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Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Crustaceans chewing up Japanese island
At left is a photo taken between 1955 and 1965 of Hoboro Island off the coast of Hiroshima. At right is a recent photo of the same island. Hoboro Island is quickly being eaten away by isopod crustaceans digging into the rock to deposit eggs.
From MSN-Mainichi Daily News:
"It's rare, even on a global scale, to hear of biological erosion that has proceeded on such a large scale and at such a rapid pace as to alter the landscape of an island," said Yuji Okimura, an emeritus professor at Hiroshima University.Link (Thanks, Paul Saffo!)
According to land records of Hoboro Island compiled in 1928, the island was 120 meters long, and its highest point stood 21.9 meters above sea level. In a photo taken between about 1955 and 1965, the island had two rocky peaks, and vegetation was growing on the highest of the peaks.
posted by David Pescovitz at 10:24:08 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments
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