ADAPTIVE STRATEGIES OF COASTAL FLORA AND FAUNA IN PACIFIC ISLAND ECOSYSTEMS UNDER INCREASING SALINITY AND HABITAT FRAGMENTATION

Abstract Pacific island ecosystems are characterized by high biodiversity, ecological specialization, and strong sensitivity to environmental change. Increasing salinity driven by sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and altered freshwater regimes presents substantial ecological challenge. Concurrently, habitat fragmentation resulting from urban expansion, infrastructure development, and tourism further disrupts ecological connectivity. This study investigates adaptive strategies of coastal flora and fauna in Japanese Pacific island ecosystems exposed to rising salinity and fragmentation pressures. Integrating plant physiology, marine zoology, and landscape ecology, the research examines structural, physiological, and behavioral adaptations enabling species persistence in dynamic coastal environments. The objective is to evaluate resilience capacity of island ecosystems under accelerating environmental transformation.