Ecological Assessment of Mangrove Community Structure and Habitat Quality in Perupuk Village, North Sumatra, Indonesia

Immanuel, Kishdali Lougarfius; Purnomo, Pujiono Wahyu; Hapsari, Trisnani Dwi

doi:10.21608/ejabf.2025.434009.6833

Ecological Assessment of Mangrove Community Structure and Habitat Quality in Perupuk Village, North Sumatra, Indonesia

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Aquatic Resources Management, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Diponegoro University, 50275 Tembalang, Semarang, Indonesia.

10.21608/ejabf.2025.434009.6833

Abstract

Mangrove forests are highly productive intertidal ecosystems that provide vital ecological services, including shoreline stabilization, sediment retention, carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, and nursery grounds for aquatic organisms. However, these ecosystems are increasingly threatened by land-use change, aquaculture expansion, and anthropogenic pressures. This study evaluates the mangrove community structure and habitat quality in Perupuk Village, North Sumatra, to characterize species composition, vegetation attributes, and ecosystem condition. Field surveys conducted at four stations identified nine true mangrove species from four families, dominated by Avicennia officinalis and Rhizophora apiculata. Species density ranged from 1,700 to 4,400 ind ha⁻¹, with the highest value recorded at Station 4, reflecting favorable environmental conditions and strong regeneration potential. The importance value index (IVI) analysis revealed the ecological dominance of A. officinalis across most stations and substrate-driven prevalence of R. apiculata in estuarine zones. Habitat quality assessment using the modified US-EPA (1999) protocol yielded total scores between 31 and 35, classifying all stations as sub-optimal due to sediment deposition, turbidity, and human disturbance despite suitable pH, salinity, and muddy substrates. Spatial analysis based on Sentinel-2A NDVI classification indicated a total mangrove area of 45.17 ha, with 44% categorized as high-density vegetation, while sparse zones remain susceptible to degradation. This study aims to assess the structure and habitat quality of mangrove communities to provide ecological baseline information for sustainable mangrove management in Perupuk Village, North Sumatra.

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