature Review A development of wetland takes over years. It is an interaction between living components of the habitat such as plant and animal and non living component such as water, chemical, and rock particles. Living and non living elements form an integrated ecosystem (Moore, 2006). According to ( awniczak, 2010), Size of the algae can be found in single form cell, larger than bacteria and in multicell. Different algae has different amount of nutrient. Algae are ubiquitous it occur in all habitat in the environment on earth. However they are often in stagnant water (Van Der Valk., 2006). Algae are important primary producer in many wetland and act as a food source for many invertebrates. Blue green algae and other algae are typically grow and are sampled together. Blue algae and other algae are functionally similar except for some blue-green algae that can fix nitrogen. (Van Der Valk., 2006). Water-chemistry includes turbidity and nutrients (e.g., total nitrogen, nitrate, total phosphorus). Water-column chlorophyll-a can provide a means of identifying potential eutrophication in larger slow-moving systems (Wehr and Sheath 2003, in A.E. Fetscher and K. McLaughlin 2008). In a suitable environment, algae can growth rapidly in very short times (Rott, 1991). Suitable temperature (cyanobacteria have optimum temperature than green algae or diatom(25 C or above)). For nutrient, cyanobacteria have a high nutrient affinity. For example they compete other algae for available nitrogen and phosphorus, especially when the available nutrient are limited. In term of biological, cyanobacteria have a fewer natural enemies. Because of that, they have a lower predation rates. Their biological features makes them floating and not sedimentation (W.W. Charmichael, 2000).

3.0 Methodology Study site This project will be conducted in Setiu Wetland. The area of Setiu wetland is about 23,000 hectare (anonymous), for the water surface of Setiu Wetland it is approximately 880ha (Nakisah,2003). The lagoon estuary system investigated extends from latitude 5" 35'N to 5" 15'N and from longitude 102" -W'E to 102" 49'E and is located on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia about 60 km north-west of Kuala Terengganu (Yaakob et al, 1995), only Setiu Wetland has nine interconnected ecosystem of the sea, beaches, mud, lagoons, estuaries, rivers, islands, forests and mangroves along the coast. Setiu Wetland prompted the WWF Malaysia and Department of fisheries Malaysia in 1996. Setiu Wetlands not only unique, but it is a beautiful area and rich variety of flora and fauna combined with the sea, water, animals in the forest and the hills along the coast. Fauna species at Setiu Wetland include oyster red slit crab, mollusk and for flora species include mangrove forest such as Avicennia alba, Avicennia latana and much more. Besides mangrove,in Setiu Wetland has seagrass with variety of species such as Halodule pinifolia, Halophila minor (Sulong and Abdullah, 2003). The socio- economic activities at Setiu Wetland are wide range. Most of the villagers are fisherman. The activity include fisheries industry such as oyster culture, prawn cunture,pan culture and agriculture, eco-tourism and small scale farming (Nakisah, 2003). Setiu Wetland is an estuarine lagoon system, during monsoon season fisherman will tend to their boat and mend their fishing net. It is also an aquaculture subsector that produces prawns and other product (Nakisah et al 2003).

Sampling site Sampling will be taken through out 5 sites with 2 different layers (epilimnion and hypolimnion). After arrive at the site, the GPS reading will be taken. In situ parameter will be used to measure 2 replicates of water by using YSI meter. By using YSI meter(Multi sensor) model 610D, salinity, pH, temperature, Dissolve Oxygen (D.O.) and turbidity will be taken, but to measure COD and BOD, it will be analyze at the laboratory. Water will be used to identify their suspended solid, BOD, COD and ammonia nitrogen analysis. All of the procedure is according to standard method method for water and wastewater analysis (APHA 1995). Data will be calculate as shown below WQI = 0.22*SIDO + 0.19*SIBOD + 0.16*SICOD + 0.15* SIAN +0.16*SISS + 0.12*SipH Where: WQI = Water Quality Index, DO = dissolved oxygen, BOD = Biochemical oxygen demand, COD = Chemical oxygen demand, AN = Ammoniacal-N, SS = Suspended solids, pH = acidic value For total nitrogen and phosphate, three liter of water sample will be collected at each site. The method of the preparing the standard solution, preparing the reduction column and analytical procedure will be used to determine the total nitrogen in water sample. The sample must be put with sulphanilamide solution and 0.6 ml of N-(1-Napthy)-ethylenediamine dihydrocloride and measured at 540nm using spectrophotometer. However, for the total phosphate, the wavelength is 860nm.

An alga net (3 mm net mesh) will be used to take sample. Three liter of water sample is taken from the site in order to analyze at the laboratory. Water will be sample in the lab At the Laboratory, a water sample will be transfer to bottle sample and bring back to lab. Water will be shaking first before it will be put in the measuring cylinder than sample is measure by using vacuum pump and m filter paper (GFC filter paper). By using a dropper,

three drops of Mg2SO3 were added during the filtration process. It is used for reduce the level of acidity of the filter paper during the filtration process is conducted. After the process finished then the filter paper will be remove by using forceps. Then it will be put in the 15ml centrifuge tube and being wrap by aluminum foil. It is used for minimized the contact with UV sunlight that may degrade some compound. Then, 10ml of acetone will be added to melt the filter paper. Then the centrifuge tube will be shake .The centrifuge tube then being left for overnight and the next day, the sample will be centrifuged for 10 minutes at 2500rpm. The supernatant of sample will be put in 1 cm light path spectrophotometer cuvette that will be put into UV-Visible Spectrophotometer, the reading was taken at the wavelengths of 750, 664, 647 and 630nm. Finally the concentration of chlorophyll a is calculated by the formula given.

Chlorophyll a, Ca(mg/L) = 11.85 (A664) - 1.54(A647) - 0.08(A630) Chlorophyll b, Cb(mg/L) = 21.03 (A664) 5.43 (A647) 2.66 (A630) Chlorophyll c, Cc(mg/L) = 24.52 (A664) 7.60 (A647) 1.67 (A630) For turbidity correction, the absorbance of 630nm, 647nm, and 664 nm will be corrected by subtract the absorbance of 750 nm for turbidity correction. After determine the chlorophyll a in extract, actual concentration of chlorophyll will be calculated as below:

Chlorophyll a, mg.m-3 = Ca, mg/L Vacetone, L V sample, L

4.0 Data analysis Species diversity indices, based on total number of taxa present and relative abundance in each taxa analysed. Furthermore, reports should include all raw data by replicate and a description of the physical habitat at each station.

The most common statistical approach is analysis of variance (ANOVA). Correlation analysis can be used to determine if there is a relationship between variables. Regression analysis can be used to demonstrate that there is a dependency of one variable on another.

5.0 Expected outcome By doing bioassessment of algae in Setiu Wetland, water quality status will be expect in a medium range. Blue green algae are dominant species in the epilimnion layer. It is because they have enough oxygen and nutrient. 6.0 Reference 1) W. M. Lewis, 2001. Wetland explained: wetland science, policy, and politics in America. Oxford University Press, Inc., New York. 53 pp. 2) Bilagrami, K. S. and Saha, L. C., 1992. A textbook of Algae. CBS Publishers & Distributors, New Delhi. 1pp. 3) Moore, P.D., Biomass of the earth: Wetland. Chelsea House Publishers, New York. 3pp. 4) awniczak, A. E., 2010. The role of emergent macrophytes in nutrient cycling in Lake Niepruszewskie (western Poland). 5) Van Der Valk, A.G., 2006. The Biology of Freshwater Wetlands. Oxford University Press, New York. 43, 44, 53pp. 6) Nik Fuad N. M. K., Fauziah A. H. and Fathilah I., 2003. Socio-economics and potential for eco-tourism. In: Nakisah, M.A. and Fauziah, A.H. (eds.), Setiu Wetland: Tranquility amidst Plenty. Kolej Universiti Sains dan Teknologi Malaysia (KUSTEM): 77-103. 7) Rosnan Y., Mohd Lokman, H. and Noor Azhar, M. S., 1995. Grain-size Distribution of Sediment in the Vicinity of Setiu Lagoon-estuary System. Universiti Pertanian Malaysia 18: 71-76. 8) Sulong I. and Siti Aishah A., 2003. The Flora. In: Nakisah, M.A. and Fauziah, A.H. (eds.), Setiu Wetland: Tranquility amidst Plenty. Kolej Universiti Sains dan Teknologi Malaysia (KUSTEM): 24-49. 9) Nakisah M.A. and Kartini M., 2003. The underwater microscopic creatures. . In: Nakisah, M.A. and Fauziah, A.H. (eds.), Setiu Wetland: Tranquility amidst Plenty. Kolej Universiti Sains dan Teknologi Malaysia (KUSTEM): 50-65.

10) Brix, H., 1997. Do macrophytes play a role in constructed wetland? Water Science and Technology 35(5): 11-17. 11) Wan Maznah, 2010. Perspectives on the Use of Algae as Biological Indicators for Monitoring and Protecting Aquatic Environments, with Special Reference to Malaysian Freshwater Ecosystems. Tropical Life Sciences Research 21(2): 51-67. 12) W.W. Charmichael, 2000. Assessment of Blue-Green Algal toxins in Raw and finished Drinking Water. AWWA Research Foundation and American Water Works Association.