Development of the Teaching Material of Alien Species for the Sustainable Society

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K01038
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Science education
• Research Institution: University of the Ryukyus
• Principal Investigator: HIGA Takashi 琉球大学, 教育学研究科, 准教授 (30780390)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 外来生物 / 持続可能社会 / 学校教育

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In an 88-site investigative survey in Okinawa Prefecture, medaka (Oryzias latipes, Japanese rice fish) were found at 3 points, while guppies (Poecilia reticulata) were found at 41 points, a significantly larger number. Further, when medaka and guppy were raised together in a fish tank, the number of medaka reduced to zero after five months.
Elementary schools held classes on invasive species. A questionnaire with the question “Why can’t medaka be released into the waters?” was administered. After the classes, a significant majority of the students responded with an answer focused on invasive species. At junior high schools, students expressed the opinion that killing invasive species should be avoided as a control measure. Even so, while some students had a negative image of invasive species, this negative image was proportionally significantly higher among students who took the classes compared with those who had not.

Free Research Field

Science Education

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

野外でメダカが減っている原因の一つと考えられる外来生物との種間競争を水槽内混合飼育で確認できた。また，外来生物に関する授業を受けた小中学生は外来生物の防止やその対策について考え，外来生物に対するイメージも変化した。
現実の外来生物対策をみると，行政の予算の範囲内で業者が駆除する場合が殆どである。仮に，行政から外来生物対策の予算がつかない，または，減額になったらどうなるのだろうか。そのために普及啓発を通した市民育成が必要である。この普及啓発は義務教育段階から必要で，本研究によりその効果が確認できた。