・Forest Environment Functions・Forest Soil・Hydrology・Material Cycling・Forest Rehabilitation
f-satoh*fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
(1) Kobayashi, M., Shibata, H., Kim, YS., Satomura, T., Takagi, K., Nomura, M., Satoh, F., and Koike, T. (2012) Contribution of charcoal to short-term nutrient dynamics after surface fire in the humus layer of a dwarf bamboo-dominated forest. Biology and Fertility of Soils. DOI: 10.1007/s00374-011-0657-y
(2) Kayama, M., Satoh, F., Koike, T., (2011) Photosynthetic rate, needle longevity, and nutrient contents in Picea glehnii growing on strongly acidic volcanic ash soil in northern Japan. Photosynthetica 49:239-245.
(3) Kayama, M., Makoto, K., Nomura, M., Satoh, F., Koike, T. (2009) Nutrient dynamics and carbon partitioning in larch seedlings (Larix kaempferi) regenerated on serpentine soil in northern Japan. Landscape and Ecological Engineering 5:125-135, DOI: 10.1007/s11355-009-0069-4
My research interests cover the dynamics of water, nutrients and chemical materials in forest soil and watershed under the impact of forest managements, wild fire, acid deposition and other anthropogenic activities. The goal of my study directs to the development of forest management techniques for conservation of forest environment functions. The major research approaches are field monitoring and chemical analysis including the watershed-scale experimental manipulation in experimental forests, recently involving the forest sites in China, Russia and Scandinavia
Biogeochemistry and environmental functions of forest ecosystem
・Biogeochemistry・Soil・Stream water quality・Ecosystem ecology
shiba*fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
(3) Shibata H, James N Galloway, Allison M Leach et al. (2017) Nitrogen footprints: Regional realities and options to reduce nitrogen loss to the environment. Ambio 46:129-142
My interests involve, “What’s the environmental functions of forest ecosystem”, “What’s the process and mechanism of soil and water quality?” and “How do human activities impact on the biogeochemical cycles in forest ecosystem?” Major research approaches include field sampling, monitoring and chemical analysis of soil, plant, litter and water in forest ecosystem. A recent interest is expanding to focus on the combined human and natural system for sustainable future.
Forest carbon cycle
・Forest micrometeorology・Ecosystem ecology・Carbon cycle・Climate change・Disturbance
kentt*fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
(1) Takagi, K., et al. (2009) Change in CO2 balance under a series of forestry activities in a cool-temperate mixed forest with dense undergrowth. Global Change Biology, 15, 1275-1288.
(2) Aguilos, M., Takagi, K., et al. (2013) Sustained large stimulation of soil heterotrophic respiration rate and its temperature sensitivity by soil warming in a cool-temperate forested peatland. Tellus B, 65, 20792.
(3) Takagi, K., et al. (2015) Forest biomass and volume estimation using airborne LiDAR in a cool-temperate forest of northern Hokkaido. Ecological Informatics, 26, 54-60.
Research topics: Effect of forestry activities on carbon & water cycles; Effect of global warming on soil respiration; Inter-site comparison of carbon cycles of Asian forests; Regional scale evaluation of forest carbon cycle
Hydrological processes in snowy forests
・Forest hydrology・Snow hydrology・River discharge・Snowmelt・Water budget
nomu*fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
(1) Nomura, M., Satoh, F., Ashiya, D. and Masumoto, H. (1999) Observation and simulation of snowcover in a mountain region (in Japanese). Research Bulletin of the Hokkkaido University Forests, 56: 11-19
(2) Nomura, M., Sasa, K., Satoh, F., Shibata, H., Uemura, S., Fujiwara, K. and Chekurdaev, G.A. (2002) Snowmelt Runoff at a Seasonal Ground Frost Basin in Southern Sakhalin, Russia. Eurasian Journal of Forest Research, 5: 11-21
(3) Takagi, K., Nomura, M., Ashiya, D., Takahashi, H., Sasa, K., Fujinuma, Y., Shibata, H., Akibayashi, Y. and Koike, T. (2005) Dynamic carbon dioxide exchange through snowpack by wind-driven mass transfer in a conifer-broadleaf mixed forest in northernmost Japan. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 19, GB2012, doi: 10.1029/2004GB002272
Research topics: Snow accumulation and melting processes in forests of northern Hokkaido; Water budgets and hydrological processes in forest catchments
Biogeochemistry in plant-soil system and ecosystem function of forest
Nutrient dynamics・Fine root・Understory vegetation・Forest management・Stream water
caribu*fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
(1) Fukuzawa K, Shibata H, Takagi K, Satoh F, Koike T, Sasa K (2015) Roles of dominant understory Sasa bamboo in carbon and nitrogen dynamics following canopy tree removal in a cool-temperate forest in northern Japan, Plant Species Biology 30:104-115
(2) Fukuzawa K, Shibata H, Takagi K, Satoh F, Koike T, Sasa K
(2013) Temporal variation in fine-root biomass, production and mortality in a cool temperate forest covered with dense understory vegetation in northern Japan, Forest Ecology and Management
310:700-710
(3) Fukuzawa K, Dannoura M, Shibata H (2012) Fine root dynamics and root respiration, In: Stefano Mancuso (eds) Measuring roots: An updated approach. Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, pp291-302
I study ecosystem function of forests by determining biogeochemical process in nature. I am interested especially in fine root system and the role of understory vegetation, drarf bamboo (Sasa spp.), which thoroughly covers understory of forests in northern Japan. If you find such work fun and enjoyable, let’s work together!
Fungal networks in forest ecosystem
・Fungal networks・Mycorrhizal fungi・Decomposing fungi・Mushroom cultivations・Coastal forests
jycha*fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
(1)J. Y. Cha, J. M. Sung and T. Igarashi: Biological species and morphological characteristics of Armillaria mellea complex in Hokkaido (1994) A. sinapina and two new species, A. jezoensis and A. singular. Mycoscience, 35: 39-47
(2)Joo Young Cha, Kun Woo Chun, Sang Yong Lee, Si Young Lee and Shoji Ohga (2009) Detection of Tricholoma matsutake in soil after forest fire in a Pinus densiflora forest in Korea. Journal of the Faculty of Agriculture Kyushu University, 54 (2): 261-265
(3)J.Y. Cha, S. Y. Lee, S. Y. Lee and K. W. Chun (2011) Basidiocarp formation by Innotus obliquus on a living paper birch tree. Forest Pathology, 41: 163-16
The largest and oldest organism alive on the earth is Armillaria. How is it possible? It is possible due to the relationship forming networks that Armillaria and other living creatures like plants and other fungi as parasite, decomposer and symbiont. The investigation of fungal networks in forest ecosystem is the most interesting subject in my research.
herbivore-plant interactions, responses to global warming, biodiversity and ecosystem function
・Community ecology・Global warming・Biological interactions・Filed manipulations・Biodiversity
masahiro*fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
(1)Nakamura, M., Muller, O., Tayanagi, S., Nakaji, T., Hiura, T. (2010) Experimental branch warming alters tall tree leaf phenology and acorn production. Agricultural and Forest Meteology 150: 1026-1029
(2)Nakamura, M., Asanuma, M., Hiura, T. (2010) Differential effects of host plant hybridization on herbivore community structure and grazing pressure on forest canopies. Oikos 119: 1445-1452
(3)Nakamura M., Miyamoto, Y., Ohgushi, T. (2003) Gall formation enhances the availability of food resources for herbivorous insects. Functional Ecology 17: 851-857
Herbivore insects are the most diverse group of terrestrial organisms on the earth. To understand how herbivore insects respond to climate changes (e.g. global warming), I conduct two long-term warming experiments of tall trees (oaks and birches, about 20 m in height) using electric heating cables and infrared lamps with collaborators. I am also very interested in the effects of tree (genotypic) diversity on ecosystem functions (e.g. resistance to herbivory, stability of insect community, resilience to global warming).
Population dynamics and spatial genetic structure in wildlife
・Mammal・Population ecology・Life history・DNA・Animal conservation
tsaitoh*fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
(1)Saitoh T, Vik JO, Stenseth NC, Takanishi T, Hayakashi S, Ishida N, Ohmori M, Morita T, Uemura S, Kadomatsu M, Osawa J, Maekawa K (2008) Effects of acorn abundance on density dependence in a Japanese wood mouse (Apodemus speciosus) population. Population Ecology 50(2): 159-167
(2)Stenseth, N. C., Viljugrein, H., Saitoh, T., Hansen, T. F., Kittilsen, M. O., Bølviken, E. and Glöckner, F. (2003) Seasonality, density dependence and population cycles in Hokkaido voles. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 100: 11478-11483
(3)Terada C, Tatsuzawa S, Saitoh T (2012) Ecological correlates and determinants in the geographical variation of deer morphology. Oecologia, online: DOI 10.1007/s00442-012-2270-7
How and why do animal populations fluctuate? How are populations structured? What ecological functions does the structure have? These are main questions that we are struggling to answer by investigating wild populations of rodents and deer. We are considering conservation problems through answering the above ecological questions.
Responses of mammals to natural and artificial disturbances
・Mammal・Behavior・Disturbance・Habitat・Adaptation
agetsuma*fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
(1) Agetsuma ,N., Koda, R., Tsujino, R., Agetsuma-Yanagihara, Y. (2016) Impact of anthropogenic disturbance on the density and activity pattern of deer evaluated with respect to spatial scale-dependency. Mammalian Biology, 81: 130-137.
(2) Agetsuma ,N., Koda, R., Tsujino, R., Agetsuma-Yanagihara, Y. (2015) Effective spatial scales for evaluating environmental determinants of population density in Yakushima macaques. American Journal of Primatology, 77: 152-161.
(3)Agetsuma, N., Agetsuma-Yanagihara, Y., Takafumi, H. (2011) Food habits of Japanese deer in an evergreen forest: Litter-feeding deer. Mammalian Biology, 76: 201-207.
Wildlife species receive various natural fluctuations and artificial impacts. How does wildlife adapt their ecologies to these disturbances? From this point of view, I am studying adaptations of mammal species to these disturbances. I am also studying the interaction between herbivores and forest ecosystem by field experiments. My main study fields are Yakushima, Wakayama and Tomakomai Experimental Forests.
Plant-insect interaction, creation and maintenance of biodiversity
Biodiversity, Evolutionary community ecology, Eco-evolutionary feedback, Contemporary evolution, Genetics, Symbiosis, Phenotypic plasticity, Insect Ecology
(1)Utsumi, S., Ando, Y., Roininen, H., Takahashi, J., Ohgushi, T. (2013) Herbivore community promotes trait evolution in a leaf beetle via induced plant response. Ecology Letters 16: 362-370
(2)Utsumi, S., Ando, Y., Craig, T.P., Ohgushi, T. (2011) Plant genotypic diversity increases population size of a herbivorous insect. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Science 278: 3108-3115
(3)Utsumi, S. (2011) Eco-evolutionary dynamics in herbivorous insect communities mediated by induced plant responses. Population Ecology 53: 23-34
I am interested in the ecology and evolution of species interactions, particularly as it relates to plant-animal interactions. Our lab members enthusiastically address diverse questions to bridge genetics, evolution, and ecology in a wide range of terrestrial organisms, bacteria, plants, and animals (e.g., nitrogen-fixing symbiont, invasive herb, tree, herbivorous insects, sika deer). My main research area is evolutionary community ecology, in which I focus on the dynamic interplay between the ecology and evolution of plant-associated insect communities. We generally perform both field observation and experimental approaches in the laboratory and the field.
Ecology and conservation of aquatic animals
・Cannibalism・Phenotypic plasticity・Intraspecific variation・Invasive species
kishida*fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
(1)Yamaguchi, A., Takatsu, K., Kishida, O. (2016) Contacts with large, active individuals intensify the predation risk of small conspecifics.Ecology 97:3206-3218.Takatsu K. & Kishida O. (2015) Predator cannibalism can intensify negative impacts on heterospecific prey. Ecology, 96: 1887–1898.
(2) Katayama, N., Kobayashi, M., Kishida, O. (2016) An aquaticvertebrate can utilize amino acids from environmental water. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 283: 20160996.
(3) Kishida, O., Tezuka, A., Ikeda, A., Takatsu, K. & Michimae, H.(2015) Adaptive acceleration in growth and development of salamander hatchlings in cannibalistic situation. Functional Ecology, 29:469-478.
My research is focused on the ecology and evolution in biological interactions, in particular the role of phenotypic plasticity and intraspecific variation of animals in affecting population dynamics and shaping communities. I am also interested in adaptive strategy in life history, morphology and behavioral traits of animals. Recently, I started to investigate impacts of invasive toad on native community. This work involves laboratory projects and field research using amphibian larvae.
Forestry management with consideration of ecosystem sustainability
・Uneven-aged forestry・Mixed forest・Natural disturbance・Dead woods・Ecosystem functions
yoto*fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
(1) Asada, I., Yamazaki, H. and Yoshida, T. (2017) Spatial patterns of oak (Quercus crispula) regeneration on scarification site around a conspecific overstory tree. Forest Ecology and
Management, 393: 81-88
(2) Yasuda, A., Yoshida, T., Miya, H. and Harvey, B. (2013) An alternative management regime of selection cutting for sustaining stand structure of mixed forests of northern Japan - a simulation
study. Journal of Forest Research, 18: 398-406.
(3)Yoshida, T., Noguchi, M., Uemura, S., Yanaba, S., Miya, H. and Hiura, T. (2011) Tree mortality in a natural mixed forest affected by stand fragmentation and by a strong typhoon in northern
Japan. Journal of Forest Research. 16: 215-222
Utilization of wood materials, a renewable natural resource, is significant for developing ecologically sustainable society. However, forestry practices have often caused degradation of the target ecosystem. I’m conducting studies on structure, dynamics and diversity of managed forests, and am trying to establish alternative management regimes which bring harmony with conservation issues.
Optical remote sensing of tree's ecophysiological function and the response to the environmental stresses.
・Climate change・Field experiment・Forest trees・Non-destructive monitoring・Scaling up
nakaji*fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
How can we evaluate the health condition of forest? One of the powerful tools is the optical remote sensing (RS) technique. Optical RS deals mainly with the spectral feature of foliar reflectance which is related to the ecophysiological characteristics such as photosynthesis and nutrient status. In my laboratory, some field experiments are conducted, and we are analyzing the relationship between the optical characteristics and tree responses to the environmental stresses such as global warming. Let's study the potential and application of RS for the risk assessment of natural forest with us!
Effect of climate change on plant-soil linkage in boreal forest ecosystem
Tree ecophysiology・Biogeochemistry・Soil fauna・Disturbance・(Winter) climate change
makoto*fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
(1) Makoto, K.,Minamiya, Y., Kaneko, N. (2016) Differences in soil type drive the intraspecific variation in the responses of an earthworm species and, consequently, tree growth to warming. Plant and Soil. 404: 209-218.
(2)Makoto, K., Kajimoto, T., Koyama, L., Kudo, G., Shibata, H., Yanai, Y., Cornelissen, J.H.C. (2014) Winter climate change in plant-soil system: summary of recent findings and future perspective. Ecological Research. 29: 593-606.
(3)Makoto, K., Hirobe, M., DeLuca, T.H., Bryanin, S.V., Procopchuk, V.F., Koike, T. (2011) Effects of fire-derived charcoal on soil properties and seedling regeneration in a recently burned Larix gmelinii/Pinus sylvestris forest. Journal of Soils and Sediments. 11:1317-1322.
“How does the climate change affect plant and soil linkage?” This is the question that keeps me awake at night! By utilizing biochemical technique, field survey and field manipulation experiment, I am clarifying the mechanisms of the effects. Recently I am especially focusing on the relationship between soil fauna and tree ecophysiological traits and on winter climate change.