Merapi Volcano Research Articles

Sustainable Livelihood in Post-Disaster Tourism: Lesson Learned from Merapi Tourism Site

This research aims to explore the practice of the Sustainable Livelihood Tourism Framework (SLTF) in post-disaster management in the Mount Merapi area, Sleman, Yogyakarta. The focus of SLTF achievement in this study encompasses ecological, economic, sociocultural, and institutional dimensions. Research on the SLTF has indeed become a significant focus in tourism studies. However, most of these studies are confined to a single research methodology, resulting in limited scope and a lack of comprehensive discussion. This study used a mixed-method approach with an explanatory sequential design. The study found that tourism positively impacts the increase of economic activities in the community. However, on the ecological side, tourism presence degrades environmental quality due to issues such as carbon emissions, industrial waste, climate change, the greenhouse effect, illegal logging, and illegal mining. Furthermore, other policies were identified, such as mineral water mining permits that degrade the environment and the establishment of landfill sites in the Kaliurang area, which spoils the natural beauty. Tourism practices also have a negative impact on institutional aspects, as the community perceives government policies as too complex and not meeting their expectations. Lastly, in the socio-cultural aspect, tourism preserves traditional values, as tourists tend to respect them. This mixed-method approach underscores the need for balanced strategies that address environmental concerns while maximizing economic benefits, improving institutional involvement, and supporting socio-cultural enhancement.

Peran BPBD dalam Penanganan Bencana Angin Kencang di Kecamatan Mungkid Kabupaten Magelang

Disaster potentials that must be watched out for in Magelang Regency include Mount Merapi Eruptions, Flash Floods and Rain Lava, Landslides, Forest and Land Fires, and Strong Winds. Therefore, in reducing the impact and providing services, the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Magelang Regency has the function of coordinator, command and implementer in disaster management from the pre-disaster, emergency response, and post-disaster stages. This study aims to describe how BPBD Magelang Regency deals with disasters, especially strong winds. This study uses a qualitative method with a descriptive approach by collecting data through interviews and observations with informants from affected residents and the BPBD. The results of this study are that the BPBD of Magelang Regency carries out disaster management activities starting from the pre- disaster, emergency response and post-disaster stages in strong wind disasters. Then to make it easier for the public to access information about disasters, BPBD Magelang Regency has created an application called Sistem Informasi Kebencanaan Kabupaten Magelang (SIKK).

Manajemen Risiko Usahatani Cabai Rawit: Studi Kasus Di Kawasan Gunung Merapi

Cayenne pepper (Capsicum frutescens L) is a common horticultural commodity cultivated by farmers in the Mount Merapi area. Farmers in this region face the risk of fluctuating productivity due to unpredictable volcanic eruption activities. This study aims to describe the types, sources, and levels of risk, analyze and examine risk management in bird's eye chili farming based on risk levels, risk mapping, and the total household income analysis of bird's eye chili farmers in Mount Merapi. The sample consists of 100 farmers selected through simple random sampling, with the criteria being residents who have been farming cayenne pepper for 10 years in the Mount Merapi area, growing cayenne pepper as the main commodity on their farmland, and farmers with and without additional income sources outside of farming. Data analysis includes risk analysis, total household income analysis, and descriptive quantitative analysis. In Pakem Subdistrict, the coefficient of variation values for production, price, and profit risks are 0.67, 0.08, and 1.20, respectively. In Dukun Subdistrict, these values are 0.55, 0.14, and 2.40, respectively. Lastly, in Selo Subdistrict, the values are 0.45, 0.07, and 0.84, respectively. Household income analysis is divided into two categories: farmers with additional income sources outside of farming and those without additional income sources in each district. The highest average total household income of cayenne pepper farmers is found in Selo Subdistrict. Important considerations in agricultural risk management include providing insurance for cayenne pepperi, market development, and land diversification.

Impact of the “Mengabu (Facing Ash Storms) Disaster Preparedness” Program on Adolescents’ Knowledge About Disaster Preparedness in Kresik Tuo Village, Kayu Aro District, Kerinci Regency, Jambi

Natural disasters have become an integral part of people's lives in Indonesia, disrupting daily activities and causing significant impacts. Indonesia, located in the Ring of Fire, faces a high risk of volcanic eruptions, including the active Mount Kerinci which has the potential to cause disasters such as volcanic ashfall. Kresik Tuo Village, located near Mount Kerinci, faces a direct threat from this eruption. The community, especially the youth, need to improve their preparedness and knowledge to deal with potential disasters. The "MENGABU Siaga dalam Bencana" program is designed to improve the preparedness of the Kresik Tuo Village community in dealing with potential volcanic ashfall, with the hope of contributing to the development of community preparedness strategies in disaster-prone areas. To improve the knowledge of youth in Kresik Tuo Village related to disasters and disaster preparedness. The study used the Pre-Experimental research method with a Prepost Test Design. Sampling used a non-probability sampling technique with convenience sampling according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria of 40 respondents. Wilcoxon test shows that there is a significant increase in the knowledge of youth preparedness for the eruption of Mount Merapi after being given the "Mengabu Siaga dalam Bencana" program. All respondents experienced an increase in knowledge, as indicated by a positive ranks value of 40 and a p value = 0.000. Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that there is a significant effect of the "Mengabu (Mengabu Storm Ash) Siaga Dalam Bencana" Program on Youth Preparedness Knowledge for Disasters in Kresik Tuo Village, Kayu Aro District, Kerinci Regency, Jambi in increasing youth knowledge.

Sediment Transport Mechanism and Provenance of Unconsolidated Sediments in Opak River Channel, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

This study focuses on the Opak River, which crosses administratively through two regencies, Sleman and Bantul. This research aims to reveal the sedimentation mechanism and provenance of Opak River sediment based on textural and sedimentary composition. Sediment samples were collected from ten points along the river channel, spanning from upstream to downstream. Granulometric and grain morphology analysis were conducted which the followed by QFL analysis wherein the presence of light detrital minerals (quartz, feldspar, lithic) was observed. The sediment texture of Opak River Channel generally consists of coarse-grained sand, poorly sorted, with varying degrees of roundness and sphericity, which are angular to sub-rounded and intermediate to sub-equant, respectively. Opak River sediment predominantly comprises Feldspar (20-48%), Quartz (4-17,9%) and Lithic (13,5-19,6%) which implies arkose-lithic arkose type. The sedimentation process in Opak River is mainly driven by the traction process, which is indicated by a 48-79% traction fraction on the probability log curve. Based on QFL analysis, it is inferred that the Opak River sediment originated tectonically derived from a magmatic arc setting, specifically a transitional arc subtype. The primary sediment source could have been derived from Mount Merapi with a potentially strong influence by the Oyo River, especially in the downstream of Opak River.

Empirical Model of Unconsolidated Tephra Erosion: Verification and Application on Micro Catchment

Erosion is an important process that shapes the earth's surface. Given the complexity of the process, efforts to understand it are essential. Over the last 50 years, numerous models of soil particle erosion by surface runoff emerged, some of which share similar forms and parameters. The differences lie in the coefficient values of the parameters, attributed to the characteristics of the soil material such as texture, structure, and organic matter content. However, these erosion models tend to underpredict in the case of new volcanic deposit erosion. The erosion model for unconsolidated tephra, proposed by Yunita, was developed through laboratory experiments using volcanic material from Merapi Volcano, Indonesia. Nevertheless, the model has not been implemented for other cases. Therefore, this study aims to verify the erosion model for volcanic material in other cases, explore the possibility of broader implementation, identify the factors that influence its accuracy, and determine the model’s limitations. To verify the model’s potential for broader application, we applied it to micro-scale catchments in St. Hellens (USA), Sakurajima (Japan), and a laboratory scale plot in Merapi (Indonesia). The verification yielded satisfactory results for all three cases, especially for new tephra deposits. In the case of St. Helens, the extrapolation of model coefficients was proven to still be applicable even for thicker tephra layers. However, the erosion prediction was overestimated for tephra layer deposits older than 1 year, as the erosion rate decreases over time due to the compaction and stabilization of the tephra layer. In the Sakurajima, the model was also suitable for predicting long-term erosion amounts (daily and monthly). Meanwhile, in Merapi, the model provided accurate predictions for slopes of 20º and 25º but was less accurate for 30º slopes, where the measured erosion was due to both erosion and slope failure. These verification results demonstrate the potential of applying the empirical erosion model to micro catchments with relatively homogenous slopes and tephra properties. The sensitivity test revealed that slope, runoff, rainfall intensity, and volcanic ash thickness are strongly influence the erosion rate. This study also simplified the volcanic ash erosion model as a function of slope (S0), runoff (q), and rainfall (i) by assuming the value of (1-τc/τ0) is equal to 1. Further study using GIS tools is required for its application on several catchments with heterogeneous characteristics. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2024-010-07-02 Full Text: PDF

Comparison of the vs30 model and site class based on MASW, microtremor and N-SPT data in the Opak River Basin

Abstract The utilization of vs30 data offers numerous applications within the geotechnical field, with one of its primary applications being the determination of site class and the microzonation of site class. vs30 data can be acquired through various methods, including Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW), microtremor measurements, and N-SPT data. This study seeks to compare vs30 data and site class criteria based on measurements obtained from MASW, microtremor, and N-SPT data in the Opak River Basin. For the vs30 data analysis, a total of 27 data points from MASW and microtremor measurements, along with 3 data points from N-SPT measurements, were employed. These measurements were conducted across various geological formations, encompassing the young volcanic deposits of Merapi Volcano, alluvial deposits, and the Nglanggran, Sentolo, Wonosari, and Semilir Formations. It is worth noting that all N-SPT data were specifically collected within the young volcanic deposits of the Merapi Volcano Formation. The results of this analysis revealed vs30 values ranging from 159 to 192 m/s for MASW measurements, 156 to 789 m/s for microtremor measurements, and 241 to 249 m/s for N-SPT measurements. In accordance with the SNI 1726-2019 site class criteria, the site classes determined based on vs30 values from MASW and microtremor data included rock (SB), very dense soil (SC), stiff soil (SD) and soft soil (SE), while the site class based on vs30 N-SPT data fell under the stiff soil (SD) criteria. The correlation between vs30 values obtained from MASW and microtremor measurements yielded a strong correlation coefficient (r) of 0.98, and the correlation between vs30 values from MASW and N-SPT measurements demonstrated a very strong correlation coefficient (r) of 0.99.

Vesicularity, Density, and Crystal Size Distribution of Pumice-Scoria at South-Southeast Flank of Merapi Volcano: A Window Into Explosive Volcanic Eruption

Abstract Merapi, one of the most active volcanoes in Java Island of Sunda Arc, is a constant threat to the ten million people who live within its 10-km radius of the summit. In 2010, it experienced an explosive eruptive event, sending pumice-laden pyroclastic density currents (PDC) that extended as far as 15 km down its southeastern flank. We report field observations of PDC deposits on the south-southeast flank of the volcano and calculate the vesicularity, density and crystal size distribution of pumice–scoria fragments. The density of the pumice–scoria is measured by archimedes’ principle by weighting the sample in water. The vesicularity is determined from petrography using the point counting method. Crystal Size distribution (CSD) is determined by images from thin sections using plagioclase crystals to calculate the magma residence time. Based on their physical appearance, the pumice–scoria fragments from this area are grouped into: (1) white pumice, (2) grey pumice, and (3) dark scoria. The density of white pumice is overlapping with the grey pumice group (1.5-2 g/ml); while the dark scoria is the densest among others (>2 g/ml). The vesicularity of pumice–scoria ranges from 7-30%. CSD analysis is done in two most vesicular samples from each group. The CSD result gives both shallow and steep slopes which reflect the crystal size and population density. The slope suggests that magma residence times are (a) 11.49–249.68 years for grey pumice, (b) 5.03–194.54 years for white pumice, and (c) 3.83–273.36 years for dark scoria. This research suggests that the three types of pumice–scoria from the study area generally have similar crystallization path and time. Our CSD data shows that these pumice-scoria samples tend to have steeper slopes than lava samples, indicating a more uneven crystal-growth condition.

Xenolith petrography for identification of substratum lithology of an active volcano: a case study of Lava Kekep, Sundoro Volcano, Central Java

Abstract Sundoro volcano is an active Quaternary stratovolcano in Central Java, located approximately 50 km west of the Merapi volcano. It is attributed to parasitic cones producing basaltic lava flow. We present our findings of sedimentary and igneous xenoliths embedded in the basaltic lava of the Kekep parasitic cone. Xenolith is one of the key materials to help identify various lithologies composing the substratum of a volcano. Twelve thin sections were analysed through detailed petrographic observation. We identified variations of xenolith lithology consisting of sedimentary rock, particularly siltstone, and igneous rocks such as dunite, pyroxenite and lherzolite. Detailed accounts of substratum lithologies comprises of (a) siltstone composed of >0.125-0.5 mm size plagioclase crystals and silicic fine-grained matrix, (b) pyroxenite consists of massive interlocking 1-5 mm size clinopyroxene and few <1 – 1 mm orthopyroxene, (c) dunite consists of 1 - 2 mm phenocryst of plagioclase, pyroxene, and olivine, embedded in a minor groundmass of plagioclase and pyroxene, (d) lherzolite consists of massive interlocking olivine crystals 1-5 mm in size. The analysis results identify gradual or groundmass and sharp contact between basaltic host rock and xenoliths (pyroxenite, lherzolite, dunite and siltstone). Other characteristics of the twelve samples includes (a) <1 mm minerals fragments embedded in silt to clay-grained lithic sandstone, (b) siltstone showing chilled-baked margin in hand sample specimen, (c) identified disequilibrium textures in basaltic lava, and contact between xenolith and host rock. Substratum lithology along the Java arc is likely composed of Tertiary sedimentary rock in the upper part, transitions of granitoid – gabbroic diorite crustal material in the lower part, with ultramafic crustal material under Sundoro.

Developing Farmers’ Community Resilience in the Volcanic Area of Mount Merapi, Indonesia

Mount Merapi is one of the active stratovolcanoes in Indonesia, and its slopes are not only home to the powerful forces of nature but also to thriving communities of farmers. Many farmers' communities are found around the slopes of this mountain, relying on the fertile volcanic soil for their agricultural activities. This research was undertaken near Mount Merapi, approximately 4 km from the volcano peak, to investigate the resilience of farmers' communities in the face of Mount Merapi's potential disasters. It affects the farmer’s behavior, with the majority of residents being farmers. The primary objective of this study was to understand why and how these farmers’ communities demonstrate resilience in the wake of Mount Merapi's potential disasters. The qualitative approach was used in this research and the key informants were determined by using the purposive sampling technique. Data obtained were analyzed using an interactive data analysis model. The study identified three primary themes that significantly influenced the resilience of farmers' communities. The first theme encompasses social aspects, highlighting the importance of social capital, including strong social relations, trust, and community networks. The second theme revolves around economic factors, specifically business capital and the various forms of income within the farmers' communities. Lastly, the third theme focuses on environmental considerations, emphasizing the role of natural capital, particularly effective land use, as the most impactful in maximizing community resilience. Additionally, it was also found that the strong engagement among farmers within their communities made their resilience ability toward disaster highly formidable

Deteksi Pola Kejadian Bencana Menggunakan Algoritma Naïve Bayes di Kabupaten Boyolali

Boyolali Regency, which is geographically located between Mount Merbabu and the still active Mount Merapi, does have high potential as a disaster-prone area. According to data from the Boyolali Regional Disaster Management Agency, during the period from 2022 to 2023, 936 disaster events were recorded in the region. These disasters have a devastating impact on ecosystems and the environment, causing significant material losses, causing psychological disorders, and even threatening human safety. In this context, detecting patterns of disaster events is an important step in disaster mitigation and management efforts. This research was conducted with the aim of understanding patterns of disaster events based on data collected by BPBD Boyolali. The method used is the Naive Bayes algorithm, which has proven to be a powerful tool in data analysis. The results of this research show a high level of accuracy of 92.52%, precision of 92.68%, and recall of 91.64% using the Naive Bayes algorithm. This indicates that the algorithm is effective in recognizing and classifying patterns of disaster events based on existing data. Thus, the results of this research can provide a valuable contribution to the development of an early disaster detection system, as well as assist the authorities in designing more effective mitigation strategies to protect the community and environment in Boyolali Regency.

Preliminary assessment of river ecosystem services in the volcanic area of Mount Merapi, Indonesia

River ecosystem services (RES) are vulnerable to landscape changes mainly by volcanic eruptions. Therefore, this study aims to assess RES in the volcanic area which was affected by the major and minor eruptions of Mount Merapi, Indonesia. The RES referred to the regulating and supporting services of the Krasak River in Jogjakarta. The research involved collecting water and biodiversity samples from two distinct Merapi’s hazard zones (KRB I and KRB II) along the river. Parameters related to regulating services, such as particulate, organic, and nutrient purification, biological control, as well as supporting services like primary productivity, were quantified. We conducted an analysis to understand how landscape conditions interacted with these parameters and employed the t-test to assess differences in RES between the two KRBs. Our findings revealed that the Krasak River exhibited a range of values, including 2.40–5.95 mg/l for Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), 0.61–3.41 mg/l for nitrate, 0.02–0.11 mg/l for phosphate, 160–60,000 MPN/100 ml for coliform, and 156.3–937 µg/l for chlorophyll-A. These values demonstrated the river’s capacity to perform both regulation and support services. However, certain segments showed variations in ecosystem services, possibly due to the presence of autochthonous matter from aquatic organisms and decomposing organic matters. This showed that volcanic eruption and landscape are closely linked with the water quality and aquatic biodiversity, which affect the ecosystem services.

Perancangan Alat Distilasi Air Mawar

The Sapuangin Merapi area, Klaten Regency is a buffer village. The Sapuangin area is under the supervision of the Mount Merapi National Park Office. The Sapuangin area includes the Tegalmulyo Village area, Kemalang District, Klaten Regency. Tegalmulyo Village is located close to Mount Merapi, so this village has good natural resources, fertile soil and cool air. Local village people plant roses in fields. Every day, roses are harvested with a yield of 50 kg. Roses are sold to collectors every day. The price of roses sold is adjusted to the price of roses on the market on that day. The price of roses can change at any time according to market mechanisms. In certain months it is related to the tradition of visiting graves. The price of roses can be very high due to high demand. On the other hand, in normal months the market demand for roses is very low, while the rose harvest remains abundant, so the price of roses becomes very cheap, and sellers find it difficult to market them. To increase/maintain the economic value of roses, the Atma Jaya Yogyakarta University (UAJY) community service team provide training and provide equipment for processing rose flowers into rose water. Processing rose flowers into rose water uses a distillation process. The UAJY Faculty of Industrial Technology community service team designed the distillation equipment. The result of distilling rose water has many benefits and higher economic value, so it can increase the income of local people when the price of roses is cheap.

Community Engagement for Disaster Preparedness in Rural Areas of Mount Merapi, Indonesia

Community Engagement for Disaster Preparedness in Rural Areas of Mount Merapi, Indonesia

Sentimen Analysis Social Media for Disaster using Naïve Bayes and IndoBERT

The rapid advancement of information and communication technology has resulted in a significant surge in data, especially text data from social media platforms. This paper presents a sentiment analysis approach using IndoBERT and Naïve Bayes algorithms to classify sentiment related to natural disasters, specifically from a dataset of tweets derived from social media platform X. The focus of this research is to categorize tweets as positive and negative sentiment to provide useful insights in improving disaster response and management, with a focus on tweets related to earthquakes, floods, and the eruption of Mount Merapi. The goal is to assist the government in allocating aid more efficiently and understanding public sentiment during disasters. The methodology used includes data collection, data preparation, labeling, categorization, word weighting using tf-idf, data separation, and classification using Naïve Bayes and IndoBERT algorithms. The results showed that IndoBERT achieved 91% accuracy, while Naïve Bayes achieved 74% accuracy. The study highlights the potential of sentiment analysis in improving disaster preparedness and more effective response strategies.

ANALYSIS OF LANDSLIDE SUSCEPTIBILITY IN KLATEN REGENCY

Landslide disasters are frequently occurring events in Indonesia. The northern part of Klaten Regency, situated on the slopes of Mount Merapi, and the southern part, which directly borders limestone hills, are vulnerable to landslides due to their elevated terrain. This research aims to investigate the role of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in analyzing, mapping, and identifying areas prone to landslide disasters. Mapping landslide susceptibility as a GIS application aims to be a disaster mitigation effort, thereby minimizing the resulting impacts and losses. The mapping is conducted based on the Puslattinak method, using several parameters such as rainfall, slope, rock types, land use, and soil types. This mapping employs a weighted multi-level analysis method, where each parameter has a different weight depending on its influence on landslide disasters. The results of this research include the Landslide Susceptibility Map of Klaten Regency in 2022. According to the research findings, Klaten Regency is divided into three susceptibility classes: low (17,868.23 hectares), medium (41,494.22 hectares), and high (10,533.96 hectares), with rainfall intensity being the most influential parameter

Comparison of two soil quality assessment models under different land uses and topographical units on the southwest slope of Mount Merapi

Comparison of two soil quality assessment models under different land uses and topographical units on the southwest slope of Mount Merapi

Konflik Identitas dan Budaya Antar Suku di Yogyakarta, Heterogenisasi Vs Homogenisasi

Student groups or communities living in Yogyakarta create fuses that can catch fire at any time. Groups in Yogyakarta have the potential to experience offense caused by various aspects. The frequent occurrence of identity and ethnic conflicts is quite disturbing, especially for indigenous people. Yogyakarta society is facing the challenge of homogeneity in particular, long before theories and studies about the dangers of homogeneity, there were several special philosophies that the Yogyakarta people always adhered to in carrying out their life roles. The role of the Palace and the implementation of the special philosophy in Yogyakarta has not been fully understood by most people, especially immigrants. The collaboration between the religious patterns of Yogyakarta society and the philosophy of privilege is very closely related to the concept of Islam Nusantara. Indirectly, it is hoped that such collaboration with the heterogeneous society of Yogyakarta can reduce homogenization conflicts, both religious and cultural. One of them is the "Imaginary Axis". The Imaginary Axis is visualized in the form of three special places in Yogyakarta which include Mount Merapi, Tugu Yogyakarta, Keraton, Panggung Krapyak, and South Beach. The Imaginary Axis symbolizes harmony and balance in nature. Nature here consists of five aspects, namely fire from Mount Merapi, soil from the earth of Nga-Yogyakarta, air from the South Coast, wind, and space. So the Imaginary Axis philosophy can be interpreted as a harmonization between the environment and the physical, namely balance in the relationship between humans and God, humans and fellow humans, and humans and nature. This article reviews the relationship between religion and culture with the Yogyakarta philosophical axis using a phenomenological literature review data analysis framework.

Disaster Management for Geopark-Based Tourism in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Yogyakarta in Indonesia is on the south flank of the Merapi Volcano and is bordered by the Southern Mountain, West Progo Mountain, and the Indian Ocean. Many geological and archaeological phenomena are found here, making geological and cultural diversity part of the wealth of Yogyakarta. One of these was Hindu-Buddhis temples developed during the 8th-10th century that were buried by volcanic materials dated between 1910 y BP and 2010 AD and resulted in cracks, wavy paleosols, liquefactions, and bumpy buildings. The catastrophe eruption of 4 VEI in October 2010 and the earthquake with 6,2R on May 27th, 2006, took thousands of lives. Apart from the disastrous effects, the natural disasters built unique geodiversity with education and utilization potentials. Using the values of education, conservation, early warning, utilization, uniqueness, and the improvements of the economic community developments, 15 geoheritages have been appointed, to be an Aspiring Jogja Geopark. This paper aimed to assess qualitatively and quantitatively whether the geological, biological, and cultural diversities can be prepared. The method used was questionnaires filled by visitors, local people, academicians, local tourist managers, small and medium enterprises (UMK), and micro small and medium enterprises (UMKM). The data was processed using RapidMiner software for clustering. The results discovered that people around the 15 destinations did not know about the Aspiring Jogja Geopark, but the academicians, local governments, POKDARWIS (local tourist managers), and the UMK and UMKM knew. Because of their limited knowledge, the local people were unaware of the park. However, they were surprised and enthusiastic about the geopark. Visitors very happy and proud of it. The community had been waiting for a geopark. It is a symbol of the unity of Yogyakarta’s people and the ruler, an embodiment of the slogan of “life in harmony with disasters”, and the optimisation of the geoheritage’s utilization to improve the local economy.
 Keywords: disaster management, geopark tourism, Yogyakarta

Potensi Cadangan Biji Tumbuhan Bawah Pasca Erupsi Merapi di Taman Nasional Gunung Merapi

The 2010 eruption of Mount Merapi caused the ecosystem of Mount Merapi National Park had damage. The recovery of the surrounding ecosystem was called succession . Soil seed bank can be a seed resource for the succession. This research was conducted to analyze vegetation composition and explore the potential seed bank of understorey plants. The vegetation analysis was done using a quadratic method in the three locations: highly damaged, moderately damaged, and lightly damaged. A 1×1 m2 plot was used to collect 9 soil samples from each location. The soil samples were stored in a greenhouse for the germination test. Results showed that Poaceae dominated the vegetation in three locations. The vegetation in moderately and lightly damaged locations has a higher score in diversity and evenness than that in highly damaged locations. The seed bank results showed approximately 34 understorey plants from 14 families dominated by Poaceae. The similarity between the standing aboveground vegetation and soil seed banks in the three locations was low.