Identifikasi Berdasarkan Anatomi Tumbuhan Pakan dalam Feses Gajah Sumatra (Elephas maximus sumatranus) di Taman Nasional Way Kambas

Abstract

The diversity of forage plant species for elephants can be analyzed by observing the anatomy of undigested plant fragments in the fecal. This study aims to identify forage plants from the fecal samples of Sumatran elephant in Way Kambas National Park. The research methods include collected fecal samples at Way Kambas National Park, prepared slide microscope of epidermis of the plant fragments using the whole mount method, observed the anatomical characters and identified the plant fragments based on data from previous studies and reference. The results obtained 34 types of epidermis which were differentiated based on the characteristics of epidermal cell, stomata and trichomes. These epidermis types were used to identify the plants forage by Sumatran elephants. We found leaf fragment of four families, namely Arecaceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae and Zingiberaceae. The most common fragments found in the fecal samples were the leaf fragments of Poaceae (28 type epidermis). Anatomical study on the plant fragments in fecal can be used as an alternative method in studying plants consumed by elephant.

Anatomi Tumbuhan Pakan Gajah Sumatra (Elephas maximus sumatranus Temminck) di Taman Nasional Way Kambas

“…Kesamaan tipe stomata dapat Kerapatan stomata secara umum bervariasi (Tabel 2). Pada penelitian ini data kerapatan stomata menunjukkan data yang kontinu hampir di semua sampel sehingga kerapatan stomata kurang dapat digunakan untuk membedakan antarspesies tumbuhan pakan dari sampel feses gajah sumatra (Adinda et al 2023). Tumbuhan pakan gajah sumatra yang bersifat amfistomatik mempunyai kerapatan dan indeks stomata lebih tinggi pada sisi abaksial daripada sisi adaksial.…”