Date: September 21, 2016
Source: The University of
Nottingham Malaysia Campus
Researchers in Malaysia revealed
that Peninsular Malaysia hosts at least three rare mussel species, one of which
(Hyriopsis bialata) is not found
anywhere else on the planet. Another species (Ensidens ingallsianus) may have already gone extinct.
In a ground-breaking study
path-breaking for the Southeast Asian region, a research group led by The
University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC) revealed that Peninsular
Malaysia hosts at least three rare mussel species, one of which (Hyriopsis bialata) is not found anywhere
else on the planet. Another species (Ensidens
ingallsianus) may have already gone extinct. Most native species are
severely threatened by ongoing nutrient pollution and acidification of
freshwater habitats caused by atmospheric pollution, deforestation, oil-palm
plantations and a lack of functioning wastewater treatment particularly in
rural areas. As mussels are efficient filter-feeders and provide habitat for
smaller organisms such as insect larvae, their loss can lead to algal blooms
and further loss of aquatic biodiversity.
An international group of
scientists; Dr John-James Wilson and Pei-Yin Ng from University of Malaya;
Samuel Walton from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu; Dr Khairul Adha A. Rahim
from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak; Dr Elsa Froufe and Manuel Lopes-Lima,
Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Portugal;
Professor Ronaldo Sousa from University of Minho, Portugal; Dr Arthur E. Bogan
from North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences (USA); Dr Suzanne McGowan
from The University of Nottingham UK and Dr Alexandra Zieritz from The University
of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, who is leading this research, surveyed 155
localities across all states of Peninsular Malaysia for mussels and recorded
their environmental requirements. The team spent a total of 30 days in the
field, scouring the sandy and muddy beds of Malaysia's rivers and lakes for
mussels simply using their hands. Environmental conditions at each location,
such as water pH and oxygen concentration, were also recorded. The findings of
this study, worth USD 9,262 (RM 38269.19) and funded by The Mohamed bin Zayed
Species Conservation Fund , are published in Science of the Total Environment,
an international scientific journal.
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