Read the full story on Japan 2 Earth - Efforts Underway to Protect Coral in Japan's Colder Waters
Corals scattered in seas with relatively low temperatures at higher latitudes in Japan, such as in Honshu and Shikoku, are facing damage from global warming. Even areas that are home to over 100 species of corals are not as well known as the coral reefs in warmer seas like Okinawa. As a result, conservation efforts are inadequate.
Researchers and environmental groups have begun to bolster conservation efforts for corals in colder seas, using surveys conducted by the public as a springboard.
Threatened Coral Communities
Coral in Japan is divided into two types, with Tanegashima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture as the dividing line.
Coral found north of the line is called high-latitude coral. It does not form reefs like those commonly seen to the south. Rather, it is distributed in so-called 'communities'.
The northern limits of coral are in the Pacific Ocean off Chiba Prefecture and off Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture in the Sea of Japan.
The Kuroshio Biological Research Institute and WWF Japan are working on an initiative to protect the cold-water coral.
Continue reading the full story on Japan 2 Earth.
And find more great articles on the environment and the challenges of achieving the SDGs on our new website Japan 2 Earth (J2E), sparking a transition to the future.
RELATED:
- 500 Million Tons of Disappeared Plastic Waste: Flow into Oceans Is Just the Tip of the Iceberg
- Our Oceans: Young Green Turtle Shows Why We Need to Stop Plastic Waste
(Read the article in Japanese.)
Author: The Sankei Shimbun
