2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Biological specimens collected in Okinawa during the occupation period: research towards their exploration and utilization
| Project/Area Number |
19K01152
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Review Section |
Basic Section 03070:Museology-related
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| Research Institution | Administrative Agency for Osaka City Museums |
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Principal Investigator |
Ishida So 地方独立行政法人大阪市博物館機構(大阪市立美術館、大阪市立自然史博物館、大阪市立東洋陶磁美術館、大阪, 大阪市立自然史博物館, 係長 (50435880)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
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| Keywords | 自然史標本 / 沖縄戦 / 標本記録 / 生息地推定 / 保全 / 科学史 / 風土病 / 軟体動物 |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Biological specimens collected in Okinawa in 1945-46 and housed in museums in the USA were surveyed and identified, totaling approximately 780 specimens, mainly molluscs, other invertebrates, amphibians and reptiles. Many of them were collected as part of endemic disease surveys in the invaded areas by the US military. On the other hand, specimens collected by soldiers off duty, or presumed to have been collected under such circumstances, were also identified. The activity of the Naval Medical Research Unit No. 2, which was central of the former group, was clarified from official documents and other sources. In addition, by identifying the name of the collection site on the specimen labels using US military tactical maps, a species distribution map and list of local biota were created. The natural environment at that time was inferred from the the habitat requirements of these organisms, and the changes in those environments during the postwar period were discussed.
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| Free Research Field |
底生生物学
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
本研究による意義は大きく分けて二つある。一つは、公文書や文献と自然史標本を突き合わせることにより、米軍が沖縄戦で進めていた風土病に対する周到なリスクマネージメントの実態を明らかにした点である。沖縄戦はすでに様々な視点から多くの研究がなされているが、今回得られた知見は、沖縄戦史のより詳細な理解に資する可能性を持つ。二つ目は、米軍兵による沖縄戦期の標本群が様々な分類群を含み、また採集地点も比較的高い解像度で推定できるという点である。これらの標本記録は、戦前の沖縄島が有していた本来の自然環境を類推するうえで非常に有用であり、琉球列島の自然史研究の情報資源として今後の活用が期待される。
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