Analisis Komposisi Tutupan Substrat Dasar dan Kondisi Terumbu Karang di Kepulauan Kei Kecil, Maluku Tenggara

Abstract

Kepulauan Kei Kecil di Maluku Tenggara memiliki keanekaragaman hayati laut yang tinggi dan menjadi tumpuan ekonomi masyarakat melalui sektor perikanan dan pariwisata. Namun, tekanan lingkungan dan aktivitas manusia seperti penangkapan ikan yang tidak ramah lingkungan menyebabkan penurunan kualitas ekosistem terumbu karang. Informasi mengenai kondisi tutupan substrat dasar dan status terumbu karang sangat penting sebagai dasar pengelolaan dan konservasi. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis komposisi tutupan substrat dasar dan kondisi terumbu karang di Kepulauan Kei Kecil. Pengambilan data dilakukan di 22 stasiun menggunakan metode Underwater Photo Transect dengan transek garis sepanjang 50 meter dan 1 ulangan tiap stasiun. Foto dianalisis menggunakan perangkat lunak Coral Point Count with Excel Extension (CPCe). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa perairan Kepulauan Kei Kecil memiliki komposisi tutupan substrat dasar yang terdiri dari 7 kategori, yaitu Hard Coral (HC), Dead Coral (DC), Soft Coral (SC), Sponge (SP), Other Biota (OT), Algae, dan Abiotic. Kategori tutupan substrat dengan persentase tertinggi yaitu algae dan soft coral. Kondisi tutupan terumbu karang di Stasiun 3 tergolong kategori baik. Stasiun 1, 2, 11, 14, dan 16 tergolong kategori sedang, dan 16 stasiun lainnya yaitu Stasiun 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, dan 22 tergolong kategori buruk. Persentase hard coral yang tergolong rendah di sebagian besar lokasi mengindikasikan kondisi terumbu karang yang buruk di Kepulauan Kei Kecil. Rendahnya tutupan karang keras diduga akibat tekanan lingkungan dan aktivitas antropogenik. Hasil ini diharapkan menjadi acuan dalam upaya konservasi dan pengelolaan ekosistem terumbu karang secara berkelanjutan di Kepulauan Kei Kecil.

The Kei Kecil Islands in Southeast Maluku have high marine biodiversity and serve as an economic foundation for the local community through fisheries and tourism sectors. However, environmental pressures and human activities, such as unsustainable fishing practices, have caused a decline in the quality of the coral reef ecosystem. Information regarding the condition of the seabed substrate cover and coral reef status is very important as a basis for management and conservation efforts. This study aims to analyze the composition of the seabed substrate cover and the condition of coral reefs in the Kei Kecil Islands. Data collection was conducted at 22 stations using the Underwater Photo Transect method with a 50-meter line transect and one replication per station. Photos were analyzed using the Coral Point Count with Excel Extension (CPCe) software. The results showed that the waters of the Kei Kecil Islands have a substrate cover composition consisting of seven categories: Hard Coral (HC), Dead Coral (DC), Soft Coral (SC), Sponge (SP), Other Biota (OT), Algae, and Abiotic. The categories with the highest percentage of substrate cover were algae and soft coral. Meanwhile, the coral reef cover condition at Station 3 was classified as good. Stations 1, 2, 11, 14, and 16 were classified as moderate, and the remaining 16 stations, namely Stations 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22, were classified as poor. The low percentage of hard coral in most locations indicates poor coral reef conditions in the Kei Kecil Islands. The low hard coral cover is suspected to be due to environmental pressures and anthropogenic activities. These results are expected to serve as a reference for conservation and sustainable management efforts of the coral reef ecosystem in the Kei Kecil Islands.