The extreme weather that hit a number of regions in Indonesia has caught the public’s attention. Based on observations by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the maximum temperature measured during the day until the end of September 2023 in several areas reached a range between 35.4° C to 38° C. This happened due to the minimal level of cloud growth and low level of air humidity. This incident affects the lives of living creatures, one of which is fauna.
Head of Development and Services Research Center for Climate Change Universitas Indonesia (RCCC UI), Dr. Nurul L. Winarni as a biologist at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) UI said that the possible impact that is experienced by fauna in tropical climate areas is the availability of food and water as well as migration and distribution of their habitat. Indonesia is located in a tropical area, thus the animals in Indonesia are types of tropical animals. These animals consist of various charismatic animals, such as tigers, elephants, rhinos, to various types of birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects, and so on.
Extreme weather has a significant impact on various types of fauna. Dr. Nurul gave an example, such as birds living in the mountains whose habitat is becoming increasingly narrow due to the influence of changes in increasingly hot temperatures. Types of exothermic animals, such as amphibians, animals that are sensitive to changes in temperature are also impacted. If the temperature is too hot, it can affect vital conditions, such as digestion, reproduction and metabolism as well as the condition of water availability in the habitat, which is experiencing drought. With the increasing lack of Green Open Space (RTH) in urban areas, fauna such as birds and butterflies are also expected to lose their habitat.
Apart from that, extreme weather will have an impact on the availability of food for these animals. Many animals use plants, which are also affected by extreme weather and causing drought. Plants have an important role as a source of food for animals. Nectar and fruit production can be affected, and seasonal patterns of flowering and fruiting can shift. This causes animals to have to look for alternative resources.
According to Dr. Nurul, fauna that have the potential to migrate, such as birds that make seasonal trips from their habitats that experience summer to winter, will migrate to warmer areas such as tropical climates. If winter ends, it will return to its original habitat. Meanwhile, for animals that live in tropical areas, migration does not occur. However, these animals need an adequate supply of water sources. Animal movements may occur in search of places that still provide food, water sources and shelter. Competition between animals may occur for these resources.
Meanwhile, extreme weather can also increase the possibility of forest fires which threaten to further eliminate the habitat for species that live in these forests. Extreme weather can also cause dryness in aquatic habitats such as swamps, rivers, lakes, which can threaten the existence of certain types of fish. If this happens, it can impact animal ecosystem cycles, such as food chains and food webs.
According to Dr. Nurul, if one of the food chains is missing, it will affect the trophic levels of producers, consumers, decomposers, and can disrupt the balance of the ecosystem. This can occur due to changes in food resources which can cause changes in the composition of animal communities in the ecosystem. This means resulting in the loss of certain species or an increase in the population of other, more dominant organisms.
In overcoming the impact of extreme weather on fauna, Dr. Nurul conveyed steps that could be taken in the short term, namely by providing water sources, preventing forest fires, planting fruit trees and flowering plants in urban areas. Meanwhile, in the long term, habitat restoration and protection can be carried out by providing alternative habitats, especially for urban areas, by providing green open spaces such as parks, including utilizing home gardens and conserving water resources.
