Fern Diversity as a Baseline for Sustainable Management of Waterfall Ecosystems: A Case Study from Curug Gondoriyo, Semarang, Central Java

Curug Gondoriyo is one of the waterfall tourism areas in Semarang city that has the potential for fern diversity. Ferns can be easily found along the trail to the waterfall location. This study aims to determine the species composition, species diversity index, evenness index, and important value index of ferns in the Curug Gondoriyo waterfall area. The research was conducted at three sites. The sampling technique used a plot measuring 5m x 5m. This study found 23 fern species belonging to 8 different families. Pteridaceae has the most species, with six different species. Adiantum philippense had the highest number of individuals with the highest important value index of 57.45%. The species diversity index ranged from 2,07 to 2,63 categorized as medium. The species evenness index ranges from 0,83 to 0,91 categorized as almost evenly distributed. The findings highlight the ecological role of ferns in maintaining microhabitat stability and hydrological balance, providing essential insights for sustainable management of waterfall ecosystems and water resources.