Distribution and Diversity of Macrozoobentos as the Basis for Coastal Ecosystem Conservation in the Gili Petagan Mangrove Area

Abstract

Mangrove ecosystems are important habitats for various types of macrozoobentos that play a role in maintaining the ecological balance of coastal areas. This study aims to determine the distribution and level of macrozoobentos diversity as the basis for the management and conservation of coastal areas in Gili Petagan, Sambelia District, East Lombok Regency. Sampling was carried out using the purposive sampling method at three different stations based on the level of mangrove vegetation cover and anthropogenic activity. Species identification is carried out in the laboratory based on external morphology. Diversity analysis used the Shannon-Wiener index (H'), relative abundance, and dominance index. The results showed that there were 15 species of macrozoobentos from 9 families that were unevenly distributed in three stations. Stations with denser mangrove cover and minimal anthropogenic disturbances showed the highest diversity values (H' = 2.31) and low dominance. In contrast, stations exposed to human activity showed low diversity (H' = 1.04) and high dominance. These findings show that the existence and distribution of macrozoobentos are greatly influenced by the condition of the mangrove ecosystem, so that they can be used as ecological indicators in coastal conservation strategies.