www.frim.gov.my
ISO 9001 : 2008
Conservation of the Selangor
River Population of Pteroptyx
tener in Malaysia: Results of
Seven Years of Monitoring
Veronica Khoo, Nada Badruddin & Laurence Kirton
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Background Previously there has been no data to assess the
firefly population along the Selangor River
FRIM developed a method to monitor the firefly
population under the Integrated River Basin
Management (IRBM) project, funded by the
Department of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia
Subsequent funding was provided under FRIM’s
internal funding before being continued by
Selangor Waters Management Authority (SWMA)
The project commenced from May 2006 until
present time
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Method Digital night photography
Monitored monthly
1.6 km (~ 1mile) of the
stretch of Selangor River
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The area monitored
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RESULTS
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Executive Summary
Yearly average of
the index of
abundance of the
adult firefly
population along the
Selangor River
Recorded a 38%
drop
y = -109.82x + 1832.2
R2 = 0.441
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
Year 1
(2007)
Year 2
(2008)
Year 3
(2009)
Year 4
(2010)
Year 5
(2011)
Year 6
(2012)
Year 7
(2013)
Ind
ex o
f ab
un
dan
ce
Average
Min
Max
Linear (Average)
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Relationship with environmental parameters
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Relationship with water quality
y = -2.7x + 80.013
R2 = 0.7708
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
Year 1 (2007) Year 2 (2008) Year 3 (2009) Year 4 (2010) Year 5 (2011)W
ate
r Q
ua
lity
In
de
x (
WQ
I)
Average Min Max Linear (Average)
y = 0.0142x + 0.0032
R2 = 0.863
0.00
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.10
0.12
0.14
0.16
0.18
0.20
0.22
Year 1 (2007) Year 2 (2008) Year 3 (2009) Year 4 (2010) Year 5 (2011)
Sa
lin
ity
(p
pt)
Average Min Max Linear (Average)
y = -228.02x + 2131
R2 = 0.7764
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
Year 1 (2007) Year 2 (2008) Year 3 (2009) Year 4 (2010) Year 5 (2011)
Ind
ex o
f ab
un
dan
ce
Average
Min
Max
Linear (Average)
Data for WQI and salinity were obtained for years 2007 – 2011 from Department of Environment, Malaysia
WQI showed an improvement through the years (although still categorised as slightly polluted)
Salinity: Increase of almost three-fold
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Water quality for years 2012 - 2013
Data provided by SWMA (data was obtained
only from October 2012)
Data obtained twice in a month; upstream and
downstream during high tide and low tide
The firefly index of abundance were analysed
differently – Sites were grouped according to
upstream and downstream for comparison with
water quality
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WQI
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
Jan
-12
Feb
-12
Mar
-12
Ap
r-1
2
May
-12
Jun
-12
Jul-
12
Au
g-1
2
Sep
-12
Oct
-12
No
v-1
2
Dec
-12
Jan
-13
Feb
-13
Mar
-13
Ap
r-1
3
May
-13
Jun
-13
Jul-
13
Au
g-1
3
Sep
-13
Oct
-13
No
v-1
3
Dec
-13
Sampling period
Ind
ex
of
abu
nd
ance
(D
ow
nst
ream
)
20
40
60
80
100
Wat
er
Qu
alit
y In
de
x (W
QI)
Index of abundance High tide Low tide
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
Jan
-12
Feb
-12
Mar
-12
Ap
r-1
2
May
-12
Jun
-12
Jul-
12
Au
g-1
2
Sep
-12
Oct
-12
No
v-1
2
Dec
-12
Jan
-13
Feb
-13
Mar
-13
Ap
r-1
3
May
-13
Jun
-13
Jul-
13
Au
g-1
3
Sep
-13
Oct
-13
No
v-1
3
Dec
-13
Sampling period
Ind
ex
of
abu
nd
ance
(U
pst
ream
)
20
40
60
80
100
Wat
er
Qu
alit
y In
de
x (W
QI)
Index of abundance High tide Low tide
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Salinity
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
Jan
-12
Feb
-12
Mar
-12
Ap
r-1
2
May
-12
Jun
-12
Jul-
12
Au
g-1
2
Sep
-12
Oct
-12
No
v-1
2
Dec
-12
Jan
-13
Feb
-13
Mar
-13
Ap
r-1
3
May
-13
Jun
-13
Jul-
13
Au
g-1
3
Sep
-13
Oct
-13
No
v-1
3
Dec
-13
Sampling period
Ind
ex
of
abu
nd
ance
(D
ow
nst
ream
)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Salin
ity
(pp
t)
Index of abundance High tide Low tide
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
Jan
-12
Feb
-12
Mar
-12
Ap
r-1
2
May
-12
Jun
-12
Jul-
12
Au
g-1
2
Sep
-12
Oct
-12
No
v-1
2
Dec
-12
Jan
-13
Feb
-13
Mar
-13
Ap
r-1
3
May
-13
Jun
-13
Jul-
13
Au
g-1
3
Sep
-13
Oct
-13
No
v-1
3
Dec
-13
Sampling period
Ind
ex
of
abu
nd
ance
(U
pst
ream
)
0
1
2
3
4
5
Salin
ity
(pp
t)
Index of abundance High tide Low tide
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Index of abundance
Years 2006-2008: Middle of the year
2009: End of the year
Years 2010-2013: Beginning of the year
Changes in rainfall pattern? Habitat loss?
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000Ja
n-0
6
Mar
-06
May
-06
Jul-
06
Sep
-06
No
v-0
6
Jan
-07
Mar
-07
May
-07
Jul-
07
Sep
-07
No
v-0
7
Jan
-08
Mar
-08
May
-08
Jul-
08
Au
g-0
8
Oct
-08
Dec
-08
Feb
-09
Ap
r-0
9
Jun
-09
Au
g-0
9
Oct
-09
Dec
-09
Feb
-10
Ap
r-1
0
Jun
-10
Au
g-1
0
Oct
-10
Dec
-10
Feb
-11
Ap
r-1
1
Jun
-11
Au
g-1
1
Sep
-11
No
v-1
1
Jan
-12
Mar
-12
May
-12
Jul-
12
Sep
-12
No
v-1
2
Jan
-13
Mar
-13
May
-13
Jul-
13
Sep
-13
No
v-1
3
Sampling period
Ind
ex
of
abu
nd
ance
(co
un
ts)
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Index of abundance vs. Rainfall
High rainfall periods: March to May, and November to December May provide a suitable habitat for the larva population
Rainfall trend between the years showed variation 2006 (Nov), 2007 (Aug & Oct), Years 2008-2010 (Mar), Years 2011-
2013 (Nov)
Could this be the cause of the shift in the firefly abundance peak?
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
Jan
-06
Mar
-06
May
-06
Jul-
06
Sep
-06
No
v-0
6
Jan
-07
Mar
-07
May
-07
Jul-
07
Sep
-07
No
v-0
7
Jan
-08
Mar
-08
May
-08
Jul-
08
Au
g-0
8
Oct
-08
Dec
-08
Feb
-09
Ap
r-0
9
Jun
-09
Au
g-0
9
Oct
-09
Dec
-09
Feb
-10
Ap
r-1
0
Jun
-10
Au
g-1
0
Oct
-10
Dec
-10
Feb
-11
Ap
r-1
1
Jun
-11
Au
g-1
1
Sep
-11
No
v-1
1
Jan
-12
Mar
-12
May
-12
Jul-
12
Sep
-12
No
v-1
2
Jan
-13
Mar
-13
May
-13
Jul-
13
Sep
-13
No
v-1
3
Sampling period
Ind
ex
of
abu
nd
ance
(co
un
ts)
0.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
12.0
Rin
fall
(mm
)
Index of abundance Rainfall (mm)
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Habitat loss
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
Jan
-06
Mar
-06
May
-06
Jul-
06
Sep
-06
No
v-0
6
Jan
-07
Mar
-07
May
-07
Jul-
07
Sep
-07
No
v-0
7
Jan
-08
Mar
-08
May
-08
Jul-
08
Au
g-0
8
Oct
-08
Dec
-08
Feb
-09
Ap
r-0
9
Jun
-09
Au
g-0
9
Oct
-09
Dec
-09
Feb
-10
Ap
r-1
0
Jun
-10
Au
g-1
0
Oct
-10
Dec
-10
Feb
-11
Ap
r-1
1
Jun
-11
Au
g-1
1
Sep
-11
No
v-1
1
Jan
-12
Mar
-12
May
-12
Jul-
12
Sep
-12
No
v-1
2
Jan
-13
Mar
-13
May
-13
Jul-
13
Sep
-13
No
v-1
3
Sampling period
Ind
ex
of
abu
nd
ance
(co
un
ts)
Discovery of habitat loss May 2007 – Site 4
June 2007 – Site 7
November 2008 – Site 3
January 2009 – Site 5
May 2009 – Sites 1 & 2
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Outcome
Protection Zone under SWMA’s Enactment
All parties are not allowed to clear riparian
vegetation or carry out any activities without the
consent from SWMA
A degraded area opposite the Kampung
Kuantan Firefly Park had been reacquired by
the State for rehabilitation
Signage to inform the public regarding the
Protection Zone
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Firefly Sanctuary Zone
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• FRIM has been assigned to “revive” the degraded area to ensure the survival of the firefly population
Destructed area
Habitat for the fireflies
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Firefly larva and snail sampling
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Signage erected by SWMA
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Fireflies and…..
Egrets!
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WHAT NEXT?
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To continue the monitoring project as long as
funding permits
Other scopes to look into: Food source of the
firefly larva
Recommendations to the stakeholder
To purchase “intact” sites
Frequent patrolling by enforcement agencies
Hold dialogues with villagers and land owners
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Conclusion
38% drop in firefly population throughout the
seven years
The trend of the peak abundance had shifted
from mid-year, to year end and eventually to
beginning of the year
Unintentional findings on the habitat loss
Establishment of a Protection Zone under SWMA’s
Enactment
Reacquisition of a degraded habitat by the state
Rehabilitation
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Acknowledgements
Funders: Department of Irrigation and Drainage
(2006-2008) and Selangor Waters
Management Authority (2010 – present)
Colleagues and staff at Entomology Branch,
FRIM
Organisers of the Firefly Symposium
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Thank you