ANALYSIS OF SOIL CARBON STORAGE UNDER SEAGRASS MEADOWS IN PARI ISLAND, SERIBU ISLANDS

• Main Author: Nur Faatinah Puruhito, Haniifah
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Geologi, hidrologi & meteorologi
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/68831
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Escalating the utilization of carbon storage in seagrass meadows has been suggested as a strategy to compensate for increasing Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere due to its contribution to global climate change. Seagrass meadows have an exceptional ability to sequester and store large quantities of organic carbon in underlying sediments over a long period. The research aims to determine the community structure and condition of seagrass meadows, examine the potential sedimentary carbon stocks of seagrass meadows in the coast of Pari Island, Seribu Islands, and to determine the relation between the two. The objectives were accomplished by using the seagrass observation data conducted on July 18th, 2022 and sediment samples collected on November 17th, 2021 at 3 stations located in the western part of the island. The transect method was used to identify the species as well as to measure the seagrass density and coverage. The soil organic content assessment was carried out using the Loss on Ignition (LOI) method. Determination of organic carbon content refers to the empirical formula and includes only carbon contained to 40 cm depth. Seagrass meadows on the West Coast of Pari Island are composed of three seagrass species, namely Thalassia hemprichii, Enhalus acoroides, and Cymodocea rotundata, with very dense conditions (513 stands/m2) and slightly good coverage (31,07%). The difference in the value of dry bulk density and organic carbon content between sediment depths was not significant (???? > 0,05), but significantly different between the seagrass meadows and unvegetated areas (???? < 0,05). The difference in sedimentary carbon stock between seagrass meadows and unvegetated areas is 3,61% with a higher value for seagrass meadows. Seagrass sediments are capable to store organic carbon as much as 70,69±9,99 Mg C/ha. Sedimentary carbon stock was found to be greater at lower structural complexity of seagrass meadows with a correlation coefficient (????) for seagrass density was -0,95 and total seagrass coverage was -0,93, which can be influenced by morphology and the habitat conditions of seagrass meadows.