Research on organization and utilization of Japanese bird species materials (2005 - 2008)

The institute has conducted "research on survival and recovery of endangered birds" from 2001 to 2004 which was then followed by "research on organization and utilization of Japanese bird species materials" which began in 2005. This research receives a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Specially Designated Research Promotion) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.The following is a general outline of the research project given by Satoshi Yamagishi, head of the research group.

(From the newsletter Yamashina Choken News, December 1, 2005) [Summary of the first phase and overview of the second phase]

Project objectives

The Yamashina Institute for Ornithology across the organization has been engaged in the "research on survival and recovery of endangered birds" since 2001 with a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Specially Designated Research Promotion) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. This research, the phase one of the project, was completed as of 2004. This year (2005), we will begin the second phase. Here, I would like to summarize the first phase and then introduce briefly on how we intend to evolve from here in the second phase.

This project had an external evaluation committee of so called "Summary and Research Coordination Committee" (1st phase was chaired by Dr. Kawanabe Hiroya, Director General of Lake Biwa Museum). The opinions regarding the first phase received from this committee as well as the review committee of the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research can be summarized into the following four points.

1. 1) The positioning of the research among the overall vision of the institute is not clear
2. 2) It appears to be too general and please-all. Can all be done? It should have a better focus.
3. 3) Individual academic research should seek funding from science research grants of other disciplines more proactively.
4. 4) More effort should be made in publishing research outcomes via institute's website, etc.

The strengths of the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology were discussed within the institute. It was concluded that the followings were the unique strengths which cannot be found in other universities or research institutions in Japan:

1. 1) Collection of approximately 70,000 avian specimens from the Asia region.
2. 2) Approximately 4 million bird banding data collected over 40 years
3. 3) Library collection of approximately 37,000 avian bibliography, journals and audio-visual materials

It was decided that the institute should focus more on enhancing the materials listed above and making them available within and outside of the institute for better utilization. Thus, the research theme of the second phase was decided to be "research on organization and utilization of Japanese bird species materials". By clarifying its positioning within the institute's overall research plan, the framework of the research issues were summarized as the following shown in the figure below.

Framework of the research issues at the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology (second phase)
Research based on the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research(Specially Designated Research Promotion)		Research by other funds
"Research on organization and utilization of Japanese bird species materials"		"Fundamental research, conservation research and social contribution on bird species"
Group 0: Research Coordination Committee (External Evaluation Committee) Group Leader: Yamagishi S.
Group 1: Organization and utilization of specimen materials Group Leader: Urano E. Specimens: Urano E. & Kobayashi S. Genes: Asai S. & Yamamoto Y.	→→	- Publication of specimens database on website (outsource)
Group 2: Organization and utilization of banding materials Group Leader: Komeda S. (Komeda S., Shigeta Y., Ozaki K., Sato F., Baba T., Yoshiyasu K., Nakamura N.) Analyze based on their individual themes	←←	- Collection of banding materials (Ministry of the Environment) Ozaki K., etc
Group 3: Organization and utilization of literature materials Group Leader: Kakizawa R. "Ogawa Minori" (Tsurumi M., Kakizawa R.) "Takano Takazou" (Kakizawa R.) "Shimomura Kenji" (Hiraoka T., Tsukamoto Y.)
Group 4: Collection and utilization of ecological materials Group Leader: Ozaki K. Ecological research of Okinawa Rail (Ozaki K., Komeda S., etc.)	←→	- Ecology of Okinawa Rail (Ministry of the Environment, Suntory) Ozaki K., etc
Ecological research of Streaked Shearwater (Oka N., Watanuki Y.)	←→	- Ecological research of Streaked Shearwater (Oka N., etc)
Ecological research of Mountain Hawk-Eagle (Asai S., Kaneda H.)	←→	- Ecological research of Mountain Hawk-Eagle (METOCEAN Environment) Kaneda N.
Collection of field materials of Japanese avian species	←→	- Other independent research (Dunlin, ectoparasite, etc)
Group 5: Collection and organization of bibliography and specimens Group Leader: Oka N. Library: Tsurumi M., Specimens: Urano E. & Kobayashi S.		- Albatross colony in Hatsune-zaki, Torishima Island (Ministry of the Environment, Suntory) Ozaki K.
Group 6: Publication of the Journal of the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology (Editor in Chief Yamagishi S.)		- New Albatross colony in Ogasawara (USA, Ministry of the Environment) Deguchi T. - Avian Flu (Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Wildlife Research Grant Foundation) Kakizawa R.

To add some explanation, the group 4 relates to the third issue in the above mentioned opinions of the committees. The institute is seeking research funding from such sources as Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, private research funding sources and research contracts, but currently to no avail. The research items enclosed by dotted lines in this research plan will aim to eventually shift to "Research by other funds" in the future.

Now that the phase two has been launched, we are already facing several issues. One issue is regarding the fourth point in the opinions of the review committee of the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research listed above. It is difficult to outsource the program development for uploading the specimen database onto the web site when using the science research grant. We are currently seeking a private grant for this but we are facing difficulties in obtaining grant funding that can be used for "program development".

The Group 0 "Research Coordination Committee" of the second phase will consist of Aoki Kiyoshi (Professor Emeritus, Sophia University), Endo Hideki (Professor, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University), Ishii Susumu (Professor Emeritus, Waseda University), Iwatsuki Kunio (Director General, Museum of Nature and Human Activities, Hyogo), Hayakawa Nobuo (Executive Commentator, Japan Broadcasting Corporation), Hayashi Yoshihiro (Professor, The University of Tokyo), Hidaka Toshitaka (Director General, Research Institute for Humanity and Nature), Hoshi Motonori (Professor, Keio University), Kawanabe Hiroya (committee chairman; Director General, Lake Biwa Museum), Miyata Takashi (Advisor, JT Biohistory Research Hall), Ono Yuichi (Director General, Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History and Human History), Oshima Yasuyuki (Professor Emeritus, Waseda University), Shinji Isoya (Professor, Tokyo University of Agriculture), Uramoto Masanori (Professor Emeritus, Wako University), and Wada Eitaro (Program Director, Frontier Research Center for Global Change). Their unrestrained opinions will be welcomed.

The above mentioned research plan has already been approved by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and will be implemented with a total budget of 56 million yen for the fiscal year of 2005. I extend my sincere thanks to many joint researchers from outside of the institute who will be working with us on the program.

(Head of the Research Group: Yamagishi Satoshi, Director General, Yamashina Institute for Ornithology)
- From December 1, 2005 issue of the newsletter Yamashina Choken News -