Date of Award

1-1-2000

Thesis Type

Masters

Document Type

Thesis

Divisions

Faculty of Science

Department

Institute of Biological Sciences

Institution

Universiti Malaya

Abstract

A study of abundance and biomass of the macrofauna in the mangroves in Sementa (Selangor) and Kuala Sepetang (Perak) was carried out monthly from September 1993 to December 1994 and from January 1994 to December 1994 . Two sites, a forested and a cleared area (deforested) were selected in each location for the study. Sampling for macrofauna was done by randomly selecting a spot and then pressing an aluminium quadrate of 40 cm x 40 cm into the sediment up to a depth of 20 cm. Eight quadrates were sampled on each occasion. The macrofauna community consisted of the following eight classes: Anopla (Nemcrtine), Polychaeta, Crustacea, Insecta, Gastropoda, Bivalvia, Sipunculida and Osteichthyes. The dominant species in Sementa was the Polychaeta Leiochrides austral is which occurred in higher abundance and biomass in the cleared area (abundance: 41.55 ± 28.36 individuals/1111 and biomass: 1.0342 ± 2.92 g AFDW/m1 ) than the forested area (abundance: 40.14 ± 27 .64 individuals/1112 and biomass: 0.4346 ± 0.29 g AFDW/111 1 ) respectively. Meanwhile the abundance and biomass of the same species in cleared and forested areas in Kuala Sepetang were 28.82 ± 16.08 individuals/111 1 (biomass: 0.2508 ± 0.20 g AFDW/m2) and 21.53 ± 15.76 individuals/m1 (biomass: 0.0697 ± 0.04 g AFDW/m2) respectively. In contrast, the Polychaeta occurred in lower densities and biomass in Kuala Sepetang virgin mangrove forest where it's abundance and biomass values were 8.77 ± 10.20 indlividuals/m2 and 0.1280 ± 0.2292 g AFDW/m2 respectively. The dominant species in Kuala Sepetang mangroves was Phascolosoma arcuatum which occurred in higher abundance and biomass in the cleared then forested area. The result of this study shows that abundance and biomass of some macrofauna increased due to forest clearance for logging.

Initial

snms

Additional Information

Dissertation (M.A) -- Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 2000.

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