Chiba Lab research

Our research interests

The research in our laboratory is focused on understanding the mechanisms that regulate biological diversity at various spatial and temporal scales. We are using various organisms such as amphibia, crustacea, insect, land and marine mollusca, and trematode parasites as model systems to (1) understand the effect of interaction among populations (gene flow and hybridizaton) on the spatial patterns of genetic variations, (2) explore the role of reproductive interaction in speciation, (3) test hypotheses about origins and maintenance of species diversity, and (4) explore effect of interspecific interaction on spatial and temporal patterns of species diversity. We are a diverse group of people with different backgrounds and skills in ecology, histology, genetics, computer, and palaeontology. Individual research interests range from molecular evolution, population genetics and evolutionary ecology to large-scale patterns of species diversity. However, we share two common goals in our research: (1) exploring the fundamental mechanisms of origin and maintenance of biological diversity; (2) developing theories of biodiversity to be unified across organizational levels.
We welcome your visit to our laboratory home page and any inquiry about research collaboration or joining our research efforts.


Current research projects


Adaptive radiation in the land snails Mandarina.
Satoshi Chiba
(In collaboration with Dr. Angus Davison)

Genetic variations and hybridization in the land snails Euhadra
Satoshi Chiba
(In collaboration with Dr. Angus Davison)

Dart-shooting behaviour of the Bradybaenid land snails.
Satoshi Chiba
(In collaboration with Dr. Joris Koene)

Conservation of endemic land snails in the Ogasawara Islands.
Satoshi Chiba
(In collaboration with Dr. Isamu Okochi, Dr. Takashi Obayashi)

Molecular phylogeography and origin of morphological novelty in the land snails Ainohelix
Satoshi Chiba
(In collaboration with Dr. Masakado Kawata, Dr. Jun Yokoyama)

Relationship among pecies diversity, dispersal and community structure of land snails in the Matsushima Islands.
Satoshi Chiba
(In collaboration with Dr. Masakado Kawata, Dr. Jun Yokoyama)

Evolution in islands: speciation and hybridization in the land snails Euhadra
Morito Hayashi

Ecology and evolution of Myodocopa.
Norio Wakayama

Relationships of genetic variations between host and parasite and their interactions
Osamu Miura
(In collaboration with Dr. Mark Torchin, Dr. Armand Kuris)

Population genetic structure of intertidal gastropoda
Osamu Miura
(In collaboration with Dr. Masayuki Maki)

Coevolution between predators and prays: examples from the carabid beetles and land snails
Junji Konuma

Theoretical studies of character displacement without resource competition and speciation processes in hermaphroditic animals.
Junji Konuma
(In collaboration with Dr. Joris Koene)

Evolution of nuptial gift in the dancing flies Hilara.
Shiro Ogiwara

Molecular evolution and population structure in the Japanese salamander Hynobius.
Tomonori Yamamoto
(In collaboration with Dr. Hiroshi Ohta)

Molecular phylogeography in the Japanese caddisflies (Trichoptera).
Akifumi Tanabe

Population structure and social evolution in the stag beetle.
Hideaki Mori

Dynamics of mutualism between limpets and estuarine mud snails.
Shizuko Nakai

Evolution of calling song of the field cricket in the Izu Islands.
Daichi Miura

Factors determining species diversity in the community of land snails
Kenji Kanai

Spatial distribution of parasites in populations of the intertidal snails Littorina.
Yoshiki Sasaki

Multiple hybrid zones among distantly related species of the land snails Euhadra
Naoyuki Takahashi



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