This laboratory focuses dynamics of forest ecosystems. Populations and Communities of plants, insects, and animals are studied, from viewpoints of interaction of animals and plants, genetic structure and local adaptation, and influences of global warming. Major research subjects include: 1) Dynamics in Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) sites, 2) Establishment and disappearance of Fagus crenata and Fagus japonica seedlings, 3) Japanese oak wilt caused by ambrosia fungus-ambrosia beetle complex and its influences on forest ecosystems, 4) Spatial-temporal population dynamics of forest defoliating insects and interactions among natural enemies,  5) Gene flow and local adaptation of forest tree populations, 6) Experiments on recovering old firewood and charcoal forests through clear-cutting and deer fences.

 Major theme

• Regeneration of secondary forests in Betula maximowicziana by scarification
• Modeling on gene flow of Ulmus davidiana and U. laciniata in riparian forests

 Staff

• Naoto KAMATA (professor)
• Susumu GOTOH (associate professor)
• Maki SUZUKI (lecturer)
• Tadashi MAEHARA (assistant professor)
• Yoko HISAMOTO (assistant professor)
• Toshihide HIRAO(assistant professor)