Abstract
Zostera, Seagrass beds, which are important components of shallow water ecosystems, have diminished due
to land reclamation and water pollution in Japan. For this reasons, method to enhance Zostera beds is required
for their restoration.
In this paper, the distribution characteristics of Z.marina beds have been focused in relation to sheltering
against disturbance to the sandy substrata by waveaction, off Kushiki, Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture.
Z.marina beds were rare and included annual plants in their population on the natural bottom in areas without
shelter. Z.marina beds were abundant and perennial plants on the sheltered bottom by the breakwater inside of
Kushiki fishing port.
Heavy 10cm fluctuations in the level of the sandy bottom sediments caused by 2m (Hl/3) waves in winter
were the limiting factor of formation of Z.marina beds in study sites.
