Introduction

Justification

Objectives

Materials and methods

Expected outcomes

Work Schedule

Diatoms is the primary producer in the

lake ecosystems.

Benthic diatom is the diatom growing by

attaching themselves to a substratum

and also known as periphytic diatom

(Hall and Smol, 1999).

The substrates can be either natural or

artificial substrates.

They are the pioneer organisms

colonizing the submerged substrates. As

the results, “biofilm” will be formed to

prepares the substrates for other

organisms to colonize.

Wan Maznah (2010) stated that

microalgae can be used as biological

indicators for monitoring aquatic

ecosystems.

The UNIMAS lake data can be used as

monitoring tool of the lake. Hence, the

lake is a well-known landmark of

Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.

To study the community structures of

benthic diatoms in UNIMAS lake.

To investigate the substrates preference

(rough and smooth) settlement of

benthic diatoms.

1. Study site

2. Artificial substrates

3. Field sampling

In-situ parameters

Sampling of benthic diatoms

4. Laboratory analysis

Diatoms identification and counting

Nutrient analysis

5. Statistical analysis

UNIMAS lake situated

in west campus of

Universiti Malaysia

Sarawak.

The lake is

approximately 16

hectares area with 1

km length.

Examples of tiles will be used

(Karthick et al, 2012).

In-situ parameter

The date, time, weather conditions in every samplings will be recorded.

The water sample will be taken by using

125ml polypropylene bottle.

Examples of polypropylene bottle.

Sampling of benthic diatoms

After four weeks, the substrates will be

brought to surface and rinsed by distilled

water.

The toothbrush will be used to remove the

benthic diatoms of two surfaces of tiles

(smooth and rough) and poured in sample

bottles.

A few drops of Lugol’s solution(neutral) will

be dropped in the benthic diatom samples.

Example of toothbrush will be used.

Diatom identification and counting

A modified Polsom splitter will be used to split

the samples of benthic diatoms.

Then, Bogorov tray will be used to counting

the benthic diatoms and observed under

light microscope.

Polsom splitter Bogorov tray

Nutrient analysis

100ml of water samples will be filtered by using filter paper and GAST electric pump.

The filter paper will be used for total

suspended solid (TSS) value.

The filtered water sample will be refrigerated

and analyze after one or two days.

DR/2012 Spectrophotometer will be used to

measure ammonia, nitrate and

orthophosphate according to procedure

prescribe by Hach (2000).

Example of spectrophotometer will be used.

The Microsoft Excel will be used to

combined and calculate the data.

The 1-way ANOVA will be used to test

the mean difference of physio-chemical

parameters.

The Kruskal Wallis will be used to analyze

the variance, Main-Whitney pairwise

comparisons and Bofferoni correlation

among two different substrates samples

and three different level of depth (Bere,

2010).

The community structures of benthic

diatom in UNIMAS lake will be obtained.

The relationship of the substrate surface

preference and benthic diatoms will be

obtained.

Activities 2012 2013

S O N D J F M A M J J

Proposal Writing and Presentation

Field sampling -In-situ parameters -Sampling of benthic diatom

Ex-situ parameters -Total suspended solid (TSS) -Nutrient analysis

Identifying the species gained

Data analysis

Statistical analysis

Report Writing and Presentation

progress milestone

Hall, R.I., & Smol J.P. (1999). Diatoms as indicators of lake eutrophication. In E.F. Stoermer & J.P. Smol (Eds.), The diatoms : Applications for the environmental and earth sciences (pp. 128-168). UK: Cambridge University Press.

Wan Maznah Wan Omar (2010). Perspectives on the use of algae as biological indicators for monitoring and protecting aquatic environments, with special reference to Malaysian freshwater ecosystems. Tropical Life Sciences Research, 21(2), 51-67.

Karthick, B., Taylor, J.C., Mahesh, M.K., & Ramachandra, I.V. (2012). Protocols for collection, preservation and enumeration of diatoms from aquatic habitats for water quality monitoring in India. Journal of Soil and Water Sciences. Vol. 3. 25-60.

Bere, T. (2010). Benthic diatom community structure and habitat preferences along an urban pollution gradient in the Monjolinho River, Sao Carlos, SP, Bravil. Biological Limnology. 22(1). 80-92.