Comparative analysis of morphological traits in Cymodocea rotundata Asch. & Schweinf. From Yenkarwar Beach and Rawar Beach, Indonesia

Intensive coastal development and human transport activities are increasingly threatening seagrass ecosystems, which can change seagrass morphometries. This study compares the morphological characteristics of Cymodocea rotundata Asch. & Schweinf. at two sites: the traditional ports in Yenkarwar beach, Manokwari, West Papua (PY), and Rawar beach in Biak Numfor Regency, Papua (PR). Fieldwork conducted in mid-2023 used transect and quadrat sampling. The measured traits included leaf length and width, rhizome length and diameter, average maximum length of individual roots (root length), and number of leaves per individual, along with environmental parameters. The results showed that leaves in PY were longer and wider than those in PR, although not significantly different (p>0.05). In contrast, rhizome length, diameter, root length, and leaf number showed significantly differences (p