Artificial Seagrass Bed as Phytoplankton Habitat

Seagrass bed is one of coastal area ecosystems, which has important role for various marine organisms. Artificial seagrass bed can create new habitat for phytoplankton as one of epiphyte organisms which is associated with others marine organisms. The purpose of this research is to know successful a phytoplankton growth in artificial seagrass bed at Teluk Awur Coastal area, Jepara.. There were three treatments in this research i.e. (a) artificial seagrass bed from kalas rope, (b) artificial seagrass made from plastic, (c) seagrass of Enhalus acoroides, and natural seagrass bed ecosystem as control, with 4 replications. Thirty phytoplankton species were found in that area. Several genera from class Bacillariophyceae dominanted at all treatments, i.e. Nitzschia, Coscinodiscus, Bidulphia, Rhizosolenia and Skeletonema. There were differences on the number of species and abundance of phytoplankton every time sampling. However, the number of species and abundance of phytoplankton were similar between artificial seagrass bed and natural seagrass bed at the end of this research. All treatments have medium category for diversity and evenness index. The results suggest that artificial seagrass bed is as effective as natural seagrass for location (medium) for phytoplankton habitat and for increasing primary productivity.