CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Introduction
Landuse changes are very significance with changes from pure green land
area to developed urban area. Most of the countries in the world face the same
dilemma where the initial landuse have to be transformed as the populations,
technologies and economics increases. In Malaysia, landuse has undergone many
changes since the country achieved its independence in 1957. Landuse changes were
driven by a number of economical, socio-political and biophysical factors. Over the
last two decades, the evolution of landuse became drastic in the urban and rural
areas. Especially, more land areas have been displaced or converted to nonagricultural activities particularly for industry, housing and commercial activities
(Khaled, 2005).
In Malaysia, for example, the total urban population has increased to 59
percent in the year 2000 (Hadi, 2000) and some of the states in Peninsular Malaysia
has achieved the urbanization level of developed countries with 80 percent of total
population. Foreign and local investment in the agricultural, commercial and mining
sectors are the main factors leading to the growth of urban population in Malaysia.
Most urban areas in developing countries are located on the coast or on major rivers
in Malaysia. The uncontrolled growth of urban development has adversely affected
Malaysian river basin ecosystems (Jahi and Nordin, 1996). The same problem is
being faced in Johor, it is one of the most developed state in Malaysia and the one
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closest to Singapore, it also faces massive development especially along the coastal
area in South of Johor. One of the projects under rapid progress which lead to rapid
changes in landuse, water quality and aquaculture life is the development of Iskandar
Development Regions (IDR).
Iskandar Development Regions or also known as South Johor Economic
Region (SJER) is a developing corridor in the South Johor region. From a physical
planning perspective, SJER is defined as a geographic area in the southern part of
Johor that will benefit from economic opportunities that will be promoted within the
region. Iskandar Malaysia is planned to become Southern Peninsular Malaysia’s
most developed region where it includes living, entertainment, environment and
business (SJER CDP, 2006). The new development of SJER will cause massive
impact to water quality of the river along the area involved. The Johor Straits
waterway leads into two open waters which are the Straits of Malacca on the west
and the South China Sea on the east (SJER CDP, 2006). Specifically, it will affect
the discharge to the nearest river at Johor Straits such as Sungai Melayu, Sungai
Pendas and Sungai Skudai. This may be one of the contributing factor to drastic
reduction in water quality. The changes of water quality will also affect the aquatic
life living in the river along this area such as the green mussel.
Green mussels (Perna viridis) occur widely in shallow waters along the west
coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It have become a food resource and Malaysia once
exporter green mussel. The green mussel is harvested commercially in the IndoPacific region as a human food resource due to its dense and fast growth (Knott and
De-Victor, 2007). P.viridis can have economic, ecological and human health impact.
Human consume mussels as it is a cheap source of protein and tasty. Besides of
economic importance, it is also edible therefore analysis of mussels is important to
provide information about possible contaminants or toxicity level that may harm
public health. Green mussel is important as a bioindicator because it is an efficient
filter feeder and has been used widely as bio-indicator species for pollutants
(Sivalingam, 1977). P. viridis has become the best candidate for bioindicator surveys
in South-East Asia since 1980’s (Phillips, 1980). While, other important factor which
had led to the use of green mussels as a biomonitoring agent for heavy metals is that
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they are commercially an important seafood species worldwide (Farrington et al.,
1987).
1.2
Problem Statement
Currently, the coastal area of Danga-Pendas is affected by rapid development
of Danga Bay and Iskandar Development Region (IDR). These massive
developments will cause changes in landuse types along this area. The changes in
landuse also affect the water quality of rivers, estuaries and coastal water. This is due
to the discharge from industry, agriculture or sewage such as suspended sediments,
pathogens, nutrients, heavy metals and oil. Urban areas also diffuse sources of
suspended sediments, pathogens, nutrients and pesticides in agricultural land uses.
Many of these anthropogenic influences are part of a larger process of catchment
landuse change that can affect water quality in both rivers and lakes as well as
downstream estuarine and coastal waters.
IDR is a developing corridor in the South Johor region. IDR covers a land
size of 2217 sq. km which is estimated to have 1.35 million people or 43% of Johor’s
population. Four of five Flagship Zones of the focal points in IDR will be located in
the Nusajaya-Johor Bahru-Pasir Gudang corridor also known as the Special
Economic Corridor (SEC). The development of newly developing IDR will cause
massive impact to river water quality along this area. It will affect the discharge to
the nearest river such as Sungai Melayu, Sungai Pendas and Sungai Skudai. Effluent
from several polluted rivers in Johor Bahru such as Sungai Melayu, Sungai Skudai
and Sungai Segget may also be one of the contributing factor to the drastic reduction
in water quality. Water quality of these rivers will decrease with increase of nutrients
and heavy metals.
From previous studies carried out by Department of Environment (DOE), the
Water Quality Index (WQI) for Sungai Danga and Sungai Skudai were classified as
Class III according to DOE-WQI. The main pollutants are organics, ammoniacal
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nitrogen, nitrate, phosphate, faecal coliform and a number of heavy metals such as
iron, nickel and mercury which are above the levels recommended by the proposed
Interim National Marine Water Quality Standards (INMWQS) (DOE, 2007). The
new developing SJER will boost up the pollutants such as nutrient and heavy metal
discharge to these rivers thus resulting in reduction of water quality and low WQI.
The changes of water quality will also affect the aquatic lives living in the river along
this area such as green mussel.
Green mussel has been identified as potential organism for aquaculture in
Pacific Island (Uwate et al., 1984). In Malaysia, Johor is the largest state producing
P.viridis and produces approximately 92% of total mussel’s production. The
National Fisheries Institute of Malaysia have identified a large area in Johor Straits
estuaries starting from the Singapore-Malaysia second link to Danga Bay as a
suitable area for the expansion of mussels and caged-fish industry. P.viridis occurs in
estuarine or coastal water which are rich with plankton, warm water in range of 26 to
32˚C with high salinity around 27-33 ppt (Hickman, 1989; Power, 2004).The growth
rates of P.viridis are mostly influenced by environmental factor such as temperature,
food availability such as chlorophyll and also water movement. Generally, the
pollution from the effluent may affect changes in the condition of water quality along
this area. Specifically, valuable water ecosystems in this area especially green
mussel, P.viridis will also be affected. Thus it will disrupt the growth and reduces the
production rate of P.viridis.
1.3
Objectives
The objectives of this study are:
i.
To determine the effect of landuse changes on water quality along
Danga-Pendas coastal area using Remote Sensing and Geographic
Information System (GIS)
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ii.
To analyze the effects of water quality on green mussels (Perna
viridis) along Danga-Pendas coastal area.
iii.
To assess the severity of pollution level due to massive development
along Danga-Pendas coastal area.
1.4
Scope of Study
The scope of this study consists of collecting samples at designated stations,
extensive laboratory analysis on water quality and green mussel, data processing
using integrated technology of remote sensing and GIS and finally analysis of the
results. Sampling were carried out along the coastal and estuary from Danga Bay
coastal area up to the Second Link Bridge. Sampling was conducted monthly starting
from September 2008 to April 2009. The samples were then tested in laboratory and
analyses were carried out based on validated standard procedures.
The parameter analyzed in this study includes physical, nutrient and heavy
metals analysis. Physical data comprise of dissolved oxygen (DO), temperature, pH,
total dissolved solid (TDS), salinity, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and
chemical oxygen demand (COD). Nutrient was analyzed for ammoniacal nitrogen
and specifically lead, cadmium, nickel and zinc for heavy metals.
Data processing were then applied using typical remote sensing and GIS’s
software. Landsat TM satellites data for series of 1991 to 2008 were used in order to
evaluate landuse changes and water quality effects. For remote sensing processing
purposes, software such as Envi 4.2 and Erdas Imagine 9.1 were used. As for GIS
processing purposes, ArcView 3.2 and ArcGIS 9.2 softwares were used to process
the data. All the results were then analyzed in term of environmental monitoring such
as effect of landuse changes to water quality and the effect of changes in water
quality to mussel’s growth.
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1.5
Significant of Study
Effects of landuse changes are very significant contributor to changes in
water quality of rivers, estuaries or coastal waters. This is because the replacement of
the existing landuse to other development landuse which is mostly urban area will
create large interference in term of pollutants such as organics, pesticides and
chemicals residues which lead to polluted river. Therefore it is important to study the
correlation between the changes of landuse due to the development and its impact on
water quality as well as green mussel along Johor straits. The correlation can be used
to monitor the water quality along the straits which also may lead to other effects in
environmental aspects and disturb the aquatic ecosystem.
Green mussel is an economically important seafood for Malaysia where it
may lead to million in revenues in domestic consumption or exports. Beside that, the
capability of modern technology such as GIS and remote sensing in adapting with the
environmental aspects gives more valuable results. This then can be used as a basis
monitoring and future prediction. Among others, the main importance of this study is
to ensure that sustainability of the environment is still maintained and controlled
along with the development.