The Lost World Expedition: A Journey to The Entrance of Ancient Climate and Ecosystem of Doline in Maros Karst Site
By Celebica - Juni 22, 2020
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| Maros Karst Ecosystem |
Have you ever imagined be
in touch with ecosystem from the past thousand years?. It is possibly
experienced by exploring beyond an exist ancient climate and ecosystem in
remote area of Maros Karst Site, South Sulawesi-Indonesia. This journey will
guide you to the lost world expedition!.
Doline, literally, is small to large size bowl-shaped depressions of Karst surface. It is greatly varied in their morphology and origins which were formed by interaction
of underground cavities
and the surface zone.
The location of Maros Karst is shown the map below
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| Sulawesi and Maros Karst site. Map Data: copyright ESRI (2008) |
Targeted Doline was gained by GPS
and Google Maps search. It is located about 5.23 km from The National Park of
Bantimurung, Maros. The area is isolated
from human’s settlement and classified as Mega-diverse with a significant
percentage of endemic species of plants and animals. From the surface, on the
google maps, doline shows small to large holes of bowl-shaped.
The First Targeted Doline
The first targeted doline was tracking to 5.32 km from the starting point and hiking around 6.50 km ahead made the researchers discovered an extremely deep of vertical cave as seen on (Figure 2) as single pitch which is the depth about ± 263 m and
the width reaches
50 to 80 m.
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| Researchers were in front of the first-targeted Doline |
This location reveals high-relief topography, steep slope-shaped and rough topographic texture. As we looked arround, vegetation type existing
in this doline ecosystem has a high-
survival potential
to adapt
with rocky karst which consists
of lime and soil.
Flora (Plants)
The plants, mostly, have tough root system and medium to massive stem size as they formed
it as food storage in the drought. We pitched out 5 transects of 100
m length of ropes
surrounding the cave from different edge sites. We noted that there were 64 sample of
endemic plants.
Tera-terasa or Nephalium sp from Sapindaceae family
rose as the most dominance species
among the plants of those 5 transect lines. As figured out below, this plant is a medium sized
tree with stem’s diameter is 50 cm to 85 cm. It has a strong root and the local people’s believe its juvenile root could heal some
diseases, for instance, uric acid, sprain, muscles pain
or even magical illnesses.
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| Researchers measured Tera-Terasa tree’s diameter |
Fauna (Animals)
Maros karst site is also a habitat for highly endemic fauna. Basically, our suspected animals were likely
to come from a group of rodents (mice), insects, amphibians and reptiles. However, in this site, we only counted
the animals appearance by on the spot observation. We spotted
some Mammals and Aves.
We discovered the superior amount of animal appeared from our observation was Tarsier. It is one
of protected animals and it becomes the
icon of endemic species in National park of
Bantimurung. The local people named it as a sitting
mouse due to, at a glance, this animal
appears like a mouse which is enable to sit on the tree branches. This tiny primate has only
about 100 g weight. Another interesting fact about Tarsier is this animal could rotate its head and neck 180 degree. Even
more, we were
fascinated on its big eyes, where the pupils look
bigger than its body size. This obviously pointed that Tarsier is nocturnal animal where its diet comes
from insects and tiny reptiles.
The Second Targeted Doline
It was
not too far from the first targeted doline, we only needed to turn
to the west
and headed
around 4.7 km to the northern part. Drone captures helped us to easily
find the next doline to
explore.
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| Left: Paddies field sign; Right: The Second-Targeted Doline (Credit by TN BABUL) |
As it is clearly illustrated from
the drone images above, we were sure where should we head toward. The paddies
field also helped us to predict our steps forward. We were impressed since the
targeted-Doline this time shown a medium bowl-shaped, which means we could
reach the core. Through the GPS guide, we surely hiked inside, stepped down to
the centre of doline. Instead of the distance and direction, our constraints
came from the track. Accompanied by traditional equipment–wooden stick on the
left hand and handy chopper on the right– we carefully stept down the
limestones and cut off the wild blushes. In addition, the track was
extremely dangerous where
steep slippery and cranky limestones became our foothold. This topography evidence
compiled the area is used to a water stream which is one of factors of the
ancient microclimate was formed.
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Left: The Edge Site
of Doline (heading to core); Right: Researchers, Cave and Evergreen tree
background
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The more we headed down to core,
the darker and colder it was. The sunlight intensity was low to radiate the
ground entirely. While we walked on the center of doline, we found the soil
texture was greatly moist, loose and fertile since water flow ended up there
and leaves litter covered on the soil’s surface.
Due to its environment
condition was far greater than outer, the vegetation was being plateau as similar
as its form in hundred or even thousand years a go. Our finding described this
colder Stabil environment defines to ancient climate itself. Hence, the plants
surrounding this vegetation are evergreen tree with medium to giant size
enriched by high mineral compounds from the soil.
The typical of abiotic components
mentioned above, ultimately, affects to micro-ecosystem characteristic as well.
Considering to this uniqueness, we also targeted our sample on indigenous
microorganisms living in the soil and tree’s rhizosphere which specifically
form micro-climate ecosystem.
Our exploration scopes, therefore, in this second
targeted doline covered the sample of plants, animals and microorganisms (from
abiotic components). Furthermore, since we found a cave nearby this doline, our
additional feature of exploration was added by cave expedition to answer about
our curiosity on pre-history of the ancestors’ life.
Flora (Plants)
Eventhought the light intensity
is low, the morphological appearance of plants in this location are mostly
having evergreen leaves and bigger size of stem and roots. Some of those plants
are the same species as we found on the first targeted doline, however, they
seemed different by their sizes and leaves brightness. We lined out 20
transects on this area and as a result, there were 90 of endemic species
discovered.
Mu’mulu or Vitex pinnata was the
most dominance in this site. Its height about 5 to 18 m and its diameter
reaches 30 cm to 90 cm. This tree has
durable and resistance wood with the density about 930 kg/m3 used for flooring,
window, door and some furniture. In addition to this, its leaves and bark are
useful for traditional remedies such as stomach ache, dysentery, fever and
malaria.
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| Left: Giant Mu’mulu tree; Right: Mu’mulu trees’ sapling |
Fauna (Animals)
The animals were trapped by
various traps such as light trap, capture release trap, suction trap, and
pitfall trap. Among those traps, 8 insects and 6 reptiles were succeed to trap
in this location.
Microorganism
Suspected isolated-microorganisms
sample were obtained from the group of Actinomycetes (Bacteria). There were 18
samples were taken from soil-rooting area or Rhizosphere using SWAB method and
random sampling method. 6 of 18 isolate shown inhibition activity from
anti-bacteria test of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida
albicans. It was gained 2 isolate with moderate inhibition activity coded KLPE
10 and KLPE 6.
Ethnical Issue
The high diversity of population,
landscape, and culture makes it as an attractive issue of origins, dispersal
and interaction of ancient population. This ethnical study tries to figure out
the pre-history life of Maros ancestors. We tried to compile archaeological
heritages inside the cave and conducted ethnographic study through interview
with the local occupants.
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| The Cave-Left: Outer look; Right: Inner Look-hog deer painting |
In this cave, we discovered
prehistoric painting of hog deer. As we interviewed the local people in Maros,
they believe the cave we found named Lemba nenne (ancestors’ hunting site). The
painting had been drawn on the center of cave wall showing a hof deer was
running or jumping, by means the ancestors was hunting this animal as their
daily diets.
A similar pattern of painting is also shown on the other
outstanding prehistoric sites in Maros (such as Leang – leang and
Minasa te’ne sites) which
could inform us
that the Ancestors
were nomads-staying and going from
cave to cave as
their shelter-and hunting as their
lives survival.
Explorers Club Youth Activity Fund 2018
1. Dean Ri’zalt Tadisara
2. A. Nurul Virninda Yusuf
3. M. Sahrul T
4. Mohamed Padri
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