2.2 Division of Forest and Biomaterials Science
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2.2 DIVISION OF FOREST AND BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE 1. Outline of the Division Forests play a very important role in the environment of the earth and provide wood resources that are continuously renewable in contrast with fossil resources such as petroleum and coal. Research and educational activities of this division cover not only preservation, cultivation, and continuous production of forest resources, but also utilization of forest products for our life and culture with the aim of coexistence of forest and human beings This division consists of 20 laboratories, including 2 laboratories of Field Science Education and Research Center and 5 laboratories of Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere (renamed Wood Research Institute reconstructed in April, 2005), and their activities are international and interdisciplinary 2. Number of students There are 96 students (48 freshmen and 48 2nd year students) in the Master’s program and 69 students in the doctor’s program of this division 3. Divisions and laboratories offering lectures Division of Forest and Biomaterials Science: Laboratories of Forest Resources and Society, Forest Environment Planning, Tropical Forest Resources and Environments, Forest Utilization, Forest Biology, Landscape Architecture, Erosion Control, Biomaterials Design, Wood Processing, Biofibrous Materials, Tree Cell Biology, Composite Materials Chemistry, and Chemistry of Biomaterials Field Science Education and Research Center: Laboratories of Forest Information, and Silviculture Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere: Laboratories of Active Bio-based Materials, Sustainable Materials, Structural Function, Innovative Humano-habitability, Biomass Morphologenesis and Information 4. Event in 2006 The orientation course for freshmen on April 7 at the Graduate School of Agriculture in Kitashirakawa Campus offered a curriculum-guidance. On May 27, general profiles in our division and recent research activities in the belonging 20 laboratories were introduced at Kamigamo Experimental Station. After the introduction, a short Station-tour and subsequent welcome party were carried out. 66 Chair of Forest Resource Management 2.2.1 Laboratory of Forest Resources and Society Staff Professor : Iwai,Yoshiya,Dr.Agric.Sci. Students and research fellows Doctor's program : (2) Master's program : (2) A. Reseach Activities (2006.4-2007.3) A-1. Main subjects a) World forestry and global forest resources management The topics include forest, forestry and forest industry in the world, and correlation between developed and developing countries through wood trade. The new forestry with fast growing species is analysed. b) Recreational and environmental uses of forests Research is on the meanings of recreational activities and the environmental meanings of forest from the view point of socio-economic and cultural side. c) Production and uses of forest products The topics include wood, non-wood products and bamboo from the view point of socio-economic, cultural and historical side. A-2. Publications and presentations a) Publications Original papers Iwai,Y.: Historical Development and Current State of Bamboo Loggers-The case of Kameoka City in Kyoto prefecture-. Bamboo Journal No.24.; 1-11,2007(in Japanese) Morita, E., Fukuda, S., Nagano, J., Hamajima, N., Yamamoto, H., Iwai, Y., Nakashima, T., Ohira, H., Shirakawa, T.; Psychological effects of forest environments on healthy adults. Shinrin-yoku (forest-air bathing, walking) as a possible method of stress reduction, Public Health 121; 54-63,2007 Murakami, Y.: The Development of Improved and Specialized Japanese Paper during the Meiji Era. Journal of the Japanese Forest Society,Vol.88 No.6; 465-462, 2006(in Japanese) Reports Iwai,Y.: Merits and Demerits of Bamboo Import in Japan, Journal of “Take” No.98.; 6-8, 2006 (in Japanese) b) Conference and seminar papers presented The 2006 Autumn meeting of The Japanese Forest Economic Society (1) 67 B. Educational Activities (2006.4-2007.3) B-1. On-campus teaching a) Courses given Undergraduate Level: World Forest Resources (Iwai), Graduation Thesis (Iwai) Graduate level: Seminar in Forest Resources and Society (Iwai), Laboratory Course in Forest Resources and Society (Iwai) C. Other remarks Iwai, Y.: Commiteeman of Agriculture,Forestry and Fishery in Hyogo Prefecture, Commiteeman of Forest Policy in Kyoto Prefecture, Commiteeman of Public Works Evaluation in Shiga Prefecture. Commiteeman of Old Capital Scenery in Nara Prefecture 2.2.2 Laboratory of Tropical Forest Resources and Environments Staff Professor : Ohta, Seiich, D. Agric. Sci. Ass. Professor : Kanzaki, Mamoru, D. Sci. Assistant Professor : Kaneko, Takayuki Students and research fellows Research fellow : ( 1) Doctor's program : (11) Master's program : ( 9) Undergraduate : ( 4) A. Research Activities (2006.4-2007.3) A-1. Main subjects a) Elements cycling and sustainable management of industrial tree plantations in the tropics To evaluate and predict the sustainability of industrial plantation rapidly expanding in the devastated land in the tropics, and to present the measures to solve the related problems, the researches have been initiated on budget of nutrient elements and GHEG in soil-plant systems of industrial tree plantation of leguminous species and also on the mechanism of their fluctuation with forestry practices. b) Soil ecology and forest distribution in the area of tropical seasonal forests To elucidate and predict the influence of forest change in the Mekong basin on hydrological cycling in the area, the researches are in progress to demonstrate the soil physical characteristics as mechanical composition, pore distribution and hydraulic conductivity, and structure, species composition and leaf area index of forests for major soil-forest combinations which are extracted by analyzing the distributions pattern of soil and vegetation in the area. c) Carbon sequestration function of tropical seasonal forests and its fluctuation For the quantitative evaluation of the carbon sequestration function of forest, members of the laboratory are studying at a tropical seasonal evergreen forest of Thailand, with special reference to coarse woody debris (CWD) and long-term forest dynamics. 68 d) Maintenance and regeneration mechanism of tropical forests For elucidating the maintenance and natural regeneration mechanisms of tropical forests, dynamics of seedlings and saplings and insect-plant interactions of several forest types are being studied. Furthermore, various disturbances to forests, such as fire and slash-and-burn activity of human beings in the areas of rainforest, seasonal forests and montane forests in Asian tropics are also being studied. A-2. Publications and presentations a) Publications Original papers Araki M., Shimizu A., Toriyama J., Ito E., Kabeya N., Nobuhiro T., Tith B., Pol S., Lim S., Khorn S., Pith P., Det S., Ohta S., and Kanzaki M.: Changes of vertical soil moisture conditions of a dry evergreen forest in Kampong Thom, Cambodia. In Sawada H., Araki M., Chappell N.A., LaFrankie J.V., Shimizu A., Eds. Forest Environments in the Mekong River Basin, pp.112-124. Springer, Tokyo, 2007 Tani A., E. Ito, M. Kanzaki, S. Ohta, S. Khorn, P. Pith, B. Tith, S. Pol, & S. Lim.:Principal Forest Types of Three Regions of Cambodia: Kampong Thom, Kratie, and Mondolkiri. In Sawada H., Araki M., Chappell N.A., LaFrankie J.V., Shimizu A., Eds., orest Environment in Continental River Basins, pp.201-213. Springer-Verlag, Tokyo, Japan, 2007 Ito E., Khorn S., Lim S., Pol S., Tith B., Pith P., Tani A., Kanzaki M., Kaneko T., Okuda Y., Kabeya N., Nobuhiro T., Araki M.: Comparison of the leaf area index (LAI) of two types of dipterocarp forest on the west bank of the Mekong river, Cambodia. In Sawada H., Araki M., Chappell N.A., LaFrankie J.V., Shimizu A., Eds. Forest Environments in the Mekong River Basin, pp.214-221. Springer, Tokyo, 2007 Hiramatsu R., Kanzaki M., Toriyama J., Kaneko T., Okuda Y., Ohta S., Khorn S., Pith P., Lim S., Pol S., Ito E., Araki M.: Open woodland patches in an evergreen forest of Kampong Thom, Cambodia: Correlation of structure and composition with microtopography. In Sawada H., Araki M., Chappell N.A., LaFrankie J.V., Shimizu A., Eds. Forest Environments in the Mekong River Basin, pp.222-231. Springer, Tokyo, 2007 Ito E., Lim S., Pol S., Tith B., Pith P., Khorn S., Tani A., Kanzaki M., Kaneko T., Okuda Y., Araki M.: Use of ASTER optical indices to estimate spatial variation in tropical seasonal forests on the west bank of the Mekong river, Cambodia. In Sawada H., Araki M., Chappell N.A., LaFrankie J.V., Shimizu A., Eds. Forest Environments in the Mekong River Basin, pp.232-240. Springer, Tokyo, 2007 Toriyama J, Ohta S, Araki M, Kanzaki M, Khorn S, Pith P, Lim S, Pol S.: Soils under different forest types in the dry evergreen forest zone of Cambodia: Morphology, physicochemical properties, and classification. In Sawada H et al. (Eds) Forest Environment in the Mekong River Basin. Springer Tokyo. pp.241-253. 2007 Araki M., Toriyama J., Ohta S., Kanzaki M., Ito E., Tith B., Pol S., Lim S., Khorn S., Pith P., Det S.: Soil moisture conditions in four types of forests in Kampong Thom, Cambodia. In Sawada H., Araki M., Chappell N.A., LaFrankie J.V., Shimizu A., Eds. Forest Environments in the Mekong River Basin, pp.254-262. Springer, Tokyo, 2007 Ohnuki Y, Chansopheaktra K, Shinomiya Y, Sethik S, Toriyama J, Ohta S, Araki M. 2007. 69 Apparent change in soil depth and soil hardness in forest areas in Kampong Thom Province, Cambodia. In: Sawada H et al. (Eds)