Keanekaragaman Makroalga di Perairan Teluk Kendari dan Sekitarnya, Sulawesi Tenggara

Macroalgae Diversity in Kendari Bay Waters and Surroundings, Southeast Sulawesi. Human activities around Kendari Bay cause environmental changes. It has an impact on fisheries and marine resources. Macroalgae was also affected by environmental changes, so management of macroalgae was required. The diversity of macroalgae can be used as baseline data for coastal area management. The aims of the study were to find out the diversity of macroalgae, biological indices of macroalgae and the factors that influence the diversity and abundance of macroalgae in Kendari Bay and surroundings. The study was conducted in September 2016, in eight locations, namely Lara Island, Lalow Aru, Tanjung Tiram, Baungkutoko, Watuw Atu, Bokori Island, Tapulaga, and Tenunggeu. Macroalgae samples were collected by the quadratic transect method. The data analyzed were Bray-Curtis similarity, diversity, richness, evenness, and dominance index. The correlation between water quality and abundance or diversity of macroalgae was analyzed by multiple regression analysis. A total of 38 species of macroalgae were identified consisting of three Phyllum: 15 species of Chlorophyta, 10 species of Ochrophyta, and 13 species of Rhodophyta. Tanjung Tiram and Lalow Aru have the highest similarity index of 0.93. Macroalgae in Kendari Bay have the low to moderate category of species diversity, low category of species richness, the medium to high category of species evenness, and the low to moderate category of species dominance. There was a gradient pattern of macroalgae diversity in Kendari Bay and surroundings. Seagrass cover and water quality have more influence on macroalgae diversity than macroalgae abundance in Kendari Bay and surroundings.