Seminar presented at Zoo Negara Seminar Series,
Organised by Malaysian Zoological Society,
Zoo Negara, Hulu Kelang Selangor.
21 March 2009
Potential Effect of Ecological Changes on Fish Population in Malaysia
Ahmad Ismail
Department of Biology
Faculty of Science
Universiti Putra Malaysia
43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor
aismail@science.upm.edu.my
Malaysia is developing very fast to meet the population demand in order to improve their economic, living quality and infrastructures. Development process will involve forest cutting, land clearing and ecological changes of terrestrial as well as aquatic ecosystems. As Malaysia is a tropical country and receiving high input of rain fall will cause heavy erosion, fast surface running water and change the river water quality. In the upper streams, river water quality very much sensitive to surface runoff and erosion. This will change the water quality in term of turbidity, pH, conductivity, dissolve oxygen, etcetera. In the middle part of the river systems probably exposed to effluent and surface runoff from agriculture and urban activities where as towards estuary river water may contaminated by hazardous chemical pollution from industries, agriculture and unbanisation. Hazardous chemicals such as heavy metals and other endocrine disruptors chemicals are extremely hazardous and can cause acute and chronic toxicological effects to aquatic animal in particular fishes. Rivers are important for fresh water fishes not only for their habitat to live in but also for their breeding and nursing ground. Some fishes have to migrate to upper streams where the water is cleaner, cooler and suitable habitat for mating, breeding and nursing. When they mature then they migrate down streams. Not many information on biology and ecology fishes in Malaysia, in fact many more fishes especially in the upper streams are unknown. With rapid and continuous development in Malaysia, river water quality is uncertain. Ecological changes in the river systems may affect the ecology and biology of fishes especially those are very sensitive to water quality changes and specific habitat such as those fishes need clean water, high dissolve oxygen and cool environment. Now a day some studies have shown that species diversity and densities were varies in the upper rivers compared to down streams or after development areas. Fishes like tilapia, armored fish and other cat fishes are among commonly recorded species in contaminated or disturbed aquatic environment where previously other clean water species can be found. As Malaysia is one of top 12 Mega biodiversity countries in the world, besides terrestrial animals, aquatic animals such as fresh water fishes need to be protected and conserved. More studies are needed on the biodiversity, biology and ecology of fresh water fishes especially in the upper streams of rivers in Malaysia
Organised by Malaysian Zoological Society,
Zoo Negara, Hulu Kelang Selangor.
21 March 2009
Potential Effect of Ecological Changes on Fish Population in Malaysia
Ahmad Ismail
Department of Biology
Faculty of Science
Universiti Putra Malaysia
43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor
aismail@science.upm.edu.my
Malaysia is developing very fast to meet the population demand in order to improve their economic, living quality and infrastructures. Development process will involve forest cutting, land clearing and ecological changes of terrestrial as well as aquatic ecosystems. As Malaysia is a tropical country and receiving high input of rain fall will cause heavy erosion, fast surface running water and change the river water quality. In the upper streams, river water quality very much sensitive to surface runoff and erosion. This will change the water quality in term of turbidity, pH, conductivity, dissolve oxygen, etcetera. In the middle part of the river systems probably exposed to effluent and surface runoff from agriculture and urban activities where as towards estuary river water may contaminated by hazardous chemical pollution from industries, agriculture and unbanisation. Hazardous chemicals such as heavy metals and other endocrine disruptors chemicals are extremely hazardous and can cause acute and chronic toxicological effects to aquatic animal in particular fishes. Rivers are important for fresh water fishes not only for their habitat to live in but also for their breeding and nursing ground. Some fishes have to migrate to upper streams where the water is cleaner, cooler and suitable habitat for mating, breeding and nursing. When they mature then they migrate down streams. Not many information on biology and ecology fishes in Malaysia, in fact many more fishes especially in the upper streams are unknown. With rapid and continuous development in Malaysia, river water quality is uncertain. Ecological changes in the river systems may affect the ecology and biology of fishes especially those are very sensitive to water quality changes and specific habitat such as those fishes need clean water, high dissolve oxygen and cool environment. Now a day some studies have shown that species diversity and densities were varies in the upper rivers compared to down streams or after development areas. Fishes like tilapia, armored fish and other cat fishes are among commonly recorded species in contaminated or disturbed aquatic environment where previously other clean water species can be found. As Malaysia is one of top 12 Mega biodiversity countries in the world, besides terrestrial animals, aquatic animals such as fresh water fishes need to be protected and conserved. More studies are needed on the biodiversity, biology and ecology of fresh water fishes especially in the upper streams of rivers in Malaysia
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