Epibiont Macrophyte on Sandy Beach in the Regency of Jepara, Central Java

Epibiont is known as living organisms attached to various natural benthic substrates and plays an important role as scavenger. Bandengan and Pulau Panjang are two sandy beaches close to each other located at Jepara, Central Java. This study investigates epibionts on macrophytes, which are macroalgae and seagrasses in both locations, by means of survey method. In general, major constituent of epibionts in those two macrophytes are microalgae and microzoobenthos, with relatively similar individual number and diversity. In more details, epibionts in macroalgae is planktonic microalgae and microzoobenthos, whereas, for seagrass it is of epiphytic microalgae. Benthic community structure which have more abundant and more diverse Polychaeta compared to that of Crustacea and Mollusca, combined with no existence of pioneer seagrass, i.e., Halophila and Halodule indicating that both beaches have still retained relatively good quality ecosystem for tourism.