Kondisi padang lamun dan biota asosiasinya di Kepulauan Spermonde Sulawesi Selatan

Seagrass beds is one ecosystem that prone to destruction and changes due to a wide variaety of both natural and antrhropogenic causes. Spermonde Archipelago in South Sulawesi comprises more than a hundred of small island located in various distances from the mainland. This study was aimed to know the current condition of seagrass ecosystem in the coastal areas of islands based on their distances from the mainland. Observations were done in six islands within Spermonde Archipelago i.e. Kapoposang, Gondongbali, Sarappo Keke, Reang-Reang, Salemo and Saugi Islands. Their were eight species of seagrasses found during the study. In general, condition of seagrass beds located farther from the mainland was better compared to those closer to the mainland. Three seagrass species having the largest distribution and the biggest important value index were Enhalus acoroides, Thalassia hemprichii and Cymodocea rotundata, respectively. The highest seagrass total density was commonly found in the western side of islands, except for Gondongbali that located in the eastern side and Sarappo keke island that located in the northern side. Associated biota i.e. macroalgae and macrozoobenthos showed similar pattern to the seagrass distribution where better condition was found in the farther islands from the mainland