Coastal Environment Research Group
~ Coastal environment research and its social utilization ~
Coastal ecosystems constitute an important economic sector in Japan and other island nations. They are densely inhabited with marine life and serve as productive fishing areas. Our group has been conducting coastal environment research in the Tsugaru Strait, which is adjacent to the MIO, as a test area. This strait is located between Honshu (Honshu) and Hokkaido. This strait is generally occupied by two water masses, the Tsugaru Warm Current Water from the Sea of Japan and the Oyashio (and/or the Coastal Oyashio) Current water from the North Pacific Ocean. The marine environment in this region is greatly affected by the seasonal and interannual fluctuations in the dominance of these water masses. Our recent research has also revealed rapid acidification of Tsugaru Warm Current water. We intend to continue our research to elucidate the causes of this change, and to assess its effects. We are also working on various observations in cooperation with stakeholders, with a view to social utilization of the observation results.
