Announcement: EES Seminar (July 10, 5:00 PM–6:00 PM, Introduction of New Faculty Member: Dr. Ayano Medo, Assistant Professor)

We are pleased to announce that the EES Seminar will be held on Friday, July 10, from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM, as detailed below. The speaker will be Dr. Ayano Medo, who joined the Group of Conservation on Natural Environments, Section of Integrated Environmental Science, this January as an Assistant Professor. We look forward to your participation.

Date and Time: Friday, July 10, 2026, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Venue: Room D101, Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University
Speaker: Dr. Ayano Medo (Assistant Professor, Group of Conservation on Natural Environments, Section of Integrated Environmental Science, Faculty of Environmental Earth Science)
Title: A cross-hierarchical understanding of ecology through fatty acids
Language: Japanese (Q&A can be made in English)

Abstract:
Fatty acids are organic compounds that play essential roles as structural components of cell membranes, energy storage units, and constituents of signaling molecules. In particular, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs), such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), are crucial for the development of the brain and visual system in animals, including humans. Furthermore, several studies have shown that increasing dietary intake of LC-PUFAs enhances survival, growth, and reproduction in various animals, including fish and birds. However, the availability of LC-PUFAs varies considerably among ecosystems and environmental conditions. This variation arises from differences in the abundance of LC-PUFA producers, as well as the physiological characteristics and LC-PUFA retainability of consumers across different environments. Recent advances in molecular biology, genetics, and biochemical analytical techniques have improved our understanding of which organisms produce LC-PUFAs, where they are produced, and how they are transferred through food webs. Moreover, integrating these complementary approaches is expected to provide new insights into central questions in ecology, including life-history evolution and metabolic adaptation. In this seminar, I will present an overview of my research on LC-PUFAs, with a particular focus on internal ecosystem dynamics, cross-ecosystem fluxes, and wild animal metabolism. Finally, I will discuss how integrating these biochemical insights can advance research across multiple ecological scales.