The Ecological Analysis of Meiofauna as a Water Quality Bioindicator in the Coast of Losari Beach, Makassar

Abstract

This research aimed to analyze the ecological assessment of meiofauna on the coast of Losari Beach, Makassar. Increased community activity is a trigger of the decline in the water quality surrounding the coast of Losari Beach. Meiofauna is a benthic organism can be used as an indicator of water quality. The purposive sampling is a method in this study. The stations located close to hotels and restaurants showed a high level of abundance because the anthropogenic activities occurring in them generated organic material contaminants that triggered the vast growth of meiofauna in the location. Compared to other phyla included in meiofauna, ostracoda, oligochaeta, and sarcomastigophora existed in higher abundance due to their high adaptability to any contaminating materials entering the waters. The meiofauna species in the coast of Losari Beach were highly diverse with no species prevailing in each observation station. The total meiofauna abundance identified in this study was 40,734 individuals/m2, composed of 10 phyla and 116 species. The range of the evenness index also indicated that the meiofauna species was quite even and affirmed that no species was dominant. This research found the physical and chemical parameters significantly influenced the abundance of meiofauna in the aquatic substrates.