Eisenia bicyclis bed coverage off Oshika Peninsula, Japan, in relation to sporophyte survival and Strongylocentrotus nudus abundance

It has recently been reported that the Eisenia bicyclis beds on the coast of Tomarihama in the Oshika Peninsula in Miyagi Prefecture (northern part of Japan) have been progressively receding from the offshore side of the beds every year. In this study, to determine the factors causing the change in the distribution of E. bicyclis beds as well as the extent of the change, an ecological survey of E. bicyclis and grazing animals was conducted. A 150 m-long fixed line was set up in the rocky coastal area on the Oshika Peninsula in Miyagi Prefecture, and the number of E. bicyclis individuals inhabiting a 1-m width was then measured. In addition, the numbers of individuals of sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus nudus) and abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) were measured. Although the E. bicyclis bed extended to the 64-m point on the fixed line at the time of the survey in August 1999, by July 2001, its lower limit was at the 53-m point; thus, a retreat of the outer edge of the bed of 11 m was observed in 2 years. The density of adult E. bicyclis sporophytes in the bed was reduced from 1.08 to 1.80 individuals (ind.) m(-2), respectively. Juvenile sporophytes were also observed, but most of those that had settled near the lower limit of the bed failed to survive to become adult sporophytes. There were few sea urchins, the main grazing animal on the site, inside the E. bicyclis bed (3.5 ind. m(-2) in October 2001) while there were many near the bed lower limit and on the deep-site side (12.9 ind. m(-2) in October 2001). These results indicate that the high grazing pressure of sea urchins reduced the survival of juvenile sporophytes near the bed lower limit, thus impeding the recruitment of juvenile sporophytes to replace adult sporophytes that died due to senescence, storm action and/or grazing.