UMI Lecturers and Students through PKM carry out Seagrass Transplant Activities

Community Service Team (PkM) consisting of Dr. Ir. Hamsiah, M.Si (Chairman), Dr. Ir. Kasmawati  and Asmidar, S.kel, M.Si  (Members) involving students, namely Eko Saputra (S2) and Nurul Aini (S1) have carried out seagrass transplant training activities in Laikang Village, Mangarabombang District, Takalar Regency. Which is partnering with the Bina Pesisir group chaired by Muh. Ibrahim Bakri, S.Pi as well as a member of the Takalar Regency DPRD on Saturday, September 21 2024.

The title of the 2024 PKM activity is PKM for the Seagrass Ecosystem Management Group on the Coast of Laikang Village, Takalar Regency.

The PKM Team Leader explained that the Bina Pesisir group participants were very enthusiastic about taking part in this activity because it provided knowledge about ecosystem rehabilitation through seagrass transplantation, which they were still unfamiliar with the term. According to them, the term for transplantation that they usually know is coral reef transplantation, so they really want to know how to transplant seagrass. In general, there are still many who do not know the function of the seagrass ecosystem, so it needs to be preserved. One of the causes of damage to seagrass beds in the Laikang Bay area is seaweed cultivation activities which clear away seagrass beds to place seaweed cultivation on the grounds that organisms such as fish in seagrass beds can damage seaweed plants.

The PKM implementation was attended by the chairman of Mitra Bina Pesisir as well as members of the Takalar Regency DPRD, explaining that coastal area ecosystems must be protected from damage, such as mangrove, seagrass and coral reef ecosystems. However, if this ecosystem is damaged, rehabilitation needs to be carried out using various methods depending on which ecosystem the rehabilitation is to be carried out.

"Seagrass ecosystems have various functions, including ecological functions (preventing abrasion, stabilizing sediment, as a habitat for various biota, etc.), while economic functions (fishing/non-fishing areas, environmental services, as a tourist area) so this ecosystem needs to be preserved," said Hamsiah.

Seagrass rehabilitation through transplantation is carried out using the plug and bamboo frame method. The plug method uses a paralon pipe (plug) which is cut to a length of 35 cm depending on the condition of the substrate, while the bamboo frame is a box size (25x 25 cm).