11

BENTHIC HARMFUL DINOFLAGELLATE ASSEMBLAGES

IN A FRINGING REEF OF SAMPADI ISLAND, SARAWAK, MALAYSIA

Toh-Hii Tan1, Po-Teen Lim2, Aazani Mujahid2, Gires Usup3 and Chui-Pin Leaw1

1

2

3

ABSTRACT

cell abundances were enumerated under a light microscope. The BHAB community at the study site was dominated

by Prorocentrum spp. and Coolia spp. Other BHAB species collected included Amphidinium spp., Gambierdiscus

spp. and Ostreopsis 2. The

two BHAB groups of primary concern, Gambierdiscus spp. and Ostreopsis

Keywords: Amphidinium, benthic harmful algal bloom, Coolia, Gambierdiscus, Ostreopsis, Sampadi Island.

INTRODUCTION

-

portant components in benthic microalgae

assemblages of tropical and subtropical coastal

viz. Amphidinium, Coolia,

Gambierdiscus, Ostreopsis and Prorocentrum has

Tosteson et al et al

species are found in benthic ecosystems associated

with substrates such as seaweeds, coral rubbles and

sand particles. Species in some genera are known

-

et al

et al et al

et al et al.,

(e.g., Ciminiello et al et

al et al

(Ciminiello et al

harmful benthic microalgae (BHAB) worldwide.

In Malaysian waters, long-term data on BHAB

12

reefs and islands (Leaw et al

Mohammad-Noor et al

seafood poisonings and BHAB dynamics in the

country.

researchers. The most common method used in

and dislodge the cells attached from the natural

substrates (e.g., Villa et al et al.,

unfeasible in samples with high silt or muddy sand

as a means for collecting BHAB species from the

et al

(2) to determine the occurrence and distribution of

reef in Sampadi Island, Sarawak, southwest of

Borneo.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Study site

Sampadi Island is located in Sarawak, east

3.2 km from the mainland. This island is adjacent

typical equatorial climate affected by the northeast

to 29°C (The Metrological Department, Sarawak).

The triangular island has a rocky beach at the

southern part of the island facing the mainland,

while the northeast is a rocky cliff, and sandy beach

on the northwest.

Malaysia map showing the location of Sampadi Island, Sarawak (inset: schematic map of

Sampadi Island with the location of sampling transect).

13

Samples

-

2

transect line parallel to the northwest of the island,

from each other (Fig. 2C–E). Total of ten screens

into a 1-liter wide-mouth jar underwater. The jar

buffered paraformaldehyde for cell enumeration.

back to the laboratory for further cell isolation.

along the transect line, and the surface of sediments

-

munity composition in the 5-m radius area from

the screen deployed was determined by ‘by eye’

using the data obtained.

Samples were counted under a normal

Amphidinium, Coolia, Gambierdiscus, Ostreopsis

and Prorocentrum were counted. Digital images

Data analysis

performed to test for statistical differences among

abundance data. Relationships between stations

screen deployed. Arrows in white indicate buoys, arrows in yellow are screens.

analyses were performed using PAST (Hammer

et al

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

to the shore at the northwest of Sampadi Island,

as samplings can be conducted along isobaths

(constant depths and current strength). The benthic

habitats along the transect-line differ among

Dictyota dichotoma and Padina sp. were the two

sea fan (Gorgonia sp.), sea whip (Ellisella sp.),

branching corals, star corals, brain corals (Diploria

sp.), and Acropora sp. (Fig. 3). Some parts of the

(Figs 2, 3).

The benthic habitat along the transect-line was

were grouped as habitat type A, with seaweed

Island

easily distinguishable under light microscopy, as

they possessed distinct cell shapes and sizes (Fig.

Amphidinium

fusiform, laterally compressed with a large

hypocone. Cingulum circular or slightly displaced

was located in the anterior part of the cell. Cells are

easily distinguished by its small cap-like epicone

which is one third or less of the total cell length.

Amphidinium sp. (Fig.

Cells of Coolia

be distinguished under a light microscope by

Table 1.

Transect (m)

10 S1

Dictyota dichotoma

20 S2 D. dichotoma

30 S3 D dichotoma

40 S4

50 S5

D dichotoma

60 S6 D dicho-

toma

70 S7 Screen D dichotoma

80 S8 D dichotoma (~20%) present on the

90 S9 D dichotoma

100 S10

D dichotoma

15

species, C. malayensis

Cells of Gambierdiscus

-

of Ostreopsis were apical-antapically compressed

Cell of Prorocentrum were bilateral thecate,

Prorocentrum

P. lima

P. emarginatum

is interesting to note that some common tropical

Prorocentrum species, such as P. concavum, P.

Table 2.

Habitat type

A

S5–S9

C S4

16

mexicanum, and P. rhathymum, were not found in

the samples, although cells of P. rhathymum were

waters (Tan et al

Abundance and species composition of BHAB

Species composition of BHAB community

was constant throughout the sampling site, with

viz. Amphidinium, Coolia,

Gambierdiscus, Ostreopsis and Prorocentrum,

the screen was masked up with thick layer of silt

which prohibiting reliable cell enumeration.

Coolia2 screen), followed by

Prorocentrum 2), Ostreopsis 2), Amphidinium

cm2 Gambierdiscus with the lowest cell 2) (Fig. 5). Total cell

2 screen, with the highest cell

density recorded at station S1.

Seaweeds and coral substrates found in Sampadi Island, Sarawak: Brown seaweeds, Dictyota

dichotoma (A) and Padina spp. (B, C), red seaweeds (D), sea fan (E), sea whip (Ellisella sp.) (F), branching

corals (G, H), star corals (J), brain corals (Diploria sp.) (K), and Acropora sp. (L).

Island, Sarawak. (A, B) Amphidinium cartarae, (C, D) Coolia malayensis, (E, F) Gambierdiscus sp., (G, H)

Ostreopsis sp., (I, J) Prorocentrum emarginatum, (K, L) P. lima

-1

m-transect line.

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 900

50

100

150

Coolia

Prorocentrum

Ostreopsis

Amphidinium

Gambierdiscus

Transect (m)

Cell

abundance (

cells

100 c

m-2

)

BHAB species along the transect line changed

slightly among sampling stations (P

Coolia and Prorocentrum were found

Gambierdiscus

Ostreopsis and Amphidinium with

Our preliminary results of cluster analysis

of interaction between algal community (in a

major groups congruent with the habitat type clas-

dominance of Coolia and Ostreopsis, accounted up

not surprising as high abundance of macrophytes

seaweeds). Station S5–9 were grouped together,

split out from other stations likely due to slightly

higher abundance of Ostreopsis

to other stations (Fig. 6A). This splitting was

this station, with silty sand as the benthic substrate.

Ostreopsis spp. were commonly found in three

sand, as well as in the water column (e.g., Faust

et al

Vila et al

demonstrated that Ostreopsis sp. was the dominant

species not only as epiphyte to macroalgae, but

C. monotis and P. lima were found in low cell

densities in the water column, and mostly absent

from sand (Vila et al

Cell densities of BHAB species found in this

-1

-

abundances regardless of the type of substratum.

CONCLUSION

et al

Leaw et al

characterization (Mohammad-Noor et al

Leaw et al

(Leaw et al

these potentially harmful species were reported,

initiated the data collection from the south-western

Amphidinium, Coolia, Gambierdiscus, Ostreopsis

and Prorocentrum

albeit low cell densities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors are grateful to Dr Yasuwo

Fukuyo for his guidance in BHAB studies in the

region. Special thanks to Dr Patricia Tester and Dr

Wayne Litaker, who inspired the work during the

GEOHAB International Training Workshop on the

-

Joint Seminar at Jakarta, Indonesia, and CP Leaw

would like to thank Asian CORE Program (Coastal

Marine Science in Southeast Asia: COMSEA) of

19

indicates split of three main groups (B).

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 900

20

40

60

80

100

Coolia

Ostreopsis

Amphidinium

Gambierdiscus

Prorocentrum

Transect (m)

Re

lative

ab

un

da

nce

(%

)

a

b

0.82

0.84

0.86

0.88

0.9

0.92

0.94

0.96

0.98

Bra

y-C

urtis

Sim

ilarity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9A BC Habitat types

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