At the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Phycology held from March 15 (Friday) to 17 (Sunday) at Kyoto University, Mr. Masahiro Otake, of Soka University’s Graduate School of Engineering and a junior of the Environmental Engineering for Symbiosis doctorate program, received the “Young Presenters Award” in the macroalgae category.

The Japanese Society of Phycology was founded in 1952 with the aim of developing and disseminating research in various fields related to algae. The “Young Researchers Award” was newly established by this society so as to vitalize research activities by students and post-doc members. There are two awards, namely, the “Young Presenters Award” and the “Young Poster Award,” which are each presented to two separate categories of microalgae and macroalgae.

The research theme presented by Mr. Otake was “Changes in the Speed of Phosphorus Absorption and the Requirements of Sargassum macrocarpum from Growth to its Maturity Period.” In recent years, the amounts of seaweed beds, which act as forests of rich seaweed, have decreased, and phenomena are known as “sea desertification” has become a major issue.
After joining the Laboratory of Restoration Ecology (headed by Professor Toda) in his senior year of undergraduate school, Mr. Otake stayed at Shinkamigoto-Cho in Nagasaki Prefecture for almost a year, engaging in “sea desertification countermeasures” with the goal to regrow seaweed beds that have been extinguished. After proceeding to the doctorate program, Mr. Otake focused on “oligotrophication,” which indicates a lack of nutrient salt in the ocean as needed for algae to grow, observed the changes in the nutrient salt environment and the growth of algae, and is researching relationships pertaining to the expansion of sea desertification.

Upon receiving the award, Mr. Otake shared: “I am extremely happy that approximately a year of research has been recognized academically. This is the result of the devoted efforts of the faculty members that guided me and members of the Laboratory of Restoration Ecology, as well as the co-researchers of Nagasaki University, including members of the Institute for East China Sea Research, Associate Professor Greg Nishihara and members of the Laboratory of Aquatic Plant Ecology, and all others concerned. I will continue to exert myself so that I can contribute to my community through my research.”