Coral reef research in Sesoko Island -50 years anniversary of Sesoko Station, University of the Ryukyus-

Abstract

Sesoko Station was established as a marine laboratory of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of the Ryukyus in 1971 in Sesoko Island, northern Okinawa, Japan. Since then, our station has promoted and contributed coral reef research and education with domestic and international researchers. At first, land on Sesoko Island was kindly provided by Motobu Town in Okinawa and staff consisting of a head of the station (who held a position in the Faculty of Science), an associate professor and a technician were placed in the station. The boatshed was built in 1974 (Fig. 1), then the main research building was established in 1975, followed by the marine culturing building and outdoor aquaria in 1977 (Fig. 2 A). During the first 10 years of its existence, the station aimed to provide seaside education and research facilities for biology students and professors of the faculty. With the increasing needs of research in ocean science, the station reorganized and was separated from the faculty. It became an independent facility of the University known as the Sesoko Marine Science Center in 1981 with several professors’ positions. After this time, the center developed with the acquisition of a research boat (accommodating up to 20 people), and the renovation of the boatshed to serve a wide range of research fields including biology, fisheries, geology and physics/ chemistry. The center also developed internationally by inviting foreign researchers and the international symposium “Biodiversity and adaptive strategies of coral reef organisms” was held for the 20 anniversary of the station in 1992 (Chair, Prof. Kiyoshi Yamazato). During this development, the predecessor of this journal, “Galaxea” was first issued as an international publication of Sesoko Marine Science Center in 1982 and research activities from Sesoko were widely reported (Fig. 3). The journal was terminated in 1997, but later the Japanese Fig. 1 A, First building (boatshed) of Sesoko Station in 1974. B, People pray for safety of field research. Photo: Shigeo Nakamura A