Short Communication: Gen Z Ecological Literacy Mapping on the 2026 Kalimantan Wildfires: Bridging the Gap Between Awareness and Ecological Blindness

Background: Digital survey-based ecological literacy mapping is widely utilized to gauge youth responses to environmental crises. However, conventional assessment frameworks often fail to distinguish between superficial emotional awareness and deep mechanistic scientific understanding, thereby masking critical gaps in climate education. Objective: We introduce a three-tier categorization framework comprising High Literacy, Moderate Literacy, and Ecological Blindness to systematically diagnose the gap between emotional empathy and functional scientific comprehension among Generation Z regarding the 2026 Kalimantan Forest and Land Fires (Kebakaran Hutan dan Lahan / Karhutla). Methods: We outline the mapping methodology and evaluate the literacy distribution across N=61 Gen Z respondents from diverse educational backgrounds, assessing their comprehension of complex sub-surface peatland ecology (such as soil microbiome degradation and the carbon sink-to-source transition) alongside perceived barriers to accessing formal scientific literature. Results: Findings reveal that the majority of respondents cluster within Moderate Literacy and Ecological Blindness (>65%), characterized by a profound lack of awareness regarding subterranean peatland dynamics despite exceptionally high emotional concern for endangered wildlife and flora. Furthermore, the analysis confirms that complex academic terminology and heavy reliance on unstructured social media channels serve as primary structural deterrents. Significance: This open framework provides a practical diagnostic tool for environmental scientists, educators, and science communicators to restructure targeted digital outreach, effectively bridging the chasm between superficial eco-awareness and functional ecological literacy among youth populations.