Paleolimnological approach for management sustainable use of tropical lakes

Abstract

Tropical aquatic resources provide ecosystem services, which are affected by human activities. Human-induced environmental change in Indonesian lakes has considerably increased since the new order in 1970. In general, many Indonesian lakes had deteriorated due to sedimentation and eutrophication, which induced the blooming of aquatic plants, mostly by water hyacinth. Water security becomes a problem, particularly in the dry seasons, but water overflow and flooding occur in many places during wet seasons. Landscape and climate changes, pollution, species diversity, preserved in lake sediment, provide long-term proof of environmental changes. This paper will discuss a paleolimnological approach to reconstruct past environmental changes. Paleolimnology is learning about stratigraphy sediment of the lakes where fossils are well preserved in the sediment and provide information about the past conditions of the catchment area. Lakes’ sediment records the changes in condition of the catchment area, like a diary book. Paleolimnology had been studied for Rawapening Lake and Telaga Warna Lake, Dieng. Reconstruction of the past environmental condition is required to predict future conditions. Reconstruction is an activity recreate past conditions by pointing the organism stored in layers of sediment, therefore, reflecting the environmental conditions based on organisms deposited, to develop the best sustainable water resources management, as in alignment with the concept of water – energy – food nexus.