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The Mitsui & Co. Environment Fund

Introduction to Grant Projects

Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Assistant Professor Takehiro Sasaki

Estimates of ecological function changes in biodiversity extinction scenarios: towards sustainable utilization of the Mongolian steppe

Research grant

Project Description

On the Mongolian steppe where desertification due to grazing and climate change is becoming a problem, this research is conducting on-site experiments on realistic seed extinction scenarios to learn the effects on ecosystem functions. Evaluate the effects of human activity, climate change and their interaction on ecosystem functions by testing seed extinction scenarios on the steppe, with the ultimate goal of providing ecosystem management proposals for the sustainable utilization of the Mongolian steppe.

Grant year
FY2012 Research Grants
Grant term
3 years
April 2013 - March 2016
Grant amount
5,820,000 yen
Activity region
Mongolia
Plant seed extinction experiment

Overview of the Organization

Assistant Professor Takehiro Sasaki
Representative
Assistant Professor Takehiro Sasaki
Profile
Specialist field
Landscape ecology, community ecology
Affiliated academic societies
The Ecological Society of Japan, Japanese Society of Grassland Science
Background
In 2004, graduated from the School of Science, The Univeristy of Tokyo. In 2009, graduated from the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo. PhD in agriculture. In April 2009, became GCOE Fellow of Ecological Adaptation and Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University. In June 2012, became Assistant Professor at the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo (continues).
Collaborating researchers
Yuu Yoshihara (Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University), Nyambayar Dashzeveg (National University of Mongolia)
Research record
  • (1) Sasaki, T., Katabuchi, M., Kamiyama, C., Shimazaki, M., Nakashizuka, T. & Hikosaka, K. (2014) Vulnerability of moorland plant communities to environmental change: consequences of realistic species loss on functional diversity. Journal of Applied Ecology, in press.
  • (2) Sasaki, T. & Lauenroth, W.K. (2011) Dominant species rather than diversity regulates temporal stability of plant communities. Oecologia, 166, 761-768.
  • (3) Sasaki, T., Okubo, S., Okayasu, T., Jamsran, U., Ohkuro, T. & Takeuchi, K. (2009) Two-phase functional redundancy in plant communities along a grazing gradient in Mongolian rangelands. Ecology, 90, 2598-2608.
  • (4) Sasaki, T., Okubo, S., Okayasu, T., Jamsran, U., Ohkuro, T. & Takeuchi, K. (2009) Management applicability of the intermediate disturbance hypothesis across Mongolian rangeland ecosystems. Ecological Applications, 19, 423-432.
  • (5) Sasaki, T., Okayasu, T., Jamsran, U. & Takeuchi, K. (2008) Threshold changes in vegetation along a grazing gradient in Mongolian rangelands. Journal of Ecology, 96, 145 154.