As one of the world’s largest mega-biodiverse countries, Indonesia boasts many flora, fauna, and microbial species living in terrestrial, freshwater, wetland, coastal, and marine ecosystems.
However, these conditions are currently under increasing pressure from destruction and the threat of extinction. On the other hand, biodiversity’s status, trends, and impacts have not yet been measured nationally due to anthropocentric activities.
To address this issue, the Indonesian Biology Consortium (KOBI) has been working on the Indonesian Biodiversity Index (IBI) since 2019. Through the MBKM-Biodiversity Data Curator program, 514 students from 104 universities collected and compiled biodiversity data in Indonesia.
“We have successfully collected data on 11,137 biodiversity items,” said KOBI Chair Professor Budi Setiadi Daryono to reporters on Monday (Apr. 29) during the dissemination of the results of the Indonesian Biodiversity Index Analysis Seminar held in Jakarta, Friday (Apr. 26).
According to Professor Daryono, the biodiversity index analysis involves developing big data technology to address the current knowledge gap regarding biodiversity data.
“The utilization of big data is particularly aimed at measuring the status, trends, and impacts of development activities on biodiversity in their habitats,” said the Dean of the UGM Faculty of Biology.
Competent experts and curators will further analyze the data collected on 11,137 biodiversity items. A strong design concept and model, combined with the right expertise and knowledge within the study team, will allow for the optimization of new knowledge products using big data.
Professor Daryono mentioned that several lecturers from the UGM Biology Department participated in KOBI and contributed to the data collection. Additionally, Professor Dedi Rosadi from the Statistics Department at the UGM Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA UGM) is part of the expert team for the Biodiversity Index analysis.
Professor Daryono hopes that the results of the Indonesian Biodiversity Index (IBI) assessment can serve as a data reference and visual guide for biodiversity practitioners and provide recommendations for the government in planning policies and making decisions based on the status and trends of biodiversity sustainability for ecosystems and nature in Indonesia.
“We hope that the IBI can provide scientifically tested and accountable index calculations for credible environmental and biodiversity management in Indonesia,” Professor Daryono stated.
Dr. Barano Siswa Sulistyawan, Manager at WWF Indonesia and a member of the Indonesian Biodiversity Index research team, stated that the biodiversity data curation is based on data collected from 1975 to 2023.
The collected data undergoes population censuses, population estimates, density measurements, data converted from camera traps, abundance indexes, transportation per unit effort, biomass, samples, and representation.
“All data are stored and updated through the Indonesia Biodiversity Database server, with geographic location corrections based on observation reports,” Dr. Sulistyawan said.
Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of validating all input data according to categorization standards. The UGM Faculty of Biology alumnus explained that they are currently working on biodiversity indexes categorized by classes, such as analyses for groups including actinopterygii, aves, mammals, reptiles, and invertebrates.
Author: Gusti Grehenson
Photo: Wikimedia/Captain Herbert