Kelimpahan dan Keanekaragaman Plankton di Perairan Selat Bali (Plankton Abundance and Diversity in the Bali Strait)

Abstract

Fitoplankton mempunyai peran sangat penting dalam suatu perairan, selain berada pada dasar rantai makanan sedangkan zooplankton merupakan herbivor pemangsanya. Penelitian mengenai kelimpahan dan keanekaragaman plankton di perairan Selat Bali dilakukan pada musim peralihan II (Nopember 2012) dan musim barat (Pebruari 2013). Penelitian bertujuan untuk mengamati perbedaan kelimpahan dan keanekaragaman plankton pada dua musim angin muson. Sampel air diambil dengan menggunakan water sampler sedangkan sampel plankton diambil secara horisontal dan vertikal  pada kedalaman 1 m dan 20 m dengan jaring plankton Kitahara bermata jaring 20 µm. Hasil pengukuran nutrien pada musim peralihan II memiliki kadar fosfat, nitrat, bahan organik, silikat dan klorofil-a lebih tinggi dibandingkan pada musim barat. Informasi tersebut memperkuat indikasi adanya perpindahan massa air dari lapisan yang lebih dalam ke lapisan yang lebih dangkal. Nutrien fosfat dan nitrat diperlukan untuk mempertahankan fungsi membran sel dan silikia dibutuhkan untuk pembentukan dinding sel terutama pada diatom. Hasil penelitian juga menunjukkan bahwa kelas diatom (Bacillariophyceae) mencapai 95,9 % dari total jenis dan kelimpahan fitoplankton seluruh stasiun penelitian, sisanya berasal dari genus Dinophyceae. Kelimpahan fitoplankton tertinggi terjadi pada musim peralihan II dengan Rhizosolenia stolterfothii sebesar 51.405 sel.L^-1 (80,1%), sedangkan pada musim barat copepoda ditemukan melimpah sebesar 8.178 ind.L^-1 (88,3 %). Hasil ini mengindikasikan bahwa dengan kelimpahan plankton yang ditemukan perairan Selat Bali dinilai cukup potensial untuk mendukung kehidupan biota laut pelagis.

Kata kunci: plankton, selat Bali, rhizosolenia stolterfothii, muson

Abstract

Phytoplankton has important role as primary producer in the sea and act as base of food chain while zooplankton act as herbivore prey on them. Research on abundance and diversity of plankton at Bali Strait was performed during transitional season in November 2012 and the west season in February 2013. This research was done to observe the differences in the abundance and diversity of plankton in the two monsoon seasons. Water sample and plankton sample were collected simultaneously at the same location. Water samples were taken using a water sampler, while plankton were taken by using a planktonnet with mesh size 20 μm. Samples were taken vertically and horizontally at a depth of 1 m and 20 m below the surface. The result of nutrient measurement at Bali Strait during transitional II season showed that the concentration of phosphate, nitrate, organic matter, sillica and chlorofill-a are higher than during west season. This result indicates that there is probably movement of water mass from deeper water column to shallower area. Phosphate and nitrate are required by phytoplankton to maintain their cell membrane and sillica are used to form cell wall, especially for diatom. The reasearch also revealed that diatom (Bacillariophyceae) are 95,9 % of total species and abundance of phytoplankton, and the rest are Dinophyceae. It was found that highest abundance occur during transitional season was Rhizosolenia stolterfothii of 51.405 sel.L^-1 (80,1 %). While during the west monsoon the Copepod had dominates at 8.178 cell.L^-1 (88,3 %). These results indicate that with plankton abundance the Bali Strait has the potential to support pelagic marine life.

Keywords: plankton, Bali strait, rhizosolenia stolterfothii, monsoon