Evaluation of Granulated Coal Ash as Artificial Seabed for Eelgrass

Abstract

ABSTRACT Nakashita, S.; Nakamoto, K.; Koshikawa, Y.; Kim, K.-H., and Hibino, T., 2017. Evaluation of granulated coal ash as artificial seabed for eelgrass. In: Lee, J.L.; Griffiths, T.; Lotan, A.; Suh, K.-S., and Lee, J. (eds.), The 2nd International Water Safety Symposium. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 79, pp. 40–44. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Granulated coal ash (GCA) is a by-product of coal-fired thermoelectric power stations. In this study, GCA was used to create a functional artificial seabed for eelgrass. Moreover, the capability of GCA for the growth of eelgrass in an indoor experiment was examined to elucidate the ability of eelgrass to establish itself and grow in a GCA artificial seabed created in an actual marine environment. The eelgrass in the GCA artificial seabed branched and adapted similar to that on sandy ground. A stable eelgrass community was established in one year in an actual marine environment. Furthermore, five years after transplantation, the eelgra...