Contents Chapter I Introduction 1 Jianguo Du and Ucu Yanu Arbi 1.1 Background of the study areas 1 1.2 The cooperation project 2 1.3 Investigation areas in North Sulawesi 3 References 5 Chapter II Geographical and Hydrological Condition 6 Aijun Pan��Deny Sutisna��Weibo Wang��Xiwu Zhou��Edi Kusmanto��M Hasanudin��Kai Li and Mingzhang Zeng 2.1 Geomorphology of North Sulawesi Sea 6 2.2 The Field observations and subsurface mooring system (SMS) 10 2.3 Water mass features in southern and northern Lembeh Strait 11 2.4 Current characteristics 16 2.5 Conclusions 18 References 18 Chapter III Mangrove Ecosystem 20 Guangcheng Chen��Sastro Pramudji��I Wayan Eka Dharmawan��Hadiyanto��Junhui Lin��Heshan Lin��Indra Aswandy��Erna Widyastuti and Rianta Pratiwi 3.1 Introduction 20 3.2 Mangrove communities in Kema��Pintu Kota and Likupang 21 3.3 Benthos diversity in Kema��Teremaal��Likupang and Wori 26 3.4 Soil environments in Kema and North Minahasa mangroves 33 3.5 Conclusions 38 References 39 Chapter IV Seagrass Ecosystem 43 Jianguo Du��Udhi Eko Hernawan��Teguh Peristiwady��Shunyang Chen��Muhamad Husni Azkab��I Wayan Eka Dharmawan��Junhui Lin��Ucu Yanu Arbi��Heshan Lin��Petrus Christianus Makatipu��Xinqing Zheng and Jianji Liao 4.1 Introduction 43 4.2 Soil environment in seagrass meadows 45 4.3 Seagrass diversity in North Sulawesi 48 4.4 Benthos diversity in seagrass meadows 54 4.5 Fish diversity in seagrass meadows 59 4.6 Food source of seagrass fishes and benthos 65 4.7 Conclusions 70 References 71 Chapter V Coral Reef Ecosystem 75 Suharsono��Jianguo Du��Tri Aryono��Wentao Niu��Petrus Makatipu��Teguh Peristiwady��Danyun Ou��Xiaofeng Shi and Jianji Liao 5.1 Introduction 75 5.2 Coral diversity in Lembeh Strait 77 5.3 Sponge diversity in Lembeh Strait 81 5.4 Reef fish diversity in Lembeh Strait 82 5.5 Genetic diversity of fishes and bacterium 97 5.6 Food web of coral reef ecosystem in Lembeh Strait 103 5.7 Conclusions 107 References 107 Chapter VI Nearshore Pelagic Ecosystem 111 Muswerry��Senming Tang��Zhiyuan Ma��Ricardo Huwae��Baohong Chen��Hanif Budiprayitno��Yanguo Wang��Nurul Fitriya��Hikmah Thoha��Arief Rachman and Haifeng Gu 6.1 Introduction 111 6.2 Water chemistry 112 6.3 Time series parameters from Eco-Buoy 117 6.4 Micro-phytoplankton distribution in Lembeh Strait 124 6.5 Net phytoplankton composition in North Sulawesi 137 6.6 Zooplankton diversity in North Sulawesi 142 6.7 Conclusions 153 References 154 Chapter VII Summary 158 Bin Chen and Dirhamsyah 7.1 Mangrove ecosystem 158 7.2 Coral ecosystem 159 7.3 Seagrass ecosystem 160 7.4 Nearshore pelagic ecosystem 160 7.5 Comments and suggestions 161 Appendix I Species list 163 A.I-1 Species list of true mangrove and mangrove association in North Sulawesi 163 A.I-2 Species list of mangrove benthos in North Sulawesi 164 A.I-3 Species list of seagrass in North Sulawesi 167 A.I-4 Species list of seagrass benthos in North Sulawesi 167 A.I-5 Species list of seagrass fish in North Sulawesi 171 A.I-6 Species list of coral in Lembeh Strait 173 A.I-7 Species list of sponge in Lembeh Strait 179 A.I-8 Species list of reef fish in North Sulawesi 182 A.I-9 Species list of phytoplankton and potentially harmful algae in Lembeh Strait 190 A.I-10 Species list of zooplankton in North Sulawesi 201 A.I-11 Species list of transitory plankton in North Sulawesi 212 Appendix II Atlas 214 A.II-1 Atlas of common mangrove in North Sulawesi 214 A.II-2 Atlas of common seagrass in Lembeh Strait 216 A.II-3 Atlas of seagrass benthos in North Sulawesi 217 A.II-4 Atlas of common corals in Lembeh Strait 219 A.II-5 Atlas of common sponges in Lembeh Strait 236 A.II-6 Atlas of reef fishes in North Sualwesi 241 A.II-7 Atlas of phytoplankton in Lembeh Strait 243 A.II-8 Atlas of common Zooplankton in North Sulawesi 251 Appendix III Working photos 255 A.III-1 Conferences��discussions and others interior working photos 255 A.III-2 Monitoring��sampling and others outside working photos 257