DINAMIKA KELIMPAHAN FITOPLANKTON PADA LINGKUNGAN BUDIDAYA TIRAM MUTIARA (Pinctada maxima) DI KAWASAN PT. TIMOR OTSUKI MUTIARA (TOM), BOLOK, KABUPATEN KUPANG, PROVINSI NUSA TENGGARA TIMUR - Takua, Irmina; Toruan, Lumban N. L.; Sine, Kiik G.; Saraswati, Suprabadevi A. (Universitas Nusa Cendana, 2025)
Abstrak – PT. Timor Otsuki Mutiara (TOM) merupakan perusahaan swasta yang bergerak di bidang budidaya tiram mutiara jenis Pinctada maxima. Kelimpahan fitoplankton sebagai produsen primer berperan penting dalam pertumbuhan dan perkembangan tiram mutiara di PT. TOM. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui dinamika kelimpahan fitoplankton di kawasan budidaya PT. TOM, Bolok, Kabupaten Kupang, Provinsi Nusa Tenggara Timur. Pengambilan sampel dilakukan pada tiga stasiun di Bulan Juli 2023, Agustus 2023, Desember 2023, Januari 2024, Februari 2024, dan April 2024 menggunakan metode purposive sampling. Sampel fitoplankton diperoleh melalui penyaringan air laut menggunakan planktonet sebanyak 100 L dari permukaan perairan. Hasil penyaringan sampel kemudian dimasukkan kedalam botol bervolume 110 ml dan diawetkan dengan menambahkan larutan lugol. Sampel fitoplankton diidentifikasi menggunakan mikroskop untuk mendapatkan data kelimpahan fitoplankton. Pengukuran parameter lingkungan dilakukan secara in situ untuk mengetahui pengaruhnya terhadap pertumbuhan fitoplankton. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis untuk menentukan kelimpahan fitoplankton, sementara parameter lingkungan dianalisis secara deskriptif. Analisis data menunjukan kelimpahan fitoplankton tertinggi secara spasial terdapat pada stasiun yang memiliki aktivitas perikanan, seperti pembersihan tiram mutiara dan budidaya rumput laut (Stasiun 1), sedangkan kelimpahan terendah terdapat pada stasiu Kata kunci: Kelimpahan fitoplankton, Kawasan PT. TOM, Budidaya tiram mutiara. Abstract – PT. Timor Otsuki Mutiara (TOM) is a private company engaged in the cultivation of pearl oysters of the Pinctada maxima type. The abundance of phytoplankton as primary producers plays an important role in the growth and development of pearl oysters at PT. TOM. This study aims to determine the dynamics of phytoplankton abundance in the cultivation area of ​​PT. TOM, Bolok, Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province. Sampling was carried out at three stations in July 2023, August 2023, December 2023, January 2024, February 2024, and April 2024 using the purposive sampling method. Phytoplankton samples were obtained by filtering seawater using planktonnet as much as 100 L from the surface of the water. The results of the sample filtration were then put into a 110 ml bottle and preserved by adding lugol's solution. Phytoplankton samples were identified using a microscope to obtain phytoplankton abundance data. Measurement of environmental parameters was carried out in situ to determine their effect on phytoplankton growth. The data obtained were analyzed to determine the abundance of phytoplankton, while environmental parameters were analyzed descriptively. Data analysis shows that the highest abundance of phytoplankton spatially is found at stations that have fisheries activities, such as pearl oyster cleaning and seaweed cultivation (Station 1), while the lowest abundance is found at stations adjacent to the PLTU (Station 2). Temporally, the highest abundance of phytoplankton occurs in the West Season (January), and the lowest abundance occurs in the East Season (August). Keywords: Phytoplankton abundance, PT. TOM area, Pearl oyster cultivation.