| Budget Amount *help |
¥16,770,000 (Direct Cost: ¥12,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥3,870,000)
Fiscal Year 2011: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000)
Fiscal Year 2010: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000)
Fiscal Year 2009: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000)
Fiscal Year 2008: ¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000)
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| Research Abstract |
Here, we conducted field observations on shorebird foraging behavior on Japanese and Canadian tidal flats, analyzed chemical components of the bird droppings and prey items. One of the surprising discoveries is that many shorebird species, such as Dunlin (a very common species worldwide) and Red-necked Stint (very common in East Asia and Oceania), consume surficial intertidal biofilm, a hitherto unsuspected food comprised of microbes, their extracellular mucus substances, and detritus. This finding is the first in the world to demonstrate that biofilm feeding is indeed widespread.
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