Komunitas Bentik di Ekosistem Terumbu Karang Mesofotik (MCEs) Perairan Selat Lombok Utara

Abstract

Ekosistem terumbu karang mengalami kerusakan akibat peningkatan suhu dan kegiatan manusia (antropogenik) seperti pariwisata dan perikanan tangkap. Fenomena tersebut biasa ditemukan pada perairan 5 - 18 meter. Teridentifikasi terdapat kehidupan ekosistem terumbu karang berada di kedalaman lebih dari 30 meter atau zona mesofotik yang tidak terpengaruh terhadap tekanan lingkungan pesisir. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui sebaran komposisi komunitas bentik serta persentase tutupannya di ekosistem terumbu karang mesofotik (MCEs) di perairan Selat Lombok Utara dengan metode Underwater Photo Transect (UPT). Penelitian dilaksanakan pada tanggal 3 – 5 September 2020 di 3 stasiun dengan kedalaman 10 - 50 meter. Kondisi ekosistem terumbu karang di Perairan Selat Lombok pada kedalaman 10 hingga 20 m di setiap stasiun mengalami kerusakan akibat tekanan sehingga presentasi tutupan abiotic dan dead coral with algae tinggi. Puncak persentase tutupan hard coral di setiap stasiun berada di kedalaman 30 hingga 40 m. Semakin bertambahnya kedalaman komunitas bentik dengan kategori sponge, soft coral, dan other fauna semakin meningkat persentase tutupannya.

Coral reef ecosystem are damaged due to the impact of rising sea surface temperature and anthropogenic activities such as tourism and fishing activities. This phenomenon is usually found in waters with a depth of 5–18 meters. It was identified there is life in the coral reef ecosystem at a depth more than 30 meters (mesophotic zone) which is not affected by the anthropogenic activities. This study was conducted to determine the distribution of benthic community composition and percentage cover in Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems (MCEs) in North Lombok Strait using Underwater Photo Transect (UPT) method. The study was conducted from 3- 5 September 2020 at 3 stations with depths of 10 - 50 meters. The condition of the MCEs in the depth of 10 to 20 m at each station was damaged due to many factors that influenced it, resulting in a high percentage of abiotic and dead coral with algae cover at that location. The highest percentage of hard coral cover was at each station with a depth of 30 to 40 m. As the depth increases, the percentage of benthic community cover also increases with the categories of sponge, soft coral, and other fauna.