Andik Isdianto, Khalis Althariq Wibowo, Citra Satrya Utama Dewi, Rudianto Rudianto, Muhammad Naufal Eka Putra, Arief Setyanto, Tri Djoko Lelono, Gatut Bintoro, Sunardi, Uun Yanuhar, Nico Rahman Caesar, Aulia Lanudia Fathah, Berlania Mahardika Putri, Oktiyas Muzaky Luthfi
Understanding the effects of tourism pressure on macroinvertebrate diversity is essential for sustainable coral reef management. This study compared the community structure of macroinvertebrates in two coral reef ecosystems in East Java, Indonesia—Tabuhan Island and Bangsring Underwater Beach—using the Reef Check method along 100-meter transects at three stations in each site. Tabuhan Island supported six out of nine indicator species, with diversity index (H’) values ranging from 0.66 to 1.14, evenness (E) up to 0.90, and dominance (C) between 0.39 and 0.63. In contrast, Bangsring Underwater Beach exhibited a sharp decline, recording only one indicator species, with both diversity and evenness indices at zero and dominance at 1.00. Although water quality parameters in both locations met optimal standards for coral reefs, the drastic difference in macroinvertebrate community structure was strongly associated with the intensity of tourism activities, including visitor numbers exceeding 1.1 million in Bangsring over three years. These findings highlight that anthropogenic pressures, particularly from tourism, outweigh abiotic factors in shaping macroinvertebrate assemblages and reef resilience. The study recommends strict visitor regulations, spatial zoning of tourism, community engagement in monitoring, and habitat restoration to safeguard coral reef biodiversity. This research provides vital baseline data to inform sustainable management strategies and supports the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), offering a replicable model for similar high-pressure coastal tourism regions. ©2025 The authors.
Department of Marine Science, Brawijaya University, Malang, 65145, Indonesia; Department of Fisheries Resource Utilization, Brawijaya University, Malang, 65145, Indonesia; Department of Aquatic Resources Management, Brawijaya University, Malang, 65145, Indonesia; Program in Environmental Resource Management and Development, Brawijaya University Postgraduate School, Malang, 65145, Indonesia; Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 55284, Indonesia; Institute of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Szczecin, Mickiewicza 16a, Szczecin, 70-383, Poland
