RIHN 7th International Symposium

Complexification and Simplification:
Ecosystems, human health and lifestyle in Asia

October 24 - 26, 2012
Kyoto, Japan

Organized byThe Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN)
National Institutes for the Humanities (NIHU)
Inter-University Research Institute Corporation

PREFACE

Asian social, economic, demographic and ecological systems are ina process of collective complexification. The region is home to twothirds of the global population and contains a majority of the world’s
megacities and some of the fastest growing populations and economies,
but also notable cases of population decline and economic stasis. Asia
is a region of ecological munificence and many traditional livelihood
systems of great longevity and productivity. As a whole, the region
is increasingly interdependent, as foreign investment, infrastructuredevelopment, migrations, and collective reliance on shared biomes andresources bind it ever-more tightly together; change in one place orsystem inevitably leads to change in others.
Paradoxically, such complexification often leads to simplification. AcrossAsia, monocultures displace diverse ecologies, simple wages displace
diversified livelihoods, and complex ecosystems are subject to singlepurpose management regimes. Longstanding social-ecological systems
appear increasingly vulnerable to short-sighted decisions and in dangerof rapid shifts to new, less resilient states.
Development is a process of environmental transformation, as ever. And
yet, transformation of ecological service into economic benefit may notserve the greatest good. What grounds or principles can link culturally
relevant description of human well-being to the local, regional andglobal ecosystems on which human societies ultimately rely?
Drawing from extensive field research conducted in tropical andtemperate forests, highlands and steppe grasslands, this symposium
approaches the twin problems of complexification and simplification in
Asia through three key axes of social-ecological change: resource use,ecological change, and human lifestyle and health.

Session Program

Session 1: Collapse and restoration of social-ecological networks
The first session examines social-environmental interactions inIndia, Mongolia and Malaysia where humans are dramaticallyaltering ecosystems. Case studies addresses changes in biodiversity
and ecosystem services associated with land cover changes, andpotential ways toward sustainable use of ecosystem services in eachregion. Similarity and differences in the interactions among regions
will be discussed.

Session 2: Physiological adaptation and recent lifestyle change
in high-altitude environments
The second session addresses the health and livelihood issues
posed by high altitude environments, where human physiologicaland cultural adaptations to the harsh environment complicate newly
emerging lifestyle-related medical problems. Case studies from
Bhutan and Tibet will be used to explore a desirable balance ofenvironment, lifestyle and public health.

Session 3: Ecohealth: Ecological transformation and human health
The third session examines the effect of climate and environmental
and social change on the ecology of human infectious diseasein Lao PDR, Vietnam, Bangladesh and China. Case studies will
describe ecologically based insights for the evaluation and control ofinfectious disease in relation to both local and global environmental
change.

iPROGRAM

Wednesday – 24 October, 2012

Opening Session
Chair: Aysun UYAR (RIHN)

10:00-10:10

Opening Remarks
TACHIMOTO Narifumi (Director-General, RIHN)

10:10-10:20

Objectives of the Symposium		
Daniel NILES (RIHN) / ABE Ken-ichi (RIHN)
10:20-11:20
Keynote Address 1		Biodiversity and Public Health: A Complicated but Important Science– Policy Challenge
Pim MARTENS (Maastricht University, The Netherlands)
11:20-11:30

Coffee break

11:30-12:30
Keynote Address 2		Theoretical Frameworks for the Analysis of Social-Ecological Systems
Graeme S. CUMMING (University of Cape Town, South Africa)
12:30-14:00

Lunchii

Session 1

Collapse and restoration of social-ecological networks

Chair: YAMAMURA Norio (RIHN/Doshisha University, Japan)

14:00-14:40

Reshaping Neighbourhood Parks for Biodiversity and People:
A Case of Unsung Socio-Ecological Systems in Bangalore, India
M. Soubadra DEVY(Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), India)

14:40-15:20

Co-benefits of Sustainable Forestry
KITAYAMA Kanehiro (Kyoto University, Japan)

15:20-16:00

Interaction of Human Activities and Ecological Resources:
Focusing on the Changes of Peoples Living Environment in Malaysia
KATO Yumi (RIHN/JSPS)
Land Use Change and Loss of Biodiversity in Malaysian Borneo
TAKANO Takenaka Kohei (RIHN)

16:00-16:20

Coffee break

16:20-17:00

Relationship between Livestock and Pasture in Mongolia
KODA Ryosuke (RIHN)
Quantitative Comparison of Sustainability between Nomadic
and Sedentary System in Mongolian Pasture
KATO Satoshi (RIHN)

17:00-17:30

Discussioniii

Thursday – 25 October, 2012

Session 2

Physiological adaptation and recent lifestylechange in high-altitude environments

Chair: OKUMIYA Kiyohito (RIHN)
10:00-10:30

Three Patterns in Hypoxic Adaptation in the Three High-Altitude People
and its Evolutional Significance
Cynthia M. BEALL (Case Western Reserve University, USA)

10:30-11:00

Aging in High Altitudes: Possible Association with Adaptation Methods
SAKAMOTO Ryota (Kyoto University, Japan)

11:00-11:30

Changing Livelihood and Non-Communicable Diseases
in the Kingdom of Bhutan:
Physiological Adaptation and Recent Lifestyle Change
in High-Altitude Environments
Ugen DOPHU (Ministry of Health, Bhutan)

11:30-11:50

Coffee break

11:50-12:20

Tibetan Society and their Changing Livelihoods
Melvyn C. GOLDSTEIN (Case Western Reserve University, USA)

12:20-12:40

Discussant: INAMURA Tetsuya (Aichi Prefectural University, Japan)

12:40-13:10

Discussion

13:10-14:30

Lunchiv

Session 3

Ecohealth:
Ecological transformation and human health

Chair: MOJI Kazuhiko (RIHN) & Hein MALLEE (International Development Research Centre)
14:30-15:10

Climate, Climate Change and Human Health
HASHIZUME Masahiro (Nagasaki University, Japan)

15:10-15:50

Liver Fluke and Cholangiocarcinoma in Southeast Asia:
Current Status and Prospects for Long Term Prevention and Control
Paiboon SITHITHAWORN (Khon Kaen University, Thailand)

15:50-16:10

Coffee break

16:10-16:50

Study of Land Cover Change in Relation with Malariaand Liver-Fluke Infection in Savannakhet Province, Lao PDRTOJO Bumpei (RIHN)

16:50-17:30

Cooking Up: a Nutrition Lens on Natural Resource Management
Jutta KRAHN (Consultant Food, Nutrition, Natural Resources, Laos)

17:30-18:00

Discussionv

Friday – 26 October, 2012

Session 4

Synthesis and Summary Discussion

Chairs: Daniel NILES (RIHN)

10:00-10:15

Synthesis of session 1
SAKAI Shoko (RIHN)

10:15-10:30

Synthesis of session 2
OKUMIYA Kiyohito (RIHN)

10:30-10:45

Synthesis of session 3
MOJI Kazuhiko (RIHN)

10:45-11:00

Coffee break

11:00-11:20

Comments
Pim MARTENS (Maastricht University, The Netherlands)
Graeme S. CUMMING (University of Cape Town, South Africa)

11:20-11:45

Summary Discussion

11:45-11:50

Closing Remarks
SATO Yo-Ichiro (Deputy Director-General/Director of CCPC, RIHN)

11:50-12:25

Publication meeting

12:25-14:00

Lunch

14:00-		Excursionvi