The Diversity and Productivity of Indigenous Forage in Former Limestone Mining Quarry in Karst Mountain of Southern Gombong, Central Java Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract. Indonesia is a country that has a lot of limestone mountains, covering 15.4 million hectares. Limestone mountains have strategic functions as limestone is used as building materials and as raw material in cement industry. Therefore, limestone mining quarry in various areas of limestone mountains in Indonesia is increasingly widespread. The biggest negative impact of limestone mining is the formed open land which is abandoned and unutilized. Changes in the ecosystem will lead to the reduced levels of diversity and productivity of indigenous forage which will ultimately reduce the performance and development of ruminants livestock kept by farmers in the mountainous region of limestone. This study aims to determine the diversity and productivity of indigenous forage on former limestone mining quarry in limestone mountains of southern Gombong. The research was conducted through survey by identifying and measuring the forage production of sample plots assigned purposively. Location of the study was divided into three categories, mild, moderate and heavy mining. Results showed that soil fertility levels in open fields of former limestone mining in southern Gombong mountains are low with total N content of 0.049 -0.141%, total P2O5 of 0.067 -0.133% and total K2O of 0.086 -0.100%. The diversity of indigenous forage on mild mining was more diverse than that of moderate and heavy mining, i.e. 13 species comprising 7 grass species, 2 legumes species, and 4 species of shrubs. The most dominant species in all mining categories are Cynodon dactylon, Imperata cylindrica, Ageratum conyzoides and Mikania micrantha. The results also showed that in the open land of mild mining had the highest production of fresh and dry matter compared to that of moderate and severe mining. Key words: diversity, indigenous forage, limestone mountainsAbstrak. Indonesia merupakan salah satu negara yang mempunyai banyak pegunungan kapur, luasnya mencapai 15,4 juta hektar. Pegunungan kapur memiliki fungsi yang sangat strategis karena batuan kapur banyak dimanfaatkan sebagai bahan bangunan dan bahan pembuatan semen. Oleh karena itu usaha penambangan batu kapur di berbagai wilayah pegunungan kapur di Indonesia semakin berkembang luas. Dampak negatif terbesar dari usaha penambangan batu kapur adalah terbentuknya lahan terbuka yang terlantar dan tidak didayagunakan. Perubahan ekosistem tersebut akan menyebabkan menurunnya tingkat keragaman dan produktivitas hijauan pakan indigenous yang pada akhirnya akan menurunkan tingkat kinerja dan perkembangan ternak ruminansia yang dipelihara oleh peternak di wilayah pegunungan kapur. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui keragaman dan produktivitas hijauan pakan indigenous pada lahan bekas penambangan kapur di pegunungan kapur Gombong selatan. Metode yang digunakan adalah metode survei dengan melakukan inventarisasi dan pengukuran produksi melalui petak contoh secara purposive. Lokasi penelitian terbagi dalam tiga katagori yaitu penambangan ringan, sedang dan berat. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa ...

Antibacterial potential of Actinobacteria from a Limestone Mining Site in Meghalaya, India

“…Available phosphorus and potassium were comparatively much lesser to that reported by Lamare and Singh (2017) 37 . Other workers have also reported low levels of phosphorus and potassium from limestone mining areas 39,40 . Lamare and Singh (2017) however, reported no significant changes in phosphorus and potassium levels of limestonemined and unmined areas 37 .…”

Quality and Rumen Fermentation Profile of Indigenous Forage on Karst Mountain

“…The study by [1] in the ex-mining area of Gombong karst mountain showed only nine indigenous forages species (5 species of grass, 1 legume, and 3 shrubs) with only 5.90 ton/ha/year production. In contrastanother study [2] reported 20 species were identified (7 grass, 4 legumes, 7 shrubs and 2 ferns) with 19,75 ton/ha/year production in a closed area of Gombong karst mountain.…”

Untitled

“…Related to this further utilization of traditional market organic waste, can not only be utilized through composting alone (Hendarto, et al, 2018) or fresh feed (Okaraonye and Ikewuchi, 2009), but diversification through liquid organic fertilizer into one solution that can developed specifically in the cultivation of feed plants [2,18,19]. Although in general liquid organic fertilizers have relatively low levels of constituents, in the effort to utilize wasted natural resources and reduce the level of environmental pollution, their use needs to be socialized [9,20,21]. The fresh forage production of Setaria splendida Stapf grass has increased since it was harvested at the age of 35 days to 45 days.…”

“…This happens because more and more plant roots so that more nutrients are absorbed by plants to produce photosynthesis by getting a lot of energy [6]. The older the age of the plant the potential for increased production is higher, but at a certain age there is a condition of decreased production due to the aging of plants and death [21,22].…”