ESTIMATION OF GROUNDWATER DISCHARGE IN A SANDY BEACH; AN EXAMPLE OF FUKIAGEHAMA, KAGOSHIMA PREFECTURE, JAPAN

It is recognized that links among forests, rivers and sea are important, because biological and fisheries production in the coastal zone is influenced by land-sea interaction. There are several nutrient supply systems in the coastal zone. River runoff, the most dominant nutrient supply system, has been evaluated by many previous studies. In addition, submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) has recently been considered as an important source of dissolved material to the coastal zone. For example, Johannes (1980) shows that SGD supplies several times as much nitrate volume as river runoff. However, the nutrient supply mechanisms in sandy beach ecosystem are not yet fully understood. Thus, it is necessary to quantitatively evaluate freshwater discharge and nutrient supply in a sandy beach ecosystem. This study reveals the estimated flow rate and volume of groundwater discharge in Fukiagehama, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.