Introduction Justification Objectives Materials and methods Expected outcomes Work Schedule

Diatoms is the primary producer in the lake ecosystems. Benthic diatom is the diatom growing by attaching themselves to a substratum and also known as periphytic diatom (Hall and Smol, 1999). The substrates can be either natural or artificial substrates.

They are the pioneer organisms colonizing the submerged substrates. As the results, biofilm will be formed to prepares the substrates for other organisms to colonize.

Wan Maznah (2010) stated that microalgae can be used as biological indicators for monitoring aquatic ecosystems. The UNIMAS lake data can be used as monitoring tool of the lake. Hence, the lake is a well-known landmark of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.

To study the community structures of benthic diatoms in UNIMAS lake. To investigate the substrates preference (rough and smooth) settlement of benthic diatoms.

Study site 2. Artificial substrates 3. Field sampling

1.

In-situ parameters Sampling of benthic diatoms

4.

Laboratory analysis
Diatoms identification and counting Nutrient analysis

5.

Statistical analysis

UNIMAS lake situated in west campus of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.

The lake is approximately 16 hectares area with 1 km length.

Examples of tiles will be used (Karthick et al, 2012).

In-situ parameter
The date, time, weather conditions in every

samplings will be recorded. The water sample will be taken by using 125ml polypropylene bottle.

Examples of polypropylene bottle.

Sampling of benthic diatoms

After four weeks, the substrates will be

brought to surface and rinsed by distilled water. The toothbrush will be used to remove the benthic diatoms of two surfaces of tiles (smooth and rough) and poured in sample bottles.

Example of toothbrush will be used.

A few drops of Lugols solution(neutral) will

be dropped in the benthic diatom samples.

Diatom identification and counting

A modified Polsom splitter will be used to split

the samples of benthic diatoms. Then, Bogorov tray will be used to counting the benthic diatoms and observed under light microscope.

Polsom splitter

Bogorov tray

Nutrient analysis
100ml of water samples will be filtered by

using filter paper and GAST electric pump. The filter paper will be used for total suspended solid (TSS) value. The filtered water sample will be refrigerated and analyze after one or two days. DR/2012 Spectrophotometer will be used to measure ammonia, nitrate and orthophosphate according to procedure prescribe by Hach (2000).

Example of spectrophotometer will be used.

The Microsoft Excel will be used to combined and calculate the data. The 1-way ANOVA will be used to test the mean difference of physio-chemical parameters. The Kruskal Wallis will be used to analyze the variance, Main-Whitney pairwise comparisons and Bofferoni correlation among two different substrates samples and three different level of depth (Bere, 2010).

The community structures of benthic diatom in UNIMAS lake will be obtained. The relationship of the substrate surface preference and benthic diatoms will be obtained.

Activities S
Proposal Writing and Presentation Field sampling -In-situ parameters -Sampling of benthic diatom Ex-situ parameters -Total suspended solid (TSS) -Nutrient analysis Identifying the species gained Data analysis Statistical analysis Report Writing and Presentation

2012 O N D J F M

2013 A M J J

progress

milestone

Hall, R.I., & Smol J.P. (1999). Diatoms as indicators of lake eutrophication. In E.F. Stoermer & J.P. Smol (Eds.), The diatoms : Applications for the environmental and earth sciences (pp. 128-168). UK: Cambridge University Press. Wan Maznah Wan Omar (2010). Perspectives on the use of algae as biological indicators for monitoring and protecting aquatic environments, with special reference to Malaysian freshwater ecosystems. Tropical Life Sciences Research, 21(2), 51-67. Karthick, B., Taylor, J.C., Mahesh, M.K., & Ramachandra, I.V. (2012). Protocols for collection, preservation and enumeration of diatoms from aquatic habitats for water quality monitoring in India. Journal of Soil and Water Sciences. Vol. 3. 25-60. Bere, T. (2010). Benthic diatom community structure and habitat preferences along an urban pollution gradient in the Monjolinho River, Sao Carlos, SP, Bravil. Biological Limnology. 22(1). 80-92.