Verification and prediction of changes in satoyama environments with high biodiversity using the habitat characteristics of the Eastern Buzzard, an index species

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K15869
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 39070:Landscape science-related
• Research Institution: Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History and Human History
• Principal Investigator: Nakahara Toru 北九州市立自然史・歴史博物館, 自然史課, 学芸員 (10823221)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ノスリ / アンブレラ種 / 生物多様性 / 二次的自然 / 利用環境 / 遠隔追跡 / GPSロガー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we investigated the home range and the habitat environment of the Eastern Buzzard, a top predator in Satoyama in winter, using GPS tracking. We also investigated the biodiversity of the habitat of tracked individuals. Moreover, a habitat estimation model of the buzzard was developed and extrapolated to the past environment and future environment predicted to reveal how the suitable habitat of the buzzard changes from the past to the future. Since the buzzard has a wide range of feeding habits and direct and indirect interactions with many organisms, the buzzard makes it a potential indicator of an environment containing high biodiversity. By estimating changes in the habitat suitability of the species, we have shown how areas of high biodiversity may change over time.

Free Research Field

生態学・鳥類学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

生物多様性の損失を阻止することは、世界的課題として持続可能な開発目標 (SDGs) のゴールの1つにも挙げられているが、その前段階として、「高い生物多様性を内包する環境」が現在どの程度残存しているかを把握し、増減の可能性を予測することは重要である。本研究ではノスリという、生物多様性の指標となる生物の生息実態を組み込むことで、高い生物多様性を内包する環境の増減をより可視化しやすくする可能性を示した。