Environmental improvement member for ecological system and environmental improvement structure for ecological system

Abstract

To provide an environmental improvement member for an ecological system and an environmental improvement structure for the ecological system.SOLUTION: An environmental improvement member 1 for an ecological system includes a base material 2 and a net body 5 disposed in front of the base material 2, wherein the net body 5 is arranged so that projected parts 9 projecting forward at predetermined intervals with respect to the base material 2 are formed, spaces 8 between the net body 5 forming each projected part 9 and the base material 2 are partitioned into a plurality of divided spaces, and each space 8 is filled with a filler 7. An environmental improvement structure 20 for an ecological system includes the environmental improvement member 1 disposed along a wall surface provided in a water area, wherein a lower portion of the environmental improvement member 1 is immersed in water and an upper portion thereof is exposed above the water.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an ecosystem environment improvement member and an ecosystem environment improvement structure. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, materials with minimal surface irregularities, such as concrete and metal, have been used for the walls of structures. This makes it difficult for small animals such as insects and crabs to climb, resulting in less biodiversity than stone walls, etc. Therefore, with the aim of promoting symbiosis and establishment of small animals important to the ecosystem, a biosymbiotic revetment panel material has been put into practical use, which has a panel material with biological entrance and exit holes that penetrate from the front to the back, and has pockets attached around the biological entrance and exit holes on the back side, with the pockets filled with backfill material (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5408725 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the bio-symbiotic revetment panel material described in Patent Document 1 is expensive because it uses secondary concrete products such as precast panels. In addition, installation on revetments and the like requires time and effort.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide an ecological environment improvement member and an ecological environment improvement structure that are inexpensive and easy to install. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The first invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is an ecological environment improvement component to be installed on a wall surface, comprising a base material and a mesh body arranged in front of the base material, the mesh body being arranged so as to form protrusions that protrude forward at predetermined intervals relative to the base material, the spaces between the mesh body and the base material that constitute each of the protrusions being divided into multiple sections, and each of the spaces being filled with a filler material.

[0007] In the ecosystem environment improvement member of the first invention, the spaces between the net and the substrate are separated, so the filler is securely held within the spaces, and gaps of various sizes and shapes can be formed between the fillers. In addition, the protrusions formed in the net make it easy for organisms to climb and descend along the net. The ecosystem environment improvement member of the first invention is easy to manufacture and inexpensive to produce.

[0008] It is desirable that each of the spaces is formed in the horizontal direction, and that a plurality of the spaces are arranged side by side at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction. As a result, when the ecosystem environment improvement member is installed on a wall surface, shade suitable for the habitation of living organisms is formed.

[0009] It is desirable that the projection shape of the mesh body relative to the base material be formed in a wave shape in the direction in which the plurality of spaces are arranged side by side. The wavy protrusions of the net allow people to use the protrusions as footholds to climb up the wall when it is installed on a wall in a body of water, which helps prevent accidents caused by people falling into the water.

[0010] The substrate is preferably a mat material sandwiched between a pair of mesh members, the mat material being, for example, a water-retentive material. By sandwiching the mat material, the base material can be given cushioning properties to protect the wall surface. Also, by using the mat material as a water-retentive material, the base material can be prevented from drying out, making it effective as a habitat for living organisms.

[0011] A cover material may be fixed to the front surface of the net so as to cover a part of the protrusion. The cover material may be, for example, a plate-like member having holes. By fixing the cover material, it is possible to prevent wind, rain, waves, and sunlight from directly hitting the open space, preventing damage from predation and making it easier for organisms to live in. It also improves the appearance of the ecosystem environment improvement component. If the cover material is a perforated plate-like component, the holes provide a base for vegetation and allow organisms to enter and exit through the holes.

[0012] At least a part of the filler may be a plate-like member having a flat surface. This allows a horizontal bed to be formed in the space, which is a favorite habitat for shrimp, crabs, and the like.

[0013] The second invention is an ecosystem environment improvement structure that uses the ecosystem environment improvement members of the first invention, characterized in that the ecosystem environment improvement members are arranged along the wall surface and at least a portion of the ecosystem environment improvement members are arranged in the air.

[0014] The ecosystem environment improving structure of the second invention can be constructed by placing the ecosystem environment improving members along the wall surface, making construction easy.

[0015] It is desirable that the wall surface be provided in a water area, with a lower portion of the ecosystem environment improvement member being submerged in water and an upper portion of the ecosystem environment improvement member being exposed above water. This creates an environment on the wall suitable for the habitation of a variety of organisms.

[0016] The ecosystem environment improvement member is arranged from the top to the bottom of the wall surface, and it is desirable that the protruding height of the mesh body relative to the base material above the ecosystem environment improvement member is lower than the protruding height of the mesh body relative to the base material below the ecosystem environment improvement member. This allows the upper part of the ecosystem environment improvement member to function more easily as a passageway for terrestrial organisms. In addition, the ecosystem environment improvement member is lighter, making it easier to install.

[0017] It is desirable that the ecosystem environment improvement member be suspended from above the wall and connected to a cage placed on land on the rear side of the wall, and that the cage be filled with a plurality of fillers. The inside of the cage filled with filler tends to become a moist space, which can become a habitat for land-dwelling crabs, etc. The cage body also makes it possible to fix the position of the ecosystem environment improvement member.

[0018] It is desirable that a cage filled with a plurality of fillers is placed below the ecosystem environment improvement member, and that the ecosystem environment improvement member and the cage are in contact with each other. The inside of the cage filled with filler tends to become a moist space, which provides a resting place for animals climbing up and down the ecosystem environment improvement member. Also, when the cage is placed underwater, it can be used to grow corals, seaweed, seaweed, etc. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an ecosystem environment improvement member and an ecosystem environment improvement structure that are inexpensive and easy to install. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows an ecosystem environment improvement member 1. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a vertical cross section of the substrate 2 and the mesh body 5. [Figure 3] A diagram showing an ecological environment improvement structure 20. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an ecosystem environment improvement member 1a. [Figure 5] A diagram showing an ecological environment improvement structure 20a. [Figure 6] FIG. 1B is a diagram showing an ecosystem environment improvement member 1b. [Figure 7] A diagram showing an ecosystem environment improvement structure 20b. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] [First embodiment] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an ecosystem environment improving member 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a vertical cross section of a substrate 2 and a net body 5. As shown in FIG.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the ecosystem environment improvement member 1 is composed of a base material 2, a net body 5, a cover material 6, a filler material 7, etc. The base material 2 has a mat material 3 sandwiched between a pair of mesh members 4. The mesh member 4 is made by arranging synthetic resin wires, such as polyester monofilament, in parallel at a predetermined interval on the same plane, and twisting adjacent wires multiple times at a predetermined pitch to form a tortoiseshell net. The mat material 3 is a water-retentive member, such as a nonwoven fabric.

[0023] The mesh body 5 is disposed in front of the base material 2 (to the left in FIG. 1). That is, the mesh body 5 is disposed on the surface of one of the pair of mesh members 4 of the base material 2 opposite to the mat material 3. The mesh body 5 is, for example, a tortoiseshell net made of the same synthetic resin as the mesh members 4.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 2, the mesh body 5 has a protrusion 9 that protrudes forward (to the left in FIG. 2) relative to the base material 2, and is appropriately fixed to the base material 2. Between the mesh body 5 that forms the protrusion 9 and the base material 2, a plurality of divided spaces 8 are formed in the horizontal direction (the direction normal to the plane of the paper in FIG. 2). The plurality of spaces 8 are repeatedly arranged side by side at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction (the up-and-down direction in FIG. 2). In the illustrated example, the plurality of spaces 8 are formed so that the protrusion shape of the mesh body 5 relative to the base material 2 is a substantially triangular wave shape in the juxtaposition direction, i.e., the vertical direction. The protrusion height 10a of the mesh body 5 relative to the base material 2 at the upper protrusion 9a is lower than the protrusion height 10b of the mesh body 5 relative to the base material 2 at the lower protrusion 9b.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1 , filler material 7 is filled into each space 8. The filler material 7 is, for example, wood chips, stones, concrete blocks, etc., and may also be fillers such as metal, glass, synthetic resin, etc. The cover material 6 is arranged on the front surface of the mesh body 5 (the surface opposite the substrate 2) so as to cover at least a portion of the protrusions 9, and is fixed to the mesh body 5. The cover material 6 is arranged, for example, so that the portions covered and uncovered by the cover material 6 form a striped pattern. The cover material 6 is a perforated plate-like member. The cover material 6 is made of, for example, metal, wood, synthetic resin, paper, etc.

[0026] 3 is a diagram showing an ecosystem environment improving structure 20. In the ecosystem environment improving structure 20, the base material 2 is in contact with the wall 11 along the front surface 12a of the wall 11, and the protrusion 9 protrudes forward. The wall 11 is, for example, a retaining wall installed in a water area, with the front surface 12a side being the water area and the back surface 12b side being land 17.

[0027] The ecosystem environment improvement member 1 is hung from above the front surface 12a of the wall body 11, and is placed in the air with a lower portion immersed in water and an upper portion exposed above the water. The ecosystem environment improvement member 1 uses a base material 2 in which a mat material 3, which is a water-retaining material, is sandwiched between a pair of mesh members 4, so that drying of the base material 2 and excessive temperature rise are suppressed even in the portion exposed above the water. The cushioning properties of the base material 2 also protect the wall surface.

[0028] The ecosystem environment improvement member 1 is placed from underwater up to above the front surface 12a of the wall body 11, folded back at the top end of the wall body 11, and connected to a cage body 13 placed on land 17 on the back surface 12b side by wires 16 or the like. The bottom end 10 of the ecosystem environment improvement member 1 is in contact with the cage body 13 placed on the bottom of the water. The bottom end 10 of the ecosystem environment improvement member 1 may be placed on the cage body 13, or may be fixed to the cage body 13 by wires or the like (not shown).

[0029] The cage bodies 13 on land 17 and the cage bodies 13 on the water bottom are, for example, boxes made of turtle-shell netting made of synthetic resin such as polyester monofilament, and are filled with a plurality of fillers 14. The fillers 14 are, for example, concrete blocks or stones. A mat 15 made of nonwoven fabric or the like may be placed on the bottom of the cage bodies 13. In the example shown in Figure 3, cage bodies 13 of the same configuration are installed on the water bottom and on land, but cage bodies of different configurations suitable for each of the water and land may be installed.

[0030] In the ecosystem environment improvement structure 20, the protruding height of the upper protrusion 9a of the ecosystem environment improvement member 1 is lower than the protruding height of the lower protrusion 9b, so the upper part of the ecosystem environment improvement member 1 exposed from the water is likely to become a passageway for terrestrial organisms. Also, in the cage body 13 on land 17 to which the ecosystem environment improvement member 1 is fixed, the gaps in the filler 14 become habitats for land-dwelling crabs and other species. The underwater part of the ecosystem environment improvement member 1 or the cage body 13 installed on the water bottom become habitats for aquatic plants and animals. For example, as shown in Figure 3, the cage body 13 with the top surface covered with a net is suitable for coral growth.

[0031] The ecosystem environment improvement member 1 of the first embodiment can be easily manufactured using inexpensive materials. The ecosystem environment improvement structure 20 can be constructed by placing the ecosystem environment improvement member 1 along the front surface 12a of the wall body 11, making construction easy. The ecosystem environment improvement member 1 is made lighter by making the protruding height 10a of the upper protruding portion 9a smaller than the protruding height 10b of the lower protruding portion 9b, making it easier to transport and construct.

[0032] In the ecosystem environment improvement member 1, the spaces 8 between the net body 5 and the base material 2 are separated, so that the filler 7 is securely held within the spaces 8, and gaps of various sizes and shapes are formed between the filler materials 7. Furthermore, in the ecosystem environment improvement structure 20, the ecosystem environment improvement member 1 is arranged so that a lower portion is submerged in water and an upper portion is exposed above water, thereby creating an environment on the wall surface suitable for the habitation of a variety of organisms.

[0033] In the ecosystem environment improvement structure 20, the mesh body 5 is shaped to protrude in a wave-like pattern in the vertical direction, and multiple spaces 8 are arranged horizontally at predetermined intervals, creating shade suitable for living organisms, while allowing plants at the top to receive sunlight necessary for growth more efficiently. It also makes it easier for living organisms to climb and descend along the mesh body 5. The horizontal protrusions 9 also function as footholds for people who fall into the water to climb up the wall, helping to prevent accidents.

[0034] In the ecosystem environment improvement structure 20, a perforated cover material 6 is fixed so as to cover part of the protruding portion 9 of the net body 5. This prevents wind, rain, waves, and sunlight from directly hitting the space portion 8 and also prevents damage from predation, making it easier for living organisms to live there. Furthermore, by making the cover material 6 a perforated plate-like member, the holes provide a base for vegetation, allowing living organisms to enter and exit the space portion 8 through the holes. By providing the cover material 6, the appearance of the ecosystem environment improvement member 1 can be improved.

[0035] The cage body 13 on land or at the bottom of the water is not essential. The shape of the net body 5 protruding from the base material 2 is not limited to that described above, and it may be formed into a rectangular or semicircular wave shape. The cover material 6 may be provided as needed.

[0036] Other examples of the present invention will be described below as second to fourth embodiments. The second to fourth embodiments will be described focusing on differences from the first embodiment, and similar configurations will be denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings and will not be described again. The configurations described in the first to fourth embodiments can be combined as necessary.

[0037] [Second embodiment] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an ecosystem environment improving member 1a according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an ecosystem environment improving structure 20a.

[0038] The second embodiment of the ecosystem environment improvement member 1a and the ecosystem environment improvement structure 20a differs from the first embodiment of the ecosystem environment improvement member 1 and the ecosystem environment improvement structure 20 mainly in that the space 8 between the mesh body 5 and the base material 2 is filled with filler 7 and filler 7a.

[0039] As shown in Figure 4, in the ecosystem environment improvement member 1a, the protruding shape of the net body 5 relative to the base material 2 is a semicircular wave shape. The space 8 between the net body 5 and the base material 2, which forms the protruding portion 9, is filled with filler 7 and filler 7a. The filler 7a is a plate-like member with a flat surface, such as a piece of wood, stone, or metal. The filler 7a is arranged in the space 8 so that the flat portion is approximately horizontal. In the ecosystem environment improvement member 1a, no cover material is provided on the front surface of the net body 5.

[0040] As shown in Figure 5, in the ecosystem environment improving structure 20a, the ecosystem environment improving member 1a is arranged along the front surface 12a of the wall body 11a. The front surface 12a of the wall body 11a is a gently sloping surface. The ecosystem environment improving member 1a is suspended from above the front surface 12a of the wall body 11a, with a lower portion submerged in water and an upper portion exposed above the water.

[0041] Ecological environment improvement member 1a is placed from underwater up to above front surface 12a of wall body 11a and is connected to the top end of wall body 11a by anchors 16a. In ecosystem environment improvement structure 20a, the protruding height of upper protrusion 9a of ecosystem environment improvement member 1a is lower than the protruding height of lower protrusion 9b, so the upper part exposed out of the water is likely to become a passageway for terrestrial organisms.

[0042] The lower end 10 of the ecosystem environment improvement member 1a is in contact with a cage 13a placed on the bottom of the water. The cage 13a has an open top to expose the filler 14, which promotes the growth of seaweed such as wakame. If a nonwoven fabric (not shown) is laid on the top of the cage 13a, the growth of seaweed such as eelgrass will be facilitated.

[0043] The ecosystem environment improvement member 1a of the second embodiment can also be easily manufactured using inexpensive materials. The ecosystem environment improvement structure 20a is constructed by arranging the ecosystem environment improvement member 1a along the front surface 12a of the wall body 11a, making construction easy. Even in the ecosystem environment improvement member 1a, gaps of various sizes and shapes are formed between the fillers 7 filled in the partitioned spaces 8 and between the fillers 7 and 7a. However, by using fillers 7a with a flat surface, a horizontal floor can be formed in the spaces 8. Because shrimp, crabs, and other creatures prefer horizontal floors, the ecosystem environment improvement member 1a and ecosystem environment improvement structure 20a of the second embodiment are particularly suitable for promoting the habitat of shrimp, crabs, and other creatures.

[0044] [Third embodiment] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an ecosystem environment improving member 1b according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The ecosystem environment improvement member 1b of the third embodiment differs mainly from the ecosystem environment improvement member 1 of the first embodiment and the ecosystem environment improvement member 1a of the second embodiment in that the protruding height of the upper and lower protrusions 9 is approximately constant.

[0045] As shown in Figure 6, in ecosystem environment improvement member 1b, the protruding shape of net body 5 relative to base material 2 is rectangular, and the protruding heights of upper and lower protrusions 9 are approximately constant. In ecosystem environment improvement member 1b, a cover material 6 is arranged on the front surface of net body 5 so as to cover part of protrusion 9. The cover material 6 is arranged, for example, so that the parts covered and uncovered by cover material 6 form a staggered pattern.

[0046] The ecosystem environment improvement member 1b of the third embodiment can also be easily manufactured using inexpensive materials. Furthermore, by arranging the ecosystem environment improvement member 1b along the wall surface of the water body so that a lower part is submerged in water and an upper part is exposed above water, the ecosystem environment improvement structure can be easily constructed.

[0047] [Fourth embodiment] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an ecosystem environment improving structure 20b according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The ecosystem environment improvement structure 20b of the fourth embodiment differs mainly from the ecosystem environment improvement structure 20 of the first embodiment and the ecosystem environment improvement structure 20a of the second embodiment in that the ecosystem environment improvement member 1 is arranged along a wall 11b provided on land.

[0048] 7, wall 11b is a retaining wall provided on land 17. Wall 11b is provided, for example, near a natural or artificial body of water. Between front surface 12a and the water body is land 17a, and on the back surface 12b side of wall 11b is land 17b.

[0049] In the ecosystem environment improving structure 20b, ecosystem environment improving members 1 are placed along the front surface 12a of the wall body 11b. The ecosystem environment improving members 1 are hung from above the front surface 12a of the wall body 11b, which is a gently sloping surface, with their lower ends 10 reaching below the front surface 12a. The ecosystem environment improving members 1 are placed entirely in the air, with their lower ends 10 in contact with a cage body 13 placed on land 17a.

[0050] The ecosystem environment improving structure 20b of the fourth embodiment is also easy to construct because it is constructed by placing the ecosystem environment improvement members 1 along the front surface 12a of the wall body 11b. If the front surface 12a of the wall body 11b were covered with concrete, it would be difficult for crabs and frogs living on land 17 near the water area to move back and forth between the land 17 and the water area to spawn, etc. However, if the ecosystem environment improving structure 20b is constructed, the ecosystem environment improving members 1 become a passageway for them to move back and forth between the land 17 and the water area.

[0051] Furthermore, the inside of the cage 13 filled with the filler 14 tends to become a humid space, so it functions as a resting place for animals ascending and descending the ecosystem environment improvement member 1, and as a hiding place during the day for nocturnal animals. Crabs and other creatures defecate in their habitats and resting places, and when the defecation dissolves in rain, it flows from the cage 13 over the land 17a into the water, and the next generation is lured by the flowing water and comes ashore. Therefore, the ecosystem environment improvement structure 20b serves as a sustainable habitat for crabs and other creatures.

[0052] In the fourth embodiment, the ecosystem environment improvement structure 20b is constructed near a permanent water body, but the application location is not limited to this. For example, the ecosystem environment improvement structure 20b may be constructed near a wetland or the like that is irregularly covered with water.

[0053] While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to these examples. It is clear that those skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications and alterations within the scope of the technical ideas disclosed in this application, and it is understood that these modifications and alterations also fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0054] For example, it goes without saying that the respective configurations and structures in each embodiment can be combined with each other. Furthermore, the base material 2 is not limited to a configuration in which the mat material 3 is sandwiched between a pair of mesh members 4, but may be composed of only mesh members 4. The protruding shape of the mesh body 5 relative to the base material 2 is not limited to a repeated arrangement of the same shape, but may be a mixture of various shapes. Furthermore, the space 8 between the mesh body 5 and the base material 2 may be formed in the vertical direction, and in this case, it is desirable to arrange multiple space portions 8 side by side at predetermined intervals in the horizontal direction.

[0055] The wall surfaces on which the ecosystem environment improvement members are installed are vertical or sloping surfaces installed in water or land areas, and ecosystem environment improvement structures using ecosystem environment improvement members can also be applied to, for example, the sides of bridge piers installed in water areas. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 1, 1a, 1b...Ecosystem environment improvement materials 2……Base material 3...Mat material 4... Mesh member 5……Net body 6...Cover material 7, 7a……Filling material 8……Space part 9, 9a, 9b……Protrusion part 10a, 10b....Protrusion height 11, 11a, 11b……Wall body 12a……Front 12b……Back side 13, 13a……cage body 14……Filling material 15...Matt 16……Wire rod 16a………Anchor 17……Land 20, 20a, 20b……Ecological environment improvement structure

Claims

1. An ecosystem environment improvement member to be installed on a wall surface, A substrate; a mesh body disposed in front of the base material; Equipped with the mesh body is disposed on the base material so as to form protrusions that protrude forward at predetermined intervals; The spaces between the mesh body and the base material constituting each of the protrusions are divided into a plurality of sections, An ecological environment improving member characterized in that each of the spaces is filled with a filler material.

2. Each of the spaces is formed in a horizontal direction, 2. The ecosystem environment improving member according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said spaces are arranged side by side at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction.

3. 2. The ecosystem environment improving member according to claim 1, wherein the projections of the netting relative to the base material are formed in a wave shape in the direction in which the plurality of spaces are arranged.

4. 2. The ecosystem environment improving member according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a mat material sandwiched between a pair of mesh members.

5. 5. The ecosystem environment improving member according to claim 4, wherein the mat material is a water-retentive material.

6. 2. The ecosystem environment improving member according to claim 1, wherein a cover material is fixed to the front surface of the net so as to cover a part of the protrusion.

7. 7. The ecosystem environment improving member according to claim 6, wherein the cover material is a plate-like member having holes.

8. 2. The ecosystem environment improving member according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the filler is a plate-like member having a flat surface.

9. An ecosystem environment improvement structure using the ecosystem environment improvement member according to any one of claims 1 to 8, The ecosystem environment improvement members are arranged along the wall surface, An ecosystem environment improvement structure characterized in that at least a portion of the ecosystem environment improvement member is disposed in the air.

10. The ecosystem environment improvement structure according to claim 9, characterized in that the wall surface is provided in a water area, a lower portion of the ecosystem environment improvement member is submerged in water, and an upper portion of the ecosystem environment improvement member is exposed above water.

11. The ecosystem environment improvement structure described in claim 9, characterized in that the ecosystem environment improvement members are arranged from the top to the bottom of the wall surface, and the protruding height of the mesh body from the base material above the ecosystem environment improvement members is lower than the protruding height of the mesh body from the base material below the ecosystem environment improvement members.

12. The ecosystem environment improvement structure described in claim 9, characterized in that the ecosystem environment improvement member is suspended from above the wall surface and connected to a cage body placed on land on the back side of the wall surface, and the cage body is filled with a plurality of filler materials.

13. The ecosystem environment improvement structure according to claim 9, characterized in that a cage filled with a plurality of fillers is placed below the ecosystem environment improvement member, and the ecosystem environment improvement member and the cage are in contact with each other.

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