Abstract
The mangroves of Japan are at the northern limit of their distribution in the Indo-Pacific region; Kamino River of Hioki City (31°37′N) may in fact be the northernmost limit of mangroves in the world. Mangroves are found only in two southern prefectures, namely, Kagoshima and Okinawa. The total area of mangroves in Japan is 870 ha, less than 0.01% of the country’s total forest area, but they are protected and increasing in area and important for tourism.
Eleven mangrove species occur in Okinawa Prefecture and four species occur in Kagoshima Prefecture. In the first case study, the contents of mineral nutrients in mangrove rivers and in the leaves of Bruguiera gymnorhiza and Rhizophora stylosa, on Ishigaki and Iriomote Islands, were measured. The second case study describes the faunal, distributional, and ecological features of decapod crustaceans inhabiting mangrove environments in Japan. Tourism and beach cleaning activities on Iriomote Island are components of the third case study.
Note: General Description was written by Nozomi Oshiro, Mio Kezuka and Mami Kainuma; Case study on mineral nutrients in the leaves of two mangrove species was by Tomomi Inoue, Ayato Kohzu, Yasuaki Akaji, Shingo Miura and Shigeyuki Baba; Case study on decapod crustaceans inhabiting mangrove ecosystems was by Tohru Naruse; Case study on tourism and beach cleaning on Iriomote Island was by Nozomi Oshiro, Mio Kezuka and Harumi Tokuoka.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Abele LG (1970) Semi-terrestrial shrimp (Merguia rhizophorae). Nature 226:661–662
Alongi DM, Boto KG, Robertson AI (1992) Nitrogen and phosphorus cycles. In: Robertson AI, Alongi DM (eds) Tropical mangrove ecosystems. American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, pp 251–292
Baba S, Kitamura (1999) Japanese handbook for planting mangroves – for activities to restore mangrove forests. Japan International Forestry Promotion & Cooperation Center, Tokyo
Baba S, Nagashima T (2017) Mangrove ecosystems exploration picture book. Tokyo, Kaisei-sha, p 80
Baba S, Ishigaki K, Itani G, Motegi N (2011) Studies on marine litter on Iriomote Island, Okinawa, Japan. Int J Okinawan Stud 2(1):47–60
Davie PJF, Kosuge T (1995) A new species of Tmethypocoelis (Crustacea: Brachyura: Ocypodidae) from Japan. Raffles Bull Zool 43(1):207–215
Davie PJF, Shih HT, Chan BKK (2010) A new species of Mictyris (Decapoda, Brachyura, Mictyridae) from the Ryukyu Islands, Japan. Crustaceana Monographs 11, Studies on Brachyura: A Homage to Danièle Guinot, pp 83–105
De Grave S, Fransen CHJM (2011) Carideorum catalogus: the recent species of the dendrobranchiate, stenopodidean, procarididean and caridean shrimps (Crustacea: Decapoda). Zool Meded 89(5):195–589
Forestry Agency of Japan (2019) Annual report on forest and forestry in Japan fiscal year 2019. https://www.maff.go.jp/e/data/publish/attach/pdf/index-182.pdf. Accessed 25 March 2021
Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GIS) (2019) Longitude and latitude of Japan. https://www.gsi.go.jp/KOKUJYOHO/center.htm. Accessed 25 March 2021
Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GIS) (2021) GSI technical document E 2, No. 71, p 93. https://www.gsi.go.jp/KOKUJYOHO/MENCHO/backnumber/GSI-menseki20210101.pdf. Accessed 26 March 2021
Hatusima S (1975) Flora of the Ryukyus. Okinawa Seibutsu Kyoiku Kenkyukai (Okinawa Biological Education Study Group), Okinawa, p 1002
Hatusima S, Amano T (1977) Flora of the Ryukyus, South of Amami Island. Deigo Publishing Company, Okinawa
Hayashi KI (2011) Freshwater decapod crustaceans of the world. In: Kawai T, Nakata K (eds) Crabs, shrimps and crayfishes: conservation and biology of freshwater crustaceans. Seibutsu Kenkyusha, Tokyo, pp 115–121
Holthuis LB (1958) Contributions to New Guinea carcinology. II. On Merguia oligodon (De Man). Nova Guinea 9(2):231–234
Hsueh PW (2018) A new species of Neorhynchoplax (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Hymenosomatidae) from Taiwan. Zootaxa 4461(3):350–358
Iriomote Island Eco-tourism Association (2012) To get rid of drifted garbage from Iriomotejima’s mangroves. International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems, Okinawa, p 8
Iriomote Island Eco-Tourism Association and International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (2021) Annual report on drifted garbage on the shore of Iriomote Island for the fiscal year 2019. International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems, Okinawa, p 10
Ishigaki City (2009) Ishigaki statistics No. 32, p 126. https://www.city.ishigaki.okinawa.jp/material/files/group/9/h20_toukei-all.pdf. Accessed 24 March 2021
Ishigaki City (2021) Ishigaki City population. https://www.city.ishigaki.okinawa.jp/soshiki/kikaku_seisaku/4/12/4393.html. Accessed 24 March 2021
ISME (2004) Mangrove distribution survey in Okinawa prefecture for the purpose of monitoring coastal ecosystems and sea level rise. Okinawa prefecture commissioned survey research in fiscal year 2003. International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems, Okinawa, p 153
Japanese Association of Benthology (2012) Threatened animals of Japanese tidal flats: red data book of seashore benthos. Tokai University Press, Kanagawa, p 285
Khan MN, Kabir ME (2017) Ecology of Kandelia obovata (S., L.) Yong: a fast-growing mangrove in Okinawa, Japan. In: Participatory mangrove management in a changing climate. Springer, Tokyo, pp 287–301
Lambers H, Oliveira RS (2019) Mineral nutrition. In: Lambers H, Oliveira RS (eds) Plant physiological ecology, 3rd edn. Springer, Gewerbestrasse, pp 301–370
Lambers H, Hayes PE, Laliberté E, Oliveira RS, Turner BL (2015) Leaf manganese accumulation and phosphorus-acquisition efficiency. Trends Plant Sci 20:83–90
Li JJ, Rahayu DL, Ng PKL (2018) Identity of the tree-spider crab, Parasesarma leptosoma (Hilgendorf, 1869) (Decapoda: Brachyura: Sesarmidae), with descriptions of seven new species from the Western Pacific. Zootaxa 4482(3):451–490
Liu B, Liu X, Huo S, Chen X, Wu L, Chen M, Zhou K, Li Q, Peng L (2017) Properties of root exudates and rhizosphere sediment of Bruguiera gymnorrhiza (L.). J Soils Sediments 17:266–276
Maenosono T, Saeki T (2016) The sesarmid (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura) fauna of Ishigaki-jima Island, Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan, with new distributional records. Fauna Ryukyuana 33:1–13
ManGlobal (2019) Kagoshima and Okinawa mangrove exploration. https://www.manglobal.or.jp/. Accessed 13 May 2021
Matsutani T, Nagai T, Nakanishi Y (2013) Litterfall removal by detritivorous crabs in a mangrove forest of Miyakojima Island. J Agric Sci Tokyo Univ Agric 58(3):141–148
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) (2019) 100 selections of forest giants. https://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/kyusyu/invitation/kyojin.kyojyu/kyo/99.html
Mitch WJ, Gosselink JG (2007) Wetland biogeochemistry. In: Mitch WJ, Gosselink JG (eds) Wetlands, 4th edn. Wiley, Hoboken, pp 163–206
Miyawaki A (1986) Socio-economic aspects of mangrove vegetation in Japan. In: Kunstadter P, Bird ECF, Sabhasri S (eds) Man in the mangroves: the socio-economic situation of human settlements in mangrove forests. The United Nations University, Tokyo, pp 96–103
Nagai T, Naruse T, Maenosono T, Fujita Y, Komai T (2011) Taxonomy and distribution of the three sesarmid genera, Neosarmatium, Sarmatium and Tiomanium (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura) in the Ryukyu Archipelago. Biol Mag 49:15–36
Naruse T (2005) Species of Moguai Tan and Ng 1999. (Decapoda: Brachyura: Camptandriidae) from brackish waters in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, with the description of a new species. Zootaxa 1044:57–64
Naruse T, Kishino T (2006) New species of Ilyograpsus from the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, with notes on I. nodulosus Sakai, 1983. Crust Res 35:67–78
Naruse T, Ng PKL (2008) A new species of Chiromantes s. str. (Decapoda: Brachyura: Sesarmidae) from the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, with a note on the identity of Holometopus serenei Soh, 1978. Crust Res 37:1–13
Naruse T, Shokita S, Kawahara T (2005) Neorhynchoplax yaeyamaensis, a new false spider crab (Decapoda: Brachyura: Hymenosomatidae) from the Yaeyama Group, the Ryukyu Islands, Japan. Zootaxa 877:1–7
Ng PK (2015) Neorhynchoplax venusta, a new species of hymenosomatid crab (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura) from Singapore. Raffles Bull Zool Suppl 31:193–198
Ng PK, Chuang CT (1996) The Hymenosomatidae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura) of Southeast Asia, with notes on other species. Raffles Bull Zool Suppl 3:1–82
Ng NK, Naruse T, Shih HT (2018) Helice epicure, a new species of varunid mud crab (Brachyura, Decapoda, Grapsoidea) from the Ryukyus, Japan. Zool Stud 57:15
Okinawa General Bureau (2021) Annual statistical report. Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Department, Okinawa General Bureau, Okinawa, p 208
Okinawa Prefecture Government (2021) Overview of tourism statistics in the islands of Yaeyama. https://www.pref.okinawa.jp/site/somu/yaeyama/shinko/documents/documents/kankoutantou.html. Accessed 24 March 2021
Pang J, Bansal R, Zhao H, Bohuon E, Lambers H, Ryan MH, Ranathunge K, Siddique KHM (2018) The carboxylate-releasing phosphorus-mobilizing strategy can be proxied by foliar manganese concentration in a large set of chickpea germplasm under low phosphorus supply. New Phytol 219:518–529
Sata T, Shimabukuro S, Tomori S (1993) Research on resources of crabs (especially Portunus pelagicus) inhabiting mangrove forest-neighboring inner-bay. In: Annual report of Okinawa Fisheries Experimental Stations. Okinawa Fisheries Experimental Stations, Okinawa, p 153
Shahdadi A, Fratini S, Schubart CB (2020) Taxonomic reassessment of Parasesarma (Crustacea: Brachyura: Decapoda: Sesarmidae) based on genetic and morphological comparisons, with the description of a new genus. Zool J Linnean Soc 190(4):1123–1158
Sheue CR, Liu HY, Yong JW (2003) Kandelia obovata (Rhizophoraceae), a new mangrove species from Eastern Asia. Taxon 52(2):287–294
Spalding M, Kainuma M, Collins L (2010) World atlas of mangroves. A collaborative project of ITTO, ISME, FAO, UNESCO-MAB, UNEP-WCMC and UNU-INWEH. Earthscan, London
Steudler PA, Peterson BJ (1984) Contribution of gaseous sulphur from salt marshes to the global sulphur cycle. Nature 311:455–457
Suzuki T (2016) Fishes of the Urauchi River, Iriomote Island. Current status and issues of rare species of fish in Japan. Jpn J Ichthyol 63(1):39–43
Suzuki H, Naruse T (2011) Freshwater decapod crustaceans in Japan. In: Kawai T, Nakata K (eds) Crabs, shrimps and crayfishes: Conservation and biology of freshwater crustaceans. Seibutsu Kenkyusha, Tokyo, pp 39–73
Taketomi Town (2021) Statistics of Taketomi districts. https://www.town.taketomi.lg.jp/administration/toukei/jinko/doutai/. Accessed 24 March 2021
Terada J (2017) Damage to mangroves by the cold wave in January 2016, the special natural monument of the habitat of Ryukyukougai in Kiire. Kagoshima Prefect Museum Res Rep 36:73–79
Tomlinson PB (2016) The botany of mangroves, 2nd edn. Cambridge University Press, New York
UNESCO World Heritage Center (2021) Four natural and three cultural sites added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Retrieved from https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/2318/
Walker EH (1976) Flora of Okinawa and the Southern Ryukyu Islands. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC
Wang W, Yan Z, You S, Zhang Y, Chen L, Lin G (2011) Mangroves: obligate or facultative halophytes? A review. Trees 25:953–963
Wang Y, Fang L, Lin L, Luan T, Tam NFY (2014) Effects of low molecular-weight organic acids and dehydrogenase activity in rhizosphere sediments of mangrove plants on phytoremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Chemosphere 99:152–159
Wong KJH, Chan BKK, Shih HT (2010) Taxonomy of the sand bubbler crabs Scopimera globosa De Haan, 1835, and S. tuberculata Stimpson, 1858 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Dotillidae) in East Asia, with description of a new species from the Ryukyus, Japan. Zootaxa 2345:43–59
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank Prof. Thammineni Pullaiah of Sri Krishnadevaraya University, India, for his kind invitation to write this chapter. The authors extend their appreciation to Dr. Hung Tuck Chan for his careful reading, useful comments, and encouraging support in compiling and finalizing the chapter. The authors also wish to thank Mr. Shunichi Inaba for his kind support during the mangrove survey in Kagoshima Prefecture and to many others for their generous support.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Inoue, T. et al. (2022). Mangroves of Japan. In: Das, S.C., Pullaiah, Ashton, E.C. (eds) Mangroves: Biodiversity, Livelihoods and Conservation . Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-0519-3_18
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-0519-3_18
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-19-0518-6
Online ISBN: 978-981-19-0519-3
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)