Publication Details

SETTLEMENT RATE OF FOULING SERPULID Ficopomatus cf. uschakovi PILLAI, 1960 ON ARTIFICIAL STRUCTURE AT SETIU WETLANDS, TERENGGANU, MALAYSIA

Fouling polychaetes from genus Ficopomatus are known to have adverse impacts on human activities through fouling on manmade structures such as ship hulls, seawater intake pipes and aquaculture platforms. Various studies on fouling patterns of the fouling species have been done worldwide, as some of the species are estuarine invaders, which have become pests to the environment. This study was conducted to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of the Ficopomatus cf. uschakovi settlement and their relationship with environmental parameters in Setiu Wetlands. A monthly assessment was conducted at three stations for 14 months from May 2017 until July 2018. A frame consisting of three replicates of perspex plate (14 x 10 cm) was placed randomly at each station and collected for assessment every month. All F. cf. uschakovi tubes on the front and back of the plate were counted. Physico-chemical parameters collected included temperature (oC), salinity (ppt), pH and dissolved oxygen (mg/L) of the water column. The results showed the larval attachments were spatially and temporally variable. A higher density of F. cf. uschakovi tubes was recorded at the station with protected area and orientation. The settlement rate of F. cf. uschakovi was low, at only 0.044 individuals.dm-2/sampling month. It was further found out that the distribution and occurrence of F. cf. uschakovi tubes in Setiu Wetlands was affected by the environmental parameters, particularly, temperature, salinity and pH of the water column.