Plant responses to climate change

Anthropogenic climate change is projected to alter species range and abundance. First, changing climate is expected to alter patterns of stage-specific survival and fecundity, which consequently changes population demography. On the other hand, plasticity and adaptive evolution of ecologically important traits to changing environments might ameliorate the effects of changing climate on the absolute fitness of populations. Therefore, for more accurate prediction of future species distribution, it is critical to synthesize ecological and evolutionary information.
We are investigating plastic and evolutionary responses of plant species and constraints on those responses. Ultimately, we are seeking to answer how such responses would influence population demography, and thereby species distribution and abundance in the future.

Population dynamics researches of Primula farinosa var. modesta using projection modeling

Efforts to understand the dynamics of populations using ecological modeling have been ongoing from the past. The matrix projection model (MPM) has been proposed to overcome the limitations of the species distribution model. MPM can use ecological information of plant populations. The ecological information includes the survival rate, growth rate, and reproductive rate, as well as the life stages obtained through population monitoring.

• Long-term monitoring for population research in the field
• Matrix projection based on life history
• Conservation ecology using population dynamics analysis

Comparison of bacterial diversity due to logging

In order to understand the changes and recovery of the ecosystem after forest use, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of plants that adapt to the changed environment. To understand this, we will comprehensively study the changes in soil and plant-associated bacterial communities that can affect the characteristics of plants.

• Changes in the environmental due to disturbance
• Changes in bacterial communities around plants due to disturbance
• Understanding the ecological changes of plant species and associated bacterial communities due to disturbance from a comprehensive perpective