Short-term variation in phytoplankton and zooplankton assemblages across a seaweed- farming coastal gradient in Galesong, Sulawesi, Indonesia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55981/treubia.2026.15008Keywords:
Galesong, plankton, seaweed, spatial variation, temporal dynamicsAbstract
Information on short-term variation in phytoplankton and zooplankton assemblages in tropical seaweed farming environments is still limited. This study aimed to characterize the taxonomic composition, abundance, diversity and weekly spatial patterns of phytoplankton and zooplankton along a nearshore-seaweed farm-offshore gradient in Galesong, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Sampling was carried out once a week for six consecutive weeks at three permanent stations representing nearshore waters, active Kappaphycus alvarezii farm and offshore waters. Samples were analyzed by means of Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation to determine the microscopic identification, ecological indices and spatial distribution mapping. The total number of phytoplankton taxa was 10 and the assemblage was dominated by the diatoms Chaetoceros sp. and Leptocylindrus sp. The phytoplankton abundance was always higher than the zooplankton abundance and the Shannon–Wiener diversity ranged from 1.67 to 1.99. Five zooplankton taxa were recorded with unidentified crustaceans, Tintinnopsis sp. and Balanus larvae being numerically dominant. Zooplankton Shannon-Wiener diversity ranged from 1.02 to 1.09. The offshore station had highest total abundance in Weeks 1–3, the nearshore station had highest values in Weeks 4–6, and the seaweed-farm station did not show a consistently unique pattern of abundance or diversity. This pattern suggests that environmental variability may cause redistribution of plankton assemblages, although the mechanisms were not directly tested in this study. These results offer a preliminary baseline of phytoplankton and zooplankton assemblages in the region of study. Future studies should incorporate greater spatial and seasonal sampling and environmental measurements to better understand factors influencing plankton variability.
References
Alam, J.F., Yamamoto, T., Umino, T., Nakahara, S. & Hiraoka, K. 2019. Diversity of attached marine life in different types of artificial timber reefs. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 370(1), 12034. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/370/1/012034
Arin, L., Reñé, A., Timoneda, N., Gallisai, R., Garcés, E., & Estrada, M. 2026. Diversity and seasonal dynamics of the marine diatom family Chaetocerotaceae (Bacillariophyta, Mediophyceae) in Catalan coastal waters (northwest Mediterranean). Journal of Phycology, 62: 125–146. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpy.70128
Baird, R. & Bridgewater, L. 2017. Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. British Medical Journal, 23 (1), 1326.
Bilbao, J., Pavloudi, C., Blanco-Rayón, E., Franco, J., Madariaga, I. & Seoane, S. 2023. Phytoplankton community composition in relation to environmental variability in the Urdaibai estuary (SE Bay of Biscay): Microscopy and eDNA metabarcoding. Marine environmental research, 191, 106175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106175
Buchan, A., Lecleir, G.R., Gulvik, C.A. & González, J.M. 2014. Master recyclers : features and functions of bacteria associated with phytoplankton blooms. Nature Publishing Group, August. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro3326
Calbet, A. 2024. An Introduction to the World of Marine Plankton. In: A. Calbet, ed. Plankton in a Changing World: The Impact of Global Change on Marine Ecosystems, pp. 3–9. Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-76121-8_1
Calbet, A. & Landry, M. R. 2004. Phytoplankton growth, microzooplankton grazing, and carbon cycling in marine systems. Limnology and Oceanography, 49(1): 51–57. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2004.49.1.0051
Dai, Y., Yang, S., Zhao, D., Hu, C., Xu, W., Anderson, D.M., Li, Y., Song, X.P., Boyce, D.G., Gibson, L., Zheng, C. & Feng, L. 2023. Coastal phytoplankton blooms expand and intensify in the 21st century. Nature, 615(7951): 280–284. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-05760-y
Dolan, J. R., Gimenez, A., Cornet-Barthaux, V., & de Verneil, A. (2016). Community structure of tintinnid ciliates of the microzooplankton in the South West Pacific Ocean: Comparison of a high primary productivity with a typical oligotrophic site. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, 63(6): 813–822. https://doi.org/10.1111/jeu.12328
Dolan, J.R., Montagnes, D.J.S., Agatha, S., Coats, D.W. & Stoecker, D.K. 2013. The Biology and Ecology of Tintinnid Ciliates: Models for Marine Plankton. Wiley-Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118358092
Duarte, C.M., Wu, J., Xiao, X., Bruhn, A. & Krause-Jensen, D. 2017. Can seaweed farming play a role in climate change mitigation and adaptation? Frontiers in Marine Science, 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2017.00100
Hardiana, A., Nurdin, N. & Adhawati, S.S. 2024. Socio and spatial economic of Kappaphycus alvarezii cultivation in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, 28(5): 611–625. https://doi.org/10.21608/ejabf.2024.380385
Hilaluddin, F., Yusoff, F.M. & Toda, T. 2020. Shifts in diatom dominance associated with seasonal changes in an estuarine-mangrove phytoplankton community. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 8(7), 528; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse8070528
IOC/WESTPAC (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Western Pacific). 2001. Identification manual training course on ecology of harmful algae blooms. IOC/WESTPAC.
Jung, H.K., Kim, C., Kim, B.S., Shim, J.H., Han, I.S., Lee, C.I. & Kim, D. 2025. Fluctuations in stratification and nutrient dynamics during the pre- bloom period in a Western margin of the East sea. Scientific Reports, 1–15, 30986. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-16226-8
Lee, J.A., Vineis, J.H., Poupon, M.A., Resplandy, L. & Ward, B.B. 2025. Phytoplankton community succession and biogeochemistry in a bloom simulation experiment at an estuary – ocean interface. Egusphere, 871: 4743–4761. https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-871
Liya, W., Zhen, Y., Limei, S., Yang, Y., Xiaoli, S. & Min, Z. 2025. Phytoplankton community stability across eutrophic gradients: insights from annual and monthly timescales. Freshwater Biology, 70(2), e70009. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/fwb.70009
Lubis, F., Lisdayanti, E. & Najmi, N. 2023. Kelimpahan dan indeks ekologi jenis plankton di perairan Pulau Seurudong, Aceh Selatan. Habitus Aquatica, 4(1): 23–33. https://doi.org/10.29244/haj.4.1.23
Madjid, I., Priosambodo, D. & Rasyid, S.A. 2024. Bioma : Kelimpahan dan keanekaragaman plankton pada ekosistem berbeda di perairan Pulau Barrang Lompo Kota Makassar (Abundance and diversity of plankton in different ecosystems in the waters of Barrang Lompo Island Makassar City). Jurnal Biologi Makassar, 10(1): 65–78.
Mariyati, T., Endrawati, H. & Supriyantini, E. 2020. Keterkaitan antara kelimpahan zooplankton dan parameter lingkungan di perairan Pantai Morosari, Kabupaten Demak. Buletin Oseanografi Marina, 9(2): 157–165. https://doi.org/10.14710/buloma.v9i2.27136
McInerney, J.O., Mcnally, A. & Connell, M.J.O. 2017. Why prokaryotes have pangenomes. Nature Microbiology, 17040: 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1038/nmicrobiol.2017.40
McNair, H.M., Brzezinski, M.A., Till, C.P. & Krause, J.W. 2018. Taxon-specific contributions to silica production in natural diatom assemblages. Limnology and Oceanography, 63(3): 1056–1075. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.10754
Newell, G.E. & Newell, R.C. 1965. Marine plankton: A practical guide. Hutchinson.
Pessarrodona, A., Howard, J., Pidgeon, E., Wernberg, T. & Filbee-Dexter, K. 2024. Carbon removal and climate change mitigation by seaweed farming: A state of knowledge review. Science of the Total Environment, 918, 170525. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170525
Putro, P.S., Rifahyanti, S., Hariyati, R. & Adhy, S. 2023. Comparative study on the structure of plankton community at Integrated Multi Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) and conventional monoculture net cages at coastal area of Menjangan Besar, Karimunjawa Islands, Indonesia. E3S Web of Conferences, 448: 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202344803069
Rahadiati, A., Soewardi, K., Wardiatno, Y. & Dewayany. 2017. Spatial pattern and temporal variation of water quality and carrying capacity for seaweed mariculture in Takalar, Indonesia. AACL Bioflux, 10(4): 894–910.
Ratnarajah, L., Abu-alhaija, R., Atkinson, A., Batten, S., Bax, N.J., Bernard, K.S. & Canonico, G. 2023. Monitoring and modelling marine zooplankton in a changing climate. Nature communications, 14, 564. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36241-5
Raut, M., Shetye, S., Vishal, C.R., Sahu, S., Narvekar, J., Pratihary, A. & Gauns, M. 2026. Rapid response of centric diatoms to nitrogen pulses in a warming Arabian Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 223, 118915. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118915
Rimmer, M.A., Larson, S., Lapong, I., Purnomo, A.H., Pong‐masak, P.R., Swanepoel, L. & Paul, N.A. 2021. Seaweed aquaculture in Indonesia contributes to social and economic aspects of livelihoods and community wellbeing. Sustainability (Switzerland), 13(19): 1–22. https://doi.org/10.3390/su131910946
Risnawati, R. 2021. Arahan pemanfaatan lahan di pesisir Pantai Galesong Utara Kabupaten Takalar. Teknosains: Media Informasi Sains dan Teknologi, 15(3), 258. https://doi.org/10.24252/teknosains.v15i3.20261
Santoferrara, L.F. & Alder, V.A. 2012. Abundance and diversity of tintinnids (planktonic ciliates) under contrasting levels of productivity in the Argentine Shelf and Drake Passage. Journal of Sea Research, 71: 25–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seares.2012.04.002
Sathish, T., Purushothaman, A., Mohan, R., Afnitha, K.H., Thomas, L.C. & Padmakumar, K.B. 2024. Seasonality and diversity variations of planktonic tintinnids (Ciliophora) in the tropical Cochin estuary, southwest coast of India. Discover Oceans, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44289-024-00039-0
Sgarzi, S., Badosa, A., Leiva-Presa, À., Benejam, L., López-Flores, R., & Brucet, S. 2019. Plankton taxonomic and size diversity of Mediterranean brackish ponds in spring: Influence of abiotic and biotic factors. Water (Switzerland), 11(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/w11010106
Shabrina, F.N., Saptarini, D. & Setiawan, E. 2021. Struktur komunitas plankton di pesisir utara Kabupaten Tuban. Jurnal Sains dan Seni ITS, 9(2): 5–10. https://doi.org/10.12962/j23373520.v9i2.55150
Soetignya, W.P., Marniati, P., Adijaya, M. & Anzani, Y.M. 2021. The diversity of plankton as bioindicators in Kakap River Estuary, West Kalimantan. Depik. https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:237953018
Sumich, J.L. 1999. An Introduction to the Biology of Marine Life (7th ed.). WCB/McGraw-Hill.
Tames-Espinosa, M., Martínez, I., Romero-Kutzner, V., Coca, J., Algueró-Muñiz, M., Horn, H.G., Ludwig, A., Taucher, J., Bach, L.T., Riebesell, U., Packard, T.T. & Gómez, M. 2020. Metabolic responses of subtropical microplankton after a simulated deep-water upwelling event suggest a possible dominance of mixotrophy under increasing CO₂ levels. Frontiers in Marine Science, 7, 307. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00307
Tang, B., Asmidar, A., Yunus, M., Nur, M. & Darmawati, D. 2024. Penggunaan sistem informasi geografis (Sig) dalam penentuan kelayakan wisata pantai di Galesong Utara Kabupaten Takalar. GEOGRAPHY : Jurnal Kajian, Penelitian Dan Pengembangan Pendidikan, 12(1), 457. https://doi.org/10.31764/geography.v12i1.20570
Trombetta, T., Vidussi, F., Mas, S., Parin, D., Simier, M. & Mostajir, B. 2019. Water temperature drives phytoplankton blooms in coastal waters. PLOS ONE, 14(4): e0214933. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214933
Umar, H., Rachman, T. & Alkhaer, I. 2023. Analisis longshore current dan longshore sediment transport pada Pantai Aeng, Galesong Utara, Kabupaten Takalar. Jurnal Ilmu Dan Teknologi Kelautan Tropis, 15(3): 327–340. https://doi.org/10.29244/jitkt.v15i3.43159
Wei, N., Satheeswaran, T., Jenkinson, I.R., Xue, B., Wei, Y., Liu, H. & Sun, J. 2018. Factors driving the spatiotemporal variability in phytoplankton in the Northern South China Sea. Continental Shelf Research, 162: 48–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2018.04.009
Wei, Y., Ding, D., Gu, T., Jiang, T., Qu, K., Sun, J. & Cui, Z. 2022. Different responses of phytoplankton and zooplankton communities to current changing coastal environments. Environmental Research, 215, 114426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.114426
Zamroni, A. 2021. Sustainable seaweed farming and its contribution to livelihoods in Eastern Indonesia. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 718, 012099. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/718/1/012099
Zhou, Q., Dong, X., Wang, J., Ye, Y., Yang, Y., Xiang, P., Chen, Y. & Zheng, X. 2024. Critical factors driving spatiotemporal variability in the phytoplankton community structure of the coral habitat in Dongshan Bay, China. Frontiers in Microbiology, 15: 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1355028
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Rahmat Pratama Putra, Nur Halizah Roebetho, Putri Sakinah Resman, Andi Alya Yusriyyah, Amanda Pricella Putri, Asmi Citra Malina, Nita Rukminasari, Irmawati, Jamaluddin Fitrah Alam
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
