Epipelic Diatom Communities as Bioindicators of Environmental Conditions in Karangjahe Coastal Sediments, Central Java
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51264/inajl.v7i1.132Keywords:
Benthic diatoms, Bioindicator, Central Java, Epipelic diatom, Water qualityAbstract
Coastal ecosystems at Karangjahe Beach, Rembang, are under increasing pressure from tourism activities and terrestrial runoff. This study aims to analyze epipelic diatom communities as bioindicators of the local environmental health. Sampling was conducted on September 12, 2024, across four stations with distinct environmental characteristics. The results identified a diatom composition comprising 24 families, 45 genera, and 79 species, with a total cumulative abundance of 20,535 ind.gr-1. Station KJ.1, located at an old pier, recorded the highest abundance, while station KJ.2, a recreational playground area, exhibited the lowest. The Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index (H’) ranged from 1.5 to 3, indicating moderate community stability. Physicochemical analysis revealed that dissolved oxygen (DO) levels at all sites (2.8–3.6 mg/L) fell below the regulatory minimum of 5 mg/L, indicating environmental stress. This study concludes that the structure of the epipelic diatom community at Karangjahe Beach is significantly shaped by a combination of natural factors, including salinity and substrate type, as well as anthropogenic influences from tourism and aquaculture, with the bioindicator signal primarily driven by key taxa such as Pseudoplanothidium delicatulum and Cyclotella meneghiniana.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Mirza Hanif Al Falah, Muhammad Ilham Jasir, Tri Retnaningsih Soeprobowati, Jumari Jumari, ?ukasz Kruszewski
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