Researchers of IPB: Status of Aquatic Ecology in Jakarta Bay and Pelabuhan Ratu Bay was Very Bad

Disturbance and pollution in aquatic ecosystems were the common problems that occured in Indonesia. One approach to monitoring the aquatic environment was through the Biotic Index of AMBI (AZTI Marine Biotoc Index). Testing and validation should be done to make use of AMBI which was suitable for the tropical countries such as Indonesia.

Nine researchers from the Department of Water Resource Management, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), namely Yusli Wardiatno, Hefni Effendi, Majariana Krisanti, Ali Mashar, Mursalin, Reza Zulmi, Dwi Yuni Wulandari, Yuyun Qonita, and Siti Nursiyamah, conducted the research related to the application testing and the suitability of the biotic index of AMBI in determining the ecological quality of the open coastal water sediment and the tropical bay.

This research aimed to examine the application and suitability of the index use of AMBI in determining the ecological quality of the aquatic sediment. The research was conducted in Jakarta Bay and Pelabuhanratu Bay from May to November 2016. The result of the research showed that the macrozoobenthos found in Pelabuhanratu  Bay consisted of 102 taxa with the density ranging from 59 to 4,806 ind/m2, while those found in Jakarta Bay consisted of 30 taxa with the density ranging from 22 to 6,598 ind/m2.

Polychaeta was the dominant macrozoobenthos groups dominating in both research locations. The value of AMBI macrozoobenthos ranged from 0.5 to 3.5 in Pelabuhanratu Bay classified as Not Disturbed to Medium Disturbed, and from 0.87 to 1.50 in Jakarta Bay classified Lightly Disturbed to Heavy Disturbed. The value of M-AMBI macrozoobenthos ranged from 0.31 to 0.87 in Pelabuhanratu Bay with the ecological status of Bad to High, and from 0.04 to 0.90 in Jakarta Bay with the ecological status of Very Bad to High.(**/Zul)