Threats to Seagrass Ecology and Indicators of the Importance of Seagrass Ecological Services in the Coastal Waters of East Lombok, Indonesia

Abstract

Seagrass ecology contributes to the preservation of fish and other biota diversity and is also an important livelihood source for fishermen and local communities. The purpose of our research was (1) to determine the source of the threats toseagrass ecology and to the ecological services it provides for the sustainability of fish resources and (2) to determine the main indicators defining the conservation needs of seagrass in the study area. Data were collected through direct observation, questionnaires, interviews and discussions. Data for fish in the seagrass bed research sites were obtained using mini-trawlers belonging to local fishermen. All data were analyzed using descriptive statistical analyses. The results showed that seagrass beds play an important role in fish ecology and that local livelihoods were highly dependent on small-scale fishing. However, fishermen and local communities also constituted the two main threats to the preservation and sustainability of fish and other biota in the area. Our results found, too, that there is a scarcity of some types of biota: some fish species, mollusks, crabs, see-urchin and some types of sea cucumber were very difficult to find in the seagrass beds that were the focus of our study. Our conclusion is that, given the scarcity of fifteen species of fish, as well as of other biota and the lack of diversity in fish food in our study area, it is imperative that seagrass conservation becomes an important priority for conservation interventions.