101
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2019
T. Kuwae, M. Hori (eds.), Blue Carbon in Shallow Coastal Ecosystems,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1295-3_4
Chapter 4
Carbon Sequestration by Seagrass
and Macroalgae in Japan: Estimates
and Future Needs
Goro Yoshida, Masakazu Hori, Hiromori Shimabukuro, Hideki Hamaoka,
Toshihiro Onitsuka, Natsuki Hasegawa, Daisuke Muraoka, Kousuke Yatsuya,
Kentaro Watanabe, and Masahiro Nakaoka
Abstract In this chapter, we estimated carbon sequestration by seagrass and macroalgal beds, defined as the integration of annual plant tissue (organic carbon) production, in Japan. Each of the main four beds, eelgrass beds (Amamo-ba), Sargassum
beds (Garamo-ba), warm-temperate kelp beds (Arame-ba), and cold-temperate kelp
beds (Kombu-ba), exhibited a distinctive geographic distributional pattern along
Japan’s coasts that depended on regional climate and topographic characteristics.
The total area of the four beds was approximately 230,000 ha nationwide, based on
an analysis of the latest satellite images and information on past distributions of the
beds. Carbon sequestration of each seagrass or macroalgal bed was evaluated as
G. Yoshida (*) · M. Hori · H. Shimabukuro
National Research Institute of Fisheries and Environment of Inland Sea, Japan Fisheries
Research and Education Agency, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima, Japan
e-mail: gorogoro@affrc.go.jp
H. Hamaoka
Niigata Prefectural Fisheries and Marine Research Institute, Niigata, Japan
T. Onitsuka
Kushiro Laboratory, Hokkaido National Fisheries Research Institute, Japan Fisheries
Research and Education Agency, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency,
Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan
N. Hasegawa
National Research Institute of Aquaculture, Fisheries Research and Education Agency,
Minami-ise, Mie, Japan
D. Muraoka · K. Yatsuya
Miyako Laboratory, Tohoku National Fisheries Research Institute, Japan Fisheries Research
and Education Agency, Miyako, Iwate, Japan
K. Watanabe
Waterfront Vitalization and Environmental Research Foundation, Naha, Okinawa, Japan
M. Nakaoka
Akkeshi Marine Station, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University,
Akkeshi, Hokkaido, Japan
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2019
T. Kuwae, M. Hori (eds.), Blue Carbon in Shallow Coastal Ecosystems,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1295-3_4
Chapter 4
Carbon Sequestration by Seagrass
and Macroalgae in Japan: Estimates
and Future Needs
Goro Yoshida, Masakazu Hori, Hiromori Shimabukuro, Hideki Hamaoka,
Toshihiro Onitsuka, Natsuki Hasegawa, Daisuke Muraoka, Kousuke Yatsuya,
Kentaro Watanabe, and Masahiro Nakaoka
Abstract In this chapter, we estimated carbon sequestration by seagrass and macroalgal beds, defined as the integration of annual plant tissue (organic carbon) production, in Japan. Each of the main four beds, eelgrass beds (Amamo-ba), Sargassum
beds (Garamo-ba), warm-temperate kelp beds (Arame-ba), and cold-temperate kelp
beds (Kombu-ba), exhibited a distinctive geographic distributional pattern along
Japan’s coasts that depended on regional climate and topographic characteristics.
The total area of the four beds was approximately 230,000 ha nationwide, based on
an analysis of the latest satellite images and information on past distributions of the
beds. Carbon sequestration of each seagrass or macroalgal bed was evaluated as
G. Yoshida (*) · M. Hori · H. Shimabukuro
National Research Institute of Fisheries and Environment of Inland Sea, Japan Fisheries
Research and Education Agency, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima, Japan
e-mail: gorogoro@affrc.go.jp
H. Hamaoka
Niigata Prefectural Fisheries and Marine Research Institute, Niigata, Japan
T. Onitsuka
Kushiro Laboratory, Hokkaido National Fisheries Research Institute, Japan Fisheries
Research and Education Agency, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency,
Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan
N. Hasegawa
National Research Institute of Aquaculture, Fisheries Research and Education Agency,
Minami-ise, Mie, Japan
D. Muraoka · K. Yatsuya
Miyako Laboratory, Tohoku National Fisheries Research Institute, Japan Fisheries Research
and Education Agency, Miyako, Iwate, Japan
K. Watanabe
Waterfront Vitalization and Environmental Research Foundation, Naha, Okinawa, Japan
M. Nakaoka
Akkeshi Marine Station, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University,
Akkeshi, Hokkaido, Japan