Influence of chemical constituents in Mt. Fuji's groundwater on the biological production in the Suruga Bay

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K12355
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 63040:Environmental impact assessment-related
• Research Institution: Shizuoka University
• Principal Investigator: Sohrin Rumi 静岡大学, 理学部, 准教授 (00343195)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 栄養塩 / 有機物 / 微量金属

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study addressed the influence of the Mt Fuji’s groundwater on biological production in the Suruga Bay, especially for the groundwater inflowing to the bay through rivers. By comparison between the rivers receiving the Mt Fuji’s groundwater (Fuji River and Kanogawa River), surface water near the river mouth of the Fuji River was more similar to the spring water of Mt Fuji than that of the Kanogawa River with regards to the chemical constituents. The Fuji River and the Kanogawa River had lower concentrations of organic carbon than the oceanic province of the Suruga Bay, revealing the relatively low contribution of the Mt Fuji’s groundwater to the heterotrophic microbial production in the Suruga Bay. The Fuji River and the Kanogawa River contained much more amount of phosphate compared to the rivers without Mt Fuji’s groundwater. From this result, it is inferred that Mt Fuji’s groundwater stimulates primary production in the Suruga Bay as the source of phosphorus.

Free Research Field

生物地球化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、富士山南麓の地下水と湧水中の主要栄養塩、微量金属、有機物を分析して、富士山で涵養した地下水(富士山系地下水)の生物地球化学的特徴づけを行ったことにより、富士山の自然科学的価値を再評価した点で学術的意義があるといえる。また、駿河湾に流入する主要河川についても同様の分析を行い、これらが流入する駿河湾に対する富士山系地下水と人間活動による生態学的影響を評価したことにより、SDGsの目標14 (海の豊かさを守ろう)に寄与した点に本研究の社会的意義がある。駿河湾は沿岸近くに沖合部を持つ希少な環境であり、陸域からの物質輸送がその水産資源に及ぼす影響を調べた本研究の成果は社会的に有用と考えられる。