Newsletter No.8 October-1999　

生態系変動予測研究領域解説図 Ecosystem Change Research Program 　The Ecosystem Change Research Program was established on October 1,1999,as the sixth research program in the FRSGC. 　Until this time, the phenomena relating to the ecosystem, especially to the terrestrial ecosystem, have given us an impression of local, regional issues in a narrow area. However, there have been found the facts that global issues, such as global warming and climate change etc., are closely connected to changes in the terrestrial and ocean ecosystems, and the importance of clarifying the role of the ecosystem in predicting change in global environment and climate has become clear. In order to increase our understanding of the mechanisms of how climate change affects ecosystems, and how ecosystems respond to climate change, the Ecosystem Change Research Program aims to elucidate the structure and the function of the ecosystem relating to the changes of climate and environment, and to model those change. With the objective mentioned above in mind, this research program set up the following four tasks: 　　a)research on ecosystem - atmospheric interaction system 　　b)research on dynamics of the ecosystem architecture 　　c)research on dynamics of the ecosystem geographical distribution 　　d)research on marine biological process dynamics 　To be concrete in the terrestrial ecosystem research component, land- surface parameters, including the spatial distribution of vegetation species, biomass or primary production, will be observed in the Asia and Pacific region. The material flows between the ecosystem and the atmospheric system and interactions among the components, will be made clear. Moreover, dynamics of how the ecosystem will change over long period, i.e., for several ten years, to decades, will be elucidated and modeled. And in the ocean ecosystem research component, dynamics in the structure and the function of ocean surface biota from years to decades will be modeled together with the physical environment at the ocean surface layer based on the analysis of in- situ data and remote sensing data from satellites. 　In order to pursue the role of the ecosystem on a global scale, we must, on land as an example, get perspective from scales of a leaf and a tree (even this is very complicated) through to distributions of vegetation and soil worldwide. Regrettably, the research areas of these wide scale matters are as yet premature in the world. We would like to make efforts in order for the establishment of this research program to bring up pioneers in global ecosystem research, not only in Japan, but also in the world, and to contribute more toward the positive future of humanity. I hope you support our research program. Dr.Yoshifumi Yasuoka Professor,Univ.of Tokyo, Ecosystem Change Research Program, Program Director,FRSGC