Distribution and healthy status of seagrass bed in Lamongan coastal area

¹ Department of Marine Science, FPIK – UB, Malang, Indonesia
² Coastal Resilience and Climate Change Adaptation – CORECT Research Group, FPIK – UB, Malang Indonesia
³ Marine Resource Explore Management – MEXMA Research Group, FPIK – UB, Malang, Indonesia
⁴ Department of Aquatic Resources Management, FPIK – UB, Malang, Indonesia
⁵ Aquatic Bioflock - Research Group, FPIK – UB, Malang, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: satryacitra@ub.ac.id

Abstract

The important role of ecology and the high economic value of a seagrass beds are strongly influenced by its health status. The purposes of this study were to 1. analyze the distribution, extent and type of seagrass; 2. identify the seagrass covering and density; 3. analyze the health status of seagrass in the coastal village of Lamongan. This research was conducted in July to August 2019, along the coast of Lamongan Regency. Stages of research conducted include: tracking to determine the distribution and extent of seagrass beds, quadratic transects to determine seagrass covering and density, and analysis of seagrass health status. Lamongan consists of two coastal districts, namely: Paciran (9 coastal villages) and Brondong (9 coastal villages). Of the 18 coastal villages there are three coastal villages that have seagrass beds, namely: Banjarwati (7.7 Ha), Kranji (12 Ha), Tunggul (3.8 Ha), with the same type of Enhalus acoroides, and Thalassia hemprichii only at Kranji village. Seagrass covering in the three villages were 83.7%, 15.1%, and 15.1%, while the density values were 160 stands/m², 172 stands/m², and 185 stands/m². The seagrass beds in the study areas were classified as poor (< 30%) to healthy (> 60%).