the Akkeshi-ko estuary, Akkeshi Bay
Organization
Akkeshi Marine Station, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Research Theme
Biodiversity and environment in the Akkeshi-ko estuary and the Akkeshi Bay
Site Outline
Akkeshi Bay is located in eastern Hokkaido, northernmost Japan, faced to the Pacific Ocean. It is belonging to a cold temperate region. Akkeshi Bay is connected with a shallow estuary, Akkeshi-ko, at the bayhead. Most of the coast is rocky shore, although it also has some sandy beaches. Off the southeast coast of Hokkaido including Akkeshi Bay, the cold current ‘Oyashio’ flows down from Bering Sea through Kamchatka. This area and its vicinity have rich fauna and flora of boreal species, which indicate characteristic features different with the other islands of Japan.
Bottom nature of Akkeshi Bay is basically sand. In shallow coast there are some seagrass beds of endangered species, Zostera asiatica. In the Akkeshi-ko estuary, dense and extended seagrass beds of Z. marina and Z. japonica.covered almost all areas.
Aquaculture of oyster and hard clam occupied in the estuary. A main river, R. Bekanbeushi, inflows into the estuary. It has much marshes along the stream. Water temperature is less than 20℃ throughout a year. In February, sea water surface is sometimes frozen.
Contact
- Address : 1 Aikappu, Akkeshi-cho, Akkeshi-gun, Hokkaido 088-1113, Japan
- Name : Masahiro Nakaoka
- Phone : 0153-52-2056
- Fax : 0153-52-2042
- E-mail : nakaoka@fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
WWW site URL
Japanese : http://www.fsc.hokudai.ac.jp/akkeshi/index.html
English : http://www.fsc.hokudai.ac.jp/akkeshi/en/index.html