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The Mitsui & Co. Environment Fund

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University of Tsukuba Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences Tomoyuki Yokoi, Assistant Professor

Investigating the effects of invasive plant species on the reproductive success of native Japanese insects

Research grant

Project Description

Red clover is an invasive species that has already established itself in Japanese ecosystems. However, the response of pollinators to its distinctive flowering style has not been identified and there has been no attention paid to its relationship with flower-visiting insects. This research aims to bring to light the breeding success of stalks and clusters of these flowers and its strategies for attracting pollinating insects, as well as investigating the effects that using invasive species as a source of pollen has on the breeding success of native pollinators. The research will be used as a basis for considering how to deal with the spread and establishment of red clover.

Fields
Ecosystems and the Symbiotic Society
Grant year
FY2014 Research Grants
Grant term
3 years
April 2015 - March 2018
Grant amount
5,500,000 yen
Activity region
Various areas in Hakuba, Kita Azumi in Nagano Prefecture, Japan
Surveying red clover stalks flourishing on a ridge between rice fields

Overview of the Organization

Tomoyuki Yokoi, Assistant Professor
Representative
Tomoyuki Yokoi, Assistant Professor
Profile
  • Specialist field
    Animal ecology, conservation ecology
  • Affiliated societies
    The Ecological Society of Japan, The Japanese Society of Applied Entomology & Zoology, The Entomological Society of Japan, The Society of Population Ecology
  • Background
    Received a doctorate in agriculture from the Kyoto University Graduate School of Agriculture Division of Applied Life Science in 2009. Served as a research fellow, temporary researcher and assistant professor at the Okayama University Graduate School of Environmental Science from April 2009. Appointed Assistant Professor at the University of Tsukuba Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences in October 2012 (current position).
WEB site
http://www.life.tsukuba.ac.jp/
Co-researchers
Mamoru Watanabe (University of Tsukuba Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Professor), Rieko Fujinami (Japan Women's University Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Assitant Professor)
Research record
Carrying out fieldwork-driven research into feeding and basic behavious of flower-visiting insects that inhabit woodland ecosystems near popoulated areas, particularly bees.
  • Yokoi, T. (2015) Apidologie. In press.
  • Yokoi, T. & M. Watanabe. (2015) Entomological Science. 18:274-277.
  • Yokoi, T. et al. (2012) Entomological Science. 12:250-252.
  • Yokoi, T. & K. Fujisaki. (2011) Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 104:353-357.
  • Yokoi, T. & K. Fujisaki. (2009) Ecological Research. 24:803-809.
  • Yokoi, T. & K. Fujisaki. (2009) Naturwissenschaften. 96:195-200.
  • Yokoi, T. et al. (2007) Naturwissenschaften. 94:1021-1024.