Reducing organic substrates

Oct 13, 2025 by leolavanderia.com.br 18 views

Macrozoobentos Diversity as an Indicator of the Quality of the Waters of Lake Toba Balige, Toba Samosir Regency

Introduction

Lake Toba, located in the north of the mountains of Bukit Barisan, is the largest lake in Southeast Asia with a height of 995 meters above sea level. The surface area of this lake reaches 1129.7 km², has a length of 87 km, and a maximum depth of 455 meters. Lake Toba water is used for various purposes, such as agriculture, drinking water, and other economic activities. However, community activities that are developing rapidly around the lake often lead to pollution, because the waste from these activities is discharged directly into the waters. Therefore, it is essential to understand Lake Toba's water quality through observation of macrozoobenthos diversity which functions as an indicator.

Background of the Study

The rapid development of community activities around Lake Toba has led to an increase in pollution, which has a significant impact on the water quality of the lake. The discharge of waste from these activities directly into the waters has resulted in a decrease in the diversity of macrozoobenthos, which is a crucial indicator of water quality. Macrozoobenthos is a group of organisms that live in the benthic zone of aquatic ecosystems, and their diversity is an essential indicator of the health and quality of the water. Therefore, this study aims to determine the diversity of macrozoobenthos as an indicator of water quality in Lake Toba Balige and to evaluate the level of water quality based on physical, chemical, and biological properties.

Methodology

The research was conducted from December 2008 to February 2009, and the sampling was done using the Purposive Random Sampling method. The samples were taken from four stations, and the tools used were Surber Net and Eckmann Grab. The sample identification was carried out in the PSDAL laboratory, the Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of North Sumatra, Medan.

Results

The results showed that there were five classes, ten orders, seventeen families, and twenty-one Macrozoobentos genus in Lake Toba. Elimia sp taxa shows the highest density with 77.77 individuals/m² at the second station, while Haitia SP has the lowest density, which is 1.23 individuals/m², which was found at the fourth station. The highest macrozoobenthos diversity index (Hí) is recorded at the fourth station with a value of 2.08, while the lowest value is found in the first station with a figure of 1.71.

Analysis

Analysis using the Pearson correlation shows a positive relationship between PH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), oxygen saturation, and COD with macrozoobentos diversity. Conversely, parameters such as organic substrates, phosphate, nitrate, BOD5, and temperature indicate a negative relationship to macrozoobenthos diversity. This shows that improving the quality of the physical-chemicals of water has the potential to increase the diversity of species in aquatic ecosystems.

Discussion

The results of this study indicate that the diversity of macrozoobenthos in Lake Toba is influenced by the physical-chemical properties of the water. The positive relationship between PH, DO, oxygen saturation, and COD with macrozoobentos diversity suggests that improving the quality of these parameters can increase the diversity of species in the lake. Conversely, the negative relationship between organic substrates, phosphate, nitrate, BOD5, and temperature with macrozoobentos diversity suggests that these parameters have a negative impact on the diversity of macrozoobenthos.

Conclusion

Overall, this finding illustrates the importance of sustainable environmental management to maintain the quality of Lake Toba waters. Increasing public awareness about the impact of waste on ecosystems is very important to protect the sustainability of biodiversity and valuable water resources. Through further research and collaboration between the government and the community, efforts to improve the condition of Lake Toba water quality can be achieved in the interests of the ecosystem and the lives of the surrounding community.

Recommendations

Based on the results of this study, the following recommendations are made:

Improving the quality of physical-chemical parameters: Improving the quality of PH, DO, oxygen saturation, and COD can increase the diversity of species in the lake.
Reducing organic substrates: Reducing the amount of organic substrates in the lake can decrease the negative impact on macrozoobenthos diversity.
Controlling phosphate and nitrate levels: Controlling the levels of phosphate and nitrate in the lake can decrease the negative impact on macrozoobenthos diversity.
Increasing public awareness: Increasing public awareness about the impact of waste on ecosystems is essential to protect the sustainability of biodiversity and valuable water resources.
Collaboration between government and community: Collaboration between the government and the community is essential to achieve efforts to improve the condition of Lake Toba water quality.

Limitations of the Study

This study has several limitations, including:

Limited sampling stations: The study only sampled four stations, which may not be representative of the entire lake.
Limited sampling period: The study only sampled for a short period, which may not be representative of the entire year.
Limited analysis: The study only analyzed a limited number of parameters, which may not be representative of the entire lake.

Future Research Directions

Future research directions include:

Long-term monitoring: Conducting long-term monitoring of the lake's water quality and macrozoobenthos diversity.
Increasing sampling stations: Increasing the number of sampling stations to get a more representative sample of the lake.
Analyzing more parameters: Analyzing more parameters to get a more comprehensive understanding of the lake's water quality and macrozoobenthos diversity.
Collaboration with other researchers: Collaborating with other researchers to get a more comprehensive understanding of the lake's water quality and macrozoobenthos diversity.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Macrozoobentos Diversity as an Indicator of the Quality of the Waters of Lake Toba Balige, Toba Samosir Regency

Q: What is macrozoobentos? A: Macrozoobentos refers to a group of organisms that live in the benthic zone of aquatic ecosystems, such as lakes, rivers, and oceans. These organisms are typically larger than microzoobenthos and include species such as insects, crustaceans, and mollusks.

Q: Why is macrozoobentos diversity important? A: Macrozoobentos diversity is an essential indicator of the health and quality of aquatic ecosystems. The diversity of macrozoobenthos species can indicate the presence of pollutants, changes in water temperature, and other environmental factors that can impact the ecosystem.

Q: What are the physical-chemical parameters that affect macrozoobentos diversity? A: The physical-chemical parameters that affect macrozoobentos diversity include pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), oxygen saturation, and chemical oxygen demand (COD). These parameters can impact the growth and survival of macrozoobenthos species.

Q: What are the biological parameters that affect macrozoobentos diversity? A: The biological parameters that affect macrozoobentos diversity include the presence of organic substrates, phosphate, nitrate, and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5). These parameters can impact the growth and survival of macrozoobenthos species.

Q: How can we improve the quality of Lake Toba's water? A: Improving the quality of Lake Toba's water requires a multi-faceted approach that includes reducing pollution, increasing public awareness, and implementing sustainable environmental management practices. This can include reducing the amount of organic substrates, phosphate, and nitrate in the lake, as well as increasing the levels of dissolved oxygen and pH.

Q: What is the role of the government and community in improving Lake Toba's water quality? A: The government and community play a crucial role in improving Lake Toba's water quality. The government can implement policies and regulations to reduce pollution and promote sustainable environmental management practices, while the community can increase public awareness and participate in efforts to improve the lake's water quality.

Q: What are the benefits of improving Lake Toba's water quality? A: Improving Lake Toba's water quality can have numerous benefits, including increasing the diversity of macrozoobenthos species, improving the health and well-being of humans and wildlife, and promoting sustainable economic development.

Q: What are the challenges of improving Lake Toba's water quality? A: Improving Lake Toba's water quality can be challenging due to the presence of pollutants, changes in water temperature, and other environmental factors. Additionally, the lack of public awareness and participation can hinder efforts to improve the lake's water quality.

Q: What are the future research directions for improving Lake Toba's water quality? A: Future research directions for improving Lake Toba's water quality include conducting long-term monitoring of the lake's water quality and macrozoobenthos diversity, increasing the number of sampling stations, analyzing more parameters, and collaborating with other researchers.

Q: How can we increase public awareness about the importance of improving Lake Toba's water quality? A: Increasing public awareness about the importance of improving Lake Toba's water quality can be achieved through education and outreach programs, social media campaigns, and community engagement activities. This can include organizing workshops, seminars, and other events to raise awareness about the importance of improving the lake's water quality.

Q: What are the economic benefits of improving Lake Toba's water quality? A: Improving Lake Toba's water quality can have numerous economic benefits, including increasing the value of the lake's ecosystem services, promoting sustainable tourism, and supporting local economic development.