抄録
The coastal zone forms an ecotone between the sea and the land and bears one of the most productive ecosystems on the earth. Environmental conservation of this zone is essential since it has rich biodiversity and provides resources not only to humans but also to the sea and land ecosystems. In Japan, however, the natural environment of the coastal zone has been damaged primarily by human impact. Construction of artificial structures aiming at protecting erosion from disastrous high waves resulted in more than a half of Japanese seacoasts covered by artificial structures in recent forty years. Particularly, the wetland seacoasts are fragile and their ecosystems have been seriously degraded. Coastal fisheries have shown the degradation of biodiversity and the biomass in the seacoast ecosystems. Recently, however, some artificial structures have been built. for natural restoration and creation. Seacoast Law of Japan revised definitions of the terms of environmental factors in 1999. This new social scheme may provide new thought for construction affairs. In this special issue, environmental coastal and fishery engineering, the integrated study of ecology and engineering, the contribution of amateurism, new visions of the revised Seacoast Law, partnership of scientists, engineers, and citizens, long-term monitoring of local naturalists are addressed in order to elucidate the present situations, aims and the future perspective on Japanese seacoast environmental conservation.
