2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Study of reef biota and sediment distribution in the South Ryukyus and application to paleoenvironmental interpretation of Quaternary fossil reef deposits
| Project/Area Number |
18K03824
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Review Section |
Basic Section 17050:Biogeosciences-related
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| Research Institution | Nagoya University |
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Principal Investigator |
Humblet Marc 名古屋大学, 環境学研究科, 准教授 (40623616)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
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| Keywords | Coral reef / Ryukyu Islands / AUV / ROV / Mesophotic / Quaternary / Sea level change / Environmental change |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
In this study, two main research themes were investigated: (1) the nature and distribution of marine organisms and sediments in coral reef ecosystems in deep (>30 m) mesophotic settings, and (2) Quaternary reef growth and sea-level history. To address the first research theme, a new lightweight autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) was successfully tested at three sites around the Sekisei Lagoon, southern Ryukyu Islands. Additional seafloor images were acquired at six sites by remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). The surveys were conducted at depths of 30-70 m and revealed significant differences in benthos and bottom topography among the surveyed sites. To address the second theme, research was conducted on (1) late Middle Pleistocene limestones of the Minatogawa Formation in southern Okinawa-jima, (2) Holocene raised coral reef terraces of Kodakara-jima in the North Ryukyus, and (3) a late Quaternary submerged fossil reef in eastern Australia.
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| Free Research Field |
Geology
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
This research led to a better understanding of the distribution and composition of reef organisms at mesophotic depths in the South Ryukyus, to the development of a new AUV, and shed light on Quaternary reef growth and sea-level history in the Ryukyu Islands and the Great Barrier Reef of Australia.
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