Profile of Departments

Department of Mountain Ecosystem

The Department of Mountain Ecosystem studies in the adaptation of wildlife to severe habitats and cold climates including alpine regions, monitors biomes on the mountainous regions in response to the global warming, and surveys responses of aquatic ecosystem against environmental fluctuations including global climate change. Based on these studies, we estimate future images of ecosystems in mountain regions and related river basins, and release research finding for both academic areas and citizens.

International Mountain Cooperation Laboratory
  • 1. Group of Argali in Kyrgyzstan.
  • 2. A typical alpine legume in Japan, Oxytropis japonica.
  • 3. Observation of water quality at Lake Suwa.
  • 4. Basidiomata of Tricholoma matsutake occurred in a subalpine Abies veitchii forest on Mt. Norikura-dake.

Researchers List

Head of the Department of Mountain Ecosystem
Academic Assembly Associate Professor (Institute of Agriculture), Ph. D. in Agriculture
YAMADA Akiyoshi
Career
1997 Graduate School of Agriculture, University of Tsukuba (PhD)
1997 Research Scientist, Ibaraki Prefectural Forestry Institute
1999 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Shinshu University
2002 Associate Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Shinshu University
Research Field
Mycology, especially in Mycorrhizology and Fungal Ecology
Research Theme
Ecophysiology of ectomycorrhizal symbiosis, taxonomy of ectomycorrhizal fungi
Message
My study is mainly focused on ecophysiology of symbiotic plant–fungus interactions, especially on mycorrhizal symbiosis. In addition, I conduct taxonomy of ectomycorrhizal mushroom fungi. Although mushrooms are eukaryotic multicellular organisms, its research activity require us the sense to see microorganisms. I aim to find new biological phenomena, and to clarify its underlying mechanisms, in the diverse ecological system of mountain regions.
Academic Assembly Professor (Institute of Agriculture),
Ph. D. in Agriculture
IZUMIYAMA Shigeyuki
Research Field
Zoology, Wildlife management
Research Theme
Study of wildlife ecology and conservation in the Japanese Alps and in Kyrgyzstan.
Assistant Professor, Institute for Mountain Science,
Ph. D. in Agriculture
TAKII Akiko
Research Field
Animal ecology, Wildlife management
Research Theme
Ecological studies on large mammals in mountainous region of central Japan
Academic Assembly Professor (Institute of Science)
Ph. D. in Science
TOJO Koji
Research Field
Evolutionary biology, Biodiversity/Systematics, Developmental biology
Research Theme
Investigation of the phylogeny, evolutionary history, and biogeography of insects, and the basis of insect morphogenesis and mechanisms of diversity creation.
Academic Assembly Professor (Institute of Textile Science and Technology),
Ph. D. in Medicine
HIRABAYASHI Kimio
Research Field
Ecology/Environment, Hygiene and Public Health Parasitology (including Sanitary Zoology)
Research Theme
Research into the current state of the environment and prediction of future trends using fauna dwelling at the bottom of lakes and rivers as an index.
Academic Assembly Professor (Institute of Education)
Ph.D. in Philosophy
IDA Hideyuki
Research Field
Plant ecology
Research Theme
Ecological research on the relationship between plant resources and humans based on traditional knowledge
Academic Assembly Professor (Institute of Science)
Ph.D. in Agriculture
KUNITO Takashi
Research Field
Plant Fertilizer and Manure and Soil Science Environmental Dynamic Analysis
Research Theme
Effects of acid deposition on aluminum solubility and microbial processes in forest soils
Phosphorus cycling in forest soils
Evaluation of Nutrient Availability in Soil Using Soil Enzymes
Academic Assembly Professor (Institute of Science),
Ph. D. in Pharmacy
MIYABARA Yuichi
Research Field
Environmental Chemistry
Research Theme
Impacts of environmental fluctuation on water quality at mountainous areas, especially at Lake Suwa and Chikuma River.
Academic Assembly Professor (Institute of Science)
Ph.D. in Environmental Earth Science
TAKAHASHI Koichi
Research Field
Plant ecology
Research Theme
Forest Regeneration Dynamics
Project Professor (School of Medicine Department of Hearing Implant Sciences)
Ph.D. in Medicine
USAMI Shinichi
Research Field
Insect molecular systematics
Research Theme
Molecular phylogenetic analysis and conservation of alpine butterflies
Academic Assembly Associate Professor (Institute of Science),
Ph. D. in Agriculture
TAKANASHI Kojiro
Research Field
Plant molecular biology, Plant biochemistry, Genome evolution
Research Theme
Symbiosis between legume and rhizobia at high mountains
Metabolic dynamics in legume nodules
Biosynthesis and transport of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants
Academic Assembly Associate Professor (Institute of Agriculture)
Ph.D. in Agriculture
WATANABE Osamu
Research Field
Crop production science, Environmental agriculture(including landscape science)
Research Theme
Detecting Weed Communities Using Highly Accurate Remote Sensing Technology and AI
Project Lecturer (School of Medicine Department of Hearing Implant Sciences)
Ph.D. in Science
NISHIO Shin-ya
Research Field
Life science
Research Theme
Molecular phylogenetic analysis and conservation of alpine butterflies
Academic Assembly Assistant Professor (Institute of Science )
Ph.D. in Agriculture
KASAHARA Satoe
Research Field
Ornithology/ River Ecology/ Limnology/ Conservation
Research Theme
Riparian Ecosystems, Bird migration and habitat use, Genetic diversity and structure of bird populations, etc.
Academic Assembly Assistant Professor (Institute of Agriculture)
Ph.D. in Science
MASUMOTO Hiroshi
Research Field
Mycology
Research Theme
Study of symbiosis between fungi / mushrooms and algae.
Academic Assembly Assistant Professor (Institute of Science)
Ph.D. in Science
MATSUMOTO Takuya
Research Field
Evolutionary Anthropology / Primatology
Research Theme
1) Behavioral, genomic, and ecological studies of wild chimpanzees in the Mahale Mountains National Park, United Republic of Tanzania.
2) Genomic Ecological Study on the Interaction between Microorganisms and Terrestrial Mammals in the Hot Spring Ecosystem of Jigokudani, Joshinetsu Kogen National Park
3) Foraging ecology research including fish-eating by Japanese macaques living in Kamikochi, Chubu-Sangaku National Park.
Home Page
https://www.sokwe-matsu.com/en
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. in Science
TAKENAKA Masaki
Research Field
Developmental genetics / Phylogeography / Evolutionary biology
Research Theme
Macroevolution of Insects Unraveled by Molecular Mechanisms
Home Page
https://researchmap.jp/mtakenaka.mayfly?lang=en
Academic Assembly School of Science and Technology (Institute of Science)
Ph.D. in Science
URAI Atsushi
Research Field
Biogeochemistry / Microbiological Ecology
Research Theme
Interaction between aquatic ecosystems and Microbial methanogenesis and methanotrophs.
Project Assistant professor
Ph.D
NISHIMURA Motoshi  
Research Field
Glaciology; Meteorology
Research Theme
Physical processes from snow accumulate to ablation in polar and alpine regions; Investigation of various phenomena on snow/ice surfaces from the viewpoint of energy balance
Project Assistant professor
Ph.D. in Engineering
IWAKI Maho
Research Field
Physical limnology,Hydrology
Research Theme
?Lake level fluctuation analysis
?Seismic seiches
?Physical processes related to lakes and catchments, including the estimation of the average retention time of precipitation of lake catchments.

Home Page
https://researchmap.jp/iwaki.maho?lang=en
Assistant
MIYAMOTO Yumiko
Research Field
Forest Ecology, Fungal Ecology
Research Theme
Ectomycorrhizal fungal community and environmental change