Unique, IPB Students Make Bird’s Nest as an Indicator of Environmental Quality
Simply put, the quality of the living environment is defined as a condition that can provide optimal support for the survival of organisms in a region. Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) as a biodiversity campus keeps a lot of the biodiversity contained in it. To find out the properness of IPB as biodiversity campus, three students of IPB make bird nest as an indicator of environmental quality.
Ferbina br Barus, Distro Wibisono Wardi Pakesit and Romantio Ira Azhari Silalahi from the Department of Conservation of Forest Resources and Ecotourism (KSHE) IPB made the estimation of environmental quality through bird nest indicator in Student Creativity Program Eksakta (PKM-PE) under the guidance of Dr.Ir. Yeni Aryati Mulyani, M.Sc.
"Until now, no one has made a bird's nest as an indicator of environmental quality. There are currently birds that serve as environmental quality and these are just certain bird species. Certain bird species, if he occupies an area then the environment is good. Because not all birds can choose a place carelessly to survive, "said Ferbina br Barus.
Several places in IPB that became the focus of the three KSHE students studied were built land, gardens and tree habitats. The estimation of quality based on bird's nest also paid attention to the number of bird's nests in the area.
"For the locations that are the focus of our research are the built land, gardens, and tree habitats. Well from these places, we make an estimate that there are 1-5 birds nests so the quality of the environment is not good. Next 6-10 birds nest entry in the category is quite good and 11-15 birds nest in good category, "added the KSHE student.
In the built of land, in Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (FPIK) and Faculty of Agriculture (Faperta) found many swallow nests. Then, the built area of IPB can be categorized good environment.
Furthermore, Ferbina presents her research results in the garden and the tree habitat. Overall there are many birds' nests in both places.
"For the habitat of trees and in the garden, there are a whole lot of birds nest, but we can not be sure what bird's nest, because the crown is too high. And keep in mind also, many trees, crown density, and the height of the tree is not in our opinion, does not affect the presence or absence of bird's nest. The presence or absence of bird's nest, in our opinion is very influenced by the availability of food and environmental comfort, "said Ferbina br Barus.
Future expectations, bird nest indicator as environmental quality can be used as a reference, because it is very important to categorize the feasibility of an environment.
"This bird nest indicator, hope can be used as a reference. Not all birds in the place are settled and nesting, it could be just through for foraging. So this indicator is very important to categorize feasible or not the environment. The results of the assessment of environmental conditions in IPB, in general the environment in IPB is still categorized as feasible, "she added. (DMR).
