ISSN 1342-6648 NIAES Annual Report NIAES Annual Report 2007 2007 Conserve the environment by listening to wind, observing soil Agro-Environmental Sciences National Institutefor and thinking of our future National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences Japan 2007 2006 2007 Editorial Board Chairman: Yohei Sato President Vice Chairman: Masako Ueji Vice President Kiyotaka Miyashita Principal Research Director Editorial Committee: Masanori Saito Principal Research Coordinator Yasuhiro Yogo Director, Organochemicals Division Toshihiro Kadosawa Head, Public Relations and Information Office Koji Yasuda Head, Research Planning Office Kenji Miyamoto Head, Accounting Office Shinichi Ono Director, Soil Environment Division Tetsuhisa Miwa Director, Ecosystem Informatics Division Naomi Fukuda Public Relations and Information Office Masayoshi Miyamae Public Relations and Information Office Sachiko Niizeki Public Relations and Information Office Izumi Maekawa Public Relations and Information Office Contents Message from the President ·················································································· 2 Basic Philosophy, Code of Conduct, and Environmental Charter ········ 3 History of NIAES······································································································· 4 Highlights in 2006······································································································ 5 Research Topics ················································································································· 5 Major Symposia and Seminars ································································································ 24 Research Collaborations········································································································ 30 Visitors···························································································································· 32 Advisory Council 2006········································································································· 33 Academic Prizes and Awards ·································································································· 34 New Research Departments and Centers ························································ 36 Research Overview in 2006 ··················································································· 37 Research Organization·········································································································· 37 Summary of NIAES Research Projects······················································································· 38 Special Research Projects ······································································································ 45 Invitations, Training and Information Events ··············································· 50 Symposia and Workshops ······································································································ 50 Foreign Visitors·················································································································· 53 Overseas Research and Meetings ····························································································· 57 Appendix ······················································································································· 60 Publications ······················································································································ 60 Advisory Council················································································································ 72 Budget, Staff Numbers and Library Holdings ··············································································· 73 NIAES Campus Map (Site Layout and Main Research Equipment） ················································· 75 Internet Web Site of NIAES ··································································································· 77 Meteorological Information···································································································· 78 1 Message from the President Multi-disciplinary approaches to solving agro-environmental problems Science itself has two different categories. One is science that contributes deeper knowledge and new findings to the development of a discipline. This is called “science for the sake of science” and corresponds to “mode I” of the Mode Theory proposed by Gibbons et al in the book of “New Production of Knowledge: The Dy- namics of Science and Research in Contemporary Socie- ties”. The other is science that serves society by solving societal problems; this is called “science for society” and corresponds to “mode II” of the Mode Theory. The de- velopment of these two sciences must be promoted to prevent the global crisis that is predicted to occur in the Dr. Yohei SATO 21st Century. Our research is intended to develop these sciences. We hope to be able to contribute our achievements in A new 5-year Plan with a target year of 2010 was science and technology to society by deepening under- formulated and launched in FY 2006. The achievements standing of the disciplines related to agro-environmental of the Plan in FY 2006 are presented in this annual re- sciences and by generating knowledge by a port. multi-disciplinary approach to solve agro-environmental problems. As is well known, we are pursuing a mission that is In the context mentioned above, many products from clearly described in legislation: to conduct fundamental FY 2006 are presented in this annual report, and for your technological research and other activities pertaining to information we also present details of the structure of our the environments of organisms used in agricultural pro- new research and administrative organization. We will be duction, with the aim of helping to upgrade technologies greatly delighted if the reports of our work in FY 2006 for the conservation and improvement of those environ- inspire the further development of research on the ments. agro-environment and are used to solve agro-environmental To achieve the goals of this mission, the new 5-year problems. A list of research papers published by NIAES Plan was formulated with a special focus on “risk as- staff in FY 2006 is included at the end of the report. sessment and risk management” as applied to the Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions agro-environment. The Plan has the following three re- about any aspect of agro-environmental research. search objectives, which emphasize basic research meant to ensure the safety of agricultural production environ- Yohei SATO, Dr Agr ments: President 1) assessment and management of agro-environmental National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences risks 2) elucidation and management of the structure and function of agro-ecosystems to maintain and en- hance the function of natural cycles 3) fundamental studies on elucidation of agro-ecosystem functionality 2 Basic Philosophy, Code of Conduct, and Environmental Charter The National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sci- tivities ethically and with sound judgment. In particular, ences (NIAES) has endeavored to solve a wide range of there must be no impropriety committed through re- environmental problems affecting agriculture, such as search activities. Furthermore, NIAES works to partner the contamination of agricultural crops by dioxins, ra- with society, assures transparency by upholding open- dioactive substances, cadmium and other harmful ness, fairness, and neutrality, and so enhances its trust- chemical substances; the environmental impact of ge- worthiness. netically modified food plants and exotic organisms; and • Technology Transfer the relationship between global environmental change To protect and apply the results originating from our and agriculture. There is increasing concern about the research as intellectual property, NIAES creates the con- risks to human health and the environment, and re- ditions for providing patents and other information and searchers are being asked to offer solutions based on for domestic and foreign technology transfers. scientific findings. • Public Communications and Information Disclosure The period of NIAES’s phase II medium-term target, By publishing the results of studies and research and which started in April 2006, calls for emphasizing re- by actively disseminating and communicating such re- search on risks in the agricultural environment in order sults through public lectures and other means, NIAES to ensure the environmental safety that underpins agri- provides for the dissemination of research meant to as- cultural production. By means of exploratory and basic sure the safety of food and the agricultural environment research on risk assessment and risk management, NI- and also works to release information on program activi- AES will develop risk mitigation technologies and pass ties. the benefits of research on to society at large, as well as • Cooperation, Partnership, and International Contribu- contributing to the policy measures of administrative tions authorities and international agencies. By reinforcing partnerships and collaboration with NIAES has created the following Basic Philosophy, industry, academia, and government, NIAES promotes Code of Conduct, and Environmental Charter so that joint research and research cooperation, and extensively personnel will conduct themselves with a high sense