Numerical Analysis of Enhalus acoroides Seed Dispersal in the Northwestern Sea Area of Iriomote Island, Japan

A numerical analysis of Enhalus acoroides seed dispersal in the northwestern sea area of Iriomote Island, Japan, revealed that seeds have an extremely limited dispersal capacity. With an average floating time of 2.4 hours, seeds travel only about 261 meters on average, a distance negligible compared to the island's scale (10 km east-west and 15 km north-south). This restricted movement is primarily due to short floating durations and weak currents in potential settlement areas. The study also found minimal seed exchange between existing seagrass beds, indicating that vanished beds have little chance of natural recovery without external intervention. These findings underscore the fragility of E. acoroides populations, with implications for conservation efforts in UNESCO-listed marine ecosystems.

MURAKAMI, T., KOHNO, H., TAMAMOTO, M., MIZUTANI, A., & SHIMOKAWA, S. (2015). NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF Enhalus acoroides SEED DISPERSAL IN THE NORTHWESTERN SEA AREA OF IRIOMOTE ISLAND, JAPAN. Journal of Japan Society of Civil Engineers, Ser. B3 (Ocean Engineering), 71(2), I. https://doi.org/10.2208/jscejoe.71.i_951