naoto yamabata

Abstract Although knowledge of the functions of the gut microbiome has increased greatly over the past few decades, our understanding of the mechanisms governing its ecology and evolution remains obscure. While host genetic distance is a strong predictor of the gut microbiome in large‐scale studies and captive settings, its influence has not always been evident at finer taxonomic scales, especially when considering among the recently diverged animals in natural settings. Comparing the gut microbiome of 19 populations of Japanese macaques Macaca fuscata across the Japanese archipelago, we assessed the relative roles of host genetic distance, geographic distance and dietary factors in influencing the macaque gut microbiome. Our results suggested that the macaques may maintain a core gut microbiome, while each population may have acquired some microbes from its specific habitat/diet. Diet‐related factors such as season, forest, and reliance on anthropogenic foods played a stronger role in shaping the macaque gut microbiome. Among closely related mammalian hosts, host genetics may have limited effects on the gut microbiome since the hosts generally have smaller physiological differences. This study contributes to our understanding of the relative roles of host phylogeography and dietary factors in shaping the gut microbiome of closely related mammalian hosts.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the status and problems of employment support activities for people with disabilities engaged in agriculture. Factor analysis revealed that the supporters provide “direct guidance,” “network construction,” “work environment improvement,” and “mediation.” In addition, factor scores were used to classify supporters into four types, of which supporters who actively engaged in all activities received no reward. Supporters who did nothing also had little knowledge or experience about people with disabilities.

Owing to crop damage by wild boars (Sus scrofa) and sika deer (Cervus nippon), the motivation to engage in agriculture is decreasing, resulting in an increasing amount of abandoned farmland. Proactive measures by villagers, such as installing protective fencing and capturing nuisance animals, are important to ameliorate this situation, as they can effectively reduce damage and improve the attitude and motivation to engage in agriculture and damage prevention. However, no previous studies have addressed this issue quantitatively or qualitatively. Therefore, this study aimed to demonstrate the effectiveness of these measures through a social experiment. To capture nuisance animals, villagers received instructions regarding the tasks and resolution methods based on the concept of action research. Thereafter, the number of captured nuisance animals increased from zero to 40. Consequently, crop damage decreased significantly from approximately JPY 4.5 million to JPY 70,000. Furthermore, text mining of the results of the interviews with village officials showed marked improvement in their attitude toward damage control, capture of animals, and agriculture. Therefore, it can be concluded that appropriate educational outreach can improve damage prevention and increase the capture of nuisance animals, thus reducing the damage by wild boars and deer, leading to corresponding improvements in residents’ attitudes.

In low upland and other agricultural areas, agricultural damage caused by wildlife continues to be a major problem. Various manuals, research materials, and research findings indicate the importance of implementing measures at village and community levels to control such damage. However, typical village residents or farming households are unfamiliar with the techniques and methods used as countermeasures against agricultural damage caused by wildlife. Thus, social education and community support have an important role to play in the effective implementation of control measures. In agricultural technology, such education and support has traditionally been carried out by agricultural extension workers and Japan Agricultural Cooperatives consultants ; however, their role in controlling agricultural damage caused by wildlife remains unclear. In this study, we selected prefectures considered to have a strong focus on countermeasures against agricultural damage caused by wildlife and investigated the content, degree of involvement, and evaluations of efforts to create villages resistant to such damage. Progress has been made in creating such villages in prefectures that had designated individuals responsible for community support of countermeasures against agricultural damage caused by wildlife within centers such as regional agricultural extension offices. In contrast, in prefectures that did not have such designated individuals, no progress has been made in community support, and the impact of countermeasures against agricultural damage caused by wildlife was unclear. The results of this study indicate the importance of designating individuals responsible for community support of countermeasures against agricultural damage caused by wildlife in prefectural government regional offices.

In recent decades, human-wildlife interaction and associated anthropogenic food provisioning has been increasing and becoming more severe due to fast population growth and urban development. Noting the role of the gut microbiome in host physiology like nutrition and health, it is thus essential to understand how human-wildlife interactions and availability of anthropogenic food in habitats can affect an animal's gut microbiome. This study, therefore, set out to examine the gut microbiota of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) with varying accessibility to anthropogenic food and the possibility of using gut microbiota as indicator for macaques' reliance on anthropogenic food. Using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing, we described the microbial composition of Japanese macaques experiencing different types of human disturbance and anthropogenic food availability-captive, provisioned, crop-raiding, and wild. In terms of alpha diversity, our results showed that observed richness of gut microbiota did not differ significantly between disturbance types but among collection sites, whereas Shannon diversity index differed by both disturbance types and sites. In terms of beta diversity, captive populations harbored the most distinctive gut microbial composition, and had the greatest difference compared with wild populations. Whereas for provisioned and crop-raiding groups, the macaques exhibited intermediate microbiota between wild and captive. We identified several potential bacterial taxa at different taxonomic ranks whose abundance potentially could help in assessing macaques' accessibility to anthropogenic food. This study revealed the flexibility of the gut microbiome of Japanese macaques and provided possible indices based on the gut microbiome profile in assessing macaques' accessibility to/reliance on anthropogenic foods.

Agricultural damage caused by macaques is serious in rural areas. In particular, emotional damage is large. Emotions to macaques are getting worse in affected rural areas. So. Public administration needs to improve residents' emotions. It is necessary to prove that resident's emotion improves with the progress of appropriate management. We have been promoting appropriate management of macaques in Iga City, Mie Prefecture. We interviewed residents of villages where agricultural damage caused by macaques occurred frequently. We interviewed before and after management of macaques (H23 and H28). We classified the opinions of the residents and compared. The remarks that they felt the tolerance of the existence of macaques and the reduction of damage have increased. The remarks denying measures against macaques have decreased. Therefore, We could prove that the emotions against macaques improves with the progress of appropriate management.

This study focuses on the women in the period of childcare. In this research, we will examine the possibility that agricultural work experience promotes agricultural employment of child-rearing women. The purpose of young mothers participating in agricultural work experience is refreshment, interaction with the participants, and working away from children temporarily. It is not for farm work. However, experiences made young mothers aware of employment in agriculture and led to employment in part time. When a young mother participates, it would be necessary to be able to participate flexibly in a short time with baby-sitting. In order to carry out with such method, it is effective that farmers and women's support organizations cooperate to encourage young mothers' experience participation.

Recent expansion of the distribution of wild Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) has caused serious human-macaque conflicts, including crop damage. Capturing of the monkeys is a main countermeasure, but this does not always lead to the reduction of crop damage. It is important to not only reduce crop damage, but to also conserve endangered local monkey populations, The Japan Ministry of the Environment recently (2016) revised “The Guideline for Specific Wildlife Protection and Management Planning”, which was originally established in 2010. In the revised guidelines, the ministry recommend to conduct well-planned population management. In this paper, we introduce 20 case studies about population management based on the revised guidelines, in which either selective (capturing of specific individuals causing damage), partial (capture of part of target troop), or complete capture was performed, and evaluate the effects of these capturing methods on troop size and degree of crop damage reduction. The complete capture of a troop was performed through complicated procedures and considered the status of overall local population, which strongly reduced the level of harmfulness. The majority of the selective and partial capture of a troop also decreased the level of harmfulness. Therefore, a well-planned population management can be useful. We recommend to use these three different methods in accordance with troop distribution of a given area, troop size, and the degree of harmfulness to be caused. Accumulating data on macaque population management is necessary to study the conditions for selecting the appropriate capturing method and for controlling population size. In addition, setting conservation standards of the local population is necessary.

<p>On a global scale, urban development is the fastest growing form of land use and has led to more severe human-wildlife conflict in recent years. Noting the role of gut microbiome in host physiology like nutrition and immune system, it is thus essential to understand how human-wildlife conflict can affect animals' gut microbiome. This study therefore set out to assess the anthropogenic influence on gut microbiome of Japanese macaques and the possibility of using gut microbiome as indicator for anthropogenic influence. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we described the microbiome composition of Japanese macaques Macaca fuscata experiencing different human disturbance levels - captive, provisioned, crop-raiding and wild. For alpha diversity, our result showed that observed richness of gut microbiome did not differ significantly between disturbance levels but between collection sites. For beta diversity, captive populations harbored the most distinctive gut microbiome composition, and had greatest difference with wild populations. Whereas for provisioned and crop-raiding groups, the macaques exhibited intermediate microbiome between wild and captive. Bacterial taxa from phyla Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Cyanobacteria demonstrated shift in abundance along the disturbance level. Specifically, we found Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio and Cyanobacteria abundance elevated in wild macaques. In summary, this study revealed the flexibility of gut microbiome of Japanese macaques and the possibility of using gut microbiome profile in assessing the anthropogenic effect to non-human primates.</p>

<p>We studied the crop species damaged by wild Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata), including those found in orchards and forests, as well as garden plants, grain crops, and vegetables, to estimate the number of crop species damaged by this species across Japan. This information is useful for fundamental and applied studies of this species. Through a web and library search, we collected 488 datasets from 461 articles from 43 (out of 47) Japanese prefectures wherein macaques inhabit. The number of articles in eastern Japan, where crop raiding by macaques has become severe since the 1980s, was significantly greater than that of articles in western Japan. Macaques fed on 179 crop items, including garden plants (29 items), orchard crops (38 items), grain crops (8 items), pasture (5 items), beans (8 items), vegetables (62 items), forestry crops (7 items), and other crops (22 items). Notably, the number of damaged crop species substantially varied among the prefectures, possibly due to differences in terms of the extent of countermeasures against crop raiding by macaques. To discuss the regional variation in the preference for specific crop species, quantitative and qualitative data should be standardized among the prefectures. The information on the crops damaged by macaques is generally retrieved from government reports, which are only retained for a short period; therefore, digital archiving is necessary for their future use. In addition, we discuss future challenges about the use of information on the diet of crop-raiding macaques. Moreover, we emphasize the importance of collaboration between researchers of fundamental and applied research.</p>

<p>Agricultural crop damage caused by Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) is a serious problem in Iga City, Mie Prefecture, central Japan. We conducted a long-term study of agricultural damage management and population management of the macaques over 10 years (2008-2018). During the study period, we decreased the number of macaque troops from 10 to 4, and the average number of individuals in each troop from as many as 171 to ca. 30 individuals. In parallel, we promoted community-based agricultural damage management over the study period. As a result, agricultural damage caused by macaques in Iga City were significantly reduced. In addition, the level of harm caused by the macaques decreased and the local community became more likely to take positive action. Our study demonstrated the possibility of a community-based management model. Considering future perspectives, our results can aid other areas in which serious agricultural damage is caused by the macaques.</p>

It is difficult to measure the agricultural damage caused by wildlife. Presently, in the Japanese rural areas, there is a clear understanding of the damage caused by wildlife; however, a statistical estimation of the damage is not available. Ensuring appropriate countermeasures is difficult without sufficient data. So, we examined a new method for measuring agricultural damage caused by wildlife. We surveyed the extent of damage by using a questionnaire. We then converted the extent of damage to the farm area into equivalent amounts of money for each village, by using a standard production model.

Crop damage by wildlife is a worldwide concern, and countermeasures against the damage have been developed. However, techniques against damage have not effectively decreased crop damage. One reason for this problem is that the new techniques have not always been used. In this study, Rogers' model (innovation diffusion model) was used to reveal the factors restricting the spread of new knowledge to decrease damage. Rogers' model suggested that knowledge about a technique leads to positive feelings and satisfaction, and that positive feelings promote innovation. In this study, a simple electric fence was targeted as a technical innovation, and the aim was to reveal factors limiting diffusion of this innovation. The results showed that Rogers' model was applicable only to the group that attended a lecture, and that the model could not be adapted without a lecture. Therefore, wildlife managers should provide information directly, as indirect methods, such as mass communication media and advertisements, were inefficient. Incorrect use of the electric fence occurred frequently; therefore, the main reason for providing information directly was to reduce incorrect usage of the technique.

<p>Human-macaques conflicts have become major concerns in many countries. Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) are considered to be major agricultural pests in most rural areas in Japan, where studies and management practices to alleviate crop damage have been carried out. Human population has been declining and aging in Japan, and so the development of an effective management methodology and restructuring of the current management system will be needed in the future. In this symposium, we introduced the present situation and discussed future prospects of Japanese macaque management in an aging and depopulating society. Although it appears to be difficult to reduce conflicts because of their excellent agility and learning capacity, two different approaches have been proven to be effective in Japan. One is community-based damage management. This approach has been demonstrated to enhance its effectiveness by including cooperation with and among local people. The other is planned population control in managed troops. This approach requires adopting the appropriate capture method based on the scientific data about the population and characteristics of the troop. Recently some local governments have initiated planned population control and gathered data on its effectiveness. Their results provide new insights into macaque management. Additionally, we need to discuss integrated methodologies combining these two approaches. It is also necessary to consider long-term conservation of macaque populations as a part of management.</p>

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that social capital is increased in the settlements where they have continuously taken countermeasures against agricultural damage by wildlife.<br/>The result of the questionnaire and inteviews in 7 settlements in Mie prefecture shows that social capital was higher in the groups that took positive measures against agricultural damage by wildlife than those that did not.<br/>In the settlements where countermeasures against agricultural damage by wildlife has been continued, the percentage of those taking positive measures against countermeasures against agricultural damage by wildlife has increased. As a result, social capital was also increased.

・兵庫県内において、2009年以降サルに対して有効な電気柵の設置率が高まった2集落(香美町S集落、豊岡市K集落)において、2011年時の柵の設置率と夏期の群れの集落への出没率の変化を調べた。・S集落には27圃場(約61.2a)の家庭菜園が存在し、そのうち約70%にあたる19圃場(約41.5a)にサルに対して有効な防護柵が設置されていた。同様に、K集落には70圃場(約116.9a)の家庭菜園が存在し、そのうち約53%にあたる37圃場(約62.9a)に有効な防護柵が設置されていた。・サルの出没率は、S集落では2009年に13.0%だったが2011年は4.4%にまで大きく減少していた。K集落では、2009年以前(2007～2009年)は18.7%だったが、2011年は7.7%程度にまで減少していた。・有効な防護柵の設置は、個々の農地を守る効果だけでなく、集落全体としての餌資源量を低減させる効果があり、サルにとっての魅力を低減させることになる。したがって集落内でサルに対して有効な防護柵の設置率を高めることは、群れの集落への出没にもその低減効果をもたらすと予想された。

This study seeks to verify the difference of residents' vitality between communities engaged in countermeasures against agricultural damage by wildlife and the inactive ones.<br>Sixty-four communities with a total of 2,796 residents in Mie Prefecture were selected as the target of the research on the relation between community activities to chase-away of macaques and the vitality of the communities. The result found that there was a difference in resident's vitality between communities engaged in collective chase-away of macaques and inactive communities.<br>Similarly,there was a difference in resident's vitality between chase-away activity leaders and other residents.

無線通信時に取得できる受信信号強度，RSSIを利用することで，電波送信源の位置を推定することが可能となる．しかし，山間部で推定を行う場合，木や斜面による電波の減衰が影響し，アクセスポイント間でRSSIと距離の対応が大きく変化する．この対応の変化による推定精度の低下は著しく，アクセスポイントごとのキャリブレーションが必要とされている．本研究では，山間部特有の受信環境を考慮したRSSIの補正を行い，推定精度の向上に加え，RSSIと距離の対応の共通化を図る．さらに，RSSIの補正値をアクセスポイント間に適用し，電波送信源の出現地点，離脱地点，進路，退路を推定する，進行ルート推定システムを作成する．

知的環境認識ネットワークを利用した害獣検知システムにおける信頼性向上を図った．提案システムでは害獣を検知した際に近隣のAPと検知情報を照合し，検知の信頼度を作成する．また，端末間の通信におけるパケットの再送によってデータ転送の保証を行う．本研究では干渉を抑えつつ確実なデータ転送が可能となる再送周期を求める．実機を用いた屋外での実験の結果，適切な再送周期を用いた場合に最大で94.6[%]の通信成功率となることがわかった．これらの結果を基に害獣検知システムの試作を山間部の農作地に設置し，実験を行った．実験で得られたデータからシステムの評価と検討を行う．

Progress of "chase-off of monkeys by collaboration of a whole village" improves three indexes of "rate of chase-off by sighting", "rate of participation by farmers" and "rate of preventive chase-off". <br>With improvement of these indexes, villages which are considered to have promoted chase-off of monkeys made by collaboration of the village succeeded in mitigating damage to crops. <br>Also, it was indicated that villages which succeeded in mitigating damage to crops by progress of "chase-off of monkeys by collaboration of the whole village" succeed in enhancing their consciousness for countermeasures against animal damage.

The purpose of countermeasure to agricultural damage by wildlife is to maintain regional farming by reducing the damage. <BR>This requires demonstrating that the reduction of agricultural damage by wildlife will help raise farmers' awareness of farmland management.<BR>This study shows that the farmers' awareness of the countermeasure to agricultural damage by wildlife correlates with the awareness of farmland management. Further, this study has verified that in the community where agricultural damage has been reduced, farmers in the community tend to improve &ldquo;the awareness of countermeasure to agricultural damage by wildlife&rdquo; and &ldquo;the awareness of farmland management&rdquo;.