This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Not all of Indonesia's seagrass meadows are faring alike. A study has revealed substantial spatial differences in the condition of 21 seagrass meadows across central and eastern Indonesia, providing a clearer picture of where ecosystems are thriving (hotspots), under stress (coldspots) or undergoing ecological change (outliers).
But why does this matter? Indonesia, a global seagrass hotspot, is home to more than 660,000 hectares (1.6 million acres) of seagrass meadows that provide habitat for marine life, support fisheries, store carbon and protect coastlines. However, these ecosystems face growing pressures from human activities and environmental change, while their ecological condition can vary considerably across the country's diverse coastal regions.
Assessing these differences remains challenging, particularly where long-term monitoring data are limited. To address this shortcoming, a team of researchers from several Indonesian institutions, led by Rohani Ambo-Rappe, a professor in the Department of Marine Science at Hasanuddin University, quantified the Seagrass Ecological Quality Index (SEQI). The framework integrates key biophysical and environmental indicators to provide a detailed spatial assessment of seagrass ecological quality across central and eastern Indonesia, helping identify areas where conservation or restoration efforts could be prioritized.
Their work was published in Science of The Total Environment. "We developed the SEQI framework using five ecological indicators, including seagrass species richness, seagrass cover, water clarity, macroalgae cover, and epiphyte cover," Ambo-Rappe said. "We combined the index with spatial and multivariate analyses to understand how ecological conditions varied among sites." The assessment revealed substantial variation in seagrass condition, with SEQI values ranging from 0.39 to 0.88.
Some of the highest values were recorded at Pasi-Gusung, Parak and Maharayya, where seagrass meadows had high species richness, relatively extensive cover and clear water. In contrast, Lae-Lae recorded the lowest SEQI value, reflecting very low seagrass cover and species richness alongside reduced water clarity. The researchers found that these differences were not randomly distributed.
In central Indonesia, seagrass ecological quality formed a spatial mosaic of hotspots, coldspots and ecological outliers. High-quality "hotspots" were identified at sites including Pasi-Gusung, Liukangloe, Maharayya and Parak, where healthy conditions were reinforced by similarly healthy surrounding areas. Such locations can benefit from conservation to maintain existing ecological resilience.
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