Macrobenthos in the seagrass meadow of Taka Bonerate National Park South Sulawesi

Abstract Taka Bonerate waters are the third largest atolls in the world, rich in marine biodiversity, natural structures and aesthetics. Seagrass beds in these waters grow well on small islands, one of the coastal ecosystems that support biodiversity and have many benefits for humans in economic, social and cultural aspects. This study aimed to examine the diversity, distribution, and abundance of macrobenthos in several small islands in the Taka Bonerate National Park, South Sulawesi. The study was conducted using the quadratic transect method. A total of 24 species of macrobenthos, representing 11 species and six genera of the gastropod; 8 species and seven genera of bivalves; and 2 species and four genera of the echinoderm group were recorded. Families Conidae and Strombidae of the gastropod groups have relatively more diverse species than other families. Two species with relatively high density were represented by Protoreaster nodosus and Tripneustes sp. from the echinoderm group (class Asteroidea) with 1.15 individuals/m 2 and 0.91 individuals/m 2 and with a frequency of attendance of 62.50% and 75.00%, respectively. Other species of macrobenthos density, diversity, uniformity, and richness index vary between stations which relatively diverse distribution of macrobenthic fauna with a stable community. There were two clusters formed, one with more than 50% similarity and the other with low similarity. It was concluded that the relationship between macrobenthos species composition and seagrass habitat at each observation station was quite strong, where the diversity of macrobenthic species tend to increase in seagrass habitats.