We conduct surveys and assessments of natural environments in sea areas, rivers, lakes, and on land in order to help develop a sustainable country.
With our advanced rearing facilities, we conduct biological tests and clarify the life-history of various organisms.

To establish a sustainable environment, we need to balance human benefit with conservation of the natural environment. To do this, we need to administer policies that match the characteristics of the natural environment in the region, which require accurate field survey, analysis and evaluation of the existing environment.

We are supported by a wide range of specialists, and conduct surveys and analyses on basis of the latest knowledge. We are also capable of species identification for various flora and fauna, using equipment appropriate to the taxon. We are also prepared with latest survey methods such as, DNA analyses, remote sensing surveys, and telemetry surveys.

Mountain Hawk Eagle

Analysis of suitable nesting site for Mountain Hawk Eagle (based on topography and vegetation)

Vegetation mapping by satellite graphics

Rare plants (Primrose)

Surveys on the Distribution and Ecology of Fauna and Flora

• Terrestrial fauna and flora – vegetation, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, soil animals

• Aquatic biota – seaweeds and seagrasses, fishes, benthic species, corals, plankton

• Feeding habit, nesting, age determination

• Behavioral studies using radio telemetry (birds, mammals, large fishes, etc.)

• Arial surveys on the distribution of large mammals (deer, dugong, etc.)

• Rare fauna and flora
   ·vegetation:orchids such as Calanthe, Primrose
   ·mammals:dugong, rare bats
   ·bird:Golden eagle, Mountain Hawk eagle
   ·amphibians:Giant Salamander
   ·insects:damselfly Mortonagrion hirosei, ground beetle Drypta fulveola
   ·fishes:goby Scartelaos histophorus, goby Luciogobius pallidus, catfish Coreobagrus ichikawai
   ·Crustacea:Rare crabs such as Ptychognathus ishii

• Life-history of fishes – e.g. larval and juvenile fish species unique to Lake Biwa (Carp Carassius auratus grandoculis, Carp Gnathopogon caervlescens, Salmon Oncorhynchus masou rhodurus)

• Environmental functions of coral reefs, seagrass beds, tidal flats, beaches – water purification function, nursery function for fishery resources, etc.
• Vegetation surveys using satellite images

Accurate Organism Identification & Analysis Technologies

• Ample observation equipment (biological/stereo or electron microscopes, etc)
• Swift data acquisition and analysis system
• Species and individual identifications using the latest technologies – DNA analysis, isozyme analysis, antibody staining
• Identification of fish eggs by incubation and breeding

Analysis

• Habitat for birds of prey (interior structure of home range, nesting environment, feeding)

• Home range of mammals

• Ecosystem and life-history models, Population Viability Analysis (PVA)
   ·evaluation of environmental capacity of fishing grounds (Tokyo Bay, Ise & Mikawa Bay, Osaka Bay)
   ·Analysis of fishing resources
   ·fishery resources
   ·estimation of red-tide and water-bloom occurrences in freshwater
   ·risk evaluation of ecosystems
   ·relationship between organisms and their physical environment (Statistical approaches such as TWINSPAN, CCA, DCA, etc.)