Transition of flora and fauna of the tidal flat of Japan compiled from museum specimens, and the application to their conservation

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23701025
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Museology
• Research Institution: Osaka Museum of Natural History
• Principal Investigator: ISHIDA So 大阪市立自然史博物館, 学芸課, 学芸員 (50435880)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 博物館標本 / 干潟 / ベントス / 軟体動物 / 保全 / 大阪湾 / レッドリスト / 市民参加型調査

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Biota, especially molluscan fauna of the tidal flat of Tokyo Bay and Osaka Bay from the Meiji era to 1950’s (i.e., before the period of Japanese post-war economic growth) were compiled from museum specimens. Molluscan specimen records revealed that 32 species (19 families) in Tokyo Bay and 17 species (10 families) in Osaka Bay declined remarkably after the economic growth period. One of the environmental factors to explain their decline would be the reduction of the area of tidal flat and reedy marsh. In addition, these results were utilized to formulate the local red list and to decide the subject of environmental monitoring research conducted by citizen scientists in Osaka Bay.

Free Research Field

底生生物学