A progress on the NANO Southeast Asia 2015 Regional Research

Dr Yuna Zayasu

a Department of AquaƟ c Science, Burapha University, Thailand.

Wikipage: hƩ p://www.nf-pogo-alumni.org/~Anukul+Buranapratheprat b Department of Marine Environment and Ecology, InsƟ tute of Oceanography, Vietnam Wikipage: hƩ p://www.nf-pogo-alumni.org/~Phan+Minh+Thu

c Marine Science InsƟ tute, University of the Philippines

Wikipage: hƩ p://www.nf-pogo-alumni.org/~Joseph+Palermo d Faculty of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Food Science, University Sultan Zainal Abidin, Malaysia Wikipage: hƩ p://www.nf-pogo-alumni.org/~Nurul+Kamaruddin e Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, Brawijaya University, Indonesia

Wikipage: hƩ p://www.nf-pogo-alumni.org/ ~Umi+Zakiyah

NANO members from fi ve Southeast Asia countries further invesƟ gate eutrophicaƟ on enhanced by nutrient load and modulated by residence Ɵ me. The study includes fi eldwork, lab measurements and applicaƟ on of the LOICZ approach and/ or models such as DelŌ 3D to esƟ mate the eutrophicaƟ on status using UNTRIX, a eutrophicaƟ on index based on water quality, and water residence Ɵ me. Remote sensing data are also applied to quanƟ fy chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) from satellite informaƟ on where relevant. This arƟ cle reports some acƟ viƟ es and results from our fi rst fi eld observaƟ ons.

Philippines The oceanographic survey last 2 May 2015 in the water channel of Bolinao (right) was highly relevant. We were able to monitor the hydrographic condiƟ ons during the fi sh kill event. Seldom has it been that a fi eld survey has been conducted during the onset of a mass fi sh kill event. The team comprised of 6 student volunteers, 3 NANO friends, and 3 NANO members who successfully monitored all of the 18 staƟ ons in Bolinao. Some photos during our observaƟ on are presented in Figure 1. All were glad of the perfect Ɵ ming in collecƟ ng the water samples but at the same Ɵ me, we all felt terrible of the economic implicaƟ on brought about by such unfavourable event. The outcome of this monitoring will help characterize the intensity of eutrophicaƟ on and hydrographic condiƟ ons leading to a fi sh kill event.

Vietnam The fi rst fi eld trip was carried out from 6 to 9 of Channel of Bolinao, Philippines June 2015 in Nha Trang Bay at 12 general staƟ ons and one mooring staƟ on (leŌ ). The research team, 11 people in total, included two from Ho Chi Minh City InsƟ tute of Physics, six from InsƟ tute of Oceanography, and 3 students from University of Science and Technology in Hanoi. The weather on those days was good for the campaign on the boat and collecƟ ng samples (pag e 19). Joining with the NANO survey, the VNIO project “DeterminaƟ on of organic degradaƟ on in Nha Trang Bay” also collaborated to collect water sample for the analysis of organic maƩ er decay, COD and primary producƟ on. The results indicated that water quality in Nha Trang was good for marine ecotourism and marine protected areas. In general, UNTRIX value ranged from 0.59 to 2.94 in surface layer and from 1.21 to 4.73 in boƩ om layer. At the mooring staƟ on, UNTRIX value shows that Nha Trang Bay, Vietnam water quality in the boƩ om layer was moderate, whereas that in the surface layer it was good. The UNTRIX changed over Ɵ me in a Ɵ dal cycle suggesƟ ng that water quality during high Ɵ de was more suitable for coastal tourism than that during low Ɵ de.

Thailand Field observaƟ ons in the upper Gulf of Thailand (UGoT) (right) were conducted during the dry season from 19 – 20 March 2015 using RV Chulavijai. We expected calm sea in this inter-monsoon period, but the sea condiƟ on was quite rough due to the southerly winds. It is not very strong but enough to generate wave heights of about 1 m. Anyway, the observaƟ on was completed very well as planned. The observaƟ on to collect data at 5 major river mouths in the north of UGoT aŌ er that was

The upper Gulf of Thailand

also successful. The acƟ viƟ es during fi eld observaƟ on are shown in page 19. Although this fi eld observaƟ on was conducted during dry season, low salinity was signifi cantly observed. Averaged UNTRIX value overall area in this season around 4.2 – 4.6 suggest that water quality was not eutrophic. The residence Ɵ me of water mass inside UGoT esƟ mated using a single box model (LOICZ) is 19.35 days.

Malaysia The fi rst fi eld observaƟ ons in wet season in Malaysia were conducted in the Kelantan river delta, Bachok (right). The water quality parameters were collected at two sampling sites, A & B (pa ge 19). The fi eld sampling in site A were conducted in November, 2014 at 29 staƟ ons. There are a lot of fi sh cages near StaƟ on A1-A3 (approximate density of 100 cages of sea bass etc.) and some agriculture on land. The sampling in site B was conducted from the end of February to early March 2015 at eight staƟ ons. A total of 15 members including undergraduate and master students have parƟ cipated in this coastal monitoring. We found high DO and Chl-a in NocƟ luca blooming areas in February and March during the northeast monsoon. Remote sensing data similar to in situ sampling for Chl-a and sea surface temperature will be proposed for long term (Ɵ me series) monitoring.

Kelantan river delta, Malaysia

Indonesia The fi rst fi eld observaƟ on was conducted in the wet season from 9 - 12 March 2015 in Ambon Bay located in the Maluku region of Indonesia (leŌ ). The elongate outer bay is connected to a small, shallow inner bay by a channel less than 1 km wide and 15 m deep. The outer bay reaches over 250 m in depth in the northeastern porƟ on near Ambon city and over 700 m near the mouth. The development in Ambon Bay is located in Ambon Bay, the surrounding coastal area. This condiƟ on has led to the increasing of suspended Indonesia sediment and nutrient loads into the bay. Our results reveal high TSS and nutrient concentraƟ on especially in the upper part of the inner Ambon Bay, resulƟ ng in high UNTRIX values in this area. UNTRIX is also relaƟ vely high in the deeper layer of the outer Ambon Bay which supposedly occurred from high nutrients delivered by the ocean current.

Next Steps

We will conduct the second series of fi eld observaƟ ons during September and October to invesƟ gate eutrophic condiƟ ons in diff erent seasons. The data will be analyzed to clarify eutrophic levels and controlling environmental factors between seasons and among the areas. There will be a meeƟ ng of all country members in November to summarize what we have learnt and how to implements this fi nding knowledge to policy makers and the general public.

A progress on the NANO Southeast Asia 2015 Regional Research Project Prof. Po Teen LIM

Bachok Marine Research StaƟ on, InsƟ tute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya, Malaysia

In July 2015, a mid-term meeƟ ng of eleven parƟ cipants of the NANO Southeast Asia (SEA) regional research project “EutrophicaƟ on in the coastal waters of Southeast Asia” was hosted by Bachok Marine Research StaƟ on. In addiƟ on, the parƟ cipants were joined by Dr Vikki Cheung on behalf of the POGO Secretariat and eight observers consisƟ ng of research staff and students from the InsƟ tute of Ocean and Earth Sciences at the Bachok Marine Research StaƟon. As the Head of the Bachok Marine Research StaƟ on, I welcomed the meeƟ ng parƟ cipants and opened the meeƟ ng. AŌ er self-introducƟ on of the parƟ cipants, Vikki Cheung then provided an overview of the 2015 NANO Southeast Asia Regional Research Project and outlined the objecƟ ves of the meeƟ ng, which included idenƟ fying the parameters which remained to be analysed from each parƟ cipaƟ ng country; agreeing on the appropriate models that should be applied to the data for determining water residence Ɵ me and water quality based on eutrophicaƟ on indices; idenƟ fying any challenges or issues that had been experienced; reviewing the work plan and milestones; reviewing the project budget; draŌ ing the interim report; and agreeing a communicaƟ on strategy for compleƟ on of the project. The Project Co-Leaders represenƟ ng each parƟ cipaƟ ng country (Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia) then presented their methods and preliminary results from the fi rst set of fi eldtrips. In depth discussions on the methods applied were made and the Co-Leaders agreed upon the most relevant methods for calculaƟ ng water residence Ɵ mes and water quality parameters using the eutrophicaƟ on index calculated using UNTRIX. Good progress was made on the interim project report and colleagues from Thailand will be assisƟ ng with calculaƟ ng the water residence Ɵme for the Malaysian group using the DelŌ-3D programme.