Sebaran Filum Porifera Pada Kontur Wall dan Slope di Perairan Pulau Buru Selatan, Maluku

Abstract

Porifera merupakan organisme bentik sesil yang berperan penting dalam ekosistem terumbu karang, namun kajiannya di perairan Pulau Buru Selatan, Maluku masih sangat terbatas. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis karakteristik habitat terumbu karang, struktur komunitas Porifera, dan hubungan keduanya pada kontur wall dan slope di Kecamatan Kepala Madan, Kabupaten Buru Selatan. Pengambilan data dilakukan pada September–Oktober 2024 di 15 stasiun menggunakan metode Underwater Photo Transect dan Belt Transect pada kedalaman ±10 meter, dengan analisis meliputi indeks ekologi, NMDS, dan CCA. Kontur slope didominasi substrat abiotik bergerak (rubble 39,73% dan sand 25,12%), sedangkan wall didominasi hard coral (41,60%). Total ditemukan 2.364 individu dari 31 spesies dan 20 famili, dengan kelimpahan lebih tinggi pada wall (1.205 individu) dan kekayaan spesies lebih tinggi pada slope (25 spesies). Indeks keanekaragaman tergolong sedang pada kedua kontur dengan dominansi tinggi, dan hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa perbedaan karakteristik habitat antara kontur wall dan slope berkontribusi terhadap terbentuknya struktur komunitas Porifera yang berbeda.

Porifera are sessile benthic organisms that play a critical ecological role in reef ecosystems, yet their communities remain poorly studied in the waters of South Buru Island, Maluku. This study aimed to analyze reef habitat characteristics, Porifera community structure, and their relationship across wall and slope reef contours in Kepala Madan District, South Buru Regency. Data were collected from September to October 2024 at 15 stations using Underwater Photo Transect and Belt Transect methods at ±10 m depth, with analyses including ecological indices, NMDS, and CCA. The slope contour was dominated by unconsolidated abiotic substrate (rubble 39.73% and sand 25.12%), while wall was dominated by hard coral (41.60%). A total of 2,364 individuals from 31 species and 20 families were recorded, with higher abundance on wall (200.8 ind/100 m²) and higher species richness on slope (25 species). Diversity indices were moderate on both contours with high dominance, and this research indicated that substrate composition plays an important role in shaping distinct Porifera community distribution patterns between the two reef contours.