Sains Malaysiana 43(1)(2014): 21–29

Effects of Meteorological Conditions on the Occurrence of Cochlodinium polykrikoides and Pyrodinium bahamense var. compressum in Coastal Waters of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

(Kesan Keadaan Meteorologi ke Atas Kemunculan Cochlodinium polykrikoides dan Pyrodinium

bahamense var. compressum di Perairan Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia)

NORMAWATY MOHAMMAD-NOOR¹*, ENCIK WELIYADI³, THAN AUNG⁴,

AIMIMULIANI ADAM²& DAYANG SITI MARYAM HANAN⁴

¹Institute of Oceanography and Maritime Studies (INOCEM), International Islamic University Malaysia

Kg. Cherok Paloh, 26160 Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia

²Kulliyyah of Science, International Islamic University Malaysia

Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Bandar Indera Mahkota, 25200 Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia

³Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Borneo University of Tarakan, Amallama Street

No.1 East Borneo Province, Indonesia

⁴Borneo Marine Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

Received: 14 November 2012/Accepted: 9 April 2013

ABSTRACT

In the Kota Kinabalu coastal area, the episodic occurrences of harmful algal bloom (HAB) species had been reported more than a decade ago. But, the time of the occurrence and factors contributing to the occurrence are still inadequately understood. To fill the gap, a study using 4 years field data from 2007 to 2010 was conducted. Cell densities of two HAB species, physicochemical parameters such as temperature, salinity, pH and dissolved oxygen together with rainfall data, wind data and general influence of ENSO episodes were taken into account to identify the most probable factors that trigger the occurrence of HAB species in the Kota Kinabalu coastal waters. From the analysis, C. polykrikoides blooms after 1 to 2 days of rain and significantly high nutrient concentrations were recorded during the blooms. Other physicochemical parameters were almost the same during the bloom and non-bloom events. Climate phenomena like ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) affected the occurrence of P.  bahamense var. compressum and C. polykrikoides. P.bahamense var. compressum occurred during El Niño due to high salinity and no blooms were recorded during La Niña. This indicates that unusual climate condition suppressed the bloom formation. The results gained from this study provide important information in managing HAB species particularly in the Kota Kinabalu coastal area.

Keywords: Algal blooms; El Niño phenomena; meteorological data; paralytic shellfish poisoning; Sabah

ABSTRAK

Di Kota Kinabalu, kehadiran kembangan alga bahaya telah direkodkan seabad yang lalu. Malangnya masa kemunculan dan faktor yang mempengaruhi kemunculannya masih kurang difahami. Untuk memahami masalah ini, kajian menggunakan data 4 tahun iaitu dari 2007 sehingga 2010 telah dijalankan. Kelimpahan sel dua alga bahaya, parameter fiziko-kimia seperti suhu, angin serta keberkesanan ENSO telah diambil kira untuk mengenal pasti faktor penyumbang kepada kemunculan alga bahaya di perairan Kota Kinabalu. Daripada analisis, didapati C. polykrikoides hadir dengan banyaknya 1 hingga 2 hari selepas hujan dan dalam masa yang sama kandungan nutrien yang tinggi telah direkodkan. Bacaan parameter fiziko-kimia yang lain adalah lebih kurang sama semasa ledakan dan tiada ledakan kecuali kehadiran cahaya matahari. Cuaca yang tidak menentu mempengaruhi kehadiran C. polykrikoides dan P. bahamense var. compressum. P. bahamense var. compressum hadir semasa El- Niño kerana kemasinan yang tinggi dan tidak muncul semasa La Nina. Ini menunjukkan cuaca yang tidak menentu menyebabkan ledakan tidak terjadi. Keputusan daripada kajian ini menyumbang kepada maklumat penting di dalam menguruskan kembangan alga bahaya terutamanya di perairan Kota Kinabalu.

Kata kunci: Data meteorologi; fenomena El Niño; keracunan kerang-kerangan melumpuhkan; ledakan alga bahaya; Sabah

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*Corresponding author; email address: normahwaty@iium.edu.my