Ocean Newsletter
No.556 October 5, 2023
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Ocean Acidification and Countermeasures
FUJII Masahiko (Professor, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo)
Ocean acidification, which occurs when large amounts of CO₂, emitted as a result of human activities, dissolve into seawater, is not yet well known in Japan, but is steadily progressing in oceans around the world. First of all, we need to correctly understand how ocean acidification affects marine life and human society and what will likely happen in the future. Based on that, I would like here to introduce conceivable necessary countermeasures for the future.
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Changes in Forests and Rivers and Conservation of Coastal Environments
NAKAMURA Futoshi (Professor, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University)
From the Edo and Meiji periods to just after the end of the World WarⅡ, Japan's forest resources were overused, with bare, treeless mountains appearing all over the country and many landslides and damage due to floods occurring. After that, from the period of high economic growth to the present day, Japan's forest resources were preserved by importing foreign timber, and it can be said that we have entered an era of underuse, where resources are not used even they are available. River beds continue to subside, trees grow profusely in floodplains, coastlines recede, and sandy beaches are thinning.
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Sustainable and Inclusive Artificial Live Rock Production
TOKUNAGA Satoshi (CEO of CORERAL Co., Ltd.)
In reef aquariums containing marine life, natural live rock has been necessary to simulate ecosystems, but for coral conservation it is desirable to shift to using artificial live rock instead. We would like to contribute to the protection of the marine environment through the production of artificial live rock, even from our landlocked Saitama Prefecture.