Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 23 No 6 (2019): 1009 - 1017

PALEOPRODUCTIVITY VARIATION IN TERENGGANU OFFSHORE DURING HOLOCENE BASED ON TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON AND CaCO₃ RECORDS

(Variasi Paleoproduktiviti di Luar Pesisir Pantai Terengganu Ketika Holosen Berdasarkan Rekod Jumlah Karbon Organik dan CaCO₃)

Erick Naim¹, Hasrizal Shaari^1,2*, Mohd Fadzil Akhir¹

¹Institute of Oceanography and Environment

²Faculty of Science and Marine Environment

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.

*Corresponding author: riz@umt.edu.my

Received: 30 October 2018; Accepted: 26 September 2019

Abstract

In this study, a sediment core (TER16-GC13C) length 180 cm was sampled in the offshore area of Terengganu, southern South China Sea (SSCS) with RV Discovery to establish the paleoproductivity records during the Holocene. The concentrations of total organic carbon (TOC) and calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) were analyzed by using a Shimadzu TOC Analyzer. The age model was established from carbon-14 data of the intact shells (Anadara sp., Mactra sp., Meiocardia sp., Pecten sp.) found within the sediment core. The time frame of the analyzed sediment core sample covered the Northgrippian (~7840 cal yr BP). Average TOC value was 0.23±0.07% with a decreasing trend towards Meghalayan. CaCO₃ content ranged from 3.38% to 12.05% with an average of 6.95±2.05% with an increasing trend towards Meghalayan. We suggested that TOC and CaCO₃ represent the organic and carbonate-based organisms, respectively. This scenario suggested that a change in community structure had occurred in the study site in which organic (calcareous) organism population had remained low (increased) from Northgrippian towards Meghalayan. This work is the first attempt in reconstructing paleoproductivity records in Malaysian waters.

Keywords: paleoproductivity, total organic carbon, calcium carbonate, Holocene, southern South China Sea

Abstrak

Dalam kajian ini, teras sedimen (TER16-GC13C) sepanjang 180 cm telah disampel di kawasan luar pesisir pantai Terengganu, selatan Laut China Selatan (SSCS) dengan RV Discovery untuk menyediakan rekod-rekod paleoproduktiviti ketika Holosen. Kandungan jumlah karbon organik (TOC) dan kalsium karbonat (CaCO₃) telah dianalisa menggunakan penganalisa TOC Shimadzu. Model usia telah dihasilkan daripada data karbon-14 cengkerang sempurna (Anadara sp., Mactra sp., Meiocardia sp., Pecten sp.) yang dijumpai di dalam teras sedimen. Jangka usia teras sedimen yang dikaji meliputi tempoh Northgrippian (~7840 cal yr BP). Nilai purata TOC adalah 0.23±0.07% dengan pola pengurangan ke arah Meghalayan. Kandungan CaCO₃ berjulat daripada 3.38% hingga 12.05% dengan purata 6.95±2.05%, dan meningkat ke arah Meghalayan. Kami berpendapat bahawa TOC dan CaCO₃ mewakili organisma-organisma berasaskan organik dan karbonat secara relatifnya. Senario ini menggambarkan suatu perubahan dalam struktur komuniti telah berlaku di kawasan kajian di mana populasi organisma organik (karbonat) kekal rendah (meningkat) dari Northgrippian menuju Meghalayan. Kajian ini merupakan percubaan pertama dalam pembinaan semula rekod-rekod paleoproduktiviti di perairan Malaysia.

Kata kunci: paleoproduktiviti, jumlah karbon organik, kalsium karbonat, Holosen, selatan Laut China Selatan

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