Assessing the Fauna Diversity of Marudu Bay Mangrove Forest, Sabah, Malaysia, for Future Conservation

Abstract

Mangrove is an evergreen, salt tolerant plant community, which grows in inter-tidal coastal zones of tropical and subtropical regions of the world. They are ecologically important for many fauna species and are rich in food resources and consist of many different vegetation structures. They serve as ideal foraging and nursery grounds for a wide array of species such as birds, mammals, reptiles, fishes and aquatic invertebrates. In spite of their crucial role, around 50% of mangrove habitats have been lost and degraded in the past two decades. The fauna diversity of mangrove habitat at Marudu Bay, Sabah, East Malaysia was examined using various methods: i.e. aquatic invertebrates by swap nets, fish by angling rods and cast nets, reptiles, birds, and mammals through direct sighting. The result showed that Marudu Bay mangrove habitats harbored a diversity of fauna species including 22 aquatic invertebrate species (encompassing 11 crustacean species, six mollusk species and four worm species), 36 fish species, 74 bird species, four reptile species, and four mammal species. The wide array of fauna species could be due to the availability of complex vegetation structures, sheltered beaches and tidal mudflats, which are rich in food resources and also offer safe foraging and breeding grounds for them. These heterogeneous habitats must be protected in a sustainable way in order to ensure the continued presence of aquatic and terrestrial fauna species for future generations.

Health Risk Assessment Due to Heavy Metals Exposure via Consumption of Bivalves Harvested from Marudu Bay, Malaysia

“…Pb is a non-essential metal and considered hazardous to human and animals even at low level. The possible sources of Pb in Marudu Bay include residues of fertilizers and herbicides from oil palm plantation and gasoline from fishing boats [5] [6] [41] [42].…”

“…Metal elements belong to the same groups are usually considered to be originated from the same source [53]. In the present study, As, Cd, Cu, Pb, V and Zn which are dominant variables on Factor 1, are likely to be originated from fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides [5] [6] [41] [42]. These substances are known to be used extensively in oil palm plantation.…”

“…The bay is located in Kota Marudu district on the northern part of Malaysian Borneo and included in the Tun Mustapha Marine Park, the largest marine protected area within the Malaysian Coral Triangle region. The bay has been known to house at least 22 species of invertebrate fauna including bivalves [5]. In fact, the bay has been alienated for bivalve aquaculture development zone by the Fisheries Department of Sabah.…”

Diversity and community structure of fish, plankton and benthos in Karangsong Mangrove Conservation Areas, Indramayu, West Java, Indonesia

“…Mangroves are salt tolerant plants that occur within inter-tidal zones where a river enters into the sea (Zakaria 2015). They are highly productive, forming tropical coastal ecosystems that encompass estuaries, creeks, lagoons, black waters, mud-flats, salt-pans and islands, and which contain great aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity (Mmom 2010).…”

Finfish diversity and seasonal abundance in the largest arid mangrove forest of the Indus Delta, Northern Arabian Sea

“…Zakaria and Rajpar (2015) assessed the faunal diversity of Marudu Bay mangrove forest, Sabah, Malaysia, and found a number of associated fauna including 36 fish species. The mangrove forest of the Persian Gulf is also included in the arid zone and faces scarcity of freshwater and occasional rains that have already restricted mangrove species diversity to 2, i.e.…”