The aim of the study was to describe the coral reef condition Background: in Bangka Belitung Islands, particularly from Gaspar Strait. This research location is well known for its underwater archaeological discovery and shipwreck sites. Recent increases in mining, fishing and tourism activities in the surrounding islands might have affected the condition of the coral reef.Nine islands inside the strait were visited (i.e. Langer, Kembung, Methods: Piling, Aur, Salma, Pongok, Celagen, Kelapan, and Lepar Island), and a line transect was used to observed coral reef conditions.Coral cover was found to be predominantly in fair conditions Results: (25-50%). Coral mortality index also tended to be high, which indicated that the coral reef ecosystem was in threatened conditions. Previous and recent reports also reported the same condition as found by this study.Degradation of the coral community in Bangka Belitung Conclusion: Islands is likely caused by human activities. This suggests that increasing human activities significantly affects the coral reef condition. Protection of coral reefs with sustainable management for mining activity, tourism and fishing practices are needed.

Pulau-pulau Krakatau memiliki dinamika secara geomorfologi, dan berbagai perubahan fisik yang berlangsung memberikan dampak terhadap biota, termasuk pada proses dan tingkat pergantian suksesi komunitasnya. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk menjelaskan kondisi terkini dan proses kolonisasi komunitas karang, termasuk status kerusakan komunitas karang dan disturbansi lingkungan yang mempengaruhinya. Line intercept transect dilakukan di enam stasiun pada dua kedalaman yang berbeda yakni 5 dan 10m. Sedangkan observasi terhadap komunitas koral dilakukan dengan perekaman video. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa suksesi atau perkembangan komunitas (i.e. kolonisasi) karang yang dijumpai di Pulau Anak Krakatau masih mengindikasikan tahap awal kolonisasi, berbeda dengan komunitas karang yang dijumpai di Pulau Rakata dan Panjang. Diversifikasi komunitas karang di kedua pulau tersebut, menunjukkan dominansi spesies oportunis dan pioner (i.e. Pocillopora dan Seriatopora) yang umum dijumpai di Anak Krakatau sudah tergantikan. Dominansi dari beberapa spesies karang telah mengindikasikan terjadinya proses eksklusi kompetitif di antara komunitas karang. Tiga tipe komunitas karang yang dijumpai dapat dibedakan menurut karakteristik masing-masing kawasan, yaitu komunitas kawasan terpapar, semi terpapar/terlindung, dan terlindung. Kerusakan komunitas karang di Krakatau berdasarkan kriteria indeks kerusakan karang (CDI) sudah termasuk kedalam kategori wilayah “hot spot”, dimana sangat memerlukan perhatian, pengawasan, pengamatan atau restorasi komunitas karang. Hasil penelitian ini memberikan gambaran bahwa terjadinya kolonisasi dan tingkat kerusakan komunitas karang perlu menjadi acuan dalam pengelolaan kawasan terumbu karang di Cagar Alam Laut Krakatau. Kata kunci: kolonisasi, suksesi; komunitas karang; pengelolaan; Krakatau Krakatau Islands diversity is geomorphologically dynamic, and these physical changes influence on organisms including community successional. The purposes of this research were to determine the condition and describe the recent colonization development of coral communities in the Krakatau Islands after sterilization. Transects were done at six stations at two different depth (i.e. 5 and 10 m) using line intercept transect. While observations of coral communities were done with video transect. This study showed that succession or development of coral communities (i.e. colonization) that found in Anak Krakatau indicated earlier stage of colonization. It has different coral communities compared with those that found in Rakata and Panjang island. The diversification of coral communities on both islands, showed that opportunistic and pioneer species (i.e. Pocillopora and Seriatopora) that generally found in Anak Krakatau has been replaced. There are indications of dominance may already take place through competitive exclusion in the coral communities. Three community types were distinguished based on characteristics for each sites, as follows: communities of wave-exposed habitats, communities of semi- exposed to sheltered habitats, and communities of sheltered habitats. The extent of coral damage covered all six sites based on coral damage index (CDI). This suggests that of the all transects were "hot spots'' that required management action. These results indicate that colonization and the level of coral damage have to be taken into account on the manegement of coral ecosystem in the region. Keywords: colonization; succession; coral communities; management; Krakatau

Increased human activity towards the water bodies will change the condition of water quality. Case study in Langsa, Aceh, It was found that an increase in Some physical parameter (TSS) that exceeds the value determined in PP 82 of 2001 (Indonesian government standard). The high value of TSS in Station 2 and Station 3 indicates that the sediment loading to the water body is high, especially in Station 3, where the TSS concentrations far exceed the standard. Activity of type C surface mining materials tends to affect the brightness, turbidity, depth and TSS. Water conditions with low pH were also found in this study. In location studied no EPT larvae were found Keyword: Langsa, Water Quality, Stream, Total Suspended Solid, Anthropogenic Activity

Sponges in Indonesia have been studied since the 19th century during several historical expeditions and international collaborations. Hundreds of new species were reported from various locations, e.g., Ambon, Ternate, Sulawesi, Aru, and Kei Islands. This study aimed to create a sponge (Porifera: Calcarea, Demospongiae, Hexactinellida, and Homoscleromorpha) species checklist from Indonesia based on World Porifera Database. With a total of 731 species, our checklist comprises approximately 45 species of Calcarea, 566 species of Demospongiae, 115 species of Hexactinellida, and five species of Homoscleromorpha. The number of species are recorded from 12 marine ecoregions across the Indonesian Archipelago and freshwater habitats (Spongillida) between 1820–2021. The species composition indicates higher regional endemism or poorly studied since no other report after the original description. However, several marine ecoregions of Indonesia remain highly overlooked (e.g., Northeast Sulawesi, Papua, Southern Java, Western Sumatra), including freshwater habitats. Therefore, a taxonomic biodiversity baseline study, particularly on Porifera, is necessary to better understand the aquatic and marine biodiversity in the Indonesia Archipelago.

Marine fish community is very sensitive to environmental changes. So the number of species, abundance, and biodiversity index can be used as a reference to assess the quality of the aquatic environment. The aim of this study was to describe fish biodiversity in Belitung Timur, Bangka Belitung Islands, Indonesia. Three islands were visited i.e. Pekandis Island, and Keran Island, Gosong Semut (Gosong refers to sandbar) for reef fish survey and for the economical fish study we also visited fisheries landing sites (i.e. Teluk Pering, Tanjung Batu Pulas, and Pantai Burung Mandi). The underwater visual census was used for in situ surveys of reef fish, and the fish species landed in fisheries landing site also been checked. Forty-two families of economical fish that had been landed by local fishermen were identified, and ten families of reef fish were found in reef systems of research location. A total of 10 families were recorded from three islands in Belitung Timur Regency. In addition, 42 families of commercial fish were also observed in fish landing sites from the coastline of Belitung Timur Regency, Bangka Belitung Islands.

Bangka Belitung Islands (Sumatra, Indonesia) has various coastal resources, e.g., coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangrove forests. However, the coral community has been threatened by anthropogenic activities, i.e., tin mining and illegal tin mining. Threatened species assessment is important for mitigation of coral losses and management. The ojective of the present study was to examine the status of Scleractinian corals in Bangka Belitung Islands, Indonesia. A line intercept transect was performed for the coral reef survey. Live and dead coral cover were recorded in the three locations. Corals species were identified following taxonomic revisions. The results showed that there were 142 species of Scleractinian corals recorded from Bangka Belitung Islands. Of these, 22 species are the new report from the areas of the the eastern part of Belitung Island. Family of Merulinidae, Acroporidae, and Poritidae were predominant group in this region. It is concluded that the condition of the coral reef ecosystem in the Belitung Islands is relatively good, but fair in Gaspar Strait and Bangka Island.  Keywords: Coral cover, coral diversity, hard coral, Scleractinia

No abstract

The recovery of coral reefs on Krakatau Islands after the destructive eruption in 1883 has been reported in very limited study. Coral reefs began to grow on all islands in the Krakatau volcanic complex, including the highly active volcano island i.e. Anak Krakatau (north to west coast). Survival of coral reefs in the Krakatau Islands influenced by several factors such as predation, diseases, soft coral overgrowth, and also sediment covers. Somehow, sponges as one of killer-competitor of coral reefs have never been reported in the Krakatau Islands.