Struktur Vegetasi Mangrove dan Fekunditas Rhizophora apiculata Di Pesisir Atapupu Kabupaten Belu

Abstract

Mangroves are plants community that live in the tidal zone and are adaptive to saline, mud, and tidal. Fecundity data and environmental factors influenced mangrove sustainability. The data would support mangroves management including in the Atapupu beach Belu Regency. But, we still have no data. This research aims to study mangrove distribution patterns and fecundity of Rhizophora apiculata and also to study environmental factors that impacted mangroves. Data was collected on December 2022 – March 2021 by observing, sampling, and documenting. Method using plot quadrat 20m x 20m in Motain, Pasir Putih, and Kolam Susuk. For environmental factors, we collected air temperature, air moisture, soil moisture, soil pH, and light intensity in the canopy and without the canopy. Data analysis is done to calculate significant index, diversity index, and evenness index. The distribution of mangroves pattern is randomly spread. The results showed that the highest INP for the trees in Motaain was Sonneratia alba (172.74%), the highest INP for the pole in Pasir Putih was Rhizophora apiculata (208.07%) and the highest INP for the stake in Motaain was Rhizophora apiculata (179.20%). The Shannon-Wiener indexes are low (0.035-0.155) and evenness indexes were low until the middle (0.006-0.030). R. apiculata fecundity for flowers was the highest with an average of 3410.8 the average of fruits was 107 and the average of propagules was 69.2. Mangroves in Atapupu must be planted with plant species of them with consideration of the environmental parameters.