Study Maps Which of Indonesia's Seagrass Meadows Need Protection Most

A study has revealed substantial spatial differences in the condition of 21 seagrass meadows across central and eastern Indonesia, providing a clearer picture of where the ecosystems are thriving, under stress, or undergoing ecological change. Indonesia is home to more than 660,000 hectares (1.6 million acres) of seagrass meadows that provide habitat for marine life, support fisheries, store carbon and protect coastlines, but these ecosystems face growing pressure from human activity and environmental change.

A team of researchers from several Indonesian institutions, led by Rohani Ambo-Rappe, a professor in the Department of Marine Science at Hasanuddin University, developed a Seagrass Ecological Quality Index (SEQI) using five indicators: seagrass species richness, seagrass cover, water clarity, macroalgae cover and epiphyte cover. The work, published in Science of The Total Environment, combined the index with spatial and multivariate analyses to compare ecological conditions across sites.

SEQI values across the surveyed meadows ranged from 0.39 to 0.88. The highest values were recorded at Pasi-Gusung, Parak and Maharayya, where seagrass had high species richness, extensive cover and clear water, while Lae-Lae recorded the lowest value, reflecting very low seagrass cover and species richness alongside reduced water clarity. High-quality "hotspots" identified at Pasi-Gusung, Liukangloe, Maharayya and Parak were reinforced by similarly healthy surrounding areas, while "coldspots" at Sekotong, Lanjukang, Badi-Alami, Badi-Restorasi, Waboela and Lapandewa showed degraded ecosystems that may need restoration.

The analysis also found ecological "outliers": Bone Batang and Barrang Lompo contained relatively healthy seagrass within less healthy surroundings, making them potential ecological refugia worth protecting, while Lae-Lae and Bonto Bahari were degraded sites embedded within otherwise healthier systems, suggesting opportunities for targeted restoration. Ambo-Rappe said the spatially informed framework can help identify areas to protect, restore or buffer before further degradation makes recovery more difficult.