Coral

Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria which typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton. The underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals known as coral reef area. Usually, coral reef also called as “rainforests of the sea”, coral reefs form some of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth. 

Methodology:

In this coral survey, the Point intercept transects (PIT) was used where it measure objects at 

specific intervals either below the transect tape, or below and to the side of the transect tape. A

 point intercept transect involves recording the presence and absence of species at set point 

along the line. The transect was placed at the chosen site and was laid directly on top of the reefs. The coordinates of the site where the transect was placed was taken by using a GPS. Then, snorkelers swims along the transect line to observed the reefs life form. Every category observed directly under each 1 meter was observed, identified and recorded into the table prepared on the slate board. The following formula was used to calculate the percentage of corals:

Percentage Cover of Spp A  =    (No. of point hits Spp A / Total No. of Points)    X    100%


For the calculation of the coral index:
   1. Condition Index (CI) calculation was used to indicate the coral assemblage and 
       also the degree of stress on reefs with the formula of:

                                      CI = log ₁₀ [CR/(DC+AL+OT)]        

        Where,      CR= Percentage area cover of live coral category                         

                           DC= Percentage area cover of dead coral category             

                          AL= Percentage area cover of algae category                           

                          OT= Percentage area cover of other fauna category

      2.  Development Index (DI) was used to indicate the degree of coral reef 
           assemblage development and to provide the natural background of the reef with the  
           formula:

                                       DI = log 10 [(CR+DC+AL+OT)/AB]         

         Where,      CR= Percentage area cover of live coral category                        

                           DC= Percentage area cover of dead coral category                    

                           AL= Percentage area cover of algae category             

                           OT= Percentage area cover of other fauna category                          

                           AB= Percentage area cover of abiotic category (RB+SD)

        3. Succession Index (SI) was used to indicate the level of succession occurring 
            on the reef and also indicate the degree of reef recovery with the formula of

                                           SI= log 10 [OT/DC+AL)]          

          Where,   DC= Percentage area cover of dead coral category                         

                         AL= Percentage area cover of algae category                           

                         OT= Percentage area cover of other fauna category          

Results and Discussion:

Figure 1.0 Percentage abundance of coral 

Figure 2.0 Percentage of coral cover

Table 1.0 Condition index

Table 2.0 Development index

Table 3.0 Succession index

Figure 4.0 Coral index status

The Figure 1.0 show the percentage abundance of coral in the Kapas Island. The rubbles is the dominant with percentage of 33.77% followed by dead coral with algae (19.87%) and sand (13.25%). While the Figure 2.0 shows the percentage of coral cover where Acrophora brancing (AB) are with the highest percentage which is 63% followed by dead coral (DC) with value of 19%.

In addition, the Figure 4.0 shows the calculation for condition index (CI), Development index (DI) and Succession index (SI) in order to identify the status of the coral in the Kapas Island. By comparing with the semi-qualitative scale for an assessment of index scale by Idris et al, (2006). the value of CI is between -0.602 to -0.176 indicate that poor condition of the coral. Besides, the DI value is more than 0.602 means the coral reef is in very good development and the value for SI fall less than -0.602 indicate that very poor level of succession occurring on reef

Conclusion:

In the conclusion, the coral reef of Kapas Island is not in too good condition because most of the coral had became rubble maybe due to tourism activity such as snorkeling and also most of the coral had die and full with algae colonization. in order to protect this reef, activity that can make it condition became worst should be limit or prevent.

                                                                        

                                     

Invertebrates

Benthic organisms also can be known as benthos. The mainly group of benthos is the invertebrates. Usually, it live on or in the water bottom.The benthic invertebrate habitat may be shallow or deep, warm or cold, brimming with food and life or nearly sterile. Some benthic creatures spend their lives buried in sediment, while others rarely touch the solid bed, most attach to, crawl over, swim next to, or otherwise interact with the bottom continuously throughout their lives.  

Example of invertebrates

Methodology:

The method used for the invertebrate is same like coral where the same transect is used to determine the invertebrate which present in the area. The  the Point intercept transects (PIT) was used where it measure objects at  specific intervals either below the transect tape, or below and to the side of the transect tape. A point intercept transect involves recording the presence and absence of species at set point along the line. The transect was placed at the chosen site and was laid directly on top of the reefs. The coordinates of the site where the transect was placed was taken by using a GPS. Then, snorkelers swims along the transect line to observed the reefs life form. Every category observed directly under each 1 meter was observed, identified and recorded into the table prepared on the slate board. The following formula was used to calculate the percentage of invertebrates present was:

Percentage Cover of Spp A  =    (No. of point hits Spp A / Total No. of Points)    X    100%

Results:

Figure 1.0 Percentage of invertebrates

The Figure 1.0 above shows the percentage of invertebrate which cover the area along the transect set up in the Kapas Island water. The highest percentage is of sea cucumber (43%)  followed by sea urchin (31%) and giant clam (15%). While the rest group have only minor percentage around 4 to 1%. The sea cucumber belong to class Holothuroidea. It is marine animals with a leathery skin and an elongated body containing a single, branched gonad. Sea cucumbers are found on the sea floor worldwide. While, sea urchin  belong to  class  Echinoidea.Sea urchins or urchins are small, spiny, globular animals which, with their close kin, such as sand dollars and the giant clam, Tridacna gigas , is the largest living bivalve mollusk.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, there are seven invertebrates found in this study which is sea cucumber, sea urchin, giant clam, sea anemone, seaweed, sponge, Christmas tree worm and gastropode. while the highest percentage abundance recorded by sea cucumber.

Plankton

The plankton embraces organisms that have such limited powers of locomotion that they are at mercy of the prevailing water movement. There are two types of plankton that is phytoplankton and zooplankton. Phytoplankton are the tiny minute plants of the pelagic environment that are supported by water and are drift near the water surface where the light intensity are great enough for photosynthesis. Besides, there are two types of phytoplankton which is epiphytic and epilithic. Epiphytic is the plankton that growing attached to other algae or other plants but not parasitizing them. While, epilithic is the one living on the surfaces of hard substrate like stone and rock. While, zooplankton are the various free-floating animals. Zooplankton movement is largely the consequence of currents and are not directed swimming activities.(Pace et al.,2006). Zooplankton commonly famous with diel vertical migration where they move vertically in the water column. It must swimming in vertically position and not in horizontally to avoid from predator and to move out from area with depletion of food source.

phytoplankton

zooplankton

Methodology:

The water samples was collected in order to sampling the plankton that is zooplankton and phytoplankton that present in the water column. The instrument used is the plankton net with the size of 63 µm and 120 µm. The net was pull three times in the water with different distance depend on the people that operate it.  Moreover, another types of phytoplankton, epilithic was sampling through the collection of substrate like rocks and dead coral. The substrate was brushed by using old toothbrush in order to collected the phytoplankton which attach to it. All the samples then were preserving in formalin before the further analysis.For the laboratory analysis, the plankton was observed under microscope where up to 300 organisms need to be observed and identify. The calculation of phytoplankton cell density per ml was done by using the Lackey’s method. Then the density of the phytoplankton per m3 was calculate by using the following formula

Density, no. of cells/ mL =    (  C x A_t )  /  ( A_s x S x V)
Where:     
C        = Number of organisms counted
At      = Area of cover slip (22mm x 22mm)                    
As      = Area of one strip (22mm x 1mm)                   
S       = Number of strips counted                  
V      = Volume of sample under the cover slip (0.05ml)

While, for the zooplankton it density was measured by using formula of:
Density   =    Number of zooplankton /  Volume filtered seawater (m³)
For the both zooplankton and phytoplankton, the percentage abundance was calculate by using formula:
Percentage  abundance =  (No of plankton individuals / Total number of plankton individuals) x 100%              

Results and Discussion:

1.0  Phytoplankton

                                1.1 Percentage abundance

Figure 1.1.1 percentage abundance for 63 µm net.

Figure 1.1.2 percentage abundance for 120 µm net.

Figure 1.1.3 percentage abundance for epilithic.

                        The three figure above shows the percentage abundance for the phytoplankton present in the water sample and on the substrate at the Kapas Island. All the samples which is the phytoplankton collected by 63 µm and 120 µm plankton net and epilithic which the phytoplankton on substrate shows the highest percentage abundance of class Bacillariophyceae with the value of 91% for 63 µm net, 96% for 120 µm net and 74% for epilithic.

                        Bacillariophyceae is of the periphyton which dominate different habitat including ocean. Under division Bacillariophyceae, there is diatom. Diatoms are unicellular, microalgae with membrane-bound cell organelles and which have a siliceous cell wall or frustules which made up of two valves. Diatom can be divided into two major groups that is pinnate and centric diatom. Epiphytic and epilithic diatom is the diatoms which found as benthic forms growing on sediments, rocks and plants. 

                        While the least abundance of phytoplankton collected by the three different instrument is different where class Trebouxiophyceae lowest in 63 µm net (1%), Ulvophyceae lowest in 120 µm net (1%) and chlorophyceae lowest for epilithic (6 %)

.

1.2 Density 

Figure 1.1.1 Density for 63 µm net.

Figure 1.1.2 Density for 120 µm net.

Figure 1.1.3 Density for epilithic. 

                       For the density, it can be note from graph of density in the three figure above that the density of class Bacillariophyceae also were highest in all three instrument used. The density of Bacillariophyceae collected  is 2779.55 m³ by 63 µm net, 1036.14 m³ by 120 µm net and 236777.43 m³ for epilithic.

                         2.0  Zooplankton 

                                                                     2.1 Percentage abundance

Figure 2.1.1 percentage abundance for 63 µm net.

Figure 2.1.2 percentage abundance for 120 µm net.

                       The percentage abundance of zooplankton collected by two different mesh size of plankton net shows that the highest group of copepod was collected in both size make it appear as the dominant zooplankton in the Kapas Island water. The percentage is more highest in 120 µm net (73%) while less in 63 µm net (17%). Copepode are belong to the phylum Arthropoda. Copepods have cylindrical body and distintly segmented. The body is divide into a cephalothorax bearing appendages with a without appendages abdomen. There are three group of copepode that is Calanoid, Harpacticoid and Cyclopoid which all with different body structure. 

2.2 Density

Figure 2.2.1 Density for 63 µm net.

Figure 2.2.2 Density for 120 µm net.

                    While for density, the three highest density collected by 63 µm net (Figure 2.2.1) is copepode followed by Oikopleura and then Nauplius. The density for copepode is 75.44 m³. Besides, the three highest density collected by 120 µm net (Figure 2.2.) is copepode followed by Water flea and then Nauplius with the density of copepod is 289.98 m^3.

                        Conclusion:

                       In conclusion, the most dominant phytoplankton collected by all three instrument which  is 63  µm net, 120 µm net and toothbrush for epilithic is class Bacillariophyceae while for the zooplankton, the dominant class is copepode. 

Introduction to Kapas Island and study

Kapas Island is one of the island which situated at the Terengganu Malaysia.  Kapas Island situated offshore about 6km off the coast of Marang and 30 minutes taken by slow boat or 10 minutes by fast boat from Marang jetty, 20 minutes south of Kuala Terengganu to reach this island. Kapas Island name is attributed to the pure white beaches that are the trademark of this island where the sand is soft and white and slopes gently into the crystal clear water. It is a lovely small island with beautiful, quiet, unspoiled sandy beaches; cool and clear blue waters, swaying coconut trees and caves with swallow’s nests. Its waters are home to beautiful marine life such as fish, turtles, corals and others. Making it a must-visit destination, especially for discerning divers and snorkellers, is the incredible variety of hard and soft corals, seashells, fish and turtles.

This study objective is mainly to determine the condition of the water bodies around the Kapas Island. In order to achieve this objective, the water parameter like plankton (phytoplankton, zooplankton and apilithic), benthos (invertebrates) and coral cover was measured.