Environmental Assessment of Polyculture Farming Practice Based On Macrobenthic Assemblages: A Study Case at Coastal Area of Kaliwungu, Kendal, Central Java, Indonesia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine environmental quality parameters using number of species, diversity and similarity of macrobenthic communities. This study was conducted at two locations, the Location I was a polyculture farming area, farming milkfish (Chanos Chanos) and black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) and seaweed Gracilaria sp. in the coastal area of Mororejo, Kendal District, Central Java. Location II was the coastal area of PT. Plywood Indonesia, which is located adjacent to industrial activities as well as directly affected the tide. Systematic random sampling was employed, measuring physical-chemical parameters of water and sediment. Samples of macrobenthos were taken from the sediment. Data was analysed using diversity and evenness indices approach. Samples of macrobenthos were taken from the sediment using Eckman grab, then was analysed using diversity and evenness indices approach. Results showed that the Location I was dominated by Cerithidea cingulata and Terebralia sulcata (Potamididae), Minima batillaria (Batillaridae). The Location II was dominated by Cirratulus sp., Cirriformia sp. and Aphelochaeta (Cirratulidae) and Prionospio sp. (Spionidae), which are considered as indicators of disturbed area. This results implied that the use of area for both polyculture and industrial activities may lead to environmental disturbance, thus environmental coastal management need to be applied in regular basis, both temporally and spatially. Keywords: Environmental disturbance, macrobenthos, moderately disturbed area, polychaete, polyculture