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Effect of breakwater restoration work following the subsidence caused by the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake on the subtidal kelp population
Author(s) -
Suzuki Haruka,
Aoki Tomoya,
Inomata Eri,
Agatsuma Yukio,
Aoki Masakazu N.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
phycological research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.438
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1440-1835
pISSN - 1322-0829
DOI - 10.1111/pre.12376
Subject(s) - kelp , intertidal zone , breakwater , subsidence , population , work (physics) , kelp forest , debris , oceanography , geology , fishery , ecology , biology , geomorphology , engineering , mechanical engineering , demography , structural basin , sociology
SUMMARY We conducted a 5‐year monitoring survey of a population of Eisenia bicyclis kelp at a coastal area that suffered subsidence from the 2011 earthquake and the subsequent breakwater restoration work. Due to subsidence, the former intertidal area sank to the subtidal zone, therefore, the density of E. bicyclis increased because of many recruits. However, after the restoration work, the area harboring the recruits was destroyed and landfilled. In an area that sank below the pre‐subsidence border of the kelp distribution, recruits were rare. Furthermore, an indirect effect of the restoration work was also observed on recruitment in the intact offshore kelp zone. Our results showed that the breakwater restoration work following subsidence had negative effects, not only to the density but also to the age structure of the E. bicyclis population.