Physiographic Unit for Understanding the Spatial Structure of the Coral Reef Ecosystem at the Yoron Island Fringing Reef, Ryukyu Islands

Abstract

The spatial structures of a 10¹-10³ m scale on coral reefs were understood by reading aerial photographs and investigating the topography of the fringing reef at the eastern part of Yoron Island, Ryukyu Islands. This study set a new physiographic unit (PGU) at the coral reefs as well as studied zonation. PGU has the following characteristics. (1) In an aerial photo, a linear pattern comprising micro-landform arrangements is recognized on the reef flat; (2) Seawater flowing beyond the reef crest from the open sea and entering the moat before returning to the open sea through a breakout in the reef crest or a channel flowing parallel to the shoreline constitute a very common pattern in the research area; (3) The series of currents observed in the area constitute a water system resembling a drainage water system on land and 4 systems were arranged at the eastern part of Yoron Island ; (4) The movement of seawater is controlled by landforms such as reef crests, channels and lands (a cape), which might qualify as borders of PGUs ; (5) Movements controlled by such landforms are dominant, and tend to be longer in terms of time. In this study, a physiographic unit is defined as follows. (1) A unit that is distinguishable from other adjacent areas by its geomorphological borders ; (2) And, a unit that is distinguishable from other adjacent areas when referring to the movement systems of seawater and materials.
The notion of spatial structures of coral reefs of a 10¹-10³ meter scale was substantiated by this research using the overlapping zonation approach known here as PGU on reef flats. The spatial structure makes a frame of the coral reef ecosystem. Therefore, setting a PGU is thought to be effective for application to coral reef conservation.