12
Today, biologists in general and limnologists
in particular at the local level universities and
government research institutions (e.g. fi sheries,
medical and health departments) as well as the
Department of Environment continue to play
their respective roles in this fi eld.
1.10.6 Major Fields of Limnological
Research
Both the basic and applied type studies have
been carried out on the streams/rivers, reservoirs, ricefi elds and irrigation canal ecosystems
in the country. The main areas and scope of limnological work carried out so far are briefl y
reported below.
1.10.6.1 Rivers and Streams
Much of the earlier limnological work on rivers
and streams could be attributed to pioneers like
Alfred ( 1964 ), Johnson ( 1957 , 1967 ), Cheng
( 1965 , 1966 ), Cheng and Fernando ( 1969 ) and
Furtado ( 1969 ).
The fi rst comprehensive study of the limnology of a lowland river, the Sg. Gombak in
Malaysia, was carried out by Bishop ( 1973 ).
This was followed by the work of Ho ( 1973 ,
1975 , 1976a , b ) who studied the impacts of water
pollution on the ecology of Sg. Renggam at Shah
Alam industrial estate, Selangor. An account of
the general ecology of lowland rivers/streams in
West Malaysia has been given by Ho and Furtado
( 1982 ). Study on the ecological impacts of
changes in river quality as a result of watershed
development drew much interests from Malaysian limnologists. Peh ( 1981 ) studied the sediment loads of small forested drainage basins in
Peninsular Malaysia. Lai and Samsuddin ( 1985 )
compared the suspended and dissolved sediment
loads in two disturbed lowland watersheds in the
Air Hitam Forest Reserve, Selangor. An environmental study on the Sg. Klang was carried out by
Mohsin and Law ( 1980 ). The fi sh fauna of rivers
in Taman Negara and Ulu Endau had been
studied by Zakaria-Ismail ( 1984 , 1987 ). The
riverine fi shery potential in Malaysia has been
discussed by Tan ( 1980 ). Chiang and Leong
( 1979 ) surveyed the fi sh parasites in two rivers in
Penang. Lim examined the water quality and
faunal composition in streams and rivers of the
Ulu Endau area (Johor). Later, Nather Khan
( 1990b , c ) conducted separate studies on the
pollution status of the Sg. Sedili Kecil and Sg.
Endau, based on its physico-chemical, biological and human use characteristics, to project its
recreational potential.
In the applied study area, the focus has mainly
been on river water quality monitoring and
management. It is here that the Department of
Environment (DOE) plays a key coordinating
role. The approach adopted is one of the integrated multidisciplinary studies at the river basin
level (Ho 1976c ). Scientists from various fi elds
including limnologists participate in one way or
another. In 1978, DOE initiated a National Water
Quality Monitoring Programme (NWQMP). The
programme started by setting up study sites on 33
rivers in 13 river basins. These numbers have
grown since then. The monitoring programmes
called for the collection of data on rivers which
are known to be polluted by various forms of
wastewater discharges, in particular those from
palm oil and rubber factories. The data, so collected, were used to indicate the trend and status
of water quality in the country’s river systems.
1.10.6.2 Lakes and Freshwater
Swamps
Owing to the scarcity of natural lakes in Malaysia,
there has been limited limnological work done in
such ecosystem. One exception is the Tasik Bera
swamp lake ecosystem which was studied intensively under IPB/PF programme (Furtado and
Mori 1982 ; Furtado et al. 1980 ). With the support
of the Asian Wetland Bureau, Nather Khan
( 1990a ) made a preliminary assessment of the
water quality and pollution threat at the Ulu
Lepar wetland system in Pahang. This shallow
wetland system ( c 18,000 ha), comprising Tasik
Beringin, Tasik Bungor and other permanent or
semi-permanent lakes, was one of the major wetlands identifi ed and included in the Malaysian
Wetland Directory (DWNP 1987 ).
In the case of small man-made lakes, reference is made to the work of Fatimah et al. ( 1984 )
1 Introduction
Today, biologists in general and limnologists
in particular at the local level universities and
government research institutions (e.g. fi sheries,
medical and health departments) as well as the
Department of Environment continue to play
their respective roles in this fi eld.
1.10.6 Major Fields of Limnological
Research
Both the basic and applied type studies have
been carried out on the streams/rivers, reservoirs, ricefi elds and irrigation canal ecosystems
in the country. The main areas and scope of limnological work carried out so far are briefl y
reported below.
1.10.6.1 Rivers and Streams
Much of the earlier limnological work on rivers
and streams could be attributed to pioneers like
Alfred ( 1964 ), Johnson ( 1957 , 1967 ), Cheng
( 1965 , 1966 ), Cheng and Fernando ( 1969 ) and
Furtado ( 1969 ).
The fi rst comprehensive study of the limnology of a lowland river, the Sg. Gombak in
Malaysia, was carried out by Bishop ( 1973 ).
This was followed by the work of Ho ( 1973 ,
1975 , 1976a , b ) who studied the impacts of water
pollution on the ecology of Sg. Renggam at Shah
Alam industrial estate, Selangor. An account of
the general ecology of lowland rivers/streams in
West Malaysia has been given by Ho and Furtado
( 1982 ). Study on the ecological impacts of
changes in river quality as a result of watershed
development drew much interests from Malaysian limnologists. Peh ( 1981 ) studied the sediment loads of small forested drainage basins in
Peninsular Malaysia. Lai and Samsuddin ( 1985 )
compared the suspended and dissolved sediment
loads in two disturbed lowland watersheds in the
Air Hitam Forest Reserve, Selangor. An environmental study on the Sg. Klang was carried out by
Mohsin and Law ( 1980 ). The fi sh fauna of rivers
in Taman Negara and Ulu Endau had been
studied by Zakaria-Ismail ( 1984 , 1987 ). The
riverine fi shery potential in Malaysia has been
discussed by Tan ( 1980 ). Chiang and Leong
( 1979 ) surveyed the fi sh parasites in two rivers in
Penang. Lim examined the water quality and
faunal composition in streams and rivers of the
Ulu Endau area (Johor). Later, Nather Khan
( 1990b , c ) conducted separate studies on the
pollution status of the Sg. Sedili Kecil and Sg.
Endau, based on its physico-chemical, biological and human use characteristics, to project its
recreational potential.
In the applied study area, the focus has mainly
been on river water quality monitoring and
management. It is here that the Department of
Environment (DOE) plays a key coordinating
role. The approach adopted is one of the integrated multidisciplinary studies at the river basin
level (Ho 1976c ). Scientists from various fi elds
including limnologists participate in one way or
another. In 1978, DOE initiated a National Water
Quality Monitoring Programme (NWQMP). The
programme started by setting up study sites on 33
rivers in 13 river basins. These numbers have
grown since then. The monitoring programmes
called for the collection of data on rivers which
are known to be polluted by various forms of
wastewater discharges, in particular those from
palm oil and rubber factories. The data, so collected, were used to indicate the trend and status
of water quality in the country’s river systems.
1.10.6.2 Lakes and Freshwater
Swamps
Owing to the scarcity of natural lakes in Malaysia,
there has been limited limnological work done in
such ecosystem. One exception is the Tasik Bera
swamp lake ecosystem which was studied intensively under IPB/PF programme (Furtado and
Mori 1982 ; Furtado et al. 1980 ). With the support
of the Asian Wetland Bureau, Nather Khan
( 1990a ) made a preliminary assessment of the
water quality and pollution threat at the Ulu
Lepar wetland system in Pahang. This shallow
wetland system ( c 18,000 ha), comprising Tasik
Beringin, Tasik Bungor and other permanent or
semi-permanent lakes, was one of the major wetlands identifi ed and included in the Malaysian
Wetland Directory (DWNP 1987 ).
In the case of small man-made lakes, reference is made to the work of Fatimah et al. ( 1984 )
1 Introduction