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Biodiversity is essentially a reflection of the number of species and individuals inhabiting a community, as seen in the Pteridophyta group. These plants, which have evolved to have differentiated roots, stems, and leaves, play an important role in forest systems, primarily as protectors of the soil surface from the effects of erosion, in addition to contributing to the decomposition of organic matter that produces nutrients, and being a major part of the producer chain in the trophic structure. The Jaboi hot spring area, located in the Sukajaya District of Sabang City, exhibits unique ecological characteristics, influenced by the presence of the Jaboi volcano, which gives rise to geothermal phenomena such as fumarole activity, hot steam emissions, and the emergence of high-temperature water flows. This geothermal dynamic directly causes alterations in the physical and chemical conditions of the local soil, thereby shaping habitat characteristics and influencing the existence of vegetation, including ferns. To date, there is little scientific information available on the diversity of ferns in this area. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine and measure the diversity of ferns in the Jaboi hot spring area. The study was conducted in October 2025 using an exploratory survey approach to determine plots and purposive sampling techniques for field data collection. Diversity analysis was based on the Shannon-Wiener index (Ĥ) formula. Based on the identification results, 15 species of ferns from a total of 6 families and 433 individuals were found. The diversity index obtained (Ĥ=2.490171) indicates a moderate level.

Herbaceous plants play an important role in reducing the negative impact of erosion on the surrounding environment. Their high adaptability and solitary distribution patterns allow herbs to grow in various habitat conditions. One location that shows a fairly high diversity of herbs is in the Jaboi Hot Spring Area, Sukajaya District, Sabang City. This study focused on grouping the types of herbaceous plants in the area and assessing their diversity. Data collection was carried out using a 100-meter line transect method, which was divided into four observation stations. Each station consisted of six 2 x 2-meter square plots used for species inventory. The observation resulted in data on 22 identified herbaceous species, representing 13 families, with a total of 385 individuals. The Convolvulaceae and Fabaceae families were the most dominant groups with four species from each family. The level of species diversity was analyzed using the Shannon-Wiener index, resulting in a score of 2.82, which is classified as moderate. The findings of this study provide preliminary information on the diversity of herbaceous plants in the area, which can be used as a reference for further research and environmental management in the Jaboi Hot Spring Area, Sukajaya District, Sabang City.

Tropical forests play an important role as carbon sinks and biomass stores, including through the litter produced by vegetation. Litter contributes to nutrient cycling, maintains soil fertility, and is an important component of ecosystem carbon reserves. This study aims to estimate the biomass and carbon content of litter in the Jaboi Hot Spring Flow Area, Sukajaya District, Sabang City. The study was conducted in June 2025 using a 100 m long line transect method with four transects, each consisting of 18 1 x 1 m plots. Leaf litter samples were collected, their wet weight was measured, dried in an oven for 48 hours, and their carbon content was calculated based on the percentage of organic carbon of 0.47. The results showed a total litter biomass of 8,106 kg/m² with an average of 2,027 kg/m², and a total litter carbon of 3,809 kg/m² with an average of 0,952 kg/m². The highest values were found at Station 3 (2,354 kg/m² and 1,106 kg/m²) and the lowest at Station 1 (1,691 kg/m² and 0,795 kg/m²). Variations in values are influenced by soil physical-chemical factors, vegetation density, and climatic conditions, which influence production and decomposition rates. These results emphasize the importance of monitoring biomass and litter carbon to support forest management and conservation.

Shrub vegetation is an important component in the structure of vegetation communities that have a significant ecological role, especially in maintaining soil stability and supporting biodiversity. One area that has the potential for shrub vegetation diversity but has not been scientifically documented is the Jaboi hot spring area, Weh Island, Sukajaya District, Sabang City. The purpose of this study was to investigate various types of shrub vegetation found in the study area and to calculate the diversity index. Data collection was carried out using a one-hundred-meter line transect method divided into four paths, with one pair of transects directed towards residential areas and plantation areas, while the remaining two transects were directed towards areas that were still forested. At each transect there were six observation points with a distance between points of 20 meters, each point consisting of three quadrat plots measuring 2 × 2 meters. Analysis of the diversity index used the Shannon-Wiener formula (H’). The results showed that there were 9 shrub species from 7 families with a total of 169 individuals from four observation stations. The Melastomataceae family dominates the shrub community with two main species, Melastoma malabathricum and Memecylon caeruleum. The diversity index value is 2.17, which is included in the moderate category (H = 2–3). This diversity is influenced by the physical-chemical conditions of the environment, such as acidic soil pH (4.4–5.5) and relatively stable temperatures, although temperatures exceeding the optimum limit were found in some locations. This study provides initial data on the potential of shrub vegetation as a basis for ecosystem management and conservation in the area.

Biodiversity is a combination of the number of species and the number of individuals of each species in a community, one of which is in the Lichen group. Lichen is a form of mutualistic symbiosis between fungi and algae that morphologically and physiologically form a whole unit to produce new, unique individuals. This organism has an important role in the ecosystem, such as indicators of environmental quality, nutrient cycles, and soil surface cover. However, data on the diversity of Lichen species, especially in Geothermal areas, is still very limited so that information on their distribution and composition in the area is not optimal. This study aims to analyze the diversity index of Lichen species in the Jaboi Hot Spring area, Sukajaya District, Sabang City. The study was conducted in June 2025 using a combination of exploratory survey methods to determine research stations and transect line boundaries, as well as purposive sampling methods for Lichen sampling. Data were analyzed using the Shannon-Wiener diversity index (Ĥ). The results showed that there were 17 Lichen species belonging to 11 families with a total of 2027 colonies found in all observation stations. The obtained diversity index value was Ĥ = 2.819214, which is recommended as moderate diversity. These findings indicate that although the Jaboi Hot Springs area has unique environmental conditions due to geothermal activity, it still supports a diverse range of lichen species. This information is expected to form the basis for further research on lichen ecology, biodiversity conservation, and its potential use in geothermal areas. Furthermore, the results of this study can make important contributions to environmental management and bioindicator-based ecosystem quality monitoring.