The Bird's Head Seascape located in eastern Indonesia is the global epicenter of tropical shallow water marine biodiversity with over 600 species of corals and 1,638 species of coral reef fishes. The Seascape also includes critical habitats for globally threatened marine species, including sea turtles and cetaceans. Since 2001, the region has undergone rapid development in fisheries, oil and gas extraction, mining and logging. The expansion of these sectors, combined with illegal activities and poorly planned coastal development, is accelerating deterioration of coastal and marine environments. At the same time, regency governments have expanded their marine protected area networks to cover 3,594,702 ha of islands and coastal waters. Low population numbers, relatively healthy natural resources and a strong tenure system in eastern Indonesia provide an opportunity for government and local communities to collaboratively manage their resources sustainably to ensure long-term food security, while meeting their development aspirations.

Purba GYS, Haryono E, Sunarto, Manan J, Rumenta L, Purwanto, Becking LE. 2018. Jellyfish Lakes at Misool Islands, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 19: 172-182. Misool Islands, located in southern Raja Ampat in West Papua, has dozens of anchihaline lakes (marine lakes). Three of these lakes, Lenmakana, Karawapop, and Keramat, house populations of jellyfish. This study mapped and described the characteristics of the three ‘jellyfish lakes’ during field surveys in October 2015 and May 2016. The lakes ranged in area from 0.5−3.2 hectares. All three lakes harbored Mastigias papua, Lenmakana and Keramat lakes also harbored Aurelia sp., and Keramat had a third jellyfish species Cassiopea ornata. However, at Karawapop the jellyfish were not found on the water surface during the first round of field work because of effects associated with the El Niño phenomenon at that time. As a result of the El Niño effect, at Keramat, brown Mastigias became white in May 2016. The three lakes have different tidal delays (30−120 min) and dampened tidal amplitude (62%) compared to the sea. The benthos was found to be dominated by bivalves (Brachidontes sp.), algae (Cladophora sp., or Halimeda sp.) and sponges (predominantly Haliclona spp. and Tethya spp.). In addition, species of the family Synaptidae (Holothuroidea) were abundant and spread over almost all the bottom of Karawapop Lake, while tube-worms of the Polychaeta class were identified in Keramat Lake. Although these lakes are identified as a conservation area, currently there is no management activity in Lenmakana and Karawapop Lakes, despite the fact that the lakes are growing in popularity as a tourist site. Our paper provides the baseline data for future conservation efforts.

ABSTRAKDanau laut adalah ekosistem unik yang ditemukan terfokus hanya di empat lokasi di dunia, salah satunya di Raja Ampat. Diantara kepulauan karst di Misool, Raja Ampat selatan, danau laut dapat dijumpai. Danau-danau tersebut memiliki karakter yang unik sesuai tingkat koneksinya dengan laut. Danau Balbullol adalah danau yang paling dalam diantara danau laut di Misool, terasing, dan belum pernah dikaji. Melalui studi ini ingin mengetahui karakter dari Danau Balbullol. Deskripsi danau dilakukan dengan serangkaian survei lapangan dan perekaman logger untuk mengetahui karakter fisik, kualitas air, dan kehadiran biota. Hasilnya diketahui luas danau adalah 1,94 ha dengan kedalaman maksimum 38 m. Suhu dan salinitas memperlihatkan profil vertikal yang homogen, sehingga membentuk tipe danau holomiktik. Selama 6 bulan rekaman logger, menunjukan suhu di danau selalu lebih panas dari pada di laut, demikian juga salinitas yang lebih salin di danau. Pasut di danau tertunda 4 jam daripada laut, walaupun jarak antara danau dan laut sangat dekat (<45 m). Amplitudo pasut hanya 25% daripada laut. Berdasarkan karakter pasut ini, Danau Balbullol merupakan danau yang terisolasi, namun tidak ditemukan biota sebagai indikator danau terisolasi. Ditemukan minimal 7 karang lunak dengan atribut banyak dan melimpah mendiami danau ini.Kata kunci: Danau laut, Misool, Raja Ampat, Mastigias sp., Anchialine ABSTRACTMarine lake is a unique ecosystem. It focuses at four locations in the world, one of them is in Raja Ampat. Among karst islands at Misool, south Raja Ampat, marine lakes may found. Each lake have a unique character according to the level of connection with the sea. Lake Balbullol is the deepest lake from the sea lakes in Misool, alienated, and has never been studied. This study want to know the character of Lake Balbullol. Description of the lake was done by a series of field surveys and loggers recording to determine the physical character, water quality, and presence of the biota. Lake's width was 1.94 ha and the maximum depth was 38 m. Temperature and salinity showed a homogeneous vertical profile, thus forming a holomictic type. During 6 months recording, the temperature was always warmer than at the ocean, as well as salinity. Although the distance between the lake and the sea is very close (<45 m), the tide on the lake was delayed 4 hours rather than the sea. Tidal amplitude was only 25% of the ocean. From these tide characters, Lake Balbullol was isolated lakes, however, there were no biota as an indicator of isolated lakes exist. There were at least 7 soft corals with attributes many and abundant exist in this lake.