A study on the population dynamic, distribution, and food sources of Faunus ater (thiaridae:gastropoda) in a semi-enclosed lagoon area of University Malaysia Terengganu (UMT)

Abstract

Population dynamic, distribution and the food sources ofFaunus ater along the semi­ enclosed lagoon area of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu were investigated in this presence study. Population parameters such as asymptotic length (Loo = 60.38), growth coefficient (K= 0.71) of the von Bertalanffy growth function (VBGF) and the growth performance index (<p' = 3.41) were analyzed by ELEFAN-1 in the FiSAT software. Besides, the length-weight relationship shows the strong significant allometric growth of F. ater. Length converted catch curve method shows the total mortality, natural mortality, fishing mortality and exploitation rate. On the other hands, distribution of F. ater shows that amongst all five selected of UMT lagoon stations, there were no significant difference (P > 0.05) of mean densities (No of ind/m 2 ) of F. ater when sampled during April 2010, but shows a significant difference (p = 0.001 < 0.05) when sampled during July 2010. The density of F. ater has strongly correlated (P < 0.05) with silt(%), but not clay- and sand- sediment types. In addition, the density of F. ater and TOC (%) were increase when the sediment type was clay loam-silt, and tend to decreases when the sediments types change to sandy form.