Holothuroidea as a Constituent of Benthic Communities in the Seagrass Ecosystems at Bira Island Islands

Abstract

Abstact. Seagrass ecosystem has an important ecological role for the life of marine organisms and as one of the suitable habitats for the holothuroidea group, known as sea cucumbers. One of the distribution areas of Holothuroidea in Indonesia is Pulau Bira Kepulauan Seribu. this study were undertaken to investigate the composition, abundance and species diversity of the holothuroidea as constituents of benthic communities, and to determine the quality of waters in the seagrass ecosystem. Descriptive method with survey design was used in this study. Data analysis was carried out descriptively based on the calculation of abundance, composition, and diversity, while the analysis of environmental parameters affecting holothuroidea diversity was carried out by principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed as many as 3 species were identified as Holothuriidae, with the highest to lowest abundance consecutive namely Holothuria atra (1.77 ind/m2), Holothuria leucospilota (0.16 Ind/m2), and Holothuria fuscocinerea (0.10 Ind/m2) with the composition of 86.96%, 7, 90% and 5, 14% respectively. Species diversity is classified as low criteria, while the environmental parameters that affect species diversity are dissolved oxygen, turbidity, orthophosphate and Biologycal Oxygen Demand (BOD). Although some environmental parameters were still in the normal condition, analysis of the community structure of Holoturoidea indicates a decline in water quality.