Karakteristik Spasial dan Preferensi Habitat Persebaran Tumbuhan Invasif Jotang (Acmella Paniculata) di Arboretum Fakultas Kehutanan Universitas Sumatera Utara

Abstract

A. paniculata is a herbaceous plant from the Asteraceae family, recognized as an invasive species due to its high adaptability in open and disturbed environments such as roadsides and vacant lands. Its presence in arboreta poses a threat to local biodiversity and ecological balance. This study aims to analyze the spatial distribution characteristics and habitat preferences of A. paniculata in the Arboretum of the Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Sumatera Utara. MaxEnt modeling was used to predict potential distribution based on environmental variables (soil pH, temperature, light intensity, distance from rivers and roads, elevation, slope, and NDVI), while Nearest Neighbor Analysis assessed spatial distribution patterns. The results revealed a clustered distribution pattern (T = 0.07) with very high model accuracy (AUC = 0.993). The most influential environmental factors were distance from roads (58,1%), followed by soil temperature (16%) and soil pH (14,4 %). These findings provide a scientific basis for managing invasive species and implementing spatially-informed conservation strategies in arboretum ecosystems.