KARAKTERISTIK KELIMPAHAN PERIFITON PADA DAUN LAMUN Thalassia hemperichii DI PERAIRAN DUSUN MELAHING, KOTA BONTANG

Abstract

Malahing settlement waters is one of area that still have a stretch of broad seagrass beds. Perifiton live in the seagrass beds in a way attached to the surface of seagrass leaves and act as disolved oxygen contributors in seagrass beds. The study was conducted to determine the characteristics of periphyton abundance on seagrass leaves (Thalassia hemprichii) In the Malahing waters of Bontang city. The research was carried out during March-May 2019 and the sample were collected from 4 stations. The range of periphyton abundance on the leaves of Thalassia hemprichii in Malahing is 214-4691 cell/cm2 and composed by 6 classes: Bacillariophyceae, Xantophyceae, Dinophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Trebouxiophyceae and Cyanophyceae. Species of periphyton that have the highest abundance is Synedra ulna (Bacillariophyceae) and the lowest Spirulina sp. (Cyanophyceae). The highest abundace of perifiton found at West station and the lowest at South station. Parameters of water quality that affect abundance of periphyton per cm2 in each station in the Malahing waters are turbidity level and nitrate content.