(Ryukyu subtropical forest    Photo Credit: Justin Moat)

Welcome to
Biodiversity and Conservation Biogeography  Japan
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University of the Ryukyus

Kubota lab is interested in bridging between local-scale ecological studies (field work) and the concepts/theories of biogeography and macroecology. We investigate hierarchical assembly processes through time and space across local community, regional-scale flora and global-scale forest biomes. To understand the origin and maintenance of plant biodiversity in Asia, we use a variety of dataset (vegetation plots, forest dynamics plots, species distribution, phylogeny, functional trait and fossil) and statistical models including mechanistic null models (e.g. neutral theory). Moreover, we focus on systematic conservation planning and spatial conservation prioritization to capture important plant areas in Asia.
Biodiversity Conservation Projects
RESEARCH FOCUS


​Kubota lab mainly focuses on terrestrial plant communities (forests), but also other fauna including marine organisms (corals and fishes). We have a variety of projects  as mentioned below.

​1) Large-scale diversification across temperate and tropical forests based on trait-based and community phylogenetics

2) Biodiversity estimation of woody plant species in Asian tropical forests

3) Pattern analyses of plant species assembly along elevation gradient

4) Biogeography in the East Asian islands

5) Historical dynamics of latitudinal diversity gradients based on paleoecological analysis

6) Coral reef's biodiversity: macroecological analysis and spatial conservation prioritization
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7) Biodiversity conservation: spatial prioritizationin adapted to climate changes

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Please take a look at the institute's web site for PhD course (http://www.u-ryukyu.ac.jp/en/index.html).
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Ecology & Systematics, Faculty of Science
University of the Ryukyus
Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan.