Loss Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: need for ecological
concepts towards sustainable biodiversity management
Retno Peni Sancayaningsih* and Suharsono**
*Faculty of Biology, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta.
**Center of Oceanography Research, LIPI, Jakarta, Indonesia. contact address: retpeni@ugm.ac.id;
retpeni@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Biodiversity is one out of five aspects reccommended by UNESCO in the strategy of
sustainable development that we should pay more attention. This covers not only on genetic
and species biodiversities, but also on ecosystem biodiversity. Indonesia is one of 8 centers of
biodiversity that located in the tropics. Understanding biotic potential of species biodiversity,
(bio)-technological and leader-interpreuneurship skills on a certain species may become
success keys for improving our commodities in all aspects of health, agriculture, live-stock
etc. But gradually, global climate change, inbalanced development, and mismanagement of
natural resources may reduce Indonesian mega-biodiversity in land, as well as in aquatic
habitats. These degradations happenned mainly because of neglection of the authority, or
inadecuate information and education received by the whole society. Through contextual
education on ecological basic concepts related to over-harvesting problem (ecosystem,
limiting factor, biotic potential, productivity, carrying capacity and conservation), with casebased (SCL) or problem-based learning (PBL) approaches, may change authority mindset
towards sustainable development. This furtherly leads or influences the society to become
more respect to their sustainable environments/ecosystems and act better as part of the
system.
Keywords: biodiversity, sustainable, biotic potential, SCL, PBL
Biodiversity and Process of being Diverse
Biodiversity is one out of five aspects reccommended by UNESCO in the strategy of
sustainable development that we should pay more attention (UNESCO, 2005; Alsaid, 2009).
Biodiversity is a unity and interaction between diversity of genetic, species, and ecosystem
within a specific area and in a certain time (Castri and Younes, 1996 in Sastrapradja, 2010).
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Biodiversity is similar as species richness for common people, but diversity of ecosystem and
diversity of genetics are rarely understood, especially for people who has no background on
biology, or ecology. Loss of genetic biodiversity (germplasm) that occur along with
adaptation of organism toward a shifting habitat quality may happen naturally or human
carelessly, due to their lacks of comprehensive knowledge about germplasm importance.
Variation within a species may happen due to evolution process in a population
within a period of time. Adaptation of organisms to their environment that varies highly and
their habitat isolation for a certain period of time accelerate evolution process. Presence of
other species in a certain ecosystem may happen due to four reasons: resource saturation,
resource availability, share resource, and niche specialization (Brewer, 1993). Succession
process then follows the development and maturity of an ecosystem. These all process create
biodiversity of species in an area, and depending on the frequencies of the environmental
changes, the more frequent changes result the more diverse species. Therefore, center for
biodiversity of Flora and Fauna is mostly found in the tropics area.
Species biodiversity both in land and aquatic habitat in Indonesia is the main source
for food, whether it was cultured or incultured. In terms of total biota, Indonesia is at the third
position of world’s rank after Brazil and Colombia (Supriatna, 2008), and in term of
biodiversity of plant species, Indonesia is one out of 8 centers of plant species of origin that
located in the tropics (Sastrapradja, 2010).
There are 66 endemic fauna species that have been protected in Indonesia from
Sumatra island up to Papua island, since Indonesia archipelago lies on two important lines,
Weber and Wallacea line, that separates between australian and asian flora and fauna types
(Fig.1.). Species richness of fauna found in Indonesia is predicted about 165 mammals, 397
birds, 150 reptiles, and 100 amphibia species (Alamendah.Blog. 2009).
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Figure 1. Indonesia’s Unique Fauna in some protected areas (adopted from Supriatna)
In terms of flora richness, Indonesia is the fifth’s world rank with 30 – 35 thousands
plant species. Among these species, six family of vascular plants (Arecaceae, Orchydaceae,
Nephentaceae, Cyatheaceae, Dipterocarpaceae, and Thymelaeaceae) are classified as
protected family (ibis.biologi.lipi.go.id). Orchidaceae, the protected family and the highest
diversity in Indonesia, has 5000 to 6000 species out of 26 thousand world’s species. Twenty
nine of this is considered as endangered species and subject for conservation (ibis.biologi.lipi.
go.id).
Data of marine biota richness in Indonesia in 1993 was 20 thousands of fish species,
8500 species of Mollusc, and 1800 species of seaweed (BAPI, 1993 in Sastrapradja, 2010).
World’s fish richness recorded in 1993 was 19,000 species (Sastrapradja, 2010), among
those, 706 species are commercial commodities. Updated data in Indonesia lately reported
that there were only 2500 Mollusc, more than 2500 fish, and 1500 shrimp species
(Alamendah.Blog, 2009). Data on coral richness, Indonesia has more than 67% of world
coral richness, with 88 genera out of 109 world coral genera (Table 1.), unfortunately it is
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only 31% of coral ecosystem is healthy (Suharsono, 2010). Distribution of coral reef
ecosystem is presented in Fig. 2.
Table 1. Indonesian Center for Coral Diversity
Indonesia
World
Number of Coral species
590
880
Number of Coral genus
82
109
Number of Acropora
91
113
Number of Fungiid
40
40
(Suharsono, 2010)
Figure 2. Coral genera distribution in Indonesia
Potential Loss of Biodiversity
In Indonesia, one third of protein consumption source is fulfilled from the marine
resource, and 90% of this is supplied by fisherman. Food resource from marine is collected
by fisherman daily from the ocean, without any scientific consideration on ecological
wisdom. Among those marine resources, biodiversity of fish, shrimp, squid, sponge, and
seaweed has higher economic value. Higher demand of these commodities makes fisherman
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to catch more from the ocean. But gradually, global climate change, inbalanced development,
and mismanagement of natural resources may reduce Indonesian mega-biodiversity in land,
as well as in aquatic habitats. These degradations happenned mainly because of overharvesting of marine resources by the fisherman, and also neglection of the authority to plan
marine ecosystem and to set the sustainable yields of marine commodity. Primary data
collected from Depok, southern coast of Yogyakarta, there are 10 to 15 species of fish and
shrimp catched everyday both from northern and southern coast of Java island, with various
fish size. This indicates that there is no agreement (wisdom) among fisherman about the ideal
size of fish can be catched. They don’t understand of fish stock and concept of harvest quota.
Besides, mentality of fisherman is different from farmer’s mentality, whom understand better
about productivity and cultivation process. If adequate information and basic education about
sustainable yields and harvest quota received by fisherman, therefore the loss of biodiversity
decelerates.
Sustainability of Biodiversity Management
Biodiversity covers not only on genetic and species biodiversities, but also on
ecosystem biodiversity. Indonesia is one of 8 centers of biodiversity that located in the tropics
(Sastrapradja, 2010). Ecologically, in situ conservation of an exotic species is an ecosystem
maintenance itself, including basic principles of organism’s growth in the community,its
position among other organisms, and its correlation to the environments in one system.
Therefore, rescuing biodiversity loss of marine biota is actually a restoration of mangrove,
coral reef, and seaweed ecosystems.
Sustainability concepts in development was first introduced when Brundlandt wrote
“Our Common Future” in 1987, which was stressed more on the balance development
between generations. This spirit was continued by highlighted social equity in development
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with respect to carrying capacity (Daly, 1996) and an ecosystem approach (Rist, 1999), and
summarized up to moral approach (Hattingh, 2002) to change community mindset to
overcome environmental problems (Blewitt & Cullingford, 2004).
Understanding about the biotic potential of resource species, such as: maturity age,
productivity, survival rate and survival type, and an intrinsic rate of natural increase (Brewer,
1993) is very important to predict the biomass of actual livestock and to determine species
quota. Once the biotic potential of a species is revealed, it becomes easier to manage and to
culture, the only way to conserve the species. The population dynamic becomes more
complicated when position of each species in the food-chain or foodweb in the community is
considered. Therefore quota determination is one instrument for sustainable resource
management should be published for every species that has highly economic potential
(Suharsono, 2010).
Through contextual education on ecological basic concepts related to over-harvesting
problem (ecosystem, limiting factor, biotic potential, productivity, carrying capacity and
conservation), with case-based or problem-based learning approaches, may change authority
mindset towards sustainable development. This furtherly lead or influence the society to
become more respect to their sustainable environments/ecosystems and act better as part of
the system.
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