title: Macrobenthic succession and characteristics of a man-made intertidal sandflat constructed in the diversion channel of the Ohta River Estuary.
abstract: We compared succession and characteristics of the macrobenthic community in a small-scale experimental intertidal sandflat constructed in the artificial diversion channel of the Ohta River Estuary with those of three natural intertidal sandflats at lower elevation in the same channel. The macrobenthic population density in the man-made intertidal sandflat increased significantly between 3 and 9 months after construction. Simplisetia erythraeensis was dominant (98% of individuals) after 9 months, but its proportion gradually declined with the increase in biodiversity until 26 months, indicating that succession of the macrobenthic community was nearly complete by 26 months. The macrobenthic community in the man-made intertidal sandflat differed from those of the three natural intertidal sandflats, and its population density was about double that at the natural sites, with smaller temporal fluctuation. The different structures of the macrobenthic communities in the man-made and natural intertidal sandflats were likely caused by differences in elevation.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Research and Management Center, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1, Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8527, Japan. Electronic address: wataru@hiroshima-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Wataru
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nishijima
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Ube National College of Technology, 2-14-1, Tokiwadai, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-5-3, Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8513, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakai
authors.affiliation: Environmental Research and Management Center, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1, Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8527, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okuda
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Yamaguchi University, 2-16-1, Tokiwadai, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-8611, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Arts and Science, The Open University of Japan, 2-11, Wakaba, Mihama-ku, Chiba 261-8586, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsumasa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D063366:Estuaries; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000502:physiology*; D007564:Japan; D011156:Population Density; D055871:Tidal Waves
keywords: Biodiversity; Estuary; Macrobenthic community; Man-made intertidal sandflat; Restoration; Succession