This book presents recent results of collaborative studies in geophysics and ecology, focusing on the relationship between the physical environment and the distribution of the marine coastal ecosystems. The study area, the Sakiyamawan–Amitoriwan nature conservation area in Iriomote Island of Japan, is the only oceanic nature conservation area in the country. The area has no access roads, and the bay perimeter is uninhabited; therefore, it preserves the natural environment with very little human impact. In addition, it has various environmental gradients such as topography and inflows from rivers with mangrove forests which affect the distribution of marine coastal ecosystems such as those containing reef-building corals, sea grasses, and hermit crabs. For these reasons, the area is one of the best places for the study of the relationship between the physical environment and the distribution of the marine coastal ecosystems, a relationship that is important for their conservation but has not been investigated fully. This book is aimed at students and researchers in the fields of oceanography and marine coastal ecology as well as general readers who are interested in coral reefs, diving, and nature conservation.
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Iriomote Island, Japan (Shinya Shimokawa, Hiroyoshi Kohno, Akira Mizutani, Masako Nakamura, Wataru Doi)....Pages 3-35 Observational Method (Tomokazu Murakami)....Pages 37-40 Numerical Simulation Method (Tomokazu Murakami)....Pages 41-51 Front Matter ....Pages 53-53 Dynamical Properties of Coastal Currents in the Northwestern Part of Iriomote Island Part. 1—Sakiyama and Amitori Bays (Jun Yoshino, Tomokazu Murakami, Akiyuki Ukai, Hiroyoshi Kohno, Shinya Shimokawa, Kouta Nakase et al.)....Pages 55-73 Dynamical Properties of Coastal Currents in the Northwestern Part of Iriomote Island Part. 2—Funauki and Shirahama Bays (Jun Yoshino, Tomokazu Murakami, Akiyuki Ukai, Hiroyoshi Kohno, Shinya Shimokawa, Kouta Nakase et al.)....Pages 75-102 Sediment Monitoring in Sakiyama and Amitori Bays (Takumi Okabe, Tomokazu Murakami, Hiroyoshi Kohno, Akira Mizutani, Shinya Shimokawa)....Pages 103-125 Transport Properties of Soil Particles in Sakiyama and Amitori Bays (Shinya Shimokawa, Tomokazu Murakami, Hiroyoshi Kohno, Akira Mizutani)....Pages 127-138 Underwater Three-Dimensional Measurements (Hiroyuki Obanawa, Yu Tabayashi, Tomokazu Murakami, Hiroyoshi Kohno, Shinya Shimokawa, Akira Mizutani)....Pages 139-151 Front Matter ....Pages 153-153 Coral Distributions and Physical Environments in Amitori Bay (Shinya Shimokawa, Tomokazu Murakami, Akiyuki Ukai, Hiroyoshi Kohno, Akira Mizutani, Kouta Nakase)....Pages 155-170 Coral Distributions and Physical Environments in Sakiyama Bay (Shinya Shimokawa, Hiroyoshi Kohno, Tomokazu Murakami, Akira Mizutani)....Pages 171-184 Estimation Technique for Horizontal Distribution of Coral (Akiyuki Ukai, Tomokazu Murakami, Akira Mizutani, Kouta Nakase, Shinya Shimokawa, Hiroyoshi Kohno)....Pages 185-195 Distribution of Enhalus acoroides According to Waves and Currents (Kota Nakase, Tomokazu Murakami, Hiroyoshi Kohno, Akiyuki Ukai, Akira Mizutani, Shinya Shimokawa)....Pages 197-215 Front Matter ....Pages 217-217 Numerical Analysis of Initial Dynamic State of Bundle of Acroporidae spawning in Amitori Bay (Tomokazu Murakami, Hiroyoshi Kohno, Akira Mizutani, Shinya Shimokawa)....Pages 219-230 Numerical Analysis of Dispersals of Enhalus acoroides Seeds and Fruits in the Northwest Sea Area of Iriomote Island (Tomokazu Murakami, Hiroyoshi Kohno, Akira Mizutani, Shinya Shimokawa)....Pages 231-247 Coral Recruitment on a Local Scale in Amitori Bay, Iriomote Island, Estimated by Filed Surveys and Numerical Analyses (Masako Nakamura, Tomokazu Murakami, Hiroyoshi Kohno, Akira Mizutani)....Pages 249-259 Numerical Analysis of the Dynamic State of Coenobita brevimanus Larvae in Amitori Bay (Wataru Doi, Tomokazu Murakami, Akira Mizutani, Shinya Shimokawa, Hiroyoshi Kohno)....Pages 261-273