TITLE:
Assessment of Spatial and Temporal Variations of Water Quality for Future Mariculture Operation in Ambong Bay, Sabah, Malaysia
AUTHORS:
Fang Sing Ong, Julian Ransangan
KEYWORDS:
Water Parameters, Spatial and Temporal Variations, Ambong Bay, Aquaculture
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Marine Science,
Vol.8 No.1,
December
18,
2017
ABSTRACT: Study was conducted with the aim to understand the temporal and spatial
variations of water quality parameters (temperature, salinity, pH, DO, TSS, NO3-, NO2-, NH3-N and PO4-P, and phytoplankton cell density) in Ambong
Bay, Sabah, Malaysia in order to provide reference for future mariculture development
in the bay. Samplings were carried out once a month in two stations
(coastal and open sea) within the bay for 12 months period from September
2015 to August 2016. Results showed that there were significant differences
in pH and NO2- when compared spatially, whereas salinity, DO,
TSS, phytoplankton cell density, NO3-, NH3-N, and PO4-P were temporally
significant. The fermentation processes by anaerobic bacteria, organic acids
from decaying vegetation and acidic clays in the mangrove soils might explain
the significant spatial differences in pH and NO2-. The bay was dominated by
dinoflagellate, Prorocentrum spp. (mean abundance of 16.23% and 24.44%,
respectively) a potentially toxic algae species. Correlation matrix showed that
NH3-N was positively correlated with PO4-P (r = 0.475, p 3-.
In conclusion, any mariculture operation to take place in Ambong Bay in the
near future should take the temporal variation of the water quality into account.
Moreover, effects of toxic phytoplankton to culture fishes should also be taken care and monitored frequently.