Abstract
We selected the artificial beach around the Seto Inland Sea in Hyogo prefecture, and set up two different wave conditions controlled by the existence of offshore breakwater, to investigate current plant species, vegetation structure, and soil environmental factors: such as particle size, water content, and salinity. Using the method of TWINSPAN classification, the study sites could be classified into four types according to the characteristics of their plant communities. CCA ordination found out strong relationship between the salinity after typhoon passing and the zonation of these coastal plants. Also, we found that in the beach without breakwater, the salinity was high and the rate of bare surface was largest. On the other hand, in the beach with one, the salinity was low and the rate of the area dominated by perennial plants and dwarf woods was largest. These results suggested that management of the coastal vegetation is possible, on the condition that the sea wave would be controlled by the offshore structures.
