ESTIMATE FOR HISTORICAL CHANGE OF ANCIENT ECOSYSTEMS BASED ON DNA ANALYSIS OF PLANT REMAINS EXCAVATED

1995 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 05835023
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: 文化財科学
• Research Institution: SHIZUOKA UNIVERSITY (1994-1995); National Institute of Genetics (1993)
• Principal Investigator: SATO Yo-ichiro (佐藤 洋一郎) FAC.AGR., SHIZUOKA UNIV.ASSOC.PROF., 農学部, 助教授 (20145113)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SANO Isomi SHIZUOKA PREF.RESEARCH INST.FOR BURIED PROPERTIES,HEAD INVESTIGATOR, 調査課長
• Project Period (FY): 1993 – 1995
• Keywords: PLANT REMAINS / DNA / ARCHAEOLOGY / ARCHAEOLOGICAL RELICS / BURID PROPERTIES / ANCIENT ECOSYSTEM

Research Abstract

DNA analysis for plant remains excavated is useful tool for estimation of the ancient ecosystem. For the aims at tracing the historical change of ancient ecosystem, we analyzed plant remains excavated from some archaeological sites in Shizuoka and other areas. The results obtained are as follows.
1. Rice grains excavated were japonica, as far as we observed.
2. Weed and leaves of tree-species were obtained from ancient paddy fields at Magarikane-kita relics. Judging from the low uniformity in terms of numbers, ancient rice cultivation was done under heterogeneous conditions.
3. Species of trees were estimted based on tips of tree excavated at Kakue relics. Tree species grown at the late Jomon period was almost same as the present ones.
4. Chestnut grains excavated at Sannai-Maruyama relics of Aomori prefecture were also analyzed. Judging by low genetic diversity based on the heterogeneity of PCR-product, primitive cultivation would be suggested for their chestnut production.
From these results, we suggest that cultivation was practiced till Jomon period. It was also suggested that high genetic diversity as well as species diversity was preserved in agroecosystem in the ancient Japan.