Response of coral reefs and coral reef ecosystems to Quaternary climate changes

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25247083
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Geology
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Yasufumi Iryu 東北大学, 理学研究科, 教授 (00250671)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 佐藤 時幸 秋田大学, 工学資源学研究科, 教授 (60241668) ; 松田 博貴 熊本大学, 自然科学研究科, 教授 (80274687)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): MATSUDA Hiroki 熊本大学, 自然科学研究科(理), 教授 (80274687)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 第四紀 / サンゴ / サンゴ礁 / 琉球列島

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Sedimentological and paleontological studies were conducted on Quaternary reef complex deposits and underlying siliciclatics on the Ryukyu Islands to delineate responses of coral reefs and coral reef ecosystem to Quaternary climate changes. Based on the results of these studies along with knowledge on the current phylogeographical patterns and past changes in various terrestrial biotic lineages, geological and paleoceanographic evolution of the islands was reconstructed. Latitudinal variations in the taxonomic compositions (e.g., species and generic richness) of fossil coral assemblages was shown to be not so clear as those of modern assemblages., due to various taphonomic bias to preservation of the latter. Fossil and modern calcareous species and their distributions in the Ryukyu Islands were reported and their paleontological implications were discussed.

Free Research Field

サンゴ礁地質学