The Current Status of Research on Harmful Algal Bloom (Hab) in Indonesia

Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) is a natural phenomenon, however its incident increases both in term of cases and areas. When HAB outbreaks occur it will usually damage the environment and create economic losses. Environmental damage and economic losses are caused by the harmful aspects of the HAB organisms due to both of environmental alterations and toxin productions. In Indonesian seas, HAB has become more frequent and spread through out the country since 1970s. But there are still lacks of: number of researcher and research, funding support, awareness, and integrated national agenda with regard to HAB in Indonesia. In contrast, worldwide research and researchers, funding, awareness, and national agenda have become common and more advance. Hence, there are some opportunities for Indonesian researchers on HAB to: join (International) research projects, gain research funding, experience advance training, and pursue scholarships (for Masters and PhDs degree) from institutions abroad

Greening boosts soil formation and soil organic matter accumulation in Maritime Antarctica

Global warming in the Antarctic Peninsula, Maritime Antarctica, within the past 45 years has accelerated rapid glacier retreatment, forming temporal gradients of soil development that concurs with the colonization of the ice-free soils by phototrophs. In the past decade the paradigm emerged that above- and belowground processes are interconnected, e.g. recently gained carbon fuels microbial activity and thus drives soil organic matter built-up and decomposition as well as mineral weathering. Studies of carbon allocation for Antarctic ecosystems, occurring in harsh conditions are lacking. Little is also known about the contribution of bacteria and fungi to decomposition of different soil carbon pools with different turnover rates in these soils, which is of utmost importance for the prediction of the future feedback of the Antarctic carbon balance to climate change. We followed soil horizon formation, soil organic carbon accumulation and carbon exchange with the atmosphere along a gradient of phototrophs of different trophic complexity level at King George Island by combining soil chemical analyses, field CO2 flux measurements, C-13 in situ labeling and molecular methods (PLFA and metabolomics). Our study revealed that colonization of the ice-free soils by vascular plant (Deschampsia antarctica) was leading to the formation of well-developed soil, with high contents of organic carbon and with a relatively high rates of photosynthesis and CO2 soil efflux. The soils sampled under D. antarctica showed the impact of this higher plant on the soil organic matter, containing significantly higher amounts of carbohydrates and amines, presumably as a result of root exudation. As determined by the C-13 labeling experiment more than 15% of the carbon recently assimilated by D. antarctica was transferred belowground, with a major flow into soil fungi. This suggests that not bacteria, but rather fungi preferentially and faster utilize the recently assimilated low molecular compounds allocated to the soil. Probably, successful performance of vascular plants in Maritime Antarctica may significantly foster biological weathering via enhanced microbial activity

Working Posture Evaluation of Clinical Student in Faculty of Dentistry University of Indonesia for the Scaling Task in Sitting Position in a Virtual Environment

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are global issues in the dental profession. This research evaluated the MSDs risk caused by the sitting working posture of clinical students performing the task of scaling. The evaluation using the virtual environment approach shows risk of MSDs in the students’ upper extremities such as neck, shoulder, and trunk. Further simulation based on the ideal sitting working posture shows that ergonomic scaling could be achieved when the patient sits at a 15° angle. When scaling the 1st and 4th quadrant of the teeth, the 9 o’clock position is used. Hence, the 11 o’clock position is used when scaling the 2nd and 3rd quadrant

Hot moments in the Antarctic due to climate warming?

Climate warming is severely affecting maritime Antarctica, causing accelerated glacier retreat and thus leading to an ongoing exposure of once ice- covered land. This initiates a succession of plant and soil development. Nevertheless, the temporal dynamics and controlling factors of these processes, like C and N status of soils and the effect of root exudation are widely unknown under these harsh climatic conditions. Topsoil samples from three different sites of a chronological soil sequence in the forefront of a retreating glacier of the Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, were collected and incubated at 2 °C for three weeks. To mimic the influence of C and N containing root exudates (primers) on the mineralization of soil C, we added 13C labeled glucose or alanine and compared CO2 evolution in comparison to samples without C and N addition. Soil microbes covered up to 90% of their C demand for anabolic functions with the added C-sources in the case of late soil successions while it was only 50% for the young soils. These findings were independent of the form of primer. Both primers increased the mineralization of soil carbon in the young soils as compared to the control. For the later stages of soil development, we found negative priming which was strongest for the latest stage. These results give evidence for a clear shift in the microbial community of the three investigated sites. While sites with initial soil formation seem to be dominated by k-strategists with low turnover rates that rather use complex C-sources, a significant number of r-strategists in the soils of the older sites uses simple C-substrates very efficiently. As this leads to a relative decrease in SOM mineralization for the late stages of soil development, it is questionable if higher plants can improve their nutrition by stimulating free living soil microbes with root exudates or if they rather have to rely on mycorrhiza

Skrining Senyawa Antibakteri dari Beberapa Jenis Rumput Laut Coklat (Phaeophyceae) dari Pantai Drini, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta

This present research was trying to determine the antibacterial compounds from several brown seaweeds from Drini beach. Previous studies have shown that several seaweeds from this beach were proved to have antibacterial activities. Therefore, it needs to be studied whether the extracts of several brown seaweeds utilizing three (3) kinds of extraction solutions such as aquadest, ethanol, and hexane, will also show antibacterial activities. The three solutions were chosen based on the difference of polarization activities. Research design utilized was randomized complete block design and the data compiled was treated by Anova and followed with Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) with degree of confidence 95%. Microbes utilized in this research were Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, that were common pathogenic bacteria known to human and animals. The research found six (6) species of brown seaweed during the research period, i.e. Sargassum dotyi, S. ohnoi, S. abbottiae, S. bataanense, Caulerpa prolifera, and Laurencia papillosa. This present research also revealed that ethanol was the best extraction solution to extract the secondary metabolite from the brown seaweeds found. The best antibacterial activities was shown by S. dotyi extract’s to inhibit the two (2) microbes used in the research compared to other seaweed extracts. However, this result was still low and significantly different compare to pure antibiotics utilized, i.e. penicillin and streptomycin

Analisis Finansial Budidaya Tomat Di Dataran Rendah Sulawesi Tengah

The main problem at tomato farm level is low yield compared to potential production. Objective of theresearch was to find out the appropriate packaged technology of tomatoes farming on low elevation. The research wasconducted at Labuan Toposo village, Sub district of Tawaeli, district of Donggala, from December 2003 to April2004. Randomized Complete Block Design was used with five replications. There are three packaged technology wereused : (A) introduce packaged-1 technology, (B) introduce packaged-2 technology, and (C) farmers packagedtechnology as usual. Results of the research showed that the introduce packaged-2 technology was highest in yield andthen followed by introduce packaged-1 technology, while the farmer packaged technology as the lowest. The cost ofthe production for introduce packaged-2 technology is Rp. 16.022.000,-/ha, with the highest of labour cost (Rp.8.000.000,- or 49,9% from total cost), followed by ather cost such as bambooes for stick, fertilizer, pestiside, landrent and the seed is the lowest cost. On the production level of 55,13 t/ha and range of yield price from Rp. 500 – Rp.1.250/kg will get the net income of tomato farm with packaged-2 technology as Rp. 37.069.250, with packaged-1technology were Rp. 20.292.150 and at farmers level is only Rp. 8.089.750. Furthermore, R/C ratio for packaged-2technology were 3,31; packaged-1 technology were 2,30, and farmers level of 1,54. Efficiency level of packkaged-2technology was high than others.Key words : Lycopersicon esculentum, financial analysis, cultivation systems, Central SulawesiPotensi lahan di Sulawesi Tengah masih cukup luas untuk pengembangan tanaman tomat. Permasalahanusahatani tomat di tingkat petani adalah produksi masih sangat rendah dibandingkan dengan potensi produksi yangada. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mendapatkan paket teknologi budidaya yang sesuai dan secara ekonomis paling layakdigunakan pada USAhatani tomat di dataran rendah. Kajian ini dilaksanakan di Desa Labuan Toposo, KecamatanTawaeli, Kabupaten Donggala, pada bulan Desember 2003 sampai April 2004. Kajian ini menggunakan rancanganacak kelompok dengan lima ulangan. Ada tiga paket teknologi budidaya yang dikaji, yaitu : (A) paket introduksi-1,(B) paket introduksi-2, dan (C) paket teknologi menurut kebiasaan petani (sebagai pembanding). Hasil kajianmenunjukkan bahwa dari tiga paket teknologi budidaya yang dikaji, paket introduksi-2 menghasilkan produksi buahyang paling besar, kemudian diikuti oleh paket introduksi-1, dan yang paling rendah adalah paket petani. Biayaproduksi USAhatani tomat dengan menggunakan paket introduksi-2 adalah Rp. 16.022.000,- per hektare, dengan biayaterbesar pada tenaga kerja Rp.8.000.000,- (49,9 %), kemudian diikuti berturut-turut oleh biaya tiang penyangga,pupuk, pestisida, sewa lahan dan biaya paling sedikit adalah biaya bibit. Pada tingkat produksi 55,13 t/ha dan hargaantara Rp.500 – Rp. 1.250,-/kg, pendapatan bersih USAhatani tomat dengan menggunakan paket introduksi-2 adalahRp.37.069.250,-, paket introduksi-1 Rp. 20.292.150,- dan paket petani Rp. 8.089.750,-. Pada tingkat produksi danharga tomat tersebut di atas, hasil perhitungan R/C ratio untuk paket introduksi-2 adalah 3,31, paket introduksi-1adalah 2,30 dan paket petani 1,54. Meskipun ketiga paket teknologi budidaya tersebut masih memberikan keuntungan,namun tingkat efisiensi tertinggi dicapai pada paket introduksi-2

Analisis Ergonomi Industri Garmen Dengan Posture Evaluation Index Pada Virtual Environment

Ergonomic  Analysis  of  Garment  Industry  using  Posture  Evaluation Index  (PEI)  in  Virtual  Environment.  This research tried to study, in a virtual environment, the ergonomics of four divisions in garment industry: cutting division, sewing division, button division, and finishing division. Variables that influence the working conditions in each division are different; depend on the real situations that happened. The purpose is to assess the real working conditions based on ergonomics  study  using Posture Evaluation Index (PEI). PEI integrates  the scores of  low back analysis (LBA), ovako working  posture  (OWAS),  and  rapid  upper  limb assessment  (RULA).  Analysis  phase  was  done  using  digital  human model  in  virtual  environment  that  available  on  Jack  6.0.  The  results show  that  the  working  conditions  in  garment industry had enough amount of risk that can injured the musculoskeletal system of the workers. This research enriches the  body  of  ergonomics  knowledge  in Indonesia  because  it  is  the  first  research  in  Indonesia that  applied  virtual environment approach to ergonomics analysis in industry. &nbsp

Inventarisasi Ikan Hias Pantai Gunungkidul, Daerah Istimewa YOGYAKARTA: Sebuah Kajian Awal

Kajian “Inventarisasi Ikan Hias di Pantai Gunungkidul, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY)†ini diharapkan dapat memberikan data yang lebih akurat dan tepat tentang keberadaan ikan hias di kawasan ini. Kawasan kajian berdasar survei kawasan/lingkungan menetapkan delapan (8) pantai di Kabupaten Gunungkidul sebagai lokasi kajian. Dari delapan pantai tersebut didapat sebanyak 67 jenis ikan hias. Temuan ini seyogianya segera ditindaklanjuti oleh pihak berwenang dalam bentuk penetapan rencana strategis (renstra) yang terkait dengan sumber daya ikan hias, meliputi antara lain: rencana konservasi, pemintakatan (zonasi), pengelolaan, pengembangan, dan pemanfaatan secara berkelanjutan

Mobilization of phosphorus from secondary minerals by the arbuscular mycorrhiza Rhizophagus irregularis and consequences for carbon sequestration in soils

Phosphorus can be a major limiting factor for plant growth due to its slow diffusion and high degree of immobilization in soils. Understanding the strategies evolved by plant-symbiont couples increasing P uptake is crucial, under the aim of adopting the involved mechanisms by modern sustainable agriculture. This study aims to explore whether tomato plants mycorrhized with the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi Rhizophagus irregularis have the ability to mobilize P from secondary minerals and organic sources. Our hypothesis was that AM-bearing plants will invest more carbon to their fungal symbiont in case P must be exploited from less accessible P sources. For this, we carried out a time course experiment (91 days) with split-chamber mesocosms ensuring the mobilization of P by the mycorrhizal partner only. Orthophosphate (OP) and phytic acid (PA) in their free state and adsorbed to goethite (GOE-OP; GOE-PA) have been offered to the host plant. According to our knowledge, this is the first report where an organic P source bonded to a secondary mineral has been tested as a plant P source via the mycorrhizal P uptake pathway. The PLFA 16:1ω5c is known to be part of the membrane constituents and it is considered a good AM biomass estimator (Olsson and Wilhelmsson 2000). In our study it correlated positively with incorporated P and the AM plant root activity (arbuscules %) for all provided P sources. Additionally, those AM plants which accessed OP and GOE-OP also showed a positive significant correlation of the arbuscules percentages, with the incorporated P, the PLFA 18:1ω7c, and in case of GOE-PA also with the PLFA 18:2ω6,9. These two PLFA biomarkers have been previously found in R. irregularis hyphae (Olsson et al. 2002) and might indicate that AM fungi modified their fatty acid composition in the hyphae during the mobilization of P from the different P sources. As fungal energy storage we also measured the NLFA 16:1ω5c. It was significantly higher for both P sources bonded to goethite compared to free OP and PA. These results point towards different C investment to uptake of P though the mycorrhizal pathway having a direct consequence for the carbon sequestration in soils