Anthropogenic Disturbance by Domestic Extraction of Construction Minerals in Japan

Accompanying the huge amount of material accumulation in the socioeconomic sphere is anthropogenic disturbance, namely, artificial landform transformation attributed to mining, soil excavation, construction, and physical development. Anthropogenic disturbance impacts the natural environment and is strongly related to hidden material flow (HMF). However, only few studies have considered anthropogenic disturbance as the starting point of material transfer in the ecosphere. The objectives of the present study are: (1) to spatially quantify the impact of humans on the natural environment by estimating the anthropogenic disturbance attributed to mining and (2) to contribute to the knowledge of HMF by examining the phenomenon using the relatively unexplored methodology of assessing the relationship between anthropogenic disturbance and material transfer by means of a geographical information system and digital elevation model. Statistical data obtained by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan were used to account for domestic extraction. By comparing the respective results of bottom†up and top†down accountings, we estimated the potential HMF. The database developed in this study not only reflects the amount of anthropogenic disturbance and potential HMF, but also reveals their destructive effect on the environment and the spatial distribution of anthropogenic disturbance.