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About WPI-AIMEC
Our mission is to elucidate the response and adaptation mechanisms of ecosystems to changes in the marine environment using an approach that combines ocean physics, ecology, and data science.
Furthermore, we will realize predictions of marine ecosystem change at various scales from the northwest Pacific to the global ocean, and thus establish a new academic field: ''Ocean and Ecosystem Change Systematics (OECS).'
Goal
The ocean environment, which covers approximately 70% of the Earth's surface, has been undergoing rapid changes due to global warming and nutrient inputs from human activities. The aim of this institute is to deepen our understanding of the connectivity, stability, and adaptability that sustain marine ecosystems, and to predict changes in marine ecosystems for the benefit of humanity. Focusing on new, interdisciplinary approaches to understanding oceanic ecosystems, we will create a new academic field, “Ocean and Ecosystem Change Systematics (OECS)”. Our ultimate goal is to contribute towards “planetary stewardship” aimed at regenerating and restoring oceans and ecosystems.
* Planetary stewardship: Codes and principles of responsible conduct for the sustainable management and protection of the Earth
Features
As an alliance-type WPI research center initiative, we will firmly link Tohoku University's basic academic and higher education functions with the marine research and computer platform functions of the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). Thus, we will promote cutting-edge interdisciplinary research that contributes to the elucidation and prediction of the response and adaptation mechanisms of marine ecosystems, as well as the development of human resources who can be active around the world.
Research contents
We will focus on the northwest Pacific Ocean, where Japan is located, as a priority sea area and develop inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary research related to
- Elucidation of climate-ocean-ecosystem interactions
- Elucidation of environmental response and adaptation mechanisms of marine ecosystems
- Prediction of changes in marine ecosystems
- We will conduct geophysical observations, environmental DNA analysis, laboratory experiments, etc. while focusing on "regime shifts", which are rapid structural changes in marine ecosystems over a wide range.
- We will make full use of AI and machine learning to advance integrated analysis of ocean physics and ecosystem big data, and build a marine ecosystem change model that can be applied globally.