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PLoS One
2013 Jan 01;86:e65417. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065417.
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Disturbance of shallow marine soft-bottom environments and megabenthos assemblages by a huge tsunami induced by the 2011 M9.0 Tohoku-Oki earthquake.
Seike K
,
Shirai K
,
Kogure Y
.
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Huge tsunami waves associated with megathrust earthquakes have a severe impact on shallow marine ecosystems. We investigated the impact of a tsunami generated by the 2011 M9.0 Tohoku-Oki earthquake on the seafloor and large benthic animals in muddy and sandy ria coasts (Otsuchi and Funakoshi bays) in northeastern Japan. We conducted underwater field surveys using scuba equipment in water depths of <20 m before the tsunami (September 2010) and after the tsunami (September 2011 and September 2012). During the study period, episodic changes in topography and grain-size composition occurred on the seafloor of the study area. Megabenthos sampling revealed a distinct pattern of distribution succession for each benthic species. For example, the protobranch bivalve Yoldia notabilis (Bivalvia: Nuculanidae) and the heterodont bivalve Felaniella usta (Bivalvia: Ungulinidae) disappeared after the tsunami event, whereas the distribution of the venus clam Gomphina melanaegis (Bivalvia: Veneridae) remained unchanged. In addition, the patterns of succession for a single species, such as the giant button top shell Umbonium costatum (Gastropoda: Trochidae) and the heart urchin Echinocardium cordatum (Echinoidea: Loveniidae), varied between the two bays studied. Our data also show that reestablishment of some benthic animal populations began within 18 months of the tsunami disturbance.
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23762365
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Figure 1. Map of the study area and sampling stations.The striped area represents tsunami inundation. Open circles represent sampling stations (O-1 to O-5 in Otsuchi Bay; F-1 to F-5 in Funakoshi Bay). ICRC: International Coastal Research Center, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, the University of Tokyo. The map inset shows the epicenter of the 2011 M9.0 Tohoku-Oki earthquake and the study site (black arrow).
Figure 2. Seafloor photographs from representative sampling stations.Left, middle, and right were taken in September of 2010, 2011, and 2012, respectively. The plastic pipe provides a scale and is 2 cm in diameter. a–c: Seafloor at station O-2. Note the demise of large burrow openings since 2011 (after the tsunami). d–f: Seafloor at station O-3. The muddy seafloor changed to a sandy bed after the tsunami, and then reverted to a muddy bed. g–i: Seafloor at station F-3. Note the decrease in the number of fecal mounds produced by the lugworm Arenicola brasiliensis after the tsunami. The fecal mounds are approximately 10 cm in diameter. Ripple spacing in h and i is approximately 20 and 10 cm, respectively. j–l: Seafloor at station F-4. Note the complete demise of the sand dollar Scaphechinus mirabilis (black objects on seafloor) after the tsunami. The disc of the echinoderm is approximately 5 cm in diameter. Ripple spacing in k and l is 5–10 cm.
Figure 3. Results of megabenthos sampling in Otsuchi Bay.Large solid circles represent the presence of a benthic animal in a sampling station, while small open circles represent absence. Left, middle, and right maps represent the distribution of each species in September of 2010, 2011, and 2012, respectively. Note that the distribution succession differs among the species.
Figure 4. Results of megabenthos sampling in Funakoshi Bay.Large solid circles represent the presence of a benthic animal in a sampling station, while small open circles represent absence. Left, middle, and right maps represent the distribution of each species in September of 2010, 2011, and 2012, respectively. Note that the distribution succession differs among the species.
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