DIWPA: DIVERSITAS in the Western Pacific and Asia

August, 2016

DIWPA News Letter

No.35

Ofﬁce:CenterforEcologicalResearch,KyotoUniversity,Otsu,Japan

Message from the Chairperson

I*
hadfinallyreceived
the AP-BON
Book3 at the end of June 2016.
The book is compact, but contains
unique information about freshwater
biodiversity in Asian countries. Somechapters cover a marine system andecosystem service/socio-economic
Shin-ichi Nakano
aspects with special reference tobiodiversity, because of its analogy to freshwater
ecosystems.
It has come a long way for the book to be
published. In November 2012, we held “International
Workshop on Freshwater Biodiversity Conservation inAsia” at Kyushu University, Japan, to discuss ways toidentify the biodiversity hotspots, appropriate methods
to identify the drivers on biodiversity loss of particularfreshwater systems and data sharing among Asian
countries. Some chapters presented in the workshop areincluded in Book3. I would like to thank the authors fortheir script contribution, and I appreciate their patiencein waiting for the book publication and the publisher
Springer for its tenacious editing of the book.
The AP-BON Book Series present the status quoof Asian biodiversity in the biodiversity researchthat lacks information from developing countries.
In addition, we have included contributions, as wellas providing reviews on advances in concepts andmethods of biodiversity observations and on thechallenges to study spatial variability of biodiversity
andecosystemsintheAsia-Pacificregion.Wehopethe
AP-BON Book Series would be informative for all the
stakeholders interested in biodiversity issues.
*

S. Nakano, T. Yahara and T. Nakashizuka (Eds) (2016, in press
The Biodiversity Observation Network in Asia-Pacific Regio
Aquatic Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Service.
Springer Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

Message from the Secretary GeneralW

e conducted "2016 InternationalField Biology Course (IFBC)",
held on 17 to 23 August at Kiso, Nagano.
In this year, the main objectives of
IFBC focus on the biodiversity andconservation in stream insects. Their
activities will be reported in the next
Atsushi Ishidavolume. Kyoto University is enhancing
our academic networks in ASEAN, so that we can be
successful in getting new fund from Japan Science andTechnology Agency (JST). In return, Kyoto University
organizes Kyoto-ASEAN Forum every year in ASEAN
countries with the fund. In March 2015 “KyotoASEAN Forum 2015 Kickoff Meeting” was held in
Bangkok, as the preliminary meeting. In the future
meetings, our partners should tackle common issues,

such as securing sustainable funding for researchcooperation, fostering next generation scholars andpromoting mutual youth exchanges, for a new horizonof academic cooperation between ASEAN and Japan.
Although we are in a tough situation, it is important toenhance our partnership to make sustainable society
associated with ecosystem service. DIWPA will bea core in such activities, especially in biodiversity
and its conservation. Recently, the effects of global
climate change have a serious influence on degradi
biodiversity in biomes in various areas worldwide.
Thus, I believe that our mission in DIWPA becomes anevery more important challenge. To keep our activities,
please send your reports to DIWPA Newsletter. We
always welcome your papers.

1

DIWPA News Letter No.35

Report 1

IPBES Regional Assessment of Biodiversity and Ecosystem
Services forAsia and the Pacific.
Towards the Zero Order Draft (ZOD)
Jeremy J. Piggott
Dept. of Zoology, University of Otago(New Zealand)

1. Introduction
This brief project report summarizes my
The Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and contributions towards producing and reviewing the
Ecosystem Services (IPBES) was established in 2012 Zero Order Draft (ZOD) of Chapter 3 documenting
as an independent intergovernmental body open to all the status and trends of freshwater biodiversity in themember countries of the United Nations. The objective Asia-Pacific region. This work was undertaken durin
of IPBES is to strengthen the science-policy interface a visiting fellowship funded by the International
for biodiversity and ecosystem services for the Research Unit of Advanced Future Studies at Kyoto
conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, long- University, hosted by Professor Shin-ichi Nakano at theterm human well-being and sustainable development.
Centre for Ecological Research. (Fig. 1)
One of the deliverables (Deliverable 2b) is toprepare a regional/sub-regional assessment, following
the scoping document accepted at the third IPBESPlenary (January 2015) and first author meeting for the
Asia-Pacific assessment, held in Tokyo, Japan, from
17-21 August 2015.
The entire assessment process will take three
years, with the final report, including a summary forpolicymakers, scheduled for submission to the IPBESPlenary in 2018. Based on existing peer- reviewed
literature, grey literature and indigenous and local
knowledge, the report will serve as a valuable tool for
effective formulation and implementation of policy
related to the sustainable use of biodiversity andecosystem services at the regional, sub-regional andnational levels. The report will also become one of the Fig. 1. Conceptual Framework from IPBES (Díaz 2015; Diaz 2015)
building blocks for subsequent global assessments.
There are roughly 140 authors with activity and 2. Methodology
IPBES confidentiality clauses prohibit disclosur
experience in the Asia-Pacific region participating in
the assessment including 6 early career Young Fellows. draft content from the regional assessments. To avoid
The assessment consists of 6 chapters and follows disclosureconflictsIreferthereadertoIPBESregio
the IPBES conceptual framework (Díaz 2015a; Diaz assessment scoping reports already in the publicdomain (IPBES 2014a; IPBES 2014b).
2015b):The generic scoping report for the regional and
Chapter1:Settingthescene
subregional assessments of biodiversity and ecosystem
Chapter2:Nature’sbenefittopeople
services (IPBES 2014a) outlines the scope of Chapter
Chapter3:Statusandtrendsofbiodiversity
3as,“Chapter3willreflecttheConceptualFramework
Chapter4:Directandindirectdriversofchange
box “Nature”, emphasizing the components and fluxes
Chapter5:Integratedandcross-scaleanalysis
Chapter6:Policyoptionsfordecision-making.impacting on “Nature’s benefits to people”. It
assess what is known about the past and current trends

2

DIWPA News Letter No.35

Report 1

and future dynamics of biodiversity and ecosystems regional assessment. Some examples are national
and their positive and negative effects on the key biodiversity and strategic action plans, national reports
ecosystemgoodsandservicesidentifiedin
chapter
2.It
anddata portals:
the Global Biodiversity Inform
will consider both structural and functional ecosystem Facility, the Indian Bio-resource Information Network,
diversity and genetic diversity and the area and extent the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversof ecosystems and include fragile habitats and hotspots Observation Network with regional components, theand species of special concern and importance such Asia-Pacific Biodiversity Observation Network andas Convention on International Trade in Endangered subregional or national components, the JapaneseSpecies of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) species, Biodiversity Observation Network and the Korea
migratory species and International Union for Biodiversity Observation Network; regional init
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) threatened species, the Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity fortaking into account species listed at the national SoutheastAsia; regional research institutes: B
level where relevant. It will also include species that International(AsiaPacificOceaniadivision),theWor
are important for the functioning of ecosystems and ResourcesInstitute,theCGIARConsortiumforSpat
livelihoods. Available forecasts on current trends Information, the International Centre for Integrated
will also be outlined. The chapter will also explore Mountain Development, the International Union for
how changes in “Nature” impact “Nature’sConservation
benefit toof Nature; and government researchpeople”.Thechapterreflectsinparticularinstitutes.
GoalCofthe Datasets from published scientific
Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and will address issues and citizen science projects will also be used within therelated to the three Aichi Targets under this goal (Aichi assessment report.”
Targets 11, 12 and 13) as well as relevant aspects of
Aichi Target 14.” (Table 1)
2.1 Contributions to the Zero Order Draft
The complementary scoping report for the regional
Following an extensive literature review of the key
assessment of biodiversity and ecosystem services for datasets listed above, Chapter 3 Lead Authors andAsia-Pacific (IPBES 2014b) presents the geographic Young Fellows prepared candidate key messages forboundary of the assessment (Table 1) and highlights key their respective biomes and subregions. Freshwater
datasets as, “Relevant datasets from ongoing activities Lead Authors met for a three-day group meeting fromdrawn from a wide range of sources, including global, the 3-6th November 2015 at the National Instituteregional, national, subnational and local institutions for Environmental Studies in Tsukuba to compile
and organizations will feed into the Asia-Pacific their respective contributions across subregions andfreshwater subbiomes for the ZOD. This material wasthen submitted to the Chapter 3 Coordinating Lead
Table1.GeographicareasoftheIPBESAsia-Pacificregionalassessment(aOverseas territory.) (IPBES 2014a)
Authors and Co-chairs to review for consistency andSubregions
Countries and territories
clarity prior to submission as the ZOD.
Oceania

Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia(Federated States of), Nauru, New Zealand, Palau,
2.2 Zero Order Draft Internal Review
Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga,
TuvaluandVanuatu.Pacificislandterritories
ofCook November 2015, the first internal review ofIn lateaIslands, New Caledonia, American SamoaaTokelau,,
ZOD was initiated with Lead Authors undertaking to
French Polynesiaa, Niuea, Guama, Commonwealth of theNorthern Mariana Islands, Pitcairn Islanda and Wallis
review chapters that they did not contribute to. On theand Futunaa. Oceanic and sub-Antarctic islands in the
Pacificregion(orPacificandIndianOceanregions)19th of January 2016 Chapter 3 Lead Authors received

atotalof35reviewercommentstoaddressinthefirrevision of the ZOD.

South-East Asia Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People’s
Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam

North-East Asia China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Japan,
3. Outlook and future directions
Mongolia and Republic of Korea
South Asia
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran (Islamic
The ZOD of IPBES Regional Assessment for Asia
Republicof),Maldives,Nepal,PakistanandSriLanka
andthe Pacific paves the way forward to extend theWestern Asia Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United
Arab Emirates and Yemen (Arabian peninsula), Iraq,
early work of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Jordan, Lebanon, State of Palestine and Syrian Arab
(MEA 2005) with issues specific to the Asia- PacificRepublic (Mashriq)

3

DIWPA News Letter No.35

Report 1

and subregions. At a scientific level, IPBESSgives
the
imila
r l y, I a m a l s o g r a t e f u l t o J a p a n ’s N a t iopportunity to bring together the best scientists in Institute for Environmental Studies and hosts Professor
biodiversity and ecosystem services and gives access Noriko Takamura and Dr Taku Kadoya for arranging
to cutting-edge ideas and concepts for better natural the Chapter 3 Freshwater Lead Authors ZOD writing
resource management. From a community engagement meeting.
perspective, IPBES is also providing tools for helping
engaging with the wider community, with benefits to 5. References
help mainstream the ecosystem services framework Díaz, S., Demissew, S., Carabias, J., Joly, C., Lonsdale,from science to policy.
M., Ash, N., Larigauderie, A., Adhikari, J.R., Arico,
IPBES has provided an over-arching framework forS., Báldi, A., Bartuska, A., Baste, I.A., Bilgin,ecosystem assessments that link science to policy, but
A., Brondizio, E., Chan, K.M.A., Figueroa, V.E.,
despite this achievement key knowledge and data gaps
Duraiappah, A., Fischer, M., Hill, R., Koetz, T.,remain at the regional and sub- regional levels. The
Leadley,P.,Lyver,P.,Mace,G.M.,Martin-Lopez,B.,
selection of appropriate indicators for biodiversity andOkumura, et al.. The IPBES Conceptual Framework
ecosystems pose a particular challenge to producing a— connecting nature and people. Current Opinion in
representative assessment of the regions biodiversity
Environmental Sustainability, 14, 1-16, 2015astatus and trends. To address this shortcoming, I Diaz, S., Demissew, S., Joly, C., Lonsdale, W.M. &recently attended the Future Earth Symposium on
Larigauderie,A.ARosettaStonefornature'sbenefi“Global Biodiversity Assessment and Monitoringto people. PLoS Biol, 13, e1002040, 2015b
Science, Data and Infrastructure Needs for IPBES and IPBES Draft generic scoping report for the regional
Beyond” in Monte Verità, Ascona, Switzerland fromand subregional assessments of biodiversity and6-10 March 2016. This was a joint symposium of theecosystem services. Report on the regional scoping
Future Earth Clusters ‘Global Biodiversity
Assessment
process
for a set of regional and subregional
andMonitoring,PredictionandReporting’andSupport‘assessments(deliverable 2 (b). Intergovernmental
for IPBES’. The symposium focused on addressing
Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity andthe scientific needs of IPBES, in particular around
Ecosystemthe
Services, 2014aselection of indicators for biodiversity monitoring. IPBES Draft complementary scoping report for the
The meeting brought together ~60 invited experts toregional assessment of biodiversity and ecosystem
identify and mobilize new, emerging and non-exploitedservices for Asia-Pacific. Report on the regional
indicators within the IPBES regional and global
scoping process for a set of regional and subregional
assessment work program. A joint synthesis paper on
assessments (deliverable 2 (b), Intergovernmental‘Indicators for IPBES’ is currently in the final
stages Platform on Biodiversity and
Science-Policyof preparation to help address the issues and data gaps
Ecosystem Services, 2014b
identifiedinZOD.
MEA Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Synthesis
The ZOD IPBES Regional Assessment for Asia andReport. United Nations Environment Programme,
the Pacific has now completed it’s secondWashington,round ofDC, Island Press, 2005
internal review revisions with an expected completionof the First Order Draft in May 2016. The IPBES work
plan anticipates the full and final revisionof the reportThe*
original/
fullreportislocatedat:http:/www2.
will be completed by November 2017, after which it yukawa.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~future/icis/wp/wp-content/
will be translated into the six languages of the United uploads/2016/04/2016-009-e.pdf
Nations and be sent for acceptance by governments at
the Sixth session of the IPBES Plenary in March 2018.
4. Acknowledgements
I wish to thank the International Research Unitof Advanced Future Studies at Kyoto University forfunding my visiting fellowship and host Professor Shinichi Nakano at the Centre for Ecological Research.

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DIWPA News Letter No.35

Report 1

The Future Earth Symposium on “Global BiodiversityAssessment and Monitoring Science, Data and Infrastructure Needs forin Monte Verità, Ascona, Switzerland

5

DIWPA News Letter No.35

New Site 1Long- term field research of a 6 - year periodical mass fl ow
of Strobilanthes in Okinawa Island, Japan
Satoshi Kakishima
National Museum of Nature and Science(Japan)T

he Ryukyu Islands are at the southwestern partof the Japanese Archipelago. Despite Japan’s
mainland being located in a temperate region, theRyukyu Islands are in a subtropical region, so thatmany tropical plants are distributed only in the
Ryukyu Islands. The Ryukyu Islands are divided into
the northern Ryukyus, the central Ryukyus and thesouthern Ryukyus. The flora and fauna of these three
regions are obviously different affected by geologicalhistory.
Okinawa Island in the central Ryukyus is the largest
island of the Ryukyu Islands. Although Okinawa Island Fig. 2. S.flexicaulis
inthemassfloweringyear
has the largest population in the Ryukyu Islands, mostareas are still covered by natural forests in the northern mass flowering of bamboos occurs with fixed intervals
part. This area is scheduled to become a national park depending on the species. The lengths of its intervals
in the near future (26°65'N, 127°91'E). The Motobu are 15–120 years. Although the evolution of periodical
Peninsula, located in the northwestern of Okinawa mass flowering of bamboos has been studied, it is very
Island, has some limestone mountains. The limestone difficult to verify because of its very long flowering
area is partly preserved and quite a few plant species interval. In contrast, the genus Strobilanthes includes
are endemic. I would like to introduce my study sites speciesfloweringin3-16yearsintervals(Janzen1976).
where Strobilanthes flexicaulis(Acanthaceae), a 6-year Most known species have 6-12 years intervals and it
periodicalmassowering
flplant,growsinthis
areaFig.
(
is interesting
to note that Strobilanthes also has non1; Kakishima et al. 2011).
periodcial perennial polycarpic species. The flower
Periodical mass flowering is a famous phenomenon
interval of Strobilanthes is relatively shorter thanof bamboos (Janzen 1976). For many species of bamboos, so that Strobilanthes is more suitable to study
bamboos, almost all individuals in the population theevolutionofperiodicalmassflowering.
bloom together gregariously and die after fruiting. The
I have studied periodical mass flowering of S.
flexicaulisin the Motobu Peninsula since 2008. At
the beginning (2008), it was predicted that next mass
flowering year would be 2010. So, I firstly examinedthe distribution and life history of S. flexicaulisin
Okinawa Island. S.flexicaulis
was distributed in mostly
limestone mountains such as Mt. Katsuu, Mt. Yae,
Mt. Oppa, and Mt. Nago on the Motobu Peninsula. In
their habitats, they were densely growing and covering
forest floor. Flowering season of S. flexicaulis
waswinter (from November to March). They bore fruits
from March to April and their seeds germinated soon.
After fruiting, almost all individuals died.
Fig. 1. Strobilanthesflexicaulis(Acanthaceae)
Since 2008, I have examined the number of

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DIWPA News Letter No.35

New Site 1

This result means that a 6-year periodicity is common
to all populations but synchronicity is variable among
populations in Okinawa Island.
A closely related species, S. tashiroi is also
distributed in Okinawa Island. S. tashiori is sometimes
growing sympatrically with S. flexicaulis. These two
species are very similar but it is possible to identify the
species based on pollen, bract and stamen morphology.
From observational studies, it was revealed that S.
tashiroi was not mass fl owering species and perenpolycarpy. This result suggests that evolutionary
switching of life history between periodical mass
flowering and non-periodical perennial polycarpy
occurred within a small taxonomic group.
Why did periodical mass flowering evolve? Twomajor hypotheses for periodical mass flowering, as
well as for other mass flowering, are well kno
the predator satiation hypothesis and the pollination
efficiency hypothesis. The predation satiation
hypothesis is that even though seed predators aresatiated to eat seeds (fruits), they cannot eat all
seeds in mass flowering years because the numberof seed predators do not increase proportionally. The
pollination efficiency hypothesis is that pollination
Fig.3.Synchronouswitheringaftermassflowering
efficiency is higher in mass flowering years because
flowering individuals
S. flexicaulisofin 6 populations many individuals are flowering synchronously.
,
study
(
sites)Mt.
: Katsuu,Mt.Yae,Mt.Oppa,Mt.Nago, To verify these two hypotheses for S. flexicaulis
Awa and Mt. Iyu. In 2008 and 2009, I found that few I examined predation rates of fruits and pollinatorvisitation
frequency (Kakishima et al. 2011). Fruits ofindividualswereowering
fl
inout
4
ofpopulations,6butflexicaulis
were predated by larvae of plume moths
almostallindividualswerenotflowering.S.In
December
2009, I finally found that almost all individuals of S. (Pterophoridae sp.). A fruits predation rate in mass
flexicaulis
had flowers or flowering buds in all study flowering year was significantly smaller than that ofsites (Fig. 2). Fortunately mass flowering had started other years. One species of hummingbird hawk moths
corythus platyxanthum) and honeybees
asexpected.Apeakofthenumberofflowerswas(Macroglossum
from
(Apis
mellifela)
were
recordedasmajor
pollinators of S.
December 2009 to January 2010. After that, flowers
were decreasing but flowering continued to March (orApril). In March 2010, a huge number of fruits wereobserved (sometimes more than 1,000 fruits per anindividual). One fruits usually have 4 seeds, so they
can produce several thousands seeds in total. After
massflowering,allindividualsdiedandahugenumberof seedlings were observed in their habitats (Fig. 3).
Seedlings covered forest floors that were completely
opened because all parental individuals died (Fig.
4). Then, they will flower again after 6 years upon
germination. Next year1), (20almost no flowers wereobserved in 4 out of 6 populations. On the other hand,Fig. 4. Seedlingscoveringforestfloors.
othertwopopulationshavesomefloweringindividuals.

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DIWPA News Letter No.35

New Site 1
References
Janzen D.H. 1976. Why bamboos wait so long toower.
flAnnualReviewofEcologyandSystematics:7347-391.
Kakishima S., Yoshimura J., Murata H., Murata J.
2011. 6-year periodicity and variable synchronicity inamass-floweringplant.PLoSONE6:e28140.

Fig. 5. A hummingbird hawk moth (Macroglossumcorythusplatyxanthum)

Fig. 6. A honeybee (Apismellifela)

flexicaulis(FigT. 5 & 6). Pollinator visitation frequency
isclearlyhigherinmassowering
flyearthanthatinotheryears. Therefore, it is suggested that both the predator
satiation hypothesis and the pollination efficiency
hypothesis contribute to evolution and maintenance of
periodicalmassflowering
S.flexicaulisof.
In 2016, I had an opportunity to study mass
flowering of S. flexicaulisin the Motobu Peninsula
for my second time. Periodical mass flowering wasvery accurate. Even though it takes long time to
study periodical mass flowering, I will continue
understanding periodical mass flowering. Now, I focus
on periodical mass flowering
Strobilanthesof
not onlyin Japan but also in Taiwan and Java Island, Indonesia.
However, I still need more information of periodical
mass flowering of Strobilanthes in tropical Asia. If
readers have information of periodical mass floweringof Strobilanthes, I hope readers would be willing toshare them with me.

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DIWPA News Letter No.35

New Site 2

A long-term research project on vocal communication of tits
(family Paridae) in Karuizawa Wild Bird Forest
Toshitaka Suzuki
Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto Universuty(Japan)Fig. 2. A Knestling of the Japanese tit

Fig. 1. A nest box for Japanese tits

Karuizawa Wild Bird Forest was recognized as the
Since 2005, I have been studying vocal communication
firstnationalbirdforestinJapaninN,'73°6(491 of tits (species within the family Paridae) in this forest.
138°60'E). This forest is located about 950-1,100 m Four species of tits are inhibited as its residents in theabove the sea level and approximately 9 km away from forest; Japanese tits (Parusminor), willow tits (Poecile
an active volcano, Mt. Asama. The forest consists of montanus), varied tits (Poecile varius), and coal tits
various tree species, such as the larch (Larixleptolepis), (Periparus).ater
Among them, Japanese tits, coal tits,oaks (Quercuscrispula), Mulberries (Morusbombycis), and varied tits use secondary cavities for breeding,and giant dogwoods (Cornus controversa). Owing to whereas willow tits excavate nest holes by themselves.
such plant diversity, species richness of bird community For secondary cavity species, it is easy to observeis exclusively high; more than 80 species of birds can breeding ecology by attaching adequate nest boxes tobe observed in the forest through the year. Residential tree trunks.
bird species include forest birds, grass birds and water
Since 2006, I have placed more than 100 nest boxes
birds, and many species of birds of prey, such as in the forest and monitored the breeding ecology
sparrowhawks (Accipiternisus) and Northern goshawks and behavior of Japanese tits (Fig. 1). Japanese tits
(A. gentilis), also inhibit in the forest. From late April start building their nests in early May and females
to early May, many species of passerines, including complete their clutches (6-13 eggs) in the middle ofblue-and-white flycatchers
Cyanoptila(
cyanomelana), May. Nestlings typically hatch from the end of May tonarcissus flycatchers (Ficedula narcissina), Siberian the early June and fledge from the middle to the end oblue robins (Lusciniacyane), Japanese thrushes (Turdus June (Fig. 2).
cardis), Asian stubtails (Urosphena squameiceps) andIn this forest, jungle crows (Corvusmacrorhynchos)
ashy minivets (Pericrocotus divaricatus), migrate to and Japanese rat snakes (Elapheclimacophora) are twothe forest for breeding. These birds leave Karuizawa major predators of nestlings of Japanese tits. Jungle
between October and November. In the same season, crows use their beaks to attack the nestlings fromsome birds, such as Eurasian bullfinch (Pyrrhulaoutside of the nest cavity. In contrast, Japanese rat
pyrrhula), rosefinch (Carpodacus roseus) and long- snakes invade the nest cavity and then typically preytailed rosefinch
Uragus( sibiricus), migrate from North on all of the nestlings. Japanese tits use an ingenious
to the forest for wintering.
way to avoid nest predation by these predators; parents

9

DIWPA News Letter No.35

New Site 2

Fig.A3. willowtitwithcolor-ringsforindivisualidentification

produce acoustically discrete types of acoustic warning tu-pi"), tits showed neither scan nor approach. This issignals in response to different predator species. They thefirstdemonstrationthatnon-humananimalsc
produce "chicka" calls in response to crows, whereas "syntax" to provide a compound message to the others.
they produce "jar" calls in response to snakes. Upon Insuchocks,
flcommunicationoccursnotonlywithin
hearing "chicka" calls, nestlings crouch down inside a species, but also across species. For example, willow
their nest cavity, allowing them to evade the attack by tits (Fig. 3) produce "tää" calls when discovering
the crow's beaks. In contrast, upon hearing "jar" calls, food source, thereby attracting both conspecific andnestlings jump out of the nest cavity, leading them to heterospecific individuals to the patch. While thisavoid a snake's invasion. Thus, warning calls by the behavior may attract food competitors and may reduce
Japanese tits apparently function as "words" that denote the food intakes by willow tits, it would benefit thedifferent types of predators.
tits since they can reduce the risk of predation throughFrom autumn to winter, tits live in flocks with foraging in mixed-species flocks and through theconspecific and heterospecific individuals. In such recognition of mutual warning calls. In fact, willow tits
flocks, tits also use a variety of call types to transmit can recognize and understand the meanings of "chicka"
information. Tits produce "pi-tsu-pi" calls to warn (crow!) and "jar" calls (snake!) of Japanese tits andaboutageneralthreatofpredatortothe
flockappropriate
members, anti-predator behaviors to them.
exhibitwhereas they produce "di-di-di" calls to attract other
These studies are the outcome of my 11-years
flock members. Interestingly, tits often combine
thesefield study.
The biodiversity of Karuizawa Wild Bird
two calls into fixed-sequences, "pi-tu-pi" calls,
in
case
Forest promises to provide more findings and insightof when leading other birds to approach and harass into the ecology and evolution of birds and other(i.e., mob) a predator. Field experiments show that animals. As such, I will continue the research on vocal
the tits respond to "pi-tu-pi" calls by scanning for communication between birds in this forest. If you are
the danger, "di-di-di" calls by approaching the sound interested in joining my research project, please feelsource, and "pi-tu-pi di-di-di" calls by a combined free to contact me.
response, i.e., scanning and approaching. When theordering of notes was artificially reversed ("di-di-di pi-

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DIWPA News Letter No.35

2016 International Field Biology Course (IFBC)
We held 2016 International Field Biology Course at Kiso, Nagano, Japan in August. The activities
will be reported in the next DIWPA News Letter in March, 2017.

11

CALL FOR NEW MEMBER OF DIWPA
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1. Receive the DIWPA News Letter
You can receive the News Letter by post or e-mail. News Letter contains various information of
biodiversity research in Asia Pacific area, especially reports on every project and activities of AP-BON(Asia–Pacific Biodiversity Observation Network) as well as J-BON (Japan Biodiversity Observation
Network)IPBES,Intergovernmental(
ScienceandPolicyPlatformonBiodiversityandEcosystem)andnew
big project which is “Observation, Evaluation and Prediction of Biodiversity in Asia” by the Environment
ResearchandTechnologyDevelopmentFund.AllyoucangetaboveinformationisONLYinDIWPANews
LetterexceptthatAP-BONprovidestheminitsownwebsite.
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ichi
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IshidaShigeoYachi
Osono
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