1,720,972 research outputs found
Relations of coral reef benthos composition and horseshoe crabs’ gut content
No full textIntensive earlier studies on horseshoe crab feeding ecology are focused on the Atlantic species, Limulus polyphemus
(Linnaeus, 1758). However, the distribution of species, food abundance, and availability of benthos in a particular
environment might influence the horseshoe crab's preference for diet in a particular region. The aims of this research
are to analyse the benthos composition in Tachypleus gigas spawning site and coral reefs located near the spawning
ground in Cherok Paloh, Pahang, and compare it with the food composition inside the T. gigas digestive track. A total of
30 samples of male and female horseshoe crabs, T. gigas respectively, were harvested by using a fishing net during the
incoming high tide. Their guts were dissected, and the contents were analysed according to Squires and Dawe criteria.
Results showed that echinoderm was the main food composition in the gut of males (54.27%) and females (51.44%)
during the open sea migration phase. Amuk-amuk coral reef (3°41'51"N 103°24'13"E), Raja Muda coral reef (3°38'01"N
103°28'23"E) and Air Leleh coral reef (3°35'38"N 103°29'00"E) are the nearest sea urchin habitats to the sampling area.
Benthos analysis showed higher echinoderm composition in those coral reefs (31.58 – 42.11%). There is no echinoderm
composition found in the spawning site sediment. Further study is needed to provide reliable data on the significance
of coral reefs in the horseshoe crab's foraging ecology
Assessment of population parameters of some selected fishes in Pahang coastal water and Kuantan river for their proper management
No full textPahang coastal water is very rich in term of fisheries resource. It is a habitat for many economically important fishes. However, the productions of many fishes are decreasing very rapidly in the Pahang coastal water and Kuantan river. This puts an increasing demand on the study and management of these economically important fishes. Unfortunately, up to our knowledge, there is no information about why the stocks of these fishes are decreasing from these habitats. However, adequate information about population parameters of these fishes is prerequisite for their management. Therefore, a study was conducted to determine some important population parameters particularly growth, abundance, condition factor, hepatosomatic index, fecundity and spawning of these fishes, and to make a recommendation for the management of these economically important Fishes. For this study, the length-frequency data of all fishes were recorded from the commercial catches from Kuantan landing sites (LKIM). Growth, abundance, condition factor, hepatosomatic index and spawning season were determined in the Marine Laboratory of Kulliyyah of Science, IIUM from collected samples. The results of the study are helpful to prepare a management policy of these economically important fishes. Therefore, the results of this study are very important for (i) preparing a management policy of this fishes, (ii) food security and (iii) economic benefits of Malaysia. The project has produced several articles which are published in Scopus and ISI indexed international Journals. A master student has also been graduated under this project
Natural uranium and thorium isotopes in sediment cores off Malaysian ports
No full textSediment cores collected from three Malaysian marine
ports, namely, Kota Kinabalu, Labuan and Klang were analyzed to determine the radioactivities of 234U, 238U, 230Th, 232Th and total organic carbon (TOC) content. The objectives of this study were to determine the factors that control the activity of uranium isotopes and identify the possible origin of uranium and thorium in these areas. The
activities of 234U and 238U show high positive correlation with TOC at the middle of sediment core from Kota Kinabalu port. This result suggests that activity of uranium at Kota Kinabalu port was influenced by organic carbon. The 234U/238U value at the upper layer of Kota Kinabalu port was ≥1.14 while the ratio value at Labuan and Klang port was ≤ 1.14. These results suggest a reduction process occurred at Kota Kinabalu port where mobile U(VI) was converted to immobile U(IV) by organic carbon. Therefore, it can be concluded that the major input of uranium at Kota Kinabalu port is by sorptive uptake of authigenic uranium from the water column whereas the major inputs of uranium to Labuan and Klang port are of detrital origin. The ratio of 230Th/232Th was used to estimate the origin of thorium. Low ratio value ( 1.5) of 230Th/232Th at Kota Kinabalu port suggest the anthropogenic input of 230Th to this area. The source of 230Th is probably from phosphate fertilizers used in the oil-palm cultivation in Kota Kinabalu that is adjacent to the Kota Kinabalu port
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Seasonal influences on the levels of particulate Cd, Cr and Pb in Kuantan River, Pahang
No full textTemporal and spatial variations of selected toxic element distributions were studied in the Kuantan River waters. Methods: Water samples from 9 sampling stations were taken from downstream of the estuary towards the upstream of the Kuantan River during the rainy and dry season. Particulate Cd, Cr and Pb were filtered, dried, weighed and analyzed using Teflon Bomb digestion processes. Results: The concentration of particulate Cd, Cr and Pb were in the range of ND to 14.480 mg L-1, 6.047 to 271.497 mg L-1 and 0.646 to 174.859 mg L-1, respectively. The distribution of the elements in suspended particulate matter was found influenced by the rainy season and dry season. Particulate metals obtained mostly higher in May 2012 (dry season) while Cd and Cr were found above the limits authorize by the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine against Pollution (ICPR). Conclusions: Correlation matrix between various parameters revealed that most of the parameters were found to bear a statistically significant correlation with each other
Seasonal influences on the levels of particulate metals In Kuantan River, East Coast Malaysia using principal component analysis
Get PDFPrincipal component analysis (PCA) were performed to evaluate temporal variations of trace metals of Kuantan River waters. Water samples from 12 sampling stations were taken from downstream of the estuary towards the upstream of Kuantan River during the Northeast Monsoon (NEM) and Southwest Monsoon (SWM). Particulate metals were filtered, dried, weighed, analyzed using Teflon Bomb digestion processes and detected using ICP-MS. The metals distribution in suspended particulate matter was found influenced by monsoon seasons particularly during NEM. The PCA/FA identified six varifactors, which were responsible for 83.30% of total variance in the dataset. The PCA results showed that the main source of river water pollution is mostly due to the point sources such as domestic wastewater, wastewater treatment plants and industries as well as non-point sources namely agriculture and oil palm plantations. This study illustrates the usefulness of PCA for identification of pollution sources and understanding temporal variations in river water for effective river water management
Variations on the Author
Get PDF“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Prevalence of Edwardsiella ictaluri in cage cultured Pangasius spp in Pahang River and their risk factors
Get PDFStriped catfish, Pangasianodon hypophthalmus is a native species to most Asian countries, including Malaysia which faced series of bacterial disease such as edwardsiellosis caused by E.ictaluri. Edwardsiella ictaluri is a Gram-negative
intracellular bacterial pathogen which had caused mortalities in farmed or wild fish in lots of countries and accountable for large economic losses. This study was conducted to determine disease status of Pangasius spp due to Edwardsiella ictaluri and to determine the risk factors of E.ictaluri in striped catfish in Pahang River, Malaysia. Four
sampling sites were chosen, two sites in Pekan (Kampung Belimbing and Kampung Tanjung Pulai) and two sites in Temerloh (Kampung Teluk Ira and Kampung Bintang).
Thirty samples were collected from each farm for 6 months consecutively and four organ tissues were taken which were liver, spleen, kidney, and brain. External and internal clinical signs were recorded accordingly. DNA was extracted from all tissues and pursued for PCR to detect the presence of Edwardsiella ictaluri. Results show that the infected fish has gross internal clinical signs such as patchy liver, white nodular
spleen, and congested kidney. The prevalence rate of E.ictaluri was highest at Kampung Tanjung Pulai in June with 16.67% compared to all farms. No infection of E.ictaluri
shown at Kampung Belimbing during the whole sampling session. Spearman’s rho correlation showed that the prevalence of E.ictaluri has strong correlation with
temperature in Kampung Tanjung Pulai (p > 0.05). Meanwhile those bacteria prevalence have strong relationship with ammonia, sulfide and total suspended solid (TSS) with p<
0.05. The susceptible size for this bacterium in striped catfish is between 1 to 50g. To our knowledge, this paper is the first report for Edwardsiella ictaluriin cage cultured P.hypopthalmus in Pahang River, Malaysia
Correlation between total suspended particles and natural radionuclide in malaysia maritime air during haze event in june july 2009
No full textAtmospheric particles in the surface air including aerosol and dust were collected using high volume air sampler (HVAS) for obtaining the activity levels of 210Pb and 210Po over Malaysian waters during the EPSP’09 Scientific Expedition. The average mass concentration of total suspended particles (TSP) in maritime air was 33 ± 2 μg/m3 (ranged from 13 ± 1 to 74 ± 4 μg/m3). Based on previous literatures, it has been suspected that the haze episodes were mainly due to forest and peat bog fires as well as vehicle and industrial emissions during dry period, especially during southwest monsoon. Consequently, the activity levels of 210Pb and 210Po in maritime particles were relatively in proportion with the TSP concentrations. Meanwhile, the temporal variation of 210Po/210Pb activity ratios in the aerosol samples perhaps related to the difference of residence time airborne particles and contribution from different sources of radionuclides in which 210Pb and 210Po are not in secular equilibrium. The highest TSP concentrations and 210Pb and 210Po activities were closely related to warm and dry period during southwest monsoon
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