The research was conducted by Budhi Ardani, Rosana Elvince, Enjelika Br Singarimbun, and Rena Arinia Simamora of the Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Fisheries, Forestry and Fisheries, Universitas Palangka Raya. Rosana Elvince is listed as the corresponding author. The findings are relevant because Burung Lake is a floodplain lake used by residents of Petuk Katimpun Village as a fishing ground, while information about its fish diversity and distribution had previously been limited.
Why Burung Lake Matters
Freshwater ecosystems such as lakes, rivers, swamps, and floodplain lakes provide habitats for fish while supporting communities through capture fisheries and aquaculture. In floodplain ecosystems, changing water levels can significantly influence where fish feed, reproduce, and seek shelter.
Burung Lake is part of this dynamic environment. During periods of rising water, fish can move between the main lake and surrounding flooded areas. During lower water levels, they may return to the main water body or connected waterways.
For local communities that depend on fishing, understanding which fish species live in the lake and how environmental conditions affect them can provide useful information for future resource management. The researchers describe their findings as important baseline information for conservation and sustainable management of Burung Lake's fish resources.
How the Researchers Studied the Lake
The researchers divided Burung Lake into five sampling stations representing different parts of the water body, including the inlet, outlet, lake edges, and an upper area associated with former small-scale mining sites. Fish sampling was conducted using fishing gear commonly used by local fishermen.
The researchers also collected water-quality data at the five stations. Measurements included temperature, water transparency, depth, total suspended solids, dissolved oxygen, pH, phosphate, nitrate, ammonia, and electrical conductivity.
Fish were identified and counted, while their length and weight were measured. The researchers then analyzed the data using several indicators to describe fish abundance, distribution, diversity, and dominance. Water samples for ammonia, phosphate, and nitrate analysis were examined at the Palangka Raya City Health and Calibration Laboratory.
Twelve Fish Species Recorded
The survey recorded 24 individual fish representing 12 species and eight families. The species documented in the study included puhing (Cyclocheilichthys heteronema), kalabau (Osteochilus melanopleura), brakas (Systomus rubripinnis), patung (Pristolepis grootii), kakapar (Belontia hasselti), Trichopodus leerii, darap (Mystus bocourti), bapuntin (Bagroides melapterus), betutu (Oxyeleotris marmorata), lawang (Pangasius conchophilus), jajili (Macrognathus circumcinctus), and pentet (Clarias alluaudi).
The most frequently recorded species was Belontia hasselti, locally known as kakapar, with five individuals accounting for 20.83 percent of the total catch. It was followed by Cyclocheilichthys heteronema or puhing, with four individuals or 16.67 percent. Pristolepis grootii and Bagroides melapterus each accounted for three individuals, or 12.50 percent.
The researchers noted that the relatively small catch could be related to environmental conditions, changes in lake depth and water levels, and seasonal fish movements. During the rainy season, rising water levels can allow fish to move into surrounding flooded areas, potentially reducing the number caught within the main lake.
Moderate Diversity Without a Dominant Species
The fish community recorded in Burung Lake was classified as having moderate diversity based on the Shannon-Wiener diversity index. At the same time, the Simpson dominance index ranged from 0.0002 to 0.0280, indicating that no individual fish species strongly dominated the community.
The result suggests that the lake supported several fish species without one species overwhelmingly outnumbering the others during the sampling period. The researchers also observed that members of the Cyprinidae family were among the most frequently represented fish in the catch.
The distribution of fish is influenced by multiple factors, including habitat preferences, food availability, water depth, dissolved oxygen, habitat structure, and changes in water conditions. Seasonal movement is particularly relevant in a floodplain lake such as Burung Lake.
Water Quality Shows Mixed Conditions
Water-quality measurements produced a mixed picture. Water temperature ranged from 27.6 to 28.2 degrees Celsius, while lake depth ranged from 2.03 to 2.70 meters. Total suspended solids ranged from 35.67 to 79.1 mg/L. The study reported that temperature remained within the applicable water-quality standards cited by the researchers.
Implications for Fisheries Management
The findings provide an initial ecological profile of Burung Lake that can support future fisheries management and conservation efforts. Knowing which species occur in the lake, their relative abundance, and the condition of the surrounding water can help researchers and local stakeholders monitor changes in the ecosystem.
For communities that rely on fishing, such information can also provide a baseline for observing whether fish populations change over time. The data may become particularly useful if fishing pressure, water-level changes, habitat alteration, or other environmental changes affect the lake.
Rosana Elvince and her colleagues from Universitas Palangka Raya emphasize that further research is needed because the limited sampling period and relatively small number of fish collected may not capture the lake's full seasonal dynamics. They recommend comparing fish communities during both rainy and dry seasons, particularly because changes in water levels and connections with flooded areas can influence fish movement, feeding, and reproduction.
In this sense, the work by Budhi Ardani, Rosana Elvince, Enjelika Br Singarimbun, and Rena Arinia Simamora provides more than a list of fish species. It establishes a reference point for understanding the biological condition of Burung Lake and for conducting future research on how seasonal changes shape its fish community.
Author Profiles
Budhi Ardani — Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Fisheries, Forestry and Fisheries, Universitas Palangka Raya.
Rosana Elvince — Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Fisheries, Forestry and Fisheries, Universitas Palangka Raya; corresponding author.
Enjelika Br Singarimbun — Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Fisheries, Forestry and Fisheries, Universitas Palangka Raya.
Rena Arinia Simamora — Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Fisheries, Forestry and Fisheries, Universitas Palangka Raya.
The journal identifies the authors' institutional affiliation but does not provide individual academic degrees or detailed personal fields of expertise. Those details are therefore not added here.
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