Sains Malaysiana 53(9)(2024): 2033-2044

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2024-5309-02

Fish Species Assemblages and Diversity in Water Body Infested by Alien Species

(Himpunan Spesies Ikan dan Kepelbagaian dalam Jasad Air yang Diserang Spesies Asing)

SITI NUR ATIKAH MOHAMMAD¹, IQBAL HARITH ABD RAZAK¹, AKMAL AMALINA MOHD FAUZI¹, NURHIDAYAH AZLAN-HISYAM², MELISSA B MARTIN¹, BRYAN R. NELSON¹, MUHAMMAD HAFIZ BORKHANUDDIN¹, MOHAMAD AQMAL-NASER² & AMIRRUDIN B. AHMAD^1,2,*

¹Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia

²Terrestrial Ecology, Biodiversity and Aquatic Research (TeBAR), Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia

Received: 2 April 2024/Accepted: 6 August 2024

Abstract

Human is one of the mediators for non-native species invasion, especially in the aquatic ecosystem. Aquaculture and sport fishing activities are the main reasons for non-native fish introduction, especially in man-made habitats. In the present study, we determined the fish community between the invaded as opposed to pristine ecosystems in north Terengganu, Malaysia. The primary data was collected using hook and line, hand-held push net, cast net and gills net while secondary data were also utilised from published and unpublished data. The fish general information including functional traits and prey-predator relationship were obtained from literature and reliable online resources. The data were used to construct hypothetical diagrams and  analyzed using taxonomic distinctness index. The fish community between the two habitats differ significantly in which the non-native fish invaded habitat has much lesser fish species richness than that of the pristine habitat. Taxonomic diversity between the two habitats also was markedly different. The non-native Cichla ocellaris added predation pressure to fish community in the lacustrine habitat as the apex predator and were proven to feed on the native fish fauna in the lake. We discuss the community structure in both habitats and explore the further impact of invasion by this invasive alien species on the native fish species. We conclude that the presence of Cichla ocellaris amplify pressure to native fish community in the man-made lake.

Keywords: Conservation; introduced species; man-made habitat; natural habitat

Abstrak

Manusia ialah salah satu pengantara kepada pencerobohan spesies bukan asli terutamanya di dalam ekosistem akuatik. Aktiviti akuakultur dan sukan memancing adalah punca utama kepada pengenalan ikan bukan asli terutamanya di dalam habitat buatan manusia. Dalam kajian ini, kami telah menentukan komuniti ikan di dalam habitat yang diceroboh untuk dibandingkan dengan ekosistem semula jadi di utara Terengganu, Malaysia. Data primer dikumpul menggunakan kaedah pancing, pukat sodok, jala dan jaring sementara data sekunder diambil daripada penerbitan dan data yang tidak diterbitkan. Maklumat umum mengenai ikan termasuk trait fungsian and hubung kait mangsa-pemangsa diambil daripada kepustakaan dan sumber dalam talian yang dipercayai. Data kemudian digunakan untuk membina rajah hipotetik dan dianalisis menggunakan indeks keternyataan taksonomi. Komuniti ikan antara kedua-dua habitat berbeza dengan ketara kerana habitat yang mengandungi bukan asli mempunyai kekayaan spesies ikan yang jauh lebih rendah daripada habitat semula jadi. Kepelbagaian taksonomi antara kedua-dua habitat juga amat berbeza. Ikan bukan asli, Cichla ocellaris telah menambahkan tekanan pemangsaan kepada komuniti ikan di habitat lakustrin sebagai pemangsa apeks dan telah terbukti menjadikan ikan asli sebagai makanan di dalam tasik. Kami telah membincangkan struktur komuniti di kedua-dua habitat dan kesan pencerobohan selanjutnya oleh spesies asing invasif ke atas spesies ikan asli ini. Kami membuat kesimpulan bahawa kehadiran Cichla ocellaris meningkatkan tekanan kepada komuniti ikan asli di tasik buatan manusia.

Kata kunci: Habitat buatan manusia; habitat semula jadi; pemuliharaan; spesies asing

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*Corresponding author; email: amirrudin@umt.edu.my