8 Measuring Vulnerability of Coastal Ecosystem and Identifying …
155
in Southeast Sulawesi occurred at several points, among others, in the waters of
Buton Regency, Wakatobi River, and South Buton waters (CRITC COREMAP–LIPI
2016a).
Climate Change Impact on Seagrasses
Seagrass beds are one of the shallow marine ecosystems that have the highest productivity. Seagrass meadows can be found on the coast that is spread throughout the
world, and are generally found on small islands (Short et al. 2007; Duarte 2000; De
Iongh et al. 2007). The ecological function of this habitat is very large. Seagrass beds
are used as a place for enlargement of various types of marine organisms, as a place
to find food and as a place of reproduction for millions of marine organisms. This
ecological function that places seagrass as one of the ecosystems is very important
in shallow sea areas.
Seagrass beds are increasingly threatened with several stress triggers including
temperature. However, the combined effects of various factors that trigger climaterelated stress still need more careful observation. Usually aquatic plants such as
seagrasses will be very disturbed by one of the stressors and will be more severe
with a combination of other stressors. The temperature is one of the stressors that is
very possible for marine plants such as seagrass. Temperature is considered as one
of the most important limiting factors, and warming sea temperature is a very big
threat to seagrass populations on earth (Diaz-Almela et al. 2007; Moore et al. 2012;
Jueterbock et al. 2013; Araújo et al. 2016; Assis et al. 2017; Repolho et al. 2017).
Some reports state that currently the seagrass population continues to decline every
year (Cullen-Unsworth and Unsworth 2013; Waycott et al. 2009; Coles et al. 2011).
Short et al. (2016) further emphasizes that, besides human physical activity, the loss
of population seagrass that occurs is also due to climate change and global warming.
From other studies, it was reported that at present there has been a loss of carbon
from seagrass after a period of significant increase in temperature in Australia (AriasOrtiz et al. 2018). While in the Pacific region, loss of seagrass habitat is estimated at
around 35% (Waycott et al. 2011).
It was further reported that climate change is expected to exacerbate the anthropogenic impact on seagrasses in the Pacific intertidal region. This seagrass loss is
caused by an increase in temperature, increased sedimentation and turbidity, rising
sea levels that carry high turbidity, the location and distribution of seagrass, and
the physical effects of changes in water movement patterns. Rising sea levels have
been reported to have an impact on turbidity and will affect seagrass habitats. In
general, increasing ocean temperatures as a result of climate change will be one of
the most important environmental stressors in seagrass habitats. This is evidenced
by the recent loss of massive seagrass carbon storage that occurred after very high
seawater temperatures in Australia (Arias-Ortiz et al. 2018). Although it is realized
that each seagrass will have a different tolerance to temperature changes, temperature stress will also trigger stress for other environmental factors. Some seagrass
155
in Southeast Sulawesi occurred at several points, among others, in the waters of
Buton Regency, Wakatobi River, and South Buton waters (CRITC COREMAP–LIPI
2016a).
Climate Change Impact on Seagrasses
Seagrass beds are one of the shallow marine ecosystems that have the highest productivity. Seagrass meadows can be found on the coast that is spread throughout the
world, and are generally found on small islands (Short et al. 2007; Duarte 2000; De
Iongh et al. 2007). The ecological function of this habitat is very large. Seagrass beds
are used as a place for enlargement of various types of marine organisms, as a place
to find food and as a place of reproduction for millions of marine organisms. This
ecological function that places seagrass as one of the ecosystems is very important
in shallow sea areas.
Seagrass beds are increasingly threatened with several stress triggers including
temperature. However, the combined effects of various factors that trigger climaterelated stress still need more careful observation. Usually aquatic plants such as
seagrasses will be very disturbed by one of the stressors and will be more severe
with a combination of other stressors. The temperature is one of the stressors that is
very possible for marine plants such as seagrass. Temperature is considered as one
of the most important limiting factors, and warming sea temperature is a very big
threat to seagrass populations on earth (Diaz-Almela et al. 2007; Moore et al. 2012;
Jueterbock et al. 2013; Araújo et al. 2016; Assis et al. 2017; Repolho et al. 2017).
Some reports state that currently the seagrass population continues to decline every
year (Cullen-Unsworth and Unsworth 2013; Waycott et al. 2009; Coles et al. 2011).
Short et al. (2016) further emphasizes that, besides human physical activity, the loss
of population seagrass that occurs is also due to climate change and global warming.
From other studies, it was reported that at present there has been a loss of carbon
from seagrass after a period of significant increase in temperature in Australia (AriasOrtiz et al. 2018). While in the Pacific region, loss of seagrass habitat is estimated at
around 35% (Waycott et al. 2011).
It was further reported that climate change is expected to exacerbate the anthropogenic impact on seagrasses in the Pacific intertidal region. This seagrass loss is
caused by an increase in temperature, increased sedimentation and turbidity, rising
sea levels that carry high turbidity, the location and distribution of seagrass, and
the physical effects of changes in water movement patterns. Rising sea levels have
been reported to have an impact on turbidity and will affect seagrass habitats. In
general, increasing ocean temperatures as a result of climate change will be one of
the most important environmental stressors in seagrass habitats. This is evidenced
by the recent loss of massive seagrass carbon storage that occurred after very high
seawater temperatures in Australia (Arias-Ortiz et al. 2018). Although it is realized
that each seagrass will have a different tolerance to temperature changes, temperature stress will also trigger stress for other environmental factors. Some seagrass