66 Seagrass Meadows Conditions in Pantar Strait and Surrounding Area, Alor Regency, East Nusa Tenggara
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Jurnal Bahari Papadak, Oktober 2020, Vollume 1 Nomor 2 ISSN : 2723-6536 ©Fakultas Kelautan dan Perikanan, Universitas Nusa Cendana Toruan dkk.,2020 (66-79) https://ejurnal.undana.ac.id/JBP SEAGRASS MEADOWS CONDITIONS IN PANTAR STRAIT AND SURROUNDING AREA, ALOR REGENCY, EAST NUSA TENGGARA Lumban Nauli Lumban Toruan1, Jahved Ferianto Maro2, Ismawan Tallo1 1 Program Study of Aquatic Resources Management, Faculty of Marine and Fisheries, University of Nusa Cendana, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara. Email Corespondensi : [email protected] 2 Program Study of Aquatic Resources Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Fisheries, University of Tribuana, Kalabahi, East Nusa Tenggara. Email: [email protected] 1 Program Study of Aquatic Resources Management, Faculty of Marine and Fisheries, University of Nusa Cendana, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara. Email: [email protected] Abstract - Monitoring seagrass beds play an important role in the management of the coastal environment because of two things, that this activity is a method for improved management practices and can provide information about the status and condition of seagrass meadows, so it can be used as one consideration of adaptive management of marine protected areas. Data were collected in December 2016 in the northern part of Alor Island, namely Alila Beach, Mali Beach, Deere Beach, and Lapang Beach. Percentage of seagrass cover, pH, salinity, and temperature were measured in situ, while sediment organic content was analyzed in the laboratory using LOI method. The results showed a range of seagrass cover between 25,1-72,8% (x = 47,6 ± 17,5), pH 8,29-8,58 (x = 8,48 ± 0,10), salinity 31- 33 ppt (x = 31,7 ± 1,1), temperature 28,6-33,50C (x = 32,2 ± 1,9), and organic sediment content from 2,73 to 4,46% (x = 3,57 ± 0,76). There were six seagrasses composed of T. hemprichii, E. acoroides, C. rotundata, H. pinifolia, S. isoetifolium, and H. ovalis. Based on the condition of seagrass cover, the seagrass ecosystem in Pantar Strait and its surroundings were in a rare to the dense category, with criteria for the status of seagrass beds were poor (25,1%) to rich/healthy (72,8%) conditions. Keyword: Pantar, Seagrass, Mangrove, Sea Urchin, Sea Cucumber Abstrak - Kegiatan monitoring padang lamun berperan penting dalam pengelolaan lingkungan pesisir karena dua hal, yaitu kegiatan ini merupakan suatu metode untuk peningkatan praktik pengelolaan dan dapat menyediakan informasi mengenai status dan kondisi padang lamun sehingga dapat digunakan sebagai salah satu pertimbangan adaptif pengelolaan kawasan perlindungan laut. Pengambilan data dilakukan pada Bulan Desember 2016 di bagian utara Pulau Alor, yaitu di Pantai Alila, Pantai Mali, Pantai Deere, dan Pantai Lapang. Data yang diukur secara insitu adalah persentase tutupan lamun, pH, salinitas, suhu, sementara kandungan organik sedimen dianalisis menggunakan metode pembakaran di laboratorium. Hasil kajian menunjukkan kisaran tutupan lamun antara 25,1-72,8% (x = 47,6±17,5), pH 8,29-8,58 (x = 8,48±0,10), salinitas 31-33 ppt (x = 31,7±1,1), suhu 28,6-33,50C (x = 32,2±1,9), dan kandungan organik sedimen 2,73-4,46 % (x = 3,57±0,76). Terdapat enam jenis lamun, yaitu T. hemprichii, E. acoroides, C. rotundata, H. pinifolia, S. isoetifolium, dan H. ovalis. Berdasarkan kondisi tutupan lamun, maka ekosistem lamun di Selat Pantar dan sekitarnya berada pada kategori jarang sampai padat, dengan kriteria status padang lamun berada pada kondisi miskin (25,1%) sampai kaya/sehat (72,8%). Kata Kunci: Pantar, Lamun, Mangrove, Bulu Babi, Teripang I. INTRODUCTION Marica/Kangge Island, and six uninhabited islands namely Kambing, Rusa, Lapang, Alor Regency is an archipelagic Batang, Sika, dan Kapas Island. district consisting of several large and small The islands in Alor Regency are very islands. This district has 15 islands with prospective for the development of marine eight inhabited islands, they are Alor, Pura, tourism and marine fisheries, i.e seaweed Ternate, Pantar, Kepa, Kura, Buaya, and aquaculture that can bring beneficial effect Article Info : 66 Received : 28-09-2020 Accepted : 05-10-2020 Jurnal Bahari Papadak, Oktober 2020, Vollume 1 Nomor 2 ISSN : 2723-6536 ©Fakultas Kelautan dan Perikanan, Universitas Nusa Cendana Toruan dkk.,2020 (66-79) https://ejurnal.undana.ac.id/JBP for prosperity (Fakhraini et al., 2020). In species; (b) support fisheries stability; (c) general, the islands are coral islands with ecological substitutes that are lost due to the beautiful white-sand beaches. The impact of ecosystem damage; and (d) attractiveness of the beach is also decorated increasing the socio-economic results of the with amazing underwater habitats, including community. Administratively, the Pantar views of coral reefs on the slopes and cliffs Strait Marine Park is located between Alor that form a reef wall. Wabang (2018) Island and Pantar Island. The coastal showed that life coral reef status around ecosystem of the Pantar Strait Marine Park Pantar Strait in moderate to very good has an important role. Its healthy condition condition (27,7-79,2% cover with average will support marine life in the surrounding 58,4%) and mortality rate index from 0,01- waters in Alor Regency. Information about 0,47. Besides, the coastal areas and marine its condition needs to be reviewed and waters of these islands have coastal monitored as well as updated to maintain its ecosystems with high biodiversity. sustainability. Therefore, a survey on the The area of waters in Alor Regency condition of the coastal ecosystem, such as which is known as a potential area for seagrass, needs to be carried out sustainably. fisheries and marine development due to its Seagrass is a flowering plant high biodiversity is the Pantar Strait. This (Angiosperms) that lives and grows in area is also a migration route for whales shallow seas, has roots, rhizomes (rhizome), during certain seasons. Therefore, the area of leaves, flowers and fruit and reproduces the Pantar Strait and its surroundings was sexually (flower pollination) and designated as a Marine Park through Regent vegetatively (shoot growth) (Kepmen LH Decree No. 5/2002. No. 200/2004). Seagrass meadows are The Pantar Strait Marine Park has the formed by one type of seagrass (single main function of protecting life support vegetation) and or more than 1 type of systems, preserving the diversity of flora and seagrass (mixed vegetation). Seagrass fauna, as well as utilization for cultivation, thrives especially in tidal open areas and research, education, and, tourism, especially coastal waters where the substrate is mud, marine tourism. Apart from these functions, sand, gravel and broken coral. As a the waters of the Pantar Strait Marine Park chlorophyll plant, the need for sunlight and its surroundings can still be utilized by causes seagrass to only grow in shallow the community for productive economic waters where the penetration of the sun can development while still observing the still affect the photosynthesis process in principles of environmentally friendly and seagrass. The coastal area of Indonesia has sustainable use. 13 species of seagrass, but generally, there The Regent of Alor has designated the are 12 species of seagrass. East Nusa Pantar Strait as a Regional Marine Tenggara have 11 species of seagrass (Yefra Conservation Area through the Alor Regent et al., 2014). There are many facts that Regulation No. 12 of 2006 on 17 July 2006. Dugong dugon frequently occur in seagrass In connection with the expansion of the beds (Sjafrie, 2018 and Nugraha et al. 2019). conservation area, on 6 March 2009 the Mali Beach and Pante Deere Village are one Regent of Alor Regulation No. 6/2009 which of the areas in Alor Regency where Dugong amends the Regent of Alor Regulation No. is often reported around the seagrass habitat 12/2006. The objectives of expanding the (Juraij et al., 2017). Pantar Strait as an MPA, are: (a) support the Natural factors and the result of human management of stocks that protect certain activities, especially in the coastal life stages (larva nursery ground), critical environment can cause the decrease in the functions of exploited populations (feeding area of seagrass beds (Short and Wyllie- ground, spawning ground), dispersion centre Echeverria, 1996) in Indonesia. These for recruitment the larvae of exploited natural factors include strong waves and Article Info : 67 Received : 28-09-2020 Accepted : 05-10-2020 Jurnal Bahari Papadak, Oktober 2020, Vollume 1 Nomor 2 ISSN : 2723-6536 ©Fakultas Kelautan dan Perikanan, Universitas Nusa Cendana Toruan dkk.,2020 (66-79) https://ejurnal.undana.ac.id/JBP currents (Koch et al., 2006), storms (Granata management of marine protected areas. et al., 2001), earthquakes (Moseby et al., Also, data and information regarding 2020), and tsunamis (Komatsu et al., 2015). changes in seagrass beds in Indonesia are Meanwhile, human activities that contribute still limited, so observing changes in the to the decline of the seagrass area are beach extent of seagrass beds is very important. reclamation (Unsworth et al., 2018), Changes in seagrass cover on subsequent anchoring and mooring (Collins, 2010), sand monitoring can realistically make it easier mining, dredging (Erftemeijer and Lewis, for coastal managers to make better 2006), and pollution (El Zrelli et al., 2017). decisions. Seagrass beds monitoring is repeated observations of seagrass beds in a certain II. METHODS area to determine the status and condition of the seagrass beds, whether they are stable, 2.1 Time and location increasing or decreasing. The monitoring activity of seagrass beds plays an important Seagrass ecosystem surveys were role in coastal environmental management conducted from 10-14 December 2016 in the for two reasons; a) this activity is a method northern part of Alor Island, namely Alila for improving management practices and b) Beach, Mali Beach, Deere Beach, and can provide information on the status and Lapang Beach (Figure 1). The locations condition of seagrass beds so that it can be (Table 1) were recorded using Garmin eTrek used as an adaptive consideration for the 20 GPS.