[O-02] Understanding of geology and interaction between the earth, nature and culture through the Geoparks (Oral Invited Lecture)

[O02-03] The nature and culture of Tosashimizu Geopark, nurtured by the turbulent land and the Kuroshio Current

★Invited Papers

*Natsuki Moriguchi¹ (1.Tosashimizu Geopark Promotion Council)

Keywords:biodiversity, geodiversity, geopark, culture, disaster

Tosashimizu Geopark is located in the southwestern tip of Shikoku, facing the Nankai Trough, and is a geopark where you can feel the "the living planet". Crustal movements such as repeated earthquakes and uplift, as well as ongoing erosion and weathering have shaped the dynamic landscape. The land of Tosashimizu is composed of accretionary complexes, forearc basin sediments from the Japan Sea expansion period, and granite created by magmatic activity 13 million years ago. The Kuroshio Current, which flows south of the land, brings a warm and humid climate that fosters rich vegetation and marine ecosystems.
Tosashimizu has made the most of this land and its rich nature, and has developed industries closely related to the sea, such as fishing. On the other hand, Tosashimizu has been repeatedly hit by natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis caused by the Nankai Trough Earthquake, and floods caused by typhoons and heavy rains, and people have passed on their experiences through stone monuments and oral traditions. I will introduce the nature and culture of Tosashimizu and its relation to the geology and behind it.