Session 1. Global Climate Change and Ecosystems
Co-sponsor: National Agricultural Research Center for Hokkaido Region, NARO
Session Conveners: Naoyuki MATSUMOTO (National Agricultural Research Center for Hokkaido Region, Japan) and Ryoji SAMESHIMA (National Agricultural Research Center for Hokkaido Region, Japan)
Keywords: Emission and absorption of green house gases / Changes in agro-environments and ecosystems/ Remote sensing and GPS applications
Session 2. Farming Systems and Agro-ecology
Co-sponsor: National Agricultural Research Center for Hokkaido Region, NARO
Session Convener: Yoji NITTA (Ibaraki University, Japan)
Keywords: Organic farming / Tillage systems / Resources and the application of organic matter / Recycling of N and C microbial communities / Soil and water conservation/ integrated land management systems / Land management of marginal and fragile habitats
Session 3. Adaptive Management of Biodiversity
Co-sponsor: Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University
Conveners: Noboru OKUDA (Center for Ecological Research), Yoshihisa SHIRAYMA (FSERC), and Junji TAKABAYASHI (Center for Ecological Research)
Keywords: Ecosystem functioning / Ecosystem network / Encyclopedia of Life / GEOSS / Global warming / Ocean acidification / Social ecological system / Sustainable ecosystem service
Session 4. Integrated Farming and Bioenergy
Session Convener: N. EL BASSAM (International Research Centre for Renewable Energy (IFEED), Germany)
Keywords: Energy and industrial plants / Energy from biomass / Transportation biofuels / Integrated energy farms & communities / Fibers and chemicals
Session 5. “Mottainai” - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Refuse (The 4 R’s) -
Session Convener: Mitsuru Osaki (SGP, Hokkaido University) and Siaw Onwona-Agyeman (Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology)
Keywords: Renewable energy – production & consumption chains / Renewable water management - use of poor quality, brackish or sewage water / Rural bioresources & organic waste management
Session 6. Germplasm Conservation and Uses
Session Convener: Rishi K. Behl (CCS Haryana Agricultural University, India)
Keywords: Plant biodiversity- conservation & uses / Crop improvements for yield, resistance & quality - conventional & biotechnological / Transgenic crops for sustainable agriculture / Agro-forestry for food, fiber, fuel & timber
Session 7. Plant Interactions / Interfaces
Session Conveners: Takuro SHINANO (National Agricultural Research Center for Hokkaido Region, Japan) and Derek Goto (Creative Research Institute Sosei, Hokkaido University)
Keywords: Plant, animal & beneficial-organism interactions / Rhizosphere management / Cultivation methods & plant adaptations / Crop husbandry / Integrated nutrients / Weed, pest, disease & rodent management
Session 8. Governance of Agro-ecosystems and Tradeoffs in Development
Session Convener: Fumio OSANAMI (Hokkaido University)
Keywords: Welfare and trade-offs / Roles of cooperation, collection, participation & conservation in resource management / Local & global impacts of climate change / Sustainable agricultural production technology, adoption & diffusion / Sustainable development policies / Big players & small farmers / Trade & environment / Indigenous or traditional knowledge Education & training / Networking & institutions / Food security & nutrition
Session 9. Sustainable Pest Management
Session Conveners: Yutaka SAITO (Hokkaido University, Japan) and Anthony CHITTENDEN (Sustainability Governance Project, Japan)
Keywords: Biological control / Integrated Pest Management (IPM) / Predator-prey interactions / Non-chemical pest management
Session 10. Bridging the Gap between Sustainability Science and Ecology
Session Conveners: Osamu SAITO (Waseda University, Japan) and Noriyuki TSUJI (SGP, Hokkaido University)
Keywords: Ecology integrated with social or human sciences / Evaluation of biodiversity in ecology / Vulnerability & resilience of ecosystems / Integrated ecosystem services assessment / Ecologist collaborations / Environmental engineers & social scientists
Session 11. "Satoyama"- Human and Nature Interrelationships -
Session Convener: Tetsuya AIKO (Hokkaido University)
Keywords: Sustainable tourism for environmental conservation / Eco- & agro-tourism / Activation of rural communities / Park planning / Animal & horticultural therapy/ New aspects of Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM) / Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD)