Ryo Kohsaka

This study aims to identify the influence of the socioeconomic attributes and environmental contexts of citizens’ residential areas on the access and use of green areas during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results can aid policymaking and facilitate the safe and unrestricted use of green areas during the pandemic. The access and use of green areas were analyzed using a survey conducted after the official COVID-19 emergency in Japan (16 April to 14 May, 2020). Visits to green areas during the pandem

Abstract Capturing the trends and status of urban biodiversity is challenged by current rapid changes, including increasing population flow into urban areas and multiple pressures on neighboring ecosystems. For this reason, this article aims to highlight relevant findings from both ecological and social sciences in the development of urban and biodiversity indicators. It examines the applicability of a model to an urban city in Japan. The objectives of this study are threefold. First, it reviews

The mangrove ecosystems which provide diverse benefits to local communities are vulnerable to natural and human-induced threats. Existing policies and decision-makers in the Philippines are gearing towards the integration of physical, ecological, and social elements in managing these ecosystems. To date, the linkage between the policies and the direct beneficiaries (i.e. coastal communities) of the ecosystem services is, however, largely unexplored from local perspectives applying quantitative m

Mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes or collectively known as blue carbon ecosystems are gaining salience because of their essential roles in reducing the risks and impacts of climate change through carbon sequestration and other beneficial services. Despite this, they are globally declining because of their vulnerability to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Similar trends are also observed in Busuanga Island, Palawan province in the Philippines, where blue carbon ecosystems along with

Indonesia has the largest extent of mangroves globally, supporting communities at the local scale while contributing to climate change mitigation at the global scale. Yet, they are highly threatened by multiple anthropogenic and natural stressors. Thus, in this study, we aim to qualitatively assess Indonesia’s mangrove ecosystems by conducting a literature review applying the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework. By using the framework, we identified multiple stressors and exi

Background: Bee honey is a main ingredient in traditional food culture in different regions of the world. Honey is widely utilized as an ethnic food item. Methods: This paper analyzes the historical and present status of beekeeping and honey production in Japan and South Korea based on the relevant literature and statistical data. Results: The findings reveal that Western honeybees are dominant in the two countries for economic and physical reasons. Honey production has declined and the amount o

Capturing the status and trends of biodiversity and ecosystem services in urban landscapes represents an important part of understanding whether a metropolitan area is developing along a sustainable trajectory or not. However, this task also represents unique challenges for policy makers and scientists alike, challenges that lie at both the methodological (scaling, boundaries, definitions) and institutional levels (integrating biodiversity and ecosystems with social and economic goals). In this

Application of biomimetics has expanded progressively to other fields in recent years, including urban and architectural design, scaling up from materials to a larger scale. Besides its contribution to design and functionality through a long evolutionary process, the philosophy of biomimetics contributes to a sustainable society at the conceptual level. The aim of this review is to shed light on trends in the application of biomimetics to architectural and urban design, in order to identify pote

Conventionally, forests and rice terraces are regarded as separate elements, and their interactions are largely overlooked. Afforestation of rice terraces has been regarded as a “failure” and is almost a taboo among households and policy-makers. We analyze the ecological interactions of afforestation for charcoal making and mushroom (shiitake, Lentinula edodes) production in former rice terraces and other types of farmland in the socio-ecological production/interacted landscape called satoyama,

Blue carbon ecosystem (BCE) initiatives in the Coral Triangle Region (CTR) are increasing due to their amplified recognition in mitigating global climate change. Although transdisciplinary approaches in the “blue carbon” discourse and collaborative actions are gaining momentum in the international and national arenas, more work is still needed at the local level. The study pursues how BCE initiatives permeate through the local communities in the Philippines and Indonesia, as part of CTR. Using p