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NATURE in OKINAWA 沖縄の自然ガイド 森と海の不思議な生き物たち 沖縄の自然ガイド 森と海の不思議な生き物たち NNATURATUR E E in in NATUR E in KINAWA KINAWAKINAWA O OO 沖縄県文化環境部自然保護課 Okinawa Prefectural Government, Department of Culture and Enviromental Affairs, Nature Conservation Division TEL.098-866-2243 FAX.098-866-2240 豊かな自然、貴重な生き物たち色とりどりの魚が群れ泳ぐサンゴ礁の海、マングローブが広がる河口、- - - 数多くの固有種がすむ亜熱帯原生林 日本列島の南端に連なる亜熱帯の島々・沖縄 。 OKINAWA Treasure House of Wildlife ここには、世界的にも貴重な生き物たちがすむ豊かな自然があります。 CC ONTENTS ONTENTS 亜熱帯の島々 2 SubtropicalSubtropical IslandsIslands 亜熱帯コレクション 8 OkinawaOkinawa,s NatureNature Collection 沖縄の動植物 18 The FloraFlora and FaunaFauna of OkinawaOkinawa 亜熱帯照葉樹林の生き物たち 20 Living CreaturesCreatures in the SubtropicalSubtropical Broad-LeavedBroad-Leaved EvergreenEvergreen ForestsForests （1）固有種の宝庫―やんばる (1)A TreasureTreasure HouseHouse of IndigenousIndigenous SpeciesSpecies ― YambaruYambaru （2）ヤマネコの森―西表島 (2)The WildcatWildcat ForestForest ― IriomoteIriomote IslandIsland サンゴ礁の海の生き物たち 26 Living Coral ReefsReefs マングローブは命の揺りかご 30 MangroveMangrove SwampsSwamps as CradlesCradles of Life 黒潮の海の生き物たち 34 The KuroshioKuroshio and MarineMarine Life ℃ mm 30 28.6 28.3 300 那覇の平年降水量 27.3 26.6 27.1 Precipitation of Normal year in Naha 265 25.2 24.7 東京の平年降水量 25 23.8 250 23.2 Precipitation of Normal year in Tokyo 21.2 21.7 21.6 228 20 18.7 18.6 18.4 200 185 187 180 180 174 16.5 16.5 17.6 170 165 14.1 148 15 150 138 141 126 12.6 125 122 112 115 106 100 10 8.5 7.9 100 89 亜熱帯の島々 那覇の平年平均気温 77 5.2 5.6 Average Temperature of Normal year in Naha 60 45 46 5 東京の平年平均気温 50 Average Temperature of Normal year in Tokyo 0 Subtropical Islands 123456789101112月 0 123456789101112月 那覇と東京の平年平均気温 那覇と東京の平年降水量 Average Temperature of Normal year in Naha and Tokyo Precipitation of Normal year in Naha and Tokyo 日本最南端の県 Japan's Southernmost Prefecture ジア大陸の東方、太平洋と東シナ 分が濃いからです。 he Ryukyu Islands are located at the earth generated by various developments. Therefore, protecting Okinawa's beautiful ア 海に挟まれるように琉球列島があり T eastern side of the Asian continent, 近年、様々な開発などで赤土が流出し、 squeezed between the Pacific Ocean and coral reefs has become an important issue. ます 。琉球列島は日本の九州の南から台 サンゴ礁の海が汚染されています 。この East China Sea. The Ryukyus are shaped Coral reefs in the seas of Okinawa owe 湾の手前の与那国島までおよそ1200km liked an archer's bow, stretching for 1,200 their existence to the warm waters that flow ため沖縄の美しいサンゴ礁を保全する に及び、弓のような形で点在する島々です。 kilometers from Yonaguni Island near Tai- in from the Kuroshio Current, as well as the 必要があります。 wan northward to a distance from the Japa- seawater's clarity and high salt content. 琉球列島と大東諸島及び尖閣諸島を総 沖縄県の行政区域 Administrative District of Okinawa Prefecture nese island of Kyushu. The Ryukyu Islands, The coral-reef sea has been polluted re- 称して南西諸島と言います。沖縄県はこ cently because of the outflow of redearth 温暖な気候 東 シ ナ 海 along with the Daito Islands and Senkaku の琉球列島のほぼ南半分と大東諸島・ East China Sea Islands are collectively referred to as the generated by the various developments. 尖閣諸島からなり、島々だけで構成される 縄は温かい黒潮の影響による亜 Nansei Islands. Okinawa Prefecture is made Therefore,protecting Okinawa's beautiful co- up of roughly the southern half of the Ryu- ral reefs has become an indispensableissue. 県です。沖縄県は日本最西端に位置し、 沖 熱帯海洋性気候で、冬でも日本本 kyu Islands plus the Daito and Senkaku Is- Warm Climate また人々が暮す島としては日本最南端 土に比べて温暖な日々が続きます。気温 lands, consisting entirely of islands. Okina- he warm Kuroshio Current gives Oki- でもあります 。 が１０℃ 以 下 に なることはまれ で 、雪が降 黒 潮 沖縄島 wa Prefecture is also Japan's westernmost Kuroshio Current Okinawa Island nawa its subtropical ocean climate. 県域は、北緯２４度 から２８度 、東経122 point, and has the southernmost inhabited T ることもありませ ん 。１０月 頃 に 吹 き始 める islands in Japan. Even in winter, temperatures remain higher 度から133度にまたがり、南北約400km、 than in the rest of Japan. It is rare for the 北寄りの季節風は沖縄では「ミー ニシ」（新 The prefecture extends from 24 to 28 de- 東西約1000kmという広い範囲に及びます。 琉 球 列 島 grees north latitudes, 122 to 133 degrees temperature to drop below 10℃ (50°F), しい北風）と呼ばれ、その頃、その風に乗 Ryukyu Islands east longitudes, approximately 400 kilome- and it never snows. Northerly winds begin to blow in October (known as "the Mii- サンゴ礁を育てる海流-黒潮 って、鷹の一種であるサシバが九州から ters north to south, and about 1,000 kilo- 2 太 平 洋 meters east to west. nishi" in the local dialect, which means new 3 本列島の沿岸を流れる黒潮は、フ 沖縄に渡り、さら に 南 下 し て い きま す。 northerly wind), carrying Eastern buzzard- Pacific Ocean The Kuroshio Current Nurtures 日 ィリピンの東側を通って北上してき １２月～２月頃にかけて、沖縄は大陸から hawks from Kyushu to Okinawa, and then Coral Reefs further south. From December to February, ます 。この海流が日本で最初に出会うの 張り出す高気圧の縁にあたり、風の強 he Kuroshio Current, also known as Okinawa sits at the edge of a high pressure が琉球列島の西端で、中国大陸の東方 い曇りや雨の日が多くなります。１月 中 北 回 帰 線 T the Japan Current, moves northward area extending from the Asian continent, Tropic of Cancer from east of the Philippines to the coastline which brings many days of cloudiness and の広大な大陸棚の縁に沿って流れてい 旬には、全国一早いヒカンザクラの開花 of Japan. When the current reaches Japan, it rain. In mid-January, Hikan cherry trees きま す 。その大陸棚と琉球列島の間には、 がみられます 。３月 ～４月 頃 に な ると 、初 first encounters the waters on the western (Prunus campanulata ) begin to blossom, edge of the Ryukyus, and flows along the the earliest blossoming in Japan. From 琉球列島に平行した沖縄トラフと呼ばれ 夏を告げるデイゴの 花が咲き始め、５月 せん vast eastern edge of the continental shelf of March to April, Deigo plants (Erythrina va- る水深約2000mもある海底のへこみ（舟 中旬に梅雨に入ります。太平洋高気圧 China. Between this continental shelf and riegata ) begin to bloom, ushering in the じょうかいぼん the Ryukyu Islands lies the Okinawa Trough, early summer. In mid-May comes the rainy 状海盆）があります。中国大陸の大河川 の勢力が強くなる６月下旬には梅雨が an underwater depression (boat-shaped ba- season, which lets up toward the end of である揚子江などから供給される土砂は、 明け、その後は、気温が３０℃ を 越 える 安 sin) running parallel to the Ryukyu Islands June as the Pacific high atmospheric pres- at a depth of 2,000 meters. Because of the sure kicks in. Stable weather follows, with この深い沖縄トラフがあるため琉球列島 定した 晴 天 の日が 続きます 。一方、７月 deep Okinawa Trough, marine sediment temperatures regularly over 30 ℃(86 °F ). にまで到達しません。そのため琉球列島 ～１０月 頃まで は 、熱帯の海で発生した from the major rivers of the Chinese conti- From July to October, however, typhoons の周辺の海は澄んでおり、サンゴ礁の発 台風がしばしば沖縄に接近します。 nent, such as the Yangtze River, never exten- that originate over tropical waters will occa- ded to the Ryukyu Islands. For this reason, sionally hit Okinawa. 達に好都合です。沖縄の海にサンゴ礁 年平均気温は２１～２４℃ 、年降水量は the seas around the Ryukyus are clear and The average annual temperature is 21 to が発達しているのは、黒潮による暖かい 1600～3000mmで、その50％近くは梅雨 provide ideal conditions for coral reefs to 24℃ (70 to 75°F ), with annual precipita- flourish. tion of 1,600 to 3,000 millimeters ( 63 to 海水温と、澄んだ海水、そし て 海 水 の 塩 と台 風によってもたらされます 。 However, the coral-reef sea has been pollu- 118 inches). Half of the precipitation falls ted recently because of the outflow of red during the rainy season and in typhoons. 亜熱帯の島々 Subtropical Islands N 九 州 W E Kyusyu S 黒島 竹島 Kuroshima Island Takeshima Island 硫黄島 Iou Island 高島の例 : 慶良間諸島 口永良部島 A Photo of a High Island:Kerama Islands Kuchinoerabu Island 種子島 Tanegashima Island 屋久島 ト カ ラ 列 島 口之島 Yakushima Island Tokara Islands Kuchinoshima Island 中之島 臥蛇島 Nakanoshima Island 琉球弧 高い島と低い島 Gajya Island Ryukyu Archipelago High Islands and Low Islands 諏訪瀬島 球列島は、東側の琉球海溝と西側 々の地形は、古い地層や火山岩類 Suwase Island he Ryukyu Islands are sandwiched be- he topography of the islands can be 悪石島 T tween the Ryukyu Trench to the east T divided into "high islands", situated 琉 の沖縄トラフに挟まれる海底山脈 島 からなり標高が高い「高島（こうとう）」 Akuseki Island 子宝島 and the Okinawa Trough to the west. They at higher elevations and consisting of old の上にあります。その特徴は、トカラ列 島 と、琉球石灰岩や島尻層群の泥岩など Kodakara Island consist of two distinct rows of islands, vol- strata and volcanic rocks, and "low islands", 宝島 canic and non-volcanic. The former extends at the lower elevations, consisting of Ryu- から硫黄鳥島を経て久米島まで連なる火 からなり標高が低い「低島（ていとう）」に Takarajima Island 上ノ根島 from the Tokara Islands past Ioutorishima kyu limestone and the Shimajiri terrane. 山性の島々と、種子島、屋久島から奄美 分けられます。高島には河川が多く、低 Kaminone Island Island to Kumejima Island. The latter ex- There are rivers on the high islands, while 横当島 トカラ構造海峡 大島、沖縄諸島を経て与那国島まで連な 島には地下水の湧き水が多くみられます。 Yokoate Island Tokara Structural Channel tends from Tanegashima and Yakushima Is- spring waters are common on the low is- lands, past Amamioshima Island and the lands. The representative higher elevation is- る非火山の島々が２列に並んでいること 高島の代表としては石垣島、西表島、久 Okinawa Islands, to Yonaguni Island. These lands are Ishigaki Island, Iriomote Island です。これらの２列に並んだ島々は、太平 米島などがあり、低島としては宮古諸島、 喜界島 two rows jut out on the Pacific Ocean side, and Kumejima Island, while the representa- Kikai Island for which they are known as the "arc-sha- tive lower elevation islands are Miyako Is- 洋側に大きく張り出しているので、「弧状 黒島、波照間島などがあります。 奄美大島 ped archipelago". land, Kuroshima Island and Hateruma Is- 硫黄鳥島 Amamioshima Island 列島（島弧）」と呼ばれています 。 沖縄島の北部は高島タイプで、土壌は Ioutorishima Island Intersecting this arc-shaped archipelago land. at a near right angle are two fissures that are The northern part of Okinawa Island is 弧状列島にほぼ直交して、北 側 にトカラ 酸性の赤黄色土（国頭マージ）です。これ け ら ま かいれつ 徳之島 over 1,000 meters deep. These are the To- mountainous with acidic and reddish-yel- Tokunoshima Island 海峡、南側に慶良間海裂と呼ばれる水深 に対して中南部は低島タイプで、土壌は中 kara Strait (Tokara Structural Channel) on low (kunigami maji) soil, while the central きれつ 沖縄トラフ 沖永良部島 the northern side and the Miyako Trench to southern part is lowland, with a soil of 1000m以上の亀裂が２本発達しています。 性から弱アルカリ性の石灰岩土壌（島尻 Okinoerabu Island 奄 美 諸 島 Okinawa Trough Amami Islands (Kerama Rift) on the southern side. These generally neutral to weakly alkaline lime- 琉球列島はその亀裂を境にして、北・中・ マージ）と、泥岩未熟土壌（ジャーガル） 伊平屋島 divide the Ryukyu Islands into three parts;
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