研究プロジェクト

Full Research

Stage	FR
Project No.	D-02
Project Name	A New Cultural and Historical Exploration into Human-Nature Relationships in the Japanese Archipelago
Project Leader	YUMOTO, Takakazu
Research Axis	Diversity
URL	http://www.chikyu.ac.jp/retto/index.htm

○Research Subject and Objectives

Research objectives and background

TheJapanese Archipelago extends over 3000 km from North to South, and includessubarctic, cool temperate, warm temperate and subtropical climatic zones. It isevident that, even during the global environmental changes that have takenplace over the past 100.000 years, these various climatic zones were present.As a result, the characteristics of the natural environment and the humansubsistence activities within the Japanese Archipelago varied greatly, as didthe relationships between nature and human activity. Under the influence ofclimatic change and human activities, the distributions of individual species ofplants and animals in the Japanese Archipelago and its surrounding landmasseshave been constantly changing. Populations of plants and animals haverepeatedly divided, expanded and diminished in response to changes in theavailability of suitable habitat. Where suitable habitat was not available, thespecies became extinct.

Theknowledge and skills that humans have developed concerning individual speciescan be considered to contain both the idea that biological resources should beused in sustainable way, and the desire to harvest without fear of exhaustingthe resources. Although ethnological research has highlighted phenomena such aspublic management of lands and resources, and environmental preservationthrough limited harvest, it is still unclear when, in which region and amongwhom the philosophy of preservation was put into practice, or under whichsocial conditions it became an influential way of thinking. Throughout theperiod of human habitation, the Japanese Archipelago has been blessed with awarm climate and abundant rainfall, and consequently abundant biologicalresources. But what is the history of overuse and exhaustion of thoseresources? And how did individual species fare in this historical process?These are the central issues of the present project.

The three main problems to beinvestigated here are as follows.

1) How did new subsistence/economic systems(human-nature relationships concerning food, shelter, clothing, tools, fuel,fodder, fertilisers, medicine, rituals) emerge and spread?

2) How were these subsistence/economicsystems maintained, and how and why did they end? What kind of social system(social structure, economic foundation, system of spatial organisation,technical system, perception of nature) supported the subsistence/economicsystem, and, after it ends, how does the social system change?

Whatbecomes of the biological resources that were connected to the system after itends? Do they become entirely extinct or remain as relics?

Significance as a RIHNproject

(1) Reconstructing Japanese historyfrom an unprecedented point of view in the following three respects. 1) Takingthe climatic changes over the last tens of thousands of years as an axis, theproject will examine both the history of the living organisms and humanhistory, interpreting history as the sum total of all human-nature relationshipvectors in all the periods (for example, the Satoyama, a traditional rural agro-ecosystem which has establishedin early modern Japan).

2) By comparative analysis of thesocial and economic factors that shaped and supported the human-naturerelationships in each of six climatically and historically different regions ofthe Japanese Archipelago, the project will explicate the connections betweenthose regions. At that we understand the present-day biota in each of theregions as a result of the history of the division, relocation and local oroverall extinction of species. 3) From the point of view of human ecology andusing materials such as archaeological remains, historical records, and oraltradition, we will attempt to reconstruct the network of natural resource usagein each of the regions in each period. Based on the results of this analysis,we aim to identify the main cause of change in human-nature relationships, andto verify the extent to which the concept of using biological resources insustainable ways existed in each period.

(2) Building atheoretical method for reconstructing the history of human beings based on theinteraction with the environment using a trans-disciplinary approach. Theproject attempts to establish a new research method, which can be applied inother regions, by explicating the mechanisms underlying human culture andenvironmental issues through an approach which is wide, both in its time andspace scale, and which takes into account both the impact that naturalenvironment has on the formation and change of human cultures, and theinfluence that human activities exert on the natural environment.

(3)Proposing some guidelines for avoiding future threats to the environment. By understanding the long-term impact that human activities have on the naturalenvironment through the change in subsistence/economic systems, it is possible to predict the future environmental dangers, e.g. the loss of biologicaldiversity, and to propose a realistic policy for handling them.

○Progress and Results in 2019

Outcomes of the project asa whole

1) A series ofchronological charts of environmental history for each district is beingcompiled from epoch-making events on environmental issues and policy changes onresource managements. It will be completed by adding data of estimatedvegetation changes (based on pollen analysis) and population change (based onhistorical demography). More than 6000 chronological data were compiled as adatabase in Hu-Time (time-sequence data base).

2) The word “wise use” hasbeen examined from various aspects in several workshops. Consequently, it isdefined as knowledge and skills which have been enable to use the regenerablenatural resources without exhausting, and to obtain ecosystem services (provisioning,regulating, cultural, and supporting, insensu Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005)) in sustainable ways. Examplesof “wise use” and “unwise use” from each district are being sorted out andcategorized by identifying which multi-layered governance (e.g. community,local government, national government, international organization) took aninitiative role, and according to what kind of incentive it concerned to. Eachchronological datum was notified as a character of a particular layer of environmentalgovernance.

3) Paleo-ecosytem WG andPlant geography WG held a cooperative workshop to combine each achievement. Oneof their outcomes is to identify the refugees for warm temperate plants andcold temperate plants in Last Glacial Maximum. The results were presented in asymposium of Japanese Society of Botany. Based on the discussion then, anestimated vegetation map in Last Glacial Maximum in Japan Archipelago(including Sakhalin) is now preparing for publication.

4) Analyses on old boneshave been conducted, focusing to the comparison among Jomon period (highself-sufficiency, by hunting and gathering), Edo period (high self-sufficiency,by developed agriculture with national-wide trade) and Present (lowself-sufficiency, food supported by international trade). In Jomon period,three human populations; Hokkaido, Honshu-Kyushu, and Okinawa were recognizedas different groups based on dietary: Hokkaido population depended on seamammals or fish in high trophic level; Honshu-Kyushu population depended on C3plant materials; and Okinawa population depended on fish and mollusks inlagoon. Even in Edo period, three different groups still existed. But thosedifferences have disappeared in the Present population.

Outcomes of each workinggroup

1) Paleo-ecosystem WG: Data of pollen analysis in Japanfrom various authors are being compiled to register in Global Pollen Database.Comparative pollen analysis is undergoing dated back to Last Inter-glacialPeriod in Lake Biwa, Kamiyoshi Basin, and the Osaka Group in Kinki region, andrevealing the human activities and vegetation changes. Symposia were held inthe annual meetings of Ecological Society of Japan andof The Japanese Association of Historical Botany.

2) Plant geography WG: Plants from various climate zoneswere selected and analyzed by DNA makers. Especially, nuclear DNA markers havesuccessively developed on Perseathunbergii as a climax species and Zanthoxylumaianthoides as a pioneer species in warm temperate zone where lessinformation is available.

3) Old humanbone WG: Stable isotope analysis on present human based on hair was conductedto reveal the more-dependency on meats than on fish, and the extreme vegetarianlifestyle for some subjects. Also, stable isotope analysis of the collagen fromold human bone of Edo Period revealed the considerable regional variations offood intake: from coastal fish to millets which produced in slash-and-burntcultivation.

4) Sakhalin WG: The locality known as Cyurui where molarteeth of Naumann’s elephants (Palaeoloxodonnaumanni) were excavated 30 years ago was re-excavated to obtainenvironmental proxy as pollen and tephra.

5) Hokkaido WG: Documents, either official and private,in Shiribeshi region were examined to study the history of herring catch anddestruction of forests owing to firewood and boiling fish. Governmental policyon resource managements in historical context is being analyzed.

6) Tohoku WG: The local extinction of large mammals,wolves, boars, monkeys and deer was studied based on old documents to reveal theyear of extinction and its presumed reason. The present-absent map of monkeysin Edo Period, Meiji-Taisho Era, Showa 30s, the beginning of Heisei, andpresent in whole Tohoku region has completed.

7) Chubu WG: Documents in Edo Period were analyzed on themanagements of Osutaka-yama (a areaof the protected forest for rearing young hawks which provide to lords used forhunting birds). A lot of letters, which shows the conflicts between people whoobtained the benefits from young hawks and people who wanted to log trees, wasdiscovered.

8) Kinki WG: History of forests which have been providingtimbers to old capitals (Nara, Kyoto, Osaka and others) were studied, and theexhausting of large trees, conflicts between lords and villagers, and thedevelopments of transportation were related to each other. Domestic use oftimber as housing in a village was studied by breaking down an old house, andthe size and species of each timber were analyzed intensively to reveal theforest use surrounding the village.

9) Kyushu WG: Fire which maintains grassland in Aso andKuju was analyzed by documents which recorded the ceremony of lord’s hunting byfiring. Also, a boring core analysis on pollen, tephra, plant opal revealedthat the fire and grassland was observed before Akahoya tephra (ca.BP 6300).

10) OkinawaWG: Excavation of bone accumulation and documental works revealed that theextinction of dugong (Dugong dugong)in Yaeyama Islands was occurred by over-killed in Meiji Era, after the end ofsustainable managements by Shuri Dynasty which monopolized the resource use.

○Project Members

◎ YUMOTO, Takakazu ( Research Institute for Humanity and Nature,Professor,Project Leader )

○ Takahara, Hikaru ( Graduate School of Life and Environment Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University,Professor,Paleo-ecology WG Leader,Reconstruction of historical environments from plant remains )

Hase, Yoshitaka ( Gosho-ura Cretaceous Museum,Director,Paleo-ecology WG:Reconstruction of historical environments from pollen )

Igarashi, Yaeko ( Institute for Paleo-environment of Northern Regions,Director,Paleo-ecology WG:Reconstruction of historical environments from pollen )

Kanauchi, Atsuko ( Meiji University,Part-time Lecturer,Paleo-ecology WG:Reconstruction of historical environments from pollen )

Kito, Norio ( Department of Education, Hokkaido University of Education HAKODATE,Professor,Paleo-ecology WG:Reconstruction of historical environments from pollen )

Minaki, Mutsuhiko ( Faculty of Commercial Sciences,University of Marketing and Distribution Sciences,Professor,Paleo-ecology WG:Reconstruction of historical environments from plant remains )

Momohara, Arata ( Faculty of Horticulture, Chiba University,Associate Professor,Paleo-ecology WG:Reconstruction of historical environments from plant remains )

Morita, Yoshimune ( Faculty of Science,Okayama University of Science,Professor,Paleo-ecology WG:Reconstruction of historical environments from pollen )

Ogura, Junﾕ-ichi ( Faculty of Humanities, Kyoto Seika University,Professor,Paleo-ecology WG:Reconstruction of historical environments from plant remains )

○ Murakami, Noriaki ( Makino Herbarium, Tokyo Metropolitan University,Professor,Plant geography WG Leader,Analysis of the distribution and genetic constitution of living plants )

Abe, Jun ( Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University,Associate Professor,Plant geography WG:Analysis of the distribution and genetic constitute of domesticated plants )

Aoki, Kyoko ( Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University,Postdoctoral Research Fellow (JSPS),Plant geography WG:Analysis of the distribution and genetic constitution of living plants )

Fujii, Noriyuki ( Faculty of Science, Kumamoto University,Associate Professor,Plant geography WG:Analysis of the distribution and genetic constitution of living plants )

Nakayama, Yuichiro ( Graduate School of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University,Assistant Professor,Plant geography WG:Analysis of the distribution and genetic constitute of domesticated plants )

Setoguchi, Hiroaki ( Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University,Associate Professor,Plant geography WG:Analysis of the distribution and genetic constitution of living plants )

○ Suka, Takeshi ( Nagano Environmental Conservation Research Institute,Researcher,Plant geography WG:Analysis of the distribution and relations between insects and plants )

Tachida, Hidenori ( Graduate School of Science, Kyushu University,Professor,Plant geography WG:Analysis of the distribution and genetic constitution of living plants )

Tamura, Minoru ( Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University,Professor,Plant geography WG:Analysis of the distribution and genetic constitution of living plants )

Tanaka, Hiroyuki ( Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University,Assistant Professor,Plant geography WG:Analysis of the distribution and relations between insects and plants )

Tomaru, Nobuhiro ( Graduate School of Bio-agricultural Sciences, Nagoya University,Professor,Plant geography WG:Analysis of the distribution and genetic constitution of living plants )

Tsumura, Yoshihiko ( Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute,Head of Genome Analysis Laboratory,Plant geography WG:Analysis of the distribution and genetic constitution of living plants )

Ushimaru, Atsushi ( Faculty of Human Development, Kobe University,Associate Professor,Plant geography WG:Analysis of the distribution and relations between insects and plants )

Yamaguchi, Hirofum ( Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture,Professor,Plant geography WG:Analysis of the distribution and genetic constitute of domesticated plants )

Yamane, Kyoko ( Gifu University,Assistant Professor,Plant geography WG:Analysis of the distribution and genetic constitute of domesticated plants )

○ Yoneda, Minoru ( Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo,Associate Professor,Old bone WG Leader,Stable isotope analysis on human-nature relations in the past and the present )

Fujisawa, Shiori ( Faculty of Science, Kyoto University,Ph.D. students,Old bone WG:Stable isotope analysis on human-nature relations in the past and the present )

Hyodo, Fujio ( Research Core for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Okayama University,Assistant Professor,Old bone WG:Stable isotope analysis on human-nature relations in the past and the present )

Ishimaru, Eriko ( Research Institute for Humanity and Nature,Project Researcher,Old bone WG:Stable isotope analysis on human-nature relations in the past and the present )

Katayama, Kazumichi ( Kyoto University,Professor Emeritus,Old bone WG:Analysis of human diets based on old human bones )

○ Nakano,Takanori ( Research Institute for Humanity and Nature,Professor,Old bone WG:Stable isotope analysis of human-nature relations in the past and the present )

○ Tayasu, Ichiro ( Centre for Ecological Research, Kyoto University,Associate Professor,Old bone WG:Stable isotope analysis on human-nature relations in the past and the present )

○ Sato, Hiroyuki ( Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, The University of Tokyo,Professor,Sakhalin WG Leader,Archaeological studies on human-nature relationships )

Izuho, Masam ( Faculty of Urban Liberal Arts, Tokyo Metropolitan University,Associate Professor,Sakhalin WG:Archaeological studies on human-nature relationships )

Masuda, Ryuichi ( Creative Research Initiative “Sousei”, Hokkaido University,Associate Professor,Sakhalin WG:Archaeological studies on human-nature relationships )

Oda, Hirotaka ( Nagoya University Center for Chronological Research,Assistant Professor,Sakhalin WG:Archaeological studies on human-nature relationships )

Sasaki, Shiro ( National Museum of Ethnology,Professor,Sakhalin WG:Archaeological studies on human-nature relationships )

Takahashi, Keiichi ( Lake Biwa Museum,Curator,Sakhalin WG:Archaeological studies on human-nature relationships )

Yamada, Satoru ( Board of Education, Kitami City,Curator,Sakhalin WG:Archaeological studies on human-nature relationships )

○ Tajima, Yoshiya ( Faculty of Economics, Kanagawa University,Professor,Hokkaido WG Leader,Historical studies on human-nature relationships )

Fumoto, Shin’ichi ( Faculty of Education and Human Sciences, Niigata University,Associate Professor,Hokkaido WG:Historical studies on human-nature relationships )

Kojima, Kyoko ( Faculty School of Human Life Sciences, Showa Women's University,Part-time Lecturer,Hokkaido WG:Historical studies on human-nature relationships, Ainu cases )

Kosugi, Yasushi ( Graduate School of Letters, Hokkaido University,Professor,Hokkaido WG:Archaeological studies on human-nature relationships )

Miura, Yasuyuki ( Historical Museum of Hokkaido,Curator,Hokkaido WG:Historical studies on human-nature relationships )

Nakano, Yasushi ( Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Tsukuba,Associate Professor,Hokkaido WG:Ethnological studies on human-nature relationships )

Ushiro, Hirosh ( Historical Museum of Hokkaido,Chief Curator,Hokkaido WG:Archaeological studies on human-nature relationships )

○ Ikeya, Kazunobu ( National Museum of Ethnology,Professor,Tohoku WG Leader,Ethnological study and research on the human-nature relations )

Izawa, Kosei ( Research Group of Monkeys, Miyagi,Head,Tohoku WG:Analyses on human-nature relationships and the distribution of mammals )

Kikuchi, Isao ( Department of Cultural Studies, Miyagi Gakuin Women’s University,Professor,Tohoku WG:Analyses on human-nature relationships and the distribution of mammals )

Nishizaki Nobuko ( Faculty of Administration and Social Sciences, Fukushima University,Associate Professor,Tohoku WG:Analyses on human-nature relationships and the distribution of mammals )

Mito, Yukihisa ( Aichi University of Education,Part-time Lecturer,Tohoku WG:Analyses on human-nature relationships and the distribution of mammals )

Oka, Keisuke ( Faculty of Policy Management, Tohoku Bunka Gakuen University,Professor,Tohoku WG:Analyses on human-nature relationships and the distribution of mammals )

○ Shirouzu, Satoshi ( The Law Faculty, Chuo-Gakuin University,Associate Professor,Chubu WG Leader,Historical studies on human-nature relationships )

Aragaki, Tsuneaki ( Tokyo National College of Technology,Part-time Lecturer,Chubu WG:Historical studies on human-nature relationships )

Inoue, Takuya ( Fuji Municipal Museum,Senior Curator,Chubu WG:Ethnological analysis of the human-nature relationships )

Hasegawa, Hirohiko ( School of Letters, Meiji University,Part-time Lecturer,Chubu WG:Geographical studies on human-nature relationships )

Nakazawa, Katsuaki ( Nagano National College of Technology,Associate Professor,Chubu WG:Historical studies on human-nature relationships )

Sasaki, Akihiko ( School of Letters, Sendai Shirayuri Women's College,Part-time Lecturer,Chubu WG:Geographical studies on human-nature relationships )

Sekido, Akiko ( Faculty of Education, Gunma University,Associate Professor,Chubu WG:Human-geographical studies on human-nature relationships )

Taguchi, Hiromi ( Faculty of Arts, Tohoku University of Arts and Design,Professor,Chubu WG:Ethnological analysis of the human-nature relationships )

Yoshimura, Satoko ( National Museum of Japanese History,Assistant Professor,Chubu WG:Ethnological analysis of the human-nature relationships )

○ Osumi, Katsuhiro ( Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute,Senior Management Officer,Kinki WG Leader,Analyses on human-nature relationships )

Fukamachi, Katsue ( Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University,Associate Professor,Kinki WG:Ecological analyses on human-nature relationships )

Horiuchi, Mio ( Center for Regional Collaboration, Kanazawa University,Research Fellow,Kinki WG:Analyses on human-nature relationships and the distribution of plants )

Inomoto, Tohru ( Satoyama Network in Seya,Head,Kinki WG:Analyses on human-nature relationships and the distribution of plants )

Ito, Hiroki ( Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute,Senior Researcher,Kinki WG:Analyses on human-nature relationships and the distribution of plants )

Mizuno, Shoji ( School of Human Cultures, The University of Shiga Prefecture,Professor,Kinki WG:Analyses on human-nature relationships and the distribution of plants )

Morimoto, Sensuke ( Museum of Folklore, Nara Prefecture,Curator,Kinki WG:Analyses on human-nature relationships and the distribution of plants )

Oku, Hirokazu ( Institute for the Study of Japanese Folk Culture, Kanagawa University,Research Fellow,Kinki WG:Analyses on human-nature relationships )

Sakuma, Daisuke ( Osaka Museum of Natural History,Senior Curator,Kinki WG:Analyses on human-nature relationships and the distribution of plants )

○ Iinuma Kenji ( Faculty of Humanities, Beppu University,Professor,Kyushu WG Leader,Study on environmental history )

Danjo, Tatsuo ( Faculty of Humanities, Beppu University,Professor,Kyushu WG:Ethnological analysis of the human-nature relationships )

Goto, Munetoshi ( Beppu University,Professor Emeritus,Kyushu WG:Archaeological analysis of the human-nature relationships )

Haruta, Naoki ( Department of Education, Kumamoto University,Associate Professor,Kyushu WG:Studies on the historical documents of human-nature relations )

Hattori, Hideo ( Graduate School of Social and Cultural Studies, Kyushu University,Professor,Kyushu WG:Historical studies on human-nature relationships )

Miyabuchi, Yasuo ( Faculty of Education, Kumamoto University,Associate Professor,Kyushu WG:Geological studies on human-nature relationships )

Nagamatsu, Atsushi ( Miyazaki Municipal University,Professor,Kyushu WG:Ethnological analysis of the human-nature relationships )

Nakayama, Akinori ( Faculty of Humanities, Beppu University,Associate Professor,Kyushu WG:Human-geographical studies on human-nature relationships )

Ohyama, Takuo ( Faculty of Humanities, Beppu University,Part-time Lecturer,Kyushu WG:Human-geographical studies on human-nature relationships )

Tachibana, Masanobu ( Faculty of Humanities, Beppu University,Professor,Kyushu WG:Archaeological analysis of the human-nature relationships )

Sasaki, Akira ( Faculty of Humanities, Beppu University,Part-time Lecturer,Kyushu WG:Reconstruction of historical environments )

Shimomura, Satoshi ( Faculty of Humanities, Beppu University,Professor,Kyushu WG:Archaeological analysis of the human-nature relationships )

Shinoto, Maria ( Faculty of Humanities, Beppu University,Part-time Lecturer,Kyushu WG:Archaeological analysis of the human-nature relationships )

Shono, Kiwato ( Faculty of Humanities, Beppu University,Part-time Lecturer,Kyushu WG:Botanical studies on human-nature relationships )

Taka, Yoichi ( Meiho High School,Teacher,Kyushu WG:Historical studies on human-nature relationships )

Tamagawa, Tsuyoshi ( Faculty of Humanities, Beppu University,Part-time Lecturer,Kyushu WG:Archaeological analysis of the human-nature relationships )

Ueno, Junya ( Faculty of Humanities, Beppu University,Part-time Lecturer,Kyushu WG:Archaeological analysis of the human-nature relationships )

○ Ankei, Yuji ( Faculty of International Studies, Yamaguchi Prefectural University,Professor,Okinawa WG Leader,Ethnological study and research on the human-nature relationships )

Ankei, Takako ( Faculty of Medicine, Yamaguchi University,Part-time Lecturer,Okinawa WG:Ethnological analysis of the human-nature relationships )

Ebihara, Ippei ( National Museum of Ethnology,Research Fellow,Okinawa WG:Ethnological analysis of the human-nature relationships )

Hayaishi, Shuhei ( Kamakura Women's College,Lecturer,Okinawa WG:Ecological analyses on human-nature relationships )

Kinoshita, Naoko ( Faculty of Letters, Kumamoto University,Professor,Okinawa WG:Archaeological analysis of the human-nature relationships )

Moriguchi, Mitsuru ( Faculty of Humanities, Okinawa University,Associate Professor,Okinawa WG:Ecological analyses on human-nature relationships )

Toguchi, Ken ( Faculty of Law and Letters, University of the Ryukyu,Part-time Lecturer,Okinawa WG:Geographical analyses on human-nature relationships )

Toyama, Masanao ( Okinawan Archives, Okinawa Prefecture,Chief,Okinawa WG:Ecological analyses on human-nature relationships )

○ Yahara, Tetsukazu ( Graduate School of Sciences, Kyushu University,Professor,Conceptualization WG Leader,Theoretical modeling of human-nature relations WG )

○ Abe, Hiroshi ( Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University,Associate Professor,Conceptualization WG:Philosophical study on human-nature relations )

○ Imamura, Akio ( Department of Bio-environmental Science, Kyoto Gakuen University,Lecturer,Conceptualization WG:Theoretical modeling of human-nature relations WG )

○ Matsuda, Hiroyuki ( Faculty of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University,Professor,Conceptualization WG:Theoretical study on the extinction of species )

Murakami, Yumiko ( Research Institute for Humanity and Nature,Project Researcher,Conceptualization WG:Archaeological analysis of the human-nature relationships )

○ Nakai, Sei’ichi ( Faculty of Humanities, Toyama University,Associate Professor,Conceptualization WG:Historico-linguistic analysis of the human-nature relationships )

Sasaki, Naoko ( Research Institute for Humanity and Nature,Project Researcher,Conceptualization WG:Reconstruction of historical environmental from plant remains )

Seo, Akihiro ( Research Institute for Humanity and Nature,Project Researcher,Conceptualization WG:Analysis of the distribution and genetic constitution of living plants )

Shimizu, Isamu ( Health Research Foundation,Senior Research Fellow,Conceptualization WG:Empirical study on conservation of species )

Tsujino, Riyou ( Research Institute for Humanity and Nature,Senior Project Researcher,Conceptualization WG:Ecological analyses on human-nature relationships )

○Future Themes

1) We completed the chronological data base used by Hu-Time.

2) We completed a scheme of socio-ecological conditions which discriminatewhether they lead sustainable use of regenerable resource or not.

3) We published 5 volumes of Japanese books on Japanese Environmental History“Japanese Nature modified by Human Activities”. Over 90 papers were alreadywritten by project members. The last volume will be published in April, 2011.

4) We presented our results and conclusion in RIHN international symposium whichwill be held in October, 2010 (five or six related papers will be published asone volume in RIHN series in English by Springer) as well as a satellite program of CBD (Convention of Biodiversity) COP10 in Nagoya.

5) We organized several workshops and symposium for local people.

Books

【Authored/Co-authored】

・Merz. M 2011,03 Wood and Traditional Woodworking in Japan. Kaiseisha Press, Kyoto, 227pp. (in Japanese)

・Kojima, K. 2009 From Emishi to Ainu. Yoshikawa-Kohbun-kan, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 181pp. (in Japanese)

【Chapters/Sections】

・Yumoto, T. 2011 Historical perspectives on the relationships between humanity and nature in the Japanese Archipelago. Hong, S. K., Wu, J., Kim, J. E. & Nakagoshi, N. (ed.) Landscape Ecology in Asian Culture. Ecological Research Monographs. Springer, Tokyo, pp.3-10.

・Ikeya K. 2007 Mobility and territoriality among hunting-farming-trading societies: the case study of bear hunting in mountain environments of Northeastern Japan. Grier, C., J. Kim, J. Uchiyama (ed.) Beyond Affluent Foragers: Rethinking Hunter-Gatherer Complexity. Oxbow books, UK., pp.34-44.

・Sato, H. and T. Tsutsumi 2007 The Japanese microblade industries: technology, raw material procurement and adaptation. Kuzmin, Y. V. et al. (ed.) Origin and Spread of Microblade Technology in Northern Asia and North America. Archaeology Press, Canada, pp.53-78.

・Igarashi, Y. 2007 Pollen. Tsujii, T., M. Okada and M. Maeda (ed.) Moor in Hokkaido. The Hokkaido Shimbun Press, pp.172-174. (in Japanese)

・Sato, H. 2007 Human history on sustainable use of resources. Japan Association for Quaternary Research (ed.) Environment in the Near Future Viewed from the Earth History. University of Tokyo Press, pp.145-163. (in Japanese)

・Fukamachi, K. 2007 Nature restoration: cultural perspective. Morimoto,Y. and Y. Shirahata (ed.) Environmental Design. Asakura Publishing Co., Ltd, pp.177-189. (in Japanese)