Microbial Processes and Carbon Cycle in the Ocean
Prof. Dr. Takeo Hama (thama@biol.tsukuba.ac.jp)

Biogeochemical cycle of bioelements in the ocean drived by microorganisms
plays a crucial role in determining and maintaining the global environment.
We are studying the relation between microbial processes and carbon cycleby flowing the organic matter flow in the ocean such as production,transformation, transport and decomposition.
Ocean acidification in coastal waters

Microbial responseto ocean acidification

Bacterial production of refractory
dissolved organic matter

pH:8.06

pH:7.80

pH:7.65

Haptophyceae Chrysochromulina sp.

The carbonate system in the
coastal waters varies withwide rage reflecting thebiological activity

Some phytoplankton groups
are sensitive to ocean
acidification and likely reduce
their biomass under the
future ocean

Bacteria are “producer” ofrefractory dissolved organic
matter which accumulates hugeamount of carbon into the ocean

Research

Nomura Laboratory
Biofilms

The aggregation of microbial in enviroment

Cell-cell communication
The conversation of microbial

Specific receptor

Signaling molecule

Example of signaling molecule

http://www.pasteur.fr/recherche/RAR/RAR2006/Ggb-en.html

Yawata Y et al., 2008 . Appl Environ Microbiol
Tashiro Y et al., 2009. J Bacteriol
Tashiro Y et al., 2010. Appl Environ Microbiol
Inaba T et al., 2013 . Appl Environ Microbiol

Applications

Medical treatment of infection disease

Toyofuku M et al., 2007. J Bacteriol
Toyofuku M et al., 2008. J Bacteriol
Tashiro Y et al., 2008. J Bacteriol
Toyofuku M et al., 2013. Environ Microbiol

Activate waste water treatment ability
by species specific regulation

Activated sludge
JST/ALCAproject: Development of Innovative Regulatory Techniques of Biofilms for production of clean energy

Bio-Resource Process Engineering LabWastewater Treatment and Biomass Conversion
Prof. Dr. Zhenya Zhang

Adsorbents Development

Electrochemical and Biological Nitrogen Removal(Heavy metals, ammonium, phosphate, etc)
Ding et al., Chem Eng J 236 (2014)17-28.
Yang et al., Chem Eng J 220 (2013)367-374.
Zhao et al., J Colloid Interf Sci 393(2013) 264-270.
Ding et al., Water Res 47 (2013)
2563-2571.
Ding et al., ACS Appl Mater Interf
5 (2013) 10151-10158.
Chen et al., J Hazard Mater 186(2011) 863-868.

Permeability
PorosityAffinity

Electro-stimulated Aerobic granules

Lei et al., Bioresour Technol 128(2013) 774-778.
Zhao et al., J Hazard Mater 192(2011)1033-1039.
Li et al., Bioresour Technol 101(2010) 6553-6557.
Zhang et al., J Hazard Mater 163(2009) 1090-1095
Li et al., J Hazard Mater 171(2009) 724-730.

Ready
Clay
availability

Heavy Metals Immobilization and Waste Reclamation

Biogas Production from Organic Solid Wastes

Shi et al., Bioresour Technol
137 (2013) 18-24.
Shi et al., Bioresour Technol
149 (2013) 496-502.

Costeffectiveness(Using hydrothermal treatment)(Sewage sludge, animal manure, and crop residues)
Biogas plant developed in the
project field, Shanghai

HTT

Solar biogas reactor

Biosolids

Hydrochar

Functional Food Material Production and Conversion(Using solid wastes from food processing industries)

Liu et al.,. Water Res 47 (2013)4986-4992.
Liu et al., Int J Hydrogen Energ 38 (2013) 7246-7252
Liu et al., Bioresour Technol 137 (2013) 57-62.
Lin et al., Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 97 (2013) 10575-10583.
Wang et al., Bioresour Technol 111 (2012) 70-75.

Project Info: Ammonia recovery from organic wastes and realization of
dry anaerobic biogasification with mitigation of ammonia inhibition(JSPS Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) No. 25281048)

Soy products

SCR

M. esculenta

Cultivation

Sterilization

Liquid culture

Polysaccharides

Fermentation

Shi et al., Carbohyd Polym 95 (2013) 200-206.
Li et al., Ind Crop Prod 50 (2013) 666-672.
Shi et al., Food Bioprocess Technol 6 (2013) 1856-1867.
Shi et al., Int J Food Sci Technol 47 (2012) 1215-1221.

Food Functionality Lab.

Screening of bio-resource health benefits

Prof. Hiroko ISODA
isoda.hiroko.ga@u.tsukuba.ac.jp
Our team developed through the last decade several functional bioassay based on mammaliancells readouts for the screening of health benefit of different bio-resource and identification of
their main bio-active compounds.
We joined chemistry, cell culture , molecular biology, animal experiments, and “omics”
including genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics techniques to provide the scientific evidenceof the health benefits of functional foods and cosmetics

Cell differentiation induction research[K562 cells ][HL60 cells][PC12 cells]

Screening of plant extracts, and theirfunctional compounds on celldifferentiation or stem cell-likebehavior in:neuronal cells, leukemia cells,
pigment cells
to elucidate the mechanism of nerve
cells function and the anti-cancer
effects of these plants or compounds.
 Tsolmon et al. Mol. Nutr. Food Res,55, S93-S102,2011

Anti-aging research

Pigment cell researchAnti-allergy research[KU812 cells ][Melanocytes][Melanoma cells]

Excessive melanin can gives us freckles or may
indicate skin cancer such as melanoma. We conduct
research at the molecular biology level on the use ofnatural compounds that regulate melanin biosynthesis
to maintain skin homeostasis.
 Villareal et al., J Dermatol Sci 67, 26-36, 2012

Metabolic syndrome research
Morris Water

Cells]

Maze Test

Over the last decades, ageing, energy imbalance andsenescence are affecting more and more people
worldwide.. In our laboratory, we are screening
functional substances that have protective effects
against oxidative stress and promote ATP production
in neuronal cells. In vivo experiments are performed
to validate the results in senescence-acceleratedmouse Sasaki et al., Behavioural Brain Res., 238:86-94,
2012[3T3-L1
cells]

Cyanidin-3glucoside

Metabolic syndrome has become one of the major
public-health challenges worldwide.
Diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, obesity, andinsulin resistance, are the main risk factors that increase
cardiovascular and heart disease and other healthproblems.
In our laboratory, we are screening botanicals that may
have positive effect against metabolic syndrome using
3T3-L1 cells and obese mice models.
 Zar Kalai et al., ECAM Journal, 2013 in press.

In our laboratory, we evaluate the antiallergic activity of natural compounds andextracts using rat and human basophilic celllines (mast cells) as in vitro model toreproduce cell immune response to naturalcompounds.
 Isoda et al., J. Agric. Food Chem., 60,
7851−7858, 2012

Intestinal barrier function andabsorption research

SAMP8 mouse[SH-SY5Y[RBL-2H3 cells]

Caco-2 cell monolayer intranswell inserts

The tight junction of epithelial cells
play an important role in intestinal
barrier function and has a significant
role in food absorption.
Research has shown that the tightjunction permeability is regulated by
the absorption of various nutrients. We
are conducting research determining
the molecular structure of tightjunctions and their interactions withthe cell cytoskeleton in response tostimulus such as capsaicin, etc.
 Han et al., Cytotechnology, 2013

Onda Lab.

Interdisciplinary Study on Environmental Transfer ofRadionuclides from the Fukushima Daiichi NPP Accident
We launched a interdisciplinary
team, which consists of related
but different study fields withgeoenvironmental researchers asa core, to understand current
contamination status and toconstruct a model for transfer
and diffusion processes ofradionuclides. With thisinterdisciplinary study on
environmental transfer ofradionuclides from the
Fukushima Daiichi NPP
Accident, we aim atstrengthening academic levels of
geoenvironmental sciences ofour country, which in turn willcontribute to the post-accident
decision making.
onda@geoenv.tsukuba.ac.jp

Present-day
global warming

Paleoclimate ModelingProf. Dr. Hiroaki UEDA (ueda.hiroaki.gm@u.tsukuba.ac.jp)

mid-Pliocene
warm period(~3 Ma)✓ How can we constrain the
Earth’s climate sensitivity?

Information from thepast climate changes

Proxies
Data

Models✓The same models
used in futureclimate projections

60

70

185

Black-dark
reddish
brown
Black

1.8

6409

3.1

89
96.1
75.2

2.7

45.5

28

95.4

17.2

95.7

240

21.3

97

20

97.3

400

19.8

410

520

0.2

0.2

0.2

0.4

0.4

0.1

0.5

12.8

0.3

0.3

2.4

96.7

+

550

1
1.4

0.1

+
Very darkgrey-black

9.1

96.7

0.3

0.3

15

93.3

0.3

0.3

600

6.3

660

13.9

670

0.6

99.3

+

+

560

0.3

0.4

We can evaluate skills ofclimate models to simulate
climate change forced byexternal forcings.

+

530
540

580

0.8
0.3

93.2
Dark reddish
brown

6.7

0.4

0.3

95.6

10
32.7

500
510

4.4

0.7

0.4
0.2

94

450

5.3

2.4

47.9

36
13.8

300

6681

31.7

7

67.9

35
16.7

210

340

12

38.5

21.8

FungalsporesMSF.Rhizoph
ora

22.8
33.7
48

Reddishblack-dark
reddish grey
Black

PoaceaeBlack-dark
grey

140
150

Elaeisguineensi
s

30
40

110
130

5682

Microfaora.testDept h (cm.)

10
3109

Rain
forestless ferns

Dat es (BP )LithologyPollen

97.4
93.4
++

Fossil Leaves

Fossil Wood

Earth’s climate properties canbe detected by comparing theobserved climate change,archived paleoclimate data,
paleoclimate-modeling andfuture climate projections.
ueda.hiroaki.gm@u.tsukuba.ac.jp

Salzmann, U. and coauthors (including Y. Kamae and H. Ueda), 2013: Challenges in quantifying Pliocene
terrestrial warming revealed by data-model discord. Nature Climate Change, 3, 969-974.

Kenlo Nishida Nasahara, Ph. D.
Associate Professor, Environmental Remote Sensing
PEN (Phenological Eyes Network) (Leader)… Synthetic observation of ecosystem by both satellites & ground… More than 30 sites (Japan, UK, USA, etc.)

Preiction of spring leaf flush in the future
in response to climate change

UK-Japan project (Leader)… Collaboration between U Tsukuba & U Edinburgh (Prof. John Grace)… Grant awarded by both governments,
celebrating 150 yrs of diplomatic relations.
JAXA missions (Leader)… Leader of “Ecology Research Group” of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)… PI of new Eaeth-observation satellites in JAXA: GCOM-C & ALOS-2

Water and sediment dynamics in mountain watersheds
Norifumi HOTTA, Watershed Management Lab., University of Tsukuba
Japan, a mountainous country, suffers from frequent sediment disasters. For better
mitigation, our laboratory is studying the causes, mechanics, and processes of water
cycling and sediment-related phenomena, such as landslides, erosion, debris flows, andsedimentation using field observations, flume tests, and numerical simulations.
(A)

(B)

(D)

(E)

(C)

Rainfall amount 1000mm
Rainfall intensity 10mm/hr
Ctotal 6.5 Kpa(A) Elapsed time 20 hours(B) Elapsed time 30 hours(C) Elapsed time 40 hours(D) Elapsed time 50 hours(E) Elapsed time 100 hours
Red region : FS <1.0

Related publications:
Hotta et al. (2013) Influence of fine sediment on the fluidity of debris flows. Journal of Mountain Science, 10, 233-238.
Hotta (2012) Basal interstitial water pressure in laboratory debris flows over a rigid bed in an open channel. Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.,
12, 2499-2505.
Shuin, Hotta et al. (2012) Estimating the effects of heavy rainfall conditions on shallow landslides using a distributed landslide conceptualmodel. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, 49, 44-51.
Hotta et al. (2010) Changes in groundwater level dynamics after low-impact forest harvesting in steep, small watersheds. Journal of
Hydrology, 385, 120-131.
Koi , Hotta et al. (2008) Prolonged impact of earthquake-induced landslides on sediment yield in a mountain watershed: the Tanzawa
region, Japan. Geomorphology, 101, 692-702.

Hydrology & Water Resources Lab
Prof. Dr. Maki TSUJIMURA
mktsuji@geoenv.tsukuba.ac.jp

http://www.envr.tsukuba.ac.jp/~mktsuji/engl.htm

 Main Topics
 Source, Path, and Age of Hydrological Cycle??


Where and how does water come from?
How old is the water?
Multi Tracers of Isotopes, Solutions, CFCs/SF6 Gas

How does tide affect on acoastal groundwater?
Kumar,Tsujimura et al., (2013)
Environmental Geochemistry & Health,35, 239-250.

36Cl
18O

18O

CFC

2H

210Pb
137Cs
13C

3H
13C

15N

210Pb
137Cs
3H
2H

18O
36Cl 18O

CFC

How does river water
recharge groundwater How is groundwaterin Ulaanbaatar,recharged in a grassland,
Mongolia?
eastern Mongolia?
Tsujimura, Ikeda et al., (2013)
Sciences in Cold and Arid
Regions, 5(1), 126-132.

Tsujimura, Abe et al., (2007) Journal of
Hydrology, 333, 47-57.

How does salinizedwater contaminate fresh
groundwater in a coastal
watershed in Tunisia?
Chekirbane, Tsujimura, et al.,(2013) Hydrological Sciences
Journal, 58(5), 1097-1110.

How does bedrock
groundwater contribute toriver runoff?
Iwagami, Tsujimura, Onda et al., (2010)
Hydrological Processes, 24, 2771-2783.

Environmental Chemical Ecology
Biological Interaction Between Plants and Microorganisms
in the Rhizosphere
Keiko YAMAJI, Associate Prof.

Research Content
We clarify chemical interaction between plants and microorganisms in therhizosphere, especially under severe environmental conditions; heavy-metal
stress and Al stress. Via chemical and histochemical analysis as well as fieldworks, we reveal possible mechanisms between plants and microorganisms,
considering utilization of the interaction for environmental problems. Recently,
we also examine effect of radio-Cs absorption in plants and microbes.
Cooperative Research Institutes*Forestry and Forest Products
Research Institute*Kyoto University*Yamagata University*Hokkaido University

Increase to environmental
stress in plants
Enhancement of defense
system by microbes
Infection of microbes
inside plant tissues

杉田 倫明 生命環境科学系（地球科学）
教授

オフィス：総合研究棟A304
GPSによる動
物行動調査

• 専門

– 水文学、境界層気象学，生態水文学– 地表面付近の水、熱、CO2動態と環境• 対象– 水と土壌・植生・大気，そして人間活動– 地球上どこでも• これまで： 北米、つくば、スウェーデン、タイ、中国• 現在： モンゴル、エジプト，霞ヶ浦– 過去から現在，そして未来へ• 方法

リモセンとGIS– 観測・解析＆モデル– 新しい機械・方法（観測、リモセン、GIS、モデルなど）と地道な観測の融合

−

植生調査

凡例
-249 - 0
1 - 100
101 - 175
176 - 250
251 - 3500ラジオゾンデによる
大気境界層観測1

2

4 キロメートル

水文モデル
微気象・フラックス・水文要素の測定

Evolutionary Biochemistry Lab by Shimada A., assistant professor(ashimada@envr.tsukuba.ac.jp)
Research goal
Resolution of mechanism of enzyme stereoselectivity making lifebirth possible in early earth

Birth of Life

The study for origins of life
Birth of life in early earth is the greatest mystery. Chiral homogeneity is themost essential to create life. It is enzyme stereoselectivity that could undertake
an absolutely vital role in it in contemporary biological world. Researches ofextant enzyme stereospecificity holds a key to solving this difficult problem. Present study

early earth

Primitive enzyme
stereospecificity
was established at
the first step ofbirth of life.

Tryptophanase has noactivity on D-amino acids
because of its absolute stereospecificity, but becomes active to them inhighly-concentrated ammonium phosphate solution (DAP). It isconsidered its small conformational change triggers the activity. This
result indicates the stereospecificity is flexible against conventional
enzymology. The study of this interesting stereoselectivity-conversion isimportant to unfold a mechanism of enzyme stereospecificity, which
produces a famous technical term of no homochirality - no life.

Urban Climate and Modeling Laboratory
Prof. Kusaka ( kusaka@ccs.tsukuba.ac.jp )Urban Climate
Our laboratory’s research is focused on
the urban heat island phenomenon
and related themes. The impact ofurbanization has been examined byobservation and numerical simulation.

Regional Climate Projection by the WRF model
running on the Supercomputer
Our research group conducts various urban climate (future) projections
using regional climate model WRF.
Simulated surface air temperature maps

The number of Heavy rainfall days in TokyoT2K supercomputer
Cray, 684 node (16 cores)

2000s

Numerical Modeling
We have been developing ourown numerical models ( a new
LES model, a new Urban Canopy
model, a new local circulation
model). Improving the WRF
model has been also performed inour group.

Observation
We have been observing
several boundary layer
phenomena such as theurban heat island,
convective thermal, or
local wind.

Observation sites

2070s

Observed Surface air temperature
map in Tsukuba citySocio-Environmental System Laboratory
Yoshiro HIGANO, Professor

Helmut YABAR, Associate Professor

Takeshi MIZUNOYA, Associate Professor

higano@jsrsai.envr.tsukuba.ac.jp

yabar@jsrsai.envr.tsukuba.ac.jp

mizu@jsrsai.envr.tsukuba.ac.jp

Socio-Environmental System Laboratory conducts various researches on evaluating
remediation technologies, assessing their dissemination and proposing socio-environmental
policies. Our features of research are to exploit computer simulation, by which we arepracticing various assessments through system dynamics modeling on socio-economic system,
natural environmental system and their interactive relations. This enables us comprehensive
and multilateral assessments quantitatively.
The Feature of Social andEnvironmental System
Engineering
・Analyzing of Interaction between theSocio-Economic and Environmental
System・Many-sided Evaluation of Policy
Measures and Technologies
・Policy-oriented Environmental Sciencefor Decision-making Process

Solution Process ofEnvironmental Problems
・Cause Elucidation
・Measure Planning- R&D for Environmental Technologies-Environmental Policy Planning(Regulation, Taxation System...)・Prior Evaluation
・Optimal Selection of the Tech. and Policy
Measure・Implementation of Measures

Recent Themes
・Methodology to Derive the Optimal Rateof Environmental Tax
・Introduction of the Optimal
Environmental Tax System
・Impact Analysis of Environmental Tax
・Water Environmental Policy for
Improvement of Lake Water Quality
・Integrated River Basin Management
Policy・A Practical Use Policy of Biomass System
for Sustainable Development andEnvironmental Improvement