Asian Marine Biology Symposiumの歴史。その1

Asian Marine Biology Symposiumは、シリーズもののシンポジウムとして、おおむね2年に一度ほど行われています。このシンポジウムを主催し運営している方々は、自分の若い頃からの親しい人たちです。なので、いつも応援してきている立場から、私の知るところの、このシンポジウムの歴史を書きたいと思います。はなはだ僭越ではありますが。

このシンポジウムのもともとの発想は、熊本県立大学の堤裕昭教授とその周りにいた研究者の人たちによるものであると思います。堤さんからは、そのアイデアはたびたび聞かされていましたし、大いに賛同するものがありました。

堤さんと私が、天草臨海実験所の大学院生であったころ、実験所には世界の様々な地域からの留学生がいました。そういう中で育ったというのが原点の一つにあるのかもしれません。アジア各国の海洋生物学者が集う学会があるべき、という理念のもと堤さんが中心となり、タイのカセサート大学のChittima Aryuthaka准教授、韓国の仁川大学の Jae-Sang Hong教授とその周りの人たちが、このシンポジウムを立ち上げました。

実質的な第一回目のこのシンポジウムは（第一回とは銘打っていませんが）、Jae-Sang Hong教授とその協力者のもとに行われた　Korea and Japan Symposium on Biology of Tidal Flats 2009 in Suncheon, Korea, 19–23 June 2009であると思います。これには、日本ベントス学会の会長も参加し、この学会が全面的にバックアップしている様子が伺えます。私もこのシンポジウムに参加しましたが、アジア域のベントス関係者が国際的に協調するものとして感銘を受けました。

===============================================
Korea and Japan Joint Symposium on Biology of Tidal Flats 2009
in Suncheon City, Jeollanando, Korea, June 19-23, 2009
===============================================

===============================================

Themes of the symposium

　　Tidal flats develop in the interface between land and sea, which is one of the most productive ecosystems on the earth, since ample nutrients and various materials are provided from both the land and sea. On the tidal flats, a variety of plants and animals occur abundantly, and we have exploited them as food resources and enjoyed their beauty. However, we do not yet fully understand the nature of the valuable and productive ecosystem, although we have recently modified the topography of the coastal areas with the tidal flats in large scale to develop our society. This symposium provides an opportunity to present the recent results of various biological and ecological studies on the tidal flats in Korea and Japan, to exchange and share the information from these studies, and improve our understanding of the ecosystem of the tidal flats.

===============================================

左が Professor Jae-Sang HONG （仁川大学　韓国）

Welcome Message

Jae-Sang HONG, President of The Korean Association of Benthology

   It is a great pleasure for me, on behalf of the Korean Association of Benthology, to welcome you all to the Korea–Japan Joint Symposium on Biology of Tidal Flats 2009, which is being held in Suncheon, Korea. This symposium is especially significant, because it is the first time biologists studying tidal flats in Korea and Japan are meeting officially and doing research together through field trips. It was co-organized by the Korean and Japanese Associations of Benthology. We have received expressions of interest from about 200 tidal flat scientists to participate in the symposium. Altogether, 5 plenary lectures, 17 oral presentations and 45 posters will be presented during the symposium. The topics include diverse aspects of research on ecology, physiology and taxonomy of the tidal flat animals, but also restoration and even meiobenthos of the Korean and Japanese tidal flats. However, this symposium would not have been possible without financial aid from the City of Suncheon.
   In this regard, I would like to express here my sincere thanks to Mr. Kwan-Kyu Rho, the Mayor of Suncheon. As you know, the tidal coastline presents a fascinating ecological world. Particularly, tidal flats receive detritus from both
the land and the sea like an ecological turntable according to my colleague Karsten Reise in Alfred Wegener Institute. They support a rich benthic community which attracts birds from far distant breeding grounds, and serves as a nursery for crabs,
shrimp and fish. The huge tidal flat surrounded by Suncheon Bay with a beautiful landscape of circular reed marshes is well known on a worldwide basis and designated as a RAMSAR wetlands site of international importance in 2006. Right after the symposium, as you have already been informed, two full day field trips are organized and I hope their biological treasures concealed in the mud and salt marshes well-developed in Suncheon Bay will be discovered during this unusual event made possible by the research collaboration of Japanese and Korean experts together. Next year, another small post-symposium meeting is also being planned to finalize the survey report on the fauna and flora in Suncheon Bay based on these field trips and further announcements will be posted through the Korean and Japanese Associations of Benthology.
   It is also a special pleasure for me to acknowledge the work of many of our colleagues, which made this symposium a success.  I am especially grateful to Professor Furota, the President of the Japanese Association of Benthology and Professor Tsutsumi, the Secretary General of the Japanese Association, but also to the Korean organizing committee who were responsible for this symposium and have worked very hard.
   Finally, I hope that the symposium will be scientifically successful and that you will meet many new colleagues and explore Korean foods and cultures but also, since we are in swine flu outbreak this year, you will take good care of your health.

                    Thank you.

===============================================

プログラム

===============================================
Organizing Committee
Prof. Jae-Sang Hong (Inha University, Korea)
Prof. Hiroaki Tsutsumi (Prefectural University of Kumamoto, Japan)
Prof. Sung-Gyu Yun, (Daegu University, Korea)
Dr. Jin-Woo Choi (Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute, Korea)
Prof. Hyun-Sig Lim (Mokpo National University, Korea)
Prof. Chang-Geun Kang (Pusan National University, Korea)
Prof. Kwang-Sik Choi (Cheju National University, Korea)
Dr. Jae-Won Yoo (Korea Institute of Coastal Ecology, Inc., Korea)
Dr. Byung-Seol Koh (Tidal Flat Research Institute, National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, Korea)

Symposium Sponsors
Suncheon City, Korea Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, Korea
The Korean Association of Benthology
The Japanese Association of Benthology
Korea Institute of Coastal Ecology, Inc., Korea
Tidal Flat Research Institute, National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, Korea
The Korean Wetland Society
The Korean Society of Oceanography Provincial Government of Jeollanamdo, Korea

===============================================
シンポジウムの成果
このシンポジウムの成果はPlankton and Benthos Research　Vol. 5 (2010) Supplement　として下記に掲載されています。すばらしい成果だと思います。

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/pbr/5/Supplement/5_Supplement_171/_article