ヤエシマショトウ ノ ノウギョウセイタイケイ ニ オケル リョウセイハチュウルイソウ ニ カンスル ケンキュウ

国内の生物多様性ホットスポットに指定されている琉球列島において，農地化は人為的な環境改変の一つの要因であり，生態系に負の影響を与えてきた可能性がある。一方で，農地は食料生産のみならず生物多様性の保全効果があるなど，農地の多面的機能には近年注目が高まっている。これまで琉球列島では農業生態系における生物多様性調査はほとんど行われていなかったことに加え，従来の生物多様性調査では脊椎動物はカエル類と魚類に限られていた現状がある。農業生態系において両生類と爬虫類はその環境を物語る重要な生物である。これらの種間には生態学的，生理学的に共通する特徴がいくつかあるが，農地拡大のような人為的撹乱に対する適応力には違いがあり，両者は生物多様性評価の指標種として有用であることが示唆されている。本研究は石垣島と西表島の農地（水田とサトウキビ畑）6地点と森林2地点で両生類・爬虫類生息調査を合計61回行い，農地における生物相の特徴を評価した。調査の結果，多くの森林依存性の両生類・爬虫類が両島の農地で確認され，農地間で生物相に違いが見られた。この違いは農地が立地する周辺の森林環境の差異による可能性が示唆された。Hornの重複度指数（R0）に基づく動物群集構造のデンドログラム解析を行ったところ，本研究の調査地は大きく水田クラスターと森林クラスターの2群集に区分された。この結果は水田の存在が群集構成を左右する重要な景観要素であることを示唆している。そして森林クラスターがこれらの島に生息する両生類・爬虫類の本来の生息環境を反映した群集構成と仮定すると，水田クラスターは独自の群集を構成したグループであることが示唆された。本研究による石垣島と西表島の農地に生息する両生類・爬虫類相調査はこれらの島の農地が琉球列島の生物多様性を維持する機能を有した農業生態系である可能性を示した。In the Ryukyu Islands, which is designated as a biodiversity hotspot in Japan, conversion to cropland is one of the factors for artificial environmental modification and may have had a negative impact on the ecosystem. On the other hand, it has been noted in recent years that the agroecosystem is useful for the conservation of biodiversity. Biodiversity has rarely been surveyed in agroecosystems in the Ryukyu Islands. In addition, biodiversity surveys of vertebrates have conventionally been restricted to frogs and fish. Amphibians and reptiles are important taxa that reflect the environment of agricultural land ecosystems. Although these species have some common ecological and physiological characteristics, they differ in their adaptability to anthropogenic disturbances such as agricultural land expansion, and amphibian and reptile species are suggested as useful indicators for biodiversity assessment. In this study, a total of 61 amphibian and reptile habitat surveys were conducted at 6 farmlands (paddy fields and sugar cane fields) and 2 forests on Ishigaki Island and Iriomote Island to evaluate the characteristics of fauna on the farmlands. As a result of the survey, many forest-dependent species of amphibians and reptiles were found on the farmlands of both islands, and differences in fauna were observed between farmlands. It was suggested that this difference may be due to the difference in forest environment around the farmlands. A dendrogram analysis of the animal community structure based on Hornʼs multiplicity index (R0) revealed that the study sites of this study were broadly divided into two communities, paddy and forest clusters. This result suggests that the existence of paddy fields is an important factor that influences the composition of the community. Assuming that the observed forest clusters reflect the natural habitat of amphibians and reptiles inhabiting these islands, it was suggested that the paddy clusters were a group of unique communities. The survey of amphibian and reptile fauna inhabiting the agricultural land of Ishigaki Island and Iriomote Island for this study showed that the agricultural land of these islands may be an agroecosystem that has the function of maintaining the biodiversity of the Ryukyu Islands

A Study of the Experiences in Encountering Students based on Teachers’ Notes

departmental bulletin pape

A new record of Hypera (Hypera) postica (Gyllenhal) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) from Ishigaki-jima Island, the Ryukyu Islands, Japan: Extracted from the stomach contents of two anuran species, Fejervarya sakishimensis Matsui, Toda & Ota and Rhinella marina (Linnaeus) (Amphibia)

ゾウムシ科の外来種アルファルファタコゾウムシ(タコゾウムシ亜科)を石垣島から初めて記録した.本種の成虫3個体が,在来のサキシマヌマガエルおよび外来のオオヒキガエルの胃内容物として検出された.A non-native curculionid weevil species, Hypera (Hypera) postica (Gyllenhal, 1813) (Hyperinae), was recorded for the first time from Ishigaki-jima Island, the Ryukyu Islands, Japan. Three individuals of H. (H.) postica were extracted from the stomach contents of two anuran species (Amphibia): a native frog species, Fejervarya sakishimensis Matsui, Toda & Ota, 2007 (Dicroglossidae), and an invasive toad species, Rhinella marina (Linnaeus, 1758) (Bufonidae).http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_650

Congenital limb deficiency in Japan: a cross-sectional nationwide survey on its epidemiology

Abstract Background Congenital limb deficiency is a rare and intractable disease, which impairs both function and appearance of the limbs. To establish adequate medical care, it is necessary to reveal the actual conditions and problems associated with this disease. However, there have been no extensive epidemiological surveys in Japan addressing this disease. This is the first nationwide epidemiological survey of congenital limb deficiency in this country. Methods With the cooperation of epidemiology experts, we performed a two-stage nationwide survey to estimate the number of patients with congenital limb deficiency and reveal basic patient features. We targeted orthopaedic surgery, paediatric, and plastic surgery departments. Hospitals were categorized according to the institution type and the number of hospital beds; hospitals were randomly selected from these categories. We selected 2283 departments from a total 7825 departments throughout Japan. In this study, we defined congenital limb deficiency as partial or total absence of the limbs, proximal to the proximal interphalangeal joint of the fingers/lesser toes or interphalangeal joint of the thumb/great toe. We distributed the first survey querying the number of initial patient visits from January 2014 to December 2015. Targets of the second survey were departments that reported one or more initial patient visits in the first survey. Results In the first survey, 1767 departments responded (response rate: 77.4%). Among them, 161 departments reported one or more initial patient visits. We conducted the second survey among these 161 departments, of which 96 departments responded (response rate: 59.6%). The estimated number of initial visits by patients with congenital limb deficiency was 417 (95% confidence interval: 339–495) per year in 2014 and 2015. The estimated prevalence of congenital limb deficiency in Japan was 4.15 (95% confidence interval: 3.37–4.93) per 10,000 live births. The sex ratio was 1.40. Upper limbs were more affected than lower limbs. Conclusions We revealed the estimated number of initial patient visits per year and birth prevalence of congenital limb deficiency in Japan. Our results will contribute to establishing the disease concept and grades of severity of congenital limb deficiency