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An Ecological Study of Benthic Algae in the Jeneberang Estuary, Ujung Pandang, Indonesia
Dissertation Abstract:
A study was carried out in the Jeneberang Estuary to observe the physico-chemical characteristics of sediment and the overlying water. The estuary is subject to heavy siltation due to erosion in the catchment area, particularly during the wet months. Nitrogen and phosphorus, along with organic matter and clay particles, were found abundant. However. because of heavy siltation which interfered with light penetration, photosyntheses in the phytoplankton could not proceed at high rates. Low transparency was the result of heavy silt load which was promoted by turbulence.
The dry months (September-October and May-June) were characterized by high transparency, nitrogen concentration. pH. temperature. transparency. alkalinity, salinity. total hardness, calcium, and sulfate as opposed to the wet months which had reverse conditions. Between the two seasons. high productivity was exhibited by the dry months.
Benthic algal communities consisted of cyanophytes, euglenophytes, chlorophytes, bacillariophytes. and pyrrophytes. A total of 111 species were identified. Bacillariophytes dominated both seasons, followed by the chlorophytes.
Maximum algal species populations were noted in November or at the end of the dry months. Among the macrozoobenthos, mollusca and arthropoda were dominant, with the highest density in May (dry month). There was no relation between the fluctuation of population of macrozooobenthos and benthic algae. Water transparency, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen were positively correlated with the density of macrozoobenthic organisms, while temperature. organic matter, and particulate carbon were negatively correlated.
The fish species which dominantly fed on algae were mullet (Mugil dussumiery) and tilapia (Tilapia mossambica). Both are euryhaline species.