Marine Study Center FMIPA UI Holds Coral Reef Ecosystem Management Training with Participatory Modeling Concept

Coral reefs are one of the important marine ecosystems in supporting life related to their role as fish habitats, reducing the energy of ocean waves that reach land, and as tourist attractions. Unfortunately, various threats lurk in the sustainability of important ecosystem services produced by coral reefs, such as rising sea surface temperatures which are a driving factor coral bleaching, illegal coral harvesting, to coral damage due to tourism activities.

Various efforts have been made, ranging from coral transplantation efforts, to planting mangroves to protect sediment flow from the mainland, but in fact until now the coral reef ecosystem is increasingly threatened by various human activities.

With this background, the Center for Marine Studies, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia (FMIPA UI) in collaboration with the Karang Lestari Foundation (YKLI) seeks to increase public awareness, especially students to learn various methods that can help manage coral reef ecosystems optimally.

This effort is realized through training activities. Conceptual Model Coral Reef Management Using Participatory Modelling or community resilience-based coral reef management methods.  Participatory Modelling considered to be one of the methods that has not been widely developed at this time.

"training Conceptual Model Coral reef management using Participatory Modeling is to introduce basic concepts system thinking in coral reef ecosystem management, and applications participatory modelling "to students, especially those interested in coral reef ecosystem research," said Head of the Center for Marine Studies, FMIPA UI, Dr. Riani Widiarti, M.Si. explaining the purpose of the activity, Thursday (27/7/2023).

According to him, the introduction participatory modelling This is very important to use in research related to coral reef ecosystems in particular, and marine ecosystems in general. Because, Participatory modelling emphasizing local community knowledge of current ecosystem conditions and the threats they face, so that it can assist in decision-making in ecosystem management.

The training, which was held at the Multidisciplinary Research Laboratory Building of FMIPA UI – PT Pertamina, UI Campus, Depok, involved 30 participants who were teaching staff, students of the Geology and Geophysics Study Program, Department of Biology, Department of Geography, Master of Marine Science, and UI School of Environmental Sciences.

Dr. Suryo Kusumo as the Chairman of YKLI and also a resource person at this training shared training materials on the method System theory – System thinking – Mental model, Causal loop diagram/Conceptual Model for coral reef ecosystem management.

In System theory, participants are introduced to the concept of ‘system’ and its characteristics. In the introduction section System thinking, participants are introduced to the important points in System thinking, namely the concept of the dependence of all elements.

"This concept has been applied in ecological, economic, political, and even social research. Management of coral reef ecosystems is seen as a single social ecological system, not separated between social and ecological aspects," said Dr. Suryo.

Participants are also introduced to the concept of mental models which are an important part of understanding a system.

"A person's understanding of mental models will influence the functionality of the system created," he said.

Meanwhile, through the method Causal loop diagram, Training participants are introduced in more depth to the thinking structure of conceptual models. Causal loop diagram used to explain the relationship between variables in a system, which will later be depicted in system behaviour.

The relationship between variables can add (+) or subtract (-). The combination of relationships between variables in a system can produce a loop (+) or reinforcing, and can also produce a loop (-) or balancing. Participants in the training are also given examples of simple systems such as atmospheric systems, natural systems, and economic systems.

Another resource person, Anindita D. Kusumawardhani, M.Si. as a research team at the Center for Marine Studies, FMIPA UI explained about the theory Participatory Modelling coral reef management. In this session, Anin explained the concept of a participatory approach, and the concept participatory modelling dalam system dynamics.

“"On participatory modelling “Exchange of knowledge between stakeholders is key. Local knowledge of the community, in particular, is considered key to solving environmental problems,” Anin said.

Focus Group Discussion (FGD) is one of the most widely used methods in participatory modelling especially in compiling Causal loop diagram of the system to be built. In this session, a case study of the use of participatory modelling in coastal management.

FGD was conducted using scenarios role-play where each training participant is given a role to play and then discuss. The roles created include coastal communities consisting of fishermen, fishermen's wives, fish sellers, community leaders, tourism operators, and village officials. Participants are also given roles as FGD facilitators, operators, and notaries.

Before the simulation was conducted, participants were guided to install the Socio-Ecological Systems App for Mental Model Elicitation (SESAME) software. Participants were then invited to hold discussions according to their respective roles, with the theme of coastal area management.

Community actors were asked to explain the current condition of the coastal ecosystem, and a simulation of future conditions. Coastal communities were also asked to explain the relationship between each existing ecosystem, and what activities could be a threat to it. The results of the discussion were recorded in minutes, and described in the SESAME application.

News source: https://sci.ui.ac.id/