Human impacts have been altering the elemental cycles of ecosystem as well as producing pollutants, which ultimately make their way to the ocean through rivers and the atmosphere. The coastal seas are especially vulnerable to this effect because of the closeness to the source. At the same time, these areas are the place where the intense chemical and biological reactions take place. In another word, recycling of substances by those reactions plays a significant role in sustaining a diverse ecosystem and provides us with a variety of natural resources. It is likely that the human impacts are particularly significant in the coastal seas adjacent to the Asian countries where the economy is growing rapidly or in the semi-closed seas like the Seto Inland Sea, Japan.

In order to detect such anthropogenic changes and construct measures to keep this environment in good condition, continuous monitoring and data collecting is essential.