Nesting Site Preference of Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas L.) Based on Vegetation Characteristics in Taman Pesisir Pantai Penyu Pangumbahan, Sukabumi District, West Java

• Main Author: Roeseno, Alvianto
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/41957
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Green turtle is a reptile with endangered conservation status. The choice of nesting location is an important behavior for sea turtles, because it influences their survival. Green turtles tend to nest around the vegetation area behind open sand. This study aims to determine the composition and structure of vegetation, find out the location of green turtle nesting preferences based on the characteristics of vegetation, and to know the differences in vegetation characteristics between stations in the Taman Pesisir Pantai Penyu Pangumbahan. Vegetation composition is determined through vegetation analysis using the quadratic plot method, forest structure determination is determined by profile diagram based on the 10x60 m2 sample plot. Nesting location preferences are determined through the ANOVA test. The difference in vegetation character was tested through the ANOVA test, Kruskal Wallis test, and multiple linear regression used eight vegetation parameters. Three vegetation zones were found, namely the sand dune zone dominated by Spinifex littoreus; the ridge zone is dominated by Pandanus tectorius and Calophyllum inophyllum; and forest zones dominated by Inocarpus fagifer. During the period 2018 to April 2019, 430 nests were recorded, and showed a preference of sea turtles in determining nesting locations. The green turtle population at the spawning beach tends to choose nesting sites in station 2 with characteristics of stand densities between 125-525 individuals/ha, stands of 1.37-2.56 m2 / ha, vegetation widths between 48.4-112 meters, canopy closure between 61-87%, pandanus density between 6000-1000 stems/ha, pandanus root density between 20,000-42,500 roots/ha, pandan vegetation width between 4.5-8 meters, and dominance of vines between 1.38- 11.49%. The character of vegetation between stations on the nesting beach shows differences especially in terms of vegetation width, pandanus density, and the dominance of vines.