Do Species Diversity and Productivity of Fisheries Resources Increase around Submarine Groundwater Seepages in Coastal Area?: Possible Effects of Global Warming

摘要

Economic values of the ecosystem services of coastal waters have been evaluated as among the highest among those of the world's ecosystems. Recently more attentions have been paid on the mechanisms how the freshwater (including surface and submarine ground waters) contribute to the high productivity and species diversity of the coastal ecosystems. We conducted physical and biological surveys in temperate coastal waters in Hiroshima, southwest Japan in order to examine effects of submarine groundwater on species diversity and productivity of fishery resources. Submarine ground water is nutritionally rich and stable in temperature throughout the year, indicating positive effects on fishery production and species diversity under a variety of changes in environmental conditions including global warming.