Nature andEarthquake
Five years after the Great East Japan
Earthquake

Dianthus japonicus

Pantala flavescens

Ilyoplax pusilla

Calystegia soldanella

Chrysanthemum pacificum

Cercion sexlineatum
Monochoria korsakowii

Cicindela laetescripta

Emberiza fucata

2 0 11 . 3 .11 2 0 16
Epacromius japonicus

1Five years since the Great East
Japan Earthquake
On March 11, 2011, at 2:46 p.m., a magnitude-9.0 earthquake occurred off
the shore of Sanriku, Japan. A wide area along the Pacific Coast, from
Aomori to Chiba Prefecture, was hit by the resulting tsunami, which createda level of devastation said to occur only once every thousand years. The
earthquake also led to liquefaction and land subsidence in many areas.
The tsunami destroyed seawalls and coastal forests and engulfed cities
and towns, burying regions in debris and seawater. The tsunami disastercompletely changed the rich coastal environments and ecosystems of the
Tohoku coastal region.
In response to this catastrophic disaster, the Ministry of the Environmenthas been monitoring the changes that have affected the natural environment
in the flooded areas during the 5 years since its occurrence.

Kesennuma Bay, Miyagi Pref. (Jun., 2015)

Re s e a rc h C ontents

Itagawaura, Fukushima Pref. (Aug., 2012)

stics of the
Characteri l area
coastaRia coast

Vegetation changes

Using data from field surveys and image analyses, vegetation maps of the flooded areas
before and after the disaster were produced to track changes in vegetation.

Survey of key sites

Sixteen sites that are thought to be important were chosen to conduct more detailed
surveys. Belt-transect and fauna/flora surveys were performed in each site.

Coastal surveys

Sandy and muddy beaches along the Pacific coastline of the flooded areas weresurveyed, especially shorelines and the land cover behind the shorelines.

Seagrass and seaweed bed distribution survey

Distribution maps of seagrass and seaweed beds in the flooded areas were produced
based on the field survey data, satellite images, and aerial photographs.

The Sanriku coast is a
representative ria coast ofJapan. The various bays,
large precipices, and shore
reefs fac ing the Pac ific
Ocean are nationally famous landscapes. Moreover,
the Sanriku coast harbors rich marine resources.
The confluence of two offshore currents, the Oyashio
and Kuroshio currents, supports a variety of fish andshellfish species. Aquaculture is a common practicein the clam bays.

Ria coast

Seagrass Sandy
beds
beaches

Ecosystem monitoring

Ecosystems thought to be particularly affected by the tsunami and earthquake (tidal flats[19 sites], seagrass beds [6 sites], seaweed beds [5 sites], and seabird breeding sites [4sites]) were monitored before and after the earthquake.

2

Sea

Seaweed Tidal
beds
flats

Coastalforests

HinterlandsFour important messages

Ac cip ite r ge nti lis
RL:NT ) an d Anas (N ati on al RL :NT, Mi ya gi
Miyagi Pref., 2015) cre cca (Ts uya gawa River,

The survey results from the 5 years following the disaster reveal strong
environmental recovery from the damage and demonstrate the naturalenvironment’s resilience in response to such extreme phenomena. Nature’s
recovery and resilience have even helped to rehabilitate human livelihoods.
There are four important lessons to be learned from this disaster; theseinform us how to prepare for the future.

1

Changes in the natural environment caused by the disasterand subsequent recovery

2

Impacts of reconstruction projects and consideration for
the environment

3
4

The disaster led to huge and immediate changes in the natural environment;
however, it has clearly been recovering over time. In particular, the sandy
beaches and oceanic environments, such as seagrass and seaweed beds,
have demonstrated incredible resilience.

Several environments were lost as a result of reconstruction projects
following the disaster, whereas others were intentionally protected from those
processes. Analysis and evaluation of these cases can help us to prepare for
future disasters and develop reconstruction strategies.

The bounty of nature and human livelihoods

Since the beginning of the recovery process, local industries, such as
fisheries and tourism, have benefited from the diversity of ecosystems(ecosystem services). Livelihoods surrounded by and reliant on healthy
natural environments benefit from ecosystem services more than thosesurrounded only by manmade landscapes.

Involve me nt and coexiste nce with local naturalenvironments

Familiarity with local geographical features and wildlife will help us tounderstand which areas are hazardous and the areas that need to beprotected from anthropogenic activities. It is important to consider how weview nature, and we should bear in mind that, although nature can cause
disasters, it can also benefit human lives.

Coastal plains

A 70-km length of sandy beaches
runs nor th – south along theSen dai Plain c oast. O n thebeaches, sand banks and dunes
have developed where sand dune
plants flower. Behind those dunes are pine-dominatedcoastal forests, which were planted generations ago, andcoastal plains consisting of sand dunes and lowlands.
These lowlands have a long history of use as paddy fields
because of their wet environments. Additionally, there
are natural levees and flood plains, which provide critical
habitats for diverse wildlife.

Coastal Plain
Sand
Sandy beaches/dunes
sand dunes
Seagrass
beds
sea

Sandy
beachesMarsh/
Tidal flat

Sand dunes

Coastalforests

Hinterlands

Sand
dunes

Examples of plants and animals found during the 5-year survey are shown in thisbrochure along with their observed ranges, dates, and Red List categories. The
abbreviations of the Red List categories are shown below.

◆ Red List (RL)

National RL:RL of the Ministry of the Environment
Iwate RL：RL of Iwate Prefecture
Miyagi RL: RL of Miyagi Prefecture
Fukushima RL: RL of Fukushima Prefecture◆ RL Categories
A taxon is Critically Endangered; in National RL
CR：
A taxon is Endangered; in National RL
EN：
CR+EN：Species facing a risk of extinction; in Iwate RL, Miyagi RL, and Fukushima RL
A taxon is Vulnerable; in National RL, Miyagi RL, Fukushima RL, and Iwate RL
VU：
A taxon is Near-threatened; in National RL, Miyagi RL, Fukushima RL, and Iwate RL
NT：Categories other than the above are shown in specific categories in this brochure (i.e.,“Data Deficient” in National RL, “D rank” in Iwate RL, “Caution” in Fukushima RL).

3

Monitoring findings ... Changes after the earthquake

Seagrass beds, seaweed
beds, and remote islands

Sea

Marine ecosystems support the main coastal industry (fisheries) by providing diverse benefits in these regions. Seaweed(Phaeophyceae) and seagrass (Zostera spp.) beds, often referred to as “marine nurseries,” are found in the shallow waters
close to the coastline, where they function as breeding sites and habitats for fish and many other organisms. The kelp andgulfweed beds on the shore reefs of the ria coasts and the seagrass beds on the sandy and muddy areas of inner bays
and lagoons foster highly productive ocean environments. How were these critical shallow-sea ecosystems affected by theearthquake and tsunami?

Yamada Bay, Iwate Pref. (Aug., 2015)

I

1 Changes immediately after the earthquake

mportant message

Impacts on seagrass beds

A c o n s i d e r a b l e n um b e r of s ea g r a s s b e d s
growing on sandy areas were, along with thesand, washed away by the tsunami. Even thosethat survived the tsunami damage due to theirlocations in bays were damaged because theear thquake caused land subsidence, whichaltered the light conditions.

Impacts on seaweed beds
Seaweed beds were less impacted by the tsunami
than were the seagrass beds because the shore
reefs on which they grow experienced limited
damage. However, the organisms inhabiting
the seaweed beds, such as sea urchins andabalones, were temporarily lost from thesehabitats. It is believed that the tsunami washedthem away.
Changes in the distribution of seagrass andseaweed beds before and after the earthquake

Eisenia bicyclis(Shizugawa Bay, Miyagi Pref., Jul., 2015)

Example of the distribution of seagrass andseaweed beds before and after the earthquake

In inner bays, changes in the distribution of seagrass and seaweed beds
depended on the local topography. For example, seagrass beds werelargely replaced by seaweed beds, but many seaweed beds were lost in
Shizugawa Bay.
Distribution map of seagrass and seaweed beds in Shizugawa Bay,
Miyagi Pref. before and after the earthquake
Before the earthquake(Jun., 2010)

After the earthquake(Dec., 2012)

Seagrass beds were replacedby seaweed beds.

Seaweed beds
were lost in deep
water.

Distribution of seagrass and seaweed
beds before the earthquake

Before theearthquake
After theearthquake

Seagrass beds

Seagrass beds

Seaweed beds

Seaweed beds

GeoEye-1(c)2015 Digital Globe inc.

Geospatial Information Authority of Japan

Changes in the distribution of seagrass and seaweed beds from Iwate Pref. to northern Fukushima
Pref. before and after the earthquake
Seagrass beds

4

Seaweed beds,

To create distribution maps of seagrass and seaweed beds, satellite images and aerial photographs from 2003 to 2011 wereused to demonstrate conditions before the earthquake, whereas images from 2012 to 2013 were used to show conditions after
the earthquake. Additionally, satellite images from 2015 were used for parts of some bays and sandy beach areas. Overall, theareal extent of seaweed and, in particular, seagrass beds decreased.

I

1mportant message

Five years changes and recovery after the earthquake

Changes in seagrass beds

The damaged seagrass beds have been recovering overtime. However, in areas where light conditions were altered
by ground subsidence and murkiness, changes in species
compositions have been observed (e.g., Zostera marina
has been replaced by Z. caulescens). On the other hand,
intensive growth of Z. marina has been observed at locations
where light conditions improved after the earthquake.

Changes in seaweed beds

One year after the earthquake, considerable growth ofseaweeds was observed over extensive coastal areas that
suffered little tsunami damage. However, sea desertification,
possibly caused by an overabundance of sea urchins, whichleads to the disappearance of seaweed beds, was observed
at several deeper locations.

Seagrass beds 4 years after the earthquake(Nagatsuraura, Miyagi Pref. Jul., 2015)

I mp ac ts on s e a birds on r e moteislands

The remote islands of the Sanriku ria coasts are important
breeding habitats for seabirds, such as Larus crassirostris,
Calonectris leucomelas, and other petrels. These islands
were also hit by the tsunami, but the survey results do notsuggest direct impacts of the tsunami on the birds’ lives.

Breeding sites for Larus crassirostris(Ashijima Island, Miyagi Pref., Jun., 2012)I

2

mportant message

Seabed following sea desertification, with many sea urchins(Yamada Bay, Iwate Pref., Dec., 2015)

Zostera marina( Yamada Bay, Iwate Pref.,Dec., 2015)

Calonectris leucomelas
Iwate RL: D Rank
(Hideshima Island, Iwate Pref.,Jun., 2012)

Impacts of reconstruction projects

E x t e n s i ve r e c ove r y a n d c o n s t r u c t i o n
p r o j e c t s a r e t a k i n g p l a c e i n a f fe c t e dcommunities, towns, and cities. The effusionof sediments from artificially cleared land isleading to turbidity in shallow waters, whichchanges the light conditions for seagrassand seaweed beds.
Moreover, there is concern over the impactsof seawall construction on seaweed beds atcoastal areas because seaweed beds tend
to be distributed along steep coasts, such as
ria coasts.
Reconstruction projects (Shizugawa Bay, Miyagi Pref., Jul., 2015)

5

Monitoring findings ... Changes after the earthquake

Coastal forests, sandy
beaches, and tidal flats

Coast

Coastal forests on the sand dunes of the Sendai Plain have been grown and conserved for several generations; these
forests, in turn, have protected local communities from harsh environmental conditions for hundreds of years. Along the coastfrom Sanriku to Fukushima Prefecture, there are numerous small but important tidal flats. These tidal flats are distributed
around the estuaries and inner bays of the ria coastline and provide crucial habitats for benthos and other importantorganisms taken benthos as their food.

Matsushima Bay, Miyagi
Pref. (Nov., 2013)
Numenius madagascariensis
National RL:VU, Miyagi RL:NT(Gamo tidal flat, Miyagi Pref., Sep., 2013)

I

Nitidotellina nitidula
National RL:NT(Samegawa River, Fukushima Pref., Oct., 2015)

Chaetodera laetescripta
National RL:EN, Miyagi RL: CR+EN(Idoura, Miyagi Pref., Aug., 2015)

1 Changes immediately after the earthquake

mportant message

Impacts on coastal forests
In the coastal forests on the Sendai Plain, many trees’ trunks
were broken, trees were uprooted by liquefaction, and many
were swept away entirely due to the force of the tsunami.
At t h e rema in in g c oa s t a l fo res t s i tes , va r i o us n ew
environments, including sand-deposited areas and marshes
created by land subsidence and erosion, are distributed in apatchwork mosaic.

Impacts on sandy
beachesAlmost all of the insects andother ground-surface organisms
disappeared from many sandy
Debris on beachesb e a c h e s a f t e r t h e t s u n a m i (Onagawa, Miyagi Pref., May, 2011)
inundation. Those beaches wereusually located either on estuaries or in areas where seawalls
were destroyed. Thus, the erosion of the beaches was severe,and those that remained were covered with debris. The widthsof certain beaches were reduced due to flood-driven land
subsidence.

Impacts on tidal flats

The coastal forest immediately after the disaster (Arahama, Watari, Miyagi
Pref., Apr., 2011)

6

Like the sandy beaches in the affected areas, the tidal flats werealso impacted by erosion and land subsidence. The impacts ofland subsidence were particularly significant and resulted in theloss of many tidal flats. By contrast, new tidal flats were also
created as a result of land subsidence. A number of habitats fortidal-flat organisms were largely altered due to the changes inthe bed soil composition.

I

1mportant message

Five years changes and recovery following the earthquake

Changes in coastal forests

After the earthquake, some coastal forests were converted to temporary storage areas forreconstruction projects. In some areas, canopy gaps created by the impacts of the tsunami
improved the light conditions of the forest floor, triggering the germination and growth of seedlings.
The tsunami also created small pools at the bottom of large trees, which became habitats for avariety of animals. The remaining forests became critical habitats for raptors and other birds.

Changes in sandy beaches

Pool created near an uprooted tree
(Hiroura, Miyagi Pref., Oct., 2012)

With some exceptions, the sandy beaches impacted by the tsunami have been recovering their original shapes. Slow recovery ofsome beaches has been observed, such as those located in estuaries that suffered significant erosion and pocket beaches, which
receive lower sediment inputs.

Changes in sandy beaches
at the Gamo tidal flat

Before the earthquake (Oct., 2006)

After the earthquake (May, 2011)

After the earthquake (Sep., 2013)

Geospatial Information Authority of Japan

Geospatial Information Authority of Japan

Geospatial Information Authority of JapanThe sandy beaches and tidal flats of
the Gamo tidal flat were lost due tothe tsunami. However, sand and mud
are returning, and the tidal flat and salt
marsh are recovering gradually.

Changes in tidal flats

The impacts of the tsunami on tidal flats varied amonglocations. For example, the landscape of the Gamo tidal
flats was largely altered immediately after the disaster;
however, the sediments returned within a few months. By
contrast, some of the tidal flats along the Sanriku coast,such as the Nagatsuraura, have recovered little over the
past 5 years.
Benthic faunal changes also varied among locations(e.g., topography and water conditions). For example, inTorinoumi, which is large and is recovering its original tidal
flat terrain, the species common before the earthquake are
gradually increasing.

I

Change in the numbers of benthic
species on tidal flats (qualitative data)
OthersCommon species to before the earthquake

Newly found species in 2015

Species found before the earthquake

Newly found species in 2014
Newly found species in 2013
Newly found species in 2012

（Thespeciesno. of ）Unosumaigawa River Kitakamigawa River

2 Impacts of reconstruction projects

mportant message

Impacts on coastal forests
While replanting the coastal
forests in the Sendai Plain,b a n ks we r e fo r m e d o n t h eformer coastal forests sites, on
which new trees were planted.
After the earthquake, various
plant species were appeared to
the former coastal forest sites Plantation with banking (Miyagi Pref., May, 2014)
from the seed bank, but large parts of the seed bank were lost in theprocess of bank construction.

Impacts on sandy beaches

Seawalls built on sandy beaches are taller and wider to cope withthe force of tsunamis. In some cases, seawalls almost entirely cover
the beach and eventually result in the loss of the remaining parts ofthe beach.

Impacts on tidal flats

Tidal flats in ria coast regions, which are primarily mountainous,
consist of small flatlands. As such, some tidal flats have been
reclaimed for seawalls and roads.

I

Glehnia littoralis Iwate RL: VU(Unosumaigawa, Iwate Pref.,Sep., 2015)

Torinoumi

2mportant message

Considerations fornatural environments

Remaining sites of former coastal forests
Efforts have been made in some areas, such as
Matsukawaura in Fukushima Prefecture and the coastal
areas of Sendai Bay in Miyagi Prefecture, to conserve
the wetland environments that were formed as aconsequence of the tsunami and land subsidence.

Sandy beaches

On the southern coasts of Sendai Bay and in some otherareas, the lines of seawalls are bent to avoid destroying
sand dune plant communities in sandy beaches. In
addition, some construction plans are reconsidered that
construction roads are not built on the side of sandy
beaches.

Tidal flats

The seawalls at Otomourain Rikuzentakata, Iwate
Prefe c ture were m ove dfurther inland to protect tidal
flats that were reverted by
the tsunami.

Conserved tidal flats(Otomoura, Iwate Pref., Sep.,
2015)

7

Monitoring findings ... Changes after the earthquake

Wetlands and hinterlands

Wetlands(paddy fields and croplands)

The Sendai Plain consists of rows of sand dunes that have been formed by the advancement of coastlines and the effects of wind.
The sand dune uplands have been used as residential areas. The lowlands between the sand dunes have wet environments, someof which have been used for paddy fields, whereas the remaining marshlands provide important habitats for wildlife. The river
channels have been altered and are sometimes flooded and enriched croplands.

I

Tsuyagawa River, Miyagi Pref. (Dec., 2013)

1 Changes immediately after the earthquake

mportant message

Impacts on wetlands and hinterlands
M a ny p o n d s a n d s m a l l wet l a n d s a p p e a r e d i n t h ehinterlands where ground subsidence and flooding
occurred. Some reclaimed paddy fields became wetlands
again following the tsunami inundation. Moreover, theinfiltration of seawater damaged croplands and killed trees.
Insects and small animals, as well as the birds that feed onthese organisms, were also impacted by these landscapechanges.

New wetlands generated by the tsunami (Ishinomaki, Miyagi Pref., Sep 2012)

Changes at Itagawaura
A r o u n d 10 0 y e a r s
before the earthquake

8

Before the earthquake(2000s)After the earthquake(2012)

Geospatial Information Authority of Japan

Geospatial Information Authority of Japan

Geospatial Information Authority of Japan

Idagawaura used to be a wet
environment.

It was drained in 1929 andused as paddy fields.

Af ter the e ar thquake, it
reverted to wetlands due tothe impact of the tsunami.

After the earthquake(2015)“Includes material (c) (2015) BlackBridge AG. All rights reserved.”

Four years after the disaster, thefloodwater was drained, but this area
has not yet been used for paddy fields.

I1mportant message

Five years changes and recovery following the earthquake

Changes in wetlands

Many valuable species that had not been seen before theearthquake were observed in the new wetlands after thefloods. Many of these organisms have adapted to survive
in disturbed environments and are considered highly
dependent on such wetland habitats.

Changes to wetland areas over time
Area
(ha)

2010 (before the earthquake)

Misgurnus anguillicaudatus
National RL: Data Deficient(Orikasagawa River, Iwate
Pref., Sep., 2015)

Aomori North Sanriku South Sanriku Sendai Bay Fukushima

Monochoria korsakowii
National RL:NT(Ishinomaki, Miyagi Pref., Aug.,2012)

Oryzias latipes
National RL:VU, Miyagi RL:NT(Hiroura, Miyagi Pref., Oct., 2013)

Ibaraki, Chiba

Near Sendai Bay and in Fukushima Prefecture, the total area of wetlands
increased due to the creation of new wetlands. Despite this, in Sanriku
Region, some newly created wetlands were observed, but many of the existing
wetlands were lost because of land subsidence and severe tsunami inundation
due to the topographic features of the ria coastline; thus, the total area of
wetlands in this region has decreased. The changes in the total areas ofwetlands differed among regions for several years after the earthquake.

Changes in hinterlands(paddy fields and croplands)

Hygrophyte plants, such as Echinochloa crus-galli, Typha
domingensis, and Phragmites australis, showed excessive
growth on flooded croplands 1 year after the earthquake.
However, the areas initially dominated by hygrophytes andannual plants became dominated by xerophyte and perennial
plants, after which reconstruction projects began in earnest.
On some croplands, rice farming has resumed after thereconstruction of irrigation and drainage facilities and theremoval of salt.

Sparganium erectum observed in new
wetlands generated by the tsunami
National RL:NT, Fukushima RL: Caution(Ukedogawa River, Fukushima Pref., Jul.,2015)

Aeshna mixta soneharai
National RL:NT, Iwate RL:VU(Orikasagawa River, Iwate Pref.,Oct., 2013)

Cybister japonicus
National RL:VU, Miyagi RL: NT(Matsushima Bay, Miyagi Pref.,Oct., 2013)

Sympetrum risi risi
Miyagi RL:VU(Kitakamigawa River, Iwate Pref.,Sep., 2015)

Changes in dominant species in uncultivated(paddy) fields (n = 169 sites) over time
Others (sites where vegetation coverage
were less than 30%)
Others (species dominated less than 4 sites
in any of the survey years )【Dry, perennial plant】Solidago altissima【Dry, perennial plant】Artemisia indica
Willd. var. maximowiczii【Dry, annual plant】Digitaria ciliaris【Dry, annual plant】Erigeron canadensis
Oryza sativa (Resumed rice cultivation)【Wet, annual plant】Echinochloa crus-galli(L.) P.Beauv. var. crus-galli【Wet, annual plant】Echinochloa crus-galli(L.) P.Beauv. var. aristata Gray
【Wet, perennial plant】Typha domingensis【Wet, perennial plant】Typha latifolia【Wet, perennial plant】Phragmites australis

Rice cultivation resumed after the disaster (Ishinomaki, Miyagi Pref.,Sep., 2014)*See page 10 for the meaning of“uncultivated (paddy) field”

9Changes in the ria coastline and coastal plains over time

Changes in vegetation and land use
Vegetation maps before the earthquake (2000s), immediately following the earthquake (2012), and in the later aftermath of theearthquake (2014) were produced. Additionally, “rivers,” “wetlands,” “sand dunes,” and “sandy beaches” were identified from
100-year-old maps and were compared with the recent vegetation maps to review changes in land use. The changes in the ria
coastline in Rikuzentakata and the coastal plains in the Gamo tidal flat are shown as examples.

Rikuzentakata
Around 100 years
before the earthquake

Before the earthquake(2000s)After the earthquake(2012)

Uncultivatedpaddy field
Weed community
in vacant site

Sand dune
砂丘植生
vegetation

Pinus thunbergii
plantation

After the earthquake
震災後（2015 年）(2014)Development
landOpen water

Geospatial Information Authority of Japan

Geospatial Information Authority of Japan

Geospatial Information Authority of Japan

Geospatial Information Authority of JapanJa panes e b lac k p ine (Pinus
thunbergii) have been planted here formore than 100 years.

Sand dune plants on both sides of theJapanese black pine plantations wereidentified on the map from the 2000s.

Several areas where Japanese blackpine plantations previously existed
became open water. Weed communities
in vacant sites and uncultivated paddy
fields diversified in the hinterlands.

Many naturally bare lands, sandy
beaches, open waters, and plantcommunities were ar tificially cleared
over the 3 -year p eri o d following theearthquake.

Before the earthquake(2000s)After the earthquake(2012)

After the earthquake(2014)

Gamo tidal flat
Around 100 years
before the earthquake

Sand dune
vegetation
Phragmitetea

Sand dune
vegetation
An increasein “naturalbare land”

WetlandDevelopment
land
Pinus thunbergii
plantation

Pinus thunbergii
plantation

Geospatial Information
Authority of Japan

Geospatial Information Authority of JapanThe land around the Nanakitagawa River,which meandered widely in the northeast,
consisted of wetlands 100 years ago.
Japanese black pines were planted on
the sand dunes along the coast.

In the 2000s, there were Japanese
black pine plantations, sand dunes,and plants along the coasts, as well as
Phragmites australis communities andsalt marsh vegetation in the wetlands.

* “Uncultivated (paddy) field” is a field where cultivation is notconducted. “Paddy field weed communities” are in fields where
rice farming is conducted. “Field weed communities” are infields where farming is conducted. The legends for “Paddy
field weed communities” and “Field weed communities” follow
the legends used in “Vegetation maps of 1/25,000,” which was
produced by the Ministry of the Environment.

10

Damagedafforestation site
Geospatial Information
Authority of Japan

Immediately after the earthquake, most
coastal vegetation had disappeared, andsome of the Japanese black pine plantations
were cleared. Natural bare lands were
widely distributed around the wetlands.

A decrease in“natural bare land”

New plantation onembankment

Geospatial Information
Authority of Japan

During the 3 years after the earthquake, new plantations
were planted with banking in areas where Japanese
black pines used to be cultivated. Natural bare lands
along the coast were reduced by erosion, although sanddune vegetation developed around the wetlands.

Summary of the monitoring survey

Biodiversity of coastal environments

As mentioned above, the once-in-a-thousand-years catastrophic disaster caused tremendous damage not only to human
livelihoods but also to the natural environment. Nevertheless, the survey findings, such as nature’s adaption and resilience, suggest
that, although such events are rare on a human timescale, they have little long-term environmental impact considering that theseenvironments have developed over millions of years.

Remaining important habitats
This disaster may be just one of many disturbances that the
wildlife inhabiting the coastal environments have experienced andsurvived throughout history.
As long as their habitats are not lost entirely, these organisms will
not easily go extinct because of such disasters. However, coastal
environments and habitats were disrupted and fragmented by thereconstruction projects needed for our daily lives. We must be
careful that these projects do not cause irreversible damage to
our natural environments.
The Ministry of the Environment has conducted research toidentify critical habitat sites for conservation efforts. When thesurvey results from 2012 and 2014 were compared, there wasa noticeable decrease in important habitats in flooded areas.
For example, areas of “uncultivated paddy field” had been
reduced through conversion to paddy fields or land development
processes.
Five years after the earthquake, there were many signs that thenatural environment was recovering, but the recovery rates variedamong regions. Additional long-term monitoring is critical.

Rhaphiolepis umbellata var. integerrima
Fukushima RL:VU(Ebihama, Fukushima Pref., Oct., 2013)

Gamo tidal flat, Miyagi Pref. (Sep., 2014)

Rosa rugosa
Miyagi RL:NT(Gamo tidal flat, Miyagi Pref., Oct.,
2015)

Changes in the compositions of important habitats intsunami-flooded areas

Changes in the areas andpercentages of important habitats
in tsunami-flooded areas* “Important Habitat”
indicates an areathat is critical for theconservation of plants andanimals.

A decrease in“uncultivatedpaddy field”

Glaux maritima var. obtusifolia
Iwate RL:CR+EN(Orikasagawa River, Iwate Pref.,Jul., 2014)

I nva s i ve s p e c ie s
Although plants and animals have beenreturning along sandy beaches and tidal flats
after the earthquake, invasive species havealso been observed. Such situations need tobe monitored.

Cakile edentula(Tsuyagawa River, Miyagi Pref., Aug., 2012)

Open water (e.g., river and lake)
Uncultivated paddy ﬁeld
Grassland (seminatural grassland)
Marsh (salty and freshwater marsh
vegetation)
Formerly forested area (mosaic-like varied
disrupted environment),
Remained forest area

Areas other than important habitats (ha)Important habitats (ha)Natural vegetation in coastal cliﬀ area
Sand dune (sandy beach and sand dune
vegetation)

Euspira fortune(Mangokuura, Miyagi Pref., Sep., 2012)11

Ecosystem services

Ecosystem services and human
Anthropogenic activities benefit from ecosystems – interaction between environments and organisms – in avariety of ways, including the supply of food and water, as well as climate regulation. These benefits from thenatural environment are called “ecosystem services.”

A variety of benefits from the environment
Such ecosystem services can be categorized into
four types.

① Provisioning services

・ Obtaining resources from the ecosystem that areneeded for daily life (e.g., food, fuel, timber, fibers,
medicine, and water).

② Regulating services

・ Regulating environments through ecosystems(e.g., climate regulation through forests, and water
purification through tidal flats and wetlands).

④ Supporting services

・ Services that support all the abovementioned services (e.g., supply of oxygen via
photosynthesis, soil creation, and nutrient, andhydrologic cycles).

▶ Examples of benefits to reconstruction
processes provided by ecosystem services H a r v e s t i n g Ph ra g m i t e s
australis (Kitakamigawa
are introduced in the following pages.
River, Miyagi Pref., 2009)③ Cultural services

・ Facilitating psychological relaxation, serving as thebasis of religious and social systems, and offering
recreational opportunities.

Cultivated land
(Tsugaruishigawa River, Iwate Pref., Aug., 2015)

Fisheries and marine product industries
Seaweed beds, of ten referred to as “ marine
nurseries,” are recognized as critical ecosystems
for both aquatic organisms and humans. For
aquatic organisms, seaweed beds provide breedingsites, habitats, and places to hide from predators.
For humans, seaweed itself not only serves as avaluable food source but also fosters the growth ofother seafood. Additionally, seaweed beds purify
the seawater and seabed, thus maintaining suitableenvironments for aquatic organisms and humans.
Aquatic industries have suf fered from thecatastrophic damage caused by the tsunami; people
who worked in fisheries or seafood processing
industries lost their livelihoods. Nevertheless,the resilient marine environments of the Tohoku
region played a key role in the recovery of both
local areas and their industries. This highlights the12Clam (Venerupis philippinarum)(Orikasagawa River, Iwate Pref., Sep., 2015)

Oyster culture (Mangokuura, Miyagi Pref., Jul., 2015)

importance of conserving seaweed beds
and tidal flats, which suppor t marinep r o d u c t i v i t y. M o re over, ma i nt a i n i n g
the interactions between marine andUndaria pinnatifida culture
terrestrial ecosystems is important.

(Miyagi pref., Shizugawa Bay Feb., 2011)

livelihoods I

3mportant message

Land use in the context of disaster risk reduction
and prevention: use of the natural environment

Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)(Natsuigawa River, Fukushima Pref.,Oct., 2015)

The scale of the damage caused by this natural disaster depended on the location of residential
areas. Immediately after the earthquake, the community of Moune district in Kesennuma, in thenorthern part of Miyagi Prefecture, discussed how their reconstruction process should proceed.
As a result, the community moved to newly reclaimed uplands to prevent further damage fromfuture tsunamis. In the lowlands, steps were taken to ensure that anthropogenic activities
impacted the new tidal flats and wetlands as little as possible, allowing residents to benefit fromtheir ecosystem services. For example, the remaining tidal flats are expected to support richmarine resources, and the wetlands will purify the water, thereby increasing the quality of theseawater and seabed.

Conser vation of the tidal flatsby relocating houses to uplands(Moune district, Miyagi Pref., 2016)

Creature observation event(Matsukawaura, Fukushima Pref., Aug. 2015)

Michinoku Coastal Trail
The Michinoku Coastal Trail is a long trail that follows the
Pacific coast in the Tohoku region of Japan. There aremany sights to see, such as the most beautiful cliffs inJapan, the marvelous scenery of the ria coastline, the sheer
abundance of the world's third largest fishing grounds, andso on. Additionally, the marks of the tsunami surrounding
the trail exemplify both sides of nature—its beauty and its
harshness. For more information, please visit ↓http://tohoku.env.go.jp/mct/english/

Tsunami M em orial Park NAK AN O HA M A(passing point of the trail)

Environmental
education and tourism

Natural environments that avoided damage played key roles in recovery byproviding habitats and hiding places for surviving organisms. Additionally, newenvironments, such as wetlands, were created by the tsunami. Rare plants
species appeared in the new wetlands, and high biodiversity is observed where
new tidal flats appeared.
These natural environments have become valuable educational resources for
local children and as tourism sites.
For instance, tidal flats appeared in the inner bays in Moune district, in thenorthern part of Miyagi Prefecture, and they are now used as environmental
education sites for local primary school students.
Additionally, the environmental changes due to the earthquake can beexperienced during the ecotours held at the tidal flats of Matsukawaura in
Fukushima Prefecture. Such ecotours also bring tourists to the area, whichhelps to revive the tourism industry.
These are good examples of how the natural environments of tsunami-affectedareas help the local communities.

13

For the coexistence of human society and nature

Involvement and coexistence withlocal natural environments I
4mportant message

Outcome of the
5-year survey and theimportance of monitoring

The environmental changes in areas
affected by the catastrophic disasterwere surveyed for 5 years following theearthquake. The results highlight nature’s
p ositive reac tion to the ear thquake
and tsunami, as well as its resilience
in response to such events. Recovery
processes unique to each surveyed area
were observed. It is important to learn
from nature’s response and resilience toprepare for and mitigate the impacts offuture natural hazards.
▶ The recovery of nature in damaged
areas is ongoing and changing; thus,
it is critical to continue to monitor andstudy these changes.

Importance of local
natural environments

Ecosystem ser vices provide foodresources, water purification, and areas
for recreation that are inexhaustible aslong as humans do not overexploit them.
Furthermore, it is increasingly understoodthat nature will always be there to provide
resilient ecosystem services, which help
to rehabilitate our livelihoods even when
we face difficulties, such as earthquakes.
▶ It is important to pass theseecosystems on to future generations
by learning about and understanding
them and by developing a symbiotic
society that maintains ecosystemservices and benefits from them intimes of disaster as well as in times ofprosperity.

Hyla japonica(Tsuyagawa River, Miyagi
Pref., Aug., 2015)

Outcomes of the environmental surveys
Using the results of 5 years of surveys, a map called the “Important Habitat
Map 2015” was created; this shows areas critical to organisms and ecosystemservices. Additionally, a brochure summarizing the surveys was also published.
right page). For the printed version, please contact Biodiversity Center of Japan,
Ministry of the Environment, in Japanese.

14

Landscapes and ecosystems have been
shaped by the influence of the forces ofnature, including the Great East Japan
Ear thquake. This suggests that thefeatures of local natural environments
reflect their histories of disasters. Thus,
the impacts of future disasters can be
mitigated by identifying and evaluatinglandscapes and events, such as floods,
to understand what happened in the past.
▶ Understanding ecosystem services
and how nature operates during andafter a disaster will help us to prepare
for unpredictable future disasters.

Streptopelia orientalis(Natsuigawa River, Fukushima Pref., Oct., 2015)

Lycaena phlaeas(Idoura, Miyagi Pref., Sep., 2014)

They can be viewed on the website “Shiokaze Natural Environmental Log” (seeBuilding a lifestyle thatis symbiotic with natureRecommendation to observe natural environments
Why don’t you observe the natural environment around you? Learn how the features of thatenvironment are integrated with your daily life. Imagine what can be done to achieve a lifestylethat is more symbiotic with nature, which can make our lives safer and better.

Higashimatsushima, Miyagi Pref. (Mar., 2014)

Where to post your observations of
natural environmentsaura,
rvey (Matsukaw
14)
Participatory su
20
y,
Ma
,
ef.
Fukushima Pr

Have you heard of the “Shiokaze Natural Environmental Survey?” This survey is performed to increase ourunderstanding of the conditions of organisms following the Great East Japan Earthquake, particularly in areas
impacted by the earthquake. The objectives of the survey are to identify the changes in habitats and habitat
conditions of 20 target species by comparing observations taken before and after the earthquake.
The data are collected on the online system called “Ikimono Log,” which is operated Biodiversity Centreof Japan, by the Ministry of the Environment; it involves the activities of citizens, who post records of theorganisms they have observed, including the dates and places of such observations.
The guideline for the survey, the “Shiokaze Workbook,” as well as apps that simplify the process of taking
photos and posting them, are also available. The free apps can be downloaded from Google Play or the App
Store.
The collected data will be used to evaluate changes in habitats and environmental factors, and the collected
results will be published.

For those who want more
information ーーーーーーーーーーーー

The reports for each year, including the survey data,
can be viewed/downloaded on the website “Shiokaze
Natural Environment Log”
(http://www.shiokaze.biodic.go.jp/).

15

Organisms observed in the Tohoku Coastal
Region after the earthquake

Scarites aterrimus

Rhomborhina unicolor

Helice tridens

Papilio machaon

Cynops pyrrhogaster

Everes argiades

Acrocephalus orientalis

Tridentiger brevispinis

Rhyothemis fuliginosa

Locations found in
this brochure
Estuary ofTsugaruishigawa River

Nakanohama
Hideshima Island
Yamada Bay
Estuary of
Orikasagawa River

Estuary of
Unosumaigawa River

Rikuzentakata
Otomoura
Moune, Kesennuma
Kesennuma Bay

Estuary of
Tsuyagawa River

Ishinomaki
Mangokuura

Shizugawa Bay
Estuary of Kitakamigawa River
Nagatsuraura

Onagawa
Ashijima Island
Matsushima Bay
Higashimatsushima
Gamo tidal flat
Hiroura Idoura

Phalacrocorax carbo

Arahama, Watari
Torinoumi
Matsukawaura
EbihamaGallinula chloropus

Larus crassirostris

Asterias amurensis

Nattallia japonica

Itagawaura
Estuary of Ukedogawa River

Estuary of Natsuigawa River
Estuary of Samegawa River

Published March 2016

Biodiversity Centre of Japan, Nature Conservation Bureau, Ministry of Environment
5597-1, Kenmarubi, Kamiyoshida, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi 403-0005 Japan
TEL：+81-555-72-6031 FAX：+81-555-72-6035 HP: http://www.biodic.go.jp/
E-mail: webmaster@biodic.go.jp

Edited by: Asia Air Survey Co., Ltd.
Designed by: artpost Co., Ltd. Illustration: Daisuke Kimura