Distribution of phytoplankton using remote sensing in Cimandiri Estuary, Sukabumi, West Java

Estuaries are coastal ecosystems with highest productivities owing to the presence phytoplankton in water. Phytoplankton plays a key role in water as a primer for productivity, primarily by producing both organic and inorganic substances. In 2010, the construction of Pelabuhanratu Coal Power Plant (PLTU) along the banks of the Cimandiri estuary got completed and PLTU started operating. This study aims to analyze the changes and relation between the water's physical characteristics and the phytoplankton distribution before and after the construction of the Pelabuhanratu PLTU. Variables used total suspended solids, salinity, sea surface temperature, currents, and chlorophyll-a concentration to describe the water's physical characteristics as well as indicators for the presence of phytoplankton. These methods were combined with remote sensing data and validated by in-situ results. The results indicate that the amount of phytoplankton before the construction of PLTU was significantly higher in comparison with that after the completion of PLTU. Moreover, phytoplankton concentration is directly proportional to the total suspended solids and sea surface temperature but is inversely proportional to salinity, and has no effect on ocean currents.