Measuring vulnerability of coastal ecosystem and identifying adaptation options of indonesia’s coastal communities to climate change: Case study of southeast sulawesi, indonesia

Abstract

General Impact of climate change on coastal regions always affected societies and ecosystems. There are three ecosytems vulnarable to climate change, for example, coral reefs, mangrove forests, and seagrass habitats. Indonesia is one of the countries identified to be highly at risk to climate change. Majority of Indonesia's population reside in low-lying coastal areas. Recently, most coral reefs in the eastern part of Indonesia were bleached. Bleaching has significantly reduced fish populations associated with coral reefs and demersal fish. The main factors causing coral bleaching are the increase and extreme temperature fluctuations. This chapter aims to explore the level of vulnerability of several coastal ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrasses and Identifying the best choice of livelihoods in order to adapt to climate change in Eastern Indonesia's coastal areas. Methods to explore some impact of climate change on coastal community were explored by Focus Group Discussion (FGD). Response of each ecosystem to the changes that affect it by providing quantitative assessments. This research results show that the vulnerability of coral reefs occupies a significant level of decline compared to mangrove forests and seagrass habitats. One of the factors responsible for this vulnerability sensitivity is the physiology of zooxanthellae as the main organism that composes coral reefs. Temperature increases in general will have an impact on coral reef turning white, or known as coral bleaching. Different from coral reefs, the impacts of climate change on mangrove forests are indirect because naturally the fluctuating and increasing temperatures affect the activity of mangroves in absorbing CO2. Temperature fluctuations generally can trigger the reproductive s’ystem of the main organisms inhabiting mangroves. This is believed to cause complexity in utilizing economic value resources from mangrove forests. In seagrass ecosystems, climate change can spur an increase in the abundance of filamentous algae which is a competitor of seagrass in absorbing nutrients, increasing the disruption of the seagrass reproduction process. Climate change also will affect the spread and resilience of seagrasses. The low support of coastal ecosystems due to the effects of climate change will encourage people to find an alternative livelihoods as a strategy to adapt to climate change. Furthermore, changes in the ecosystem will minimize options for the coastal community to utilize available resources in the coastal habitat. Some people however maintain/cultivate seaweed (Kappaphycus alvarezii, Eucheuma denticulatum, and Gracilaria sp.) as an alternative source of livelihood.