Analisis Kerapatan Lumut dan Vegetasi Strata Bawah terhadap Laju Infiltrasi berbagai Status Kebun Kelapa Sawit (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) di Jambi

Abstract

Besarnya aliran permukaan (runoff) dipengaruhi oleh kondisi hidrologi yang dapat dicerminkan melalui daya serap tanah atau disebut juga sebagai infiltrasi. Peningkatan aliran permukaan tersebut dapat menyebabkan permasalahan kekeringan pada pengembangan perkebunan. Produksi kelapa sawit dapat menurun bila perkembangan bunga dan buah terganggu akibat kekurangan air pada pertanamannya. Apabila aliran permukaan tinggi, areal perkebunan akan kehilangan air dan hara dengan cepat sehingga terjadi penurunan sifat fisik dan kimia tanah. Faktor vegetasi berperan besar dalam penentuan kapasitas infiltrasi. Penelitian bertujuan menganalisis pengaruh variasi kerapatan lumut dan vegetasi strata bawah terhadap laju infiltrasi serta pengaruh laju infiltrasi dan kaitannya dengan keragaan pertumbuhan kelapa sawit. Penelitian dilakukan selama empat bulan mulai September 2022 hingga Desember 2022 pada lima perkebunan yang berbeda yang terletak di Kabupaten Batanghari dan Kabupaten Muaro Jambi. Persentase penutupan vegetasi lumut tertinggi terletak di area riparian, yakni sebesar 20,11%, sedangkan lokasi dengan penutupan vegetasi non-lumut terbesar terletak di terestrial dengan rata-rata 78,81%. Area riparian memiliki kerapatan dan frekuensi vegetasi non lumut lebih tinggi dibandingkan area terestrial, yaitu masing-masing sebesar 25,18 individu per m2 dan 7,66 individu per petak. bahwa laju infiltrasi pada area terestrial lebih tinggi dibandingkan area riparian, yakni sebesar 7,51 cm jam-1.

The amount of runoff is influenced by hydrological conditions that can be reflected through soil absorption or also known as infiltration. Increased surface runoff can cause drought problems in plantation development. Oil palm production can decline if flower and fruit development is disrupted due to lack of water in the plantation. If surface flow is high, the plantation area will lose water and nutrients quickly resulting in a decrease in soil physical and chemical properties. Vegetation factors play a major role in determining infiltration capacity. The research aims to analyze the effect of variations in moss density and lower strata vegetation on infiltration rates and the effect of infiltration rates and their relation to oil palm growth performance. The study was conducted for four months from September 2022 to December 2022 on five different plantations located in Batanghari District and Muaro Jambi District. The highest percentage of moss vegetation cover was located in riparian areas, which amounted to 20.11%, while locations with the largest non-moss vegetation cover were located in terrestrial areas with an average of 78.81%. The riparian area has a higher density and frequency of non-moss vegetation than the terrestrial area, which is 25.18 individuals per m2 and 7.66 individuals per plot, respectively. that the infiltration rate in the terrestrial area is higher than the riparian area, which is 7.51 cm hour-1.