A World Economic Forum White Paper titled “Harnessing Digital Technologies for Smarter Water Management in Agriculture” has been published, reflecting ideas consulted from Masa Funabashi, drawing on his expertise and experience from Synecoculture projects.
Symposium “Human Augmentation of Ecosystems: Towards an Eco-Civilization“
Chair: Masa Funabashi Co-Chair: Tatsuya Kawaoka
Abstract
In line with Ecosummit 2024’s theme of fostering “Eco-Civilization for a Sustainable and Desirable Future,” this symposium will explore pioneering advancements in ecosystem augmentation, drawing from recent research and practical applications in Japan, Africa, Latin America and China. Under the theme “Human Augmentation of Ecosystems,” which was previously published as a perspective from Nature Research [1], we aim to convene interdisciplinary perspectives on nature-positive solutions grounded in ecological science, artificial intelligence, and ESG-based management strategies. These contributions will highlight how ecosystem augmentation can sustainably enhance biodiversity, health, and climate resilience, ultimately contributing to a shared natural-social common capital.
The symposium brings together experts from academia and industry, including speakers from Sony Group companies in Japan and China, which are advancing technological solutions for sustainable ecosystems, and the Research Division of Social Common Capital and the Future at Kyoto University, which is at the forefront of establishing frameworks for natural-social common capital. Our symposium will cover foundational science, innovative technologies, and emerging practices across different regions, emphasizing the role of ecosystems as self-organizing, resilient entities capable of supporting human well-being and environmental stability.
Objectives and Scope
The symposium’s goal is to present a comprehensive, multi-faceted exploration of ecosystem augmentation and its role in fostering eco-civilization. Key topics that will be explored by more than 4 presenters will include:
We will begin with the scientific underpinnings of ecosystem augmentation, focusing on Synecoculture, a method developed to achieve high biodiversity and productivity in human-managed ecosystems [2]. This approach leverages the natural interactions among plant species to create self-sustaining ecosystems without chemical inputs. Presentations will discuss the ecological principles and data underlying this system, offering insights into its global adaptability, particularly in regions with deteriorating agricultural viability.
With global biodiversity under unprecedented pressure, integrating big data and AI into ecosystem management is crucial for long-term resilience. Our symposium will highlight how big data and AI technologies can be deployed to monitor and optimize ecosystem functions, enhance real-time decision-making, and facilitate adaptive management practices that align with ESG priorities. We will share case studies from Sony Group companies, showcasing practical applications that merge ecological intelligence with advanced analytics.
As the Global South increasingly experiences environmental challenges, innovative ecosystem augmentation practices are emerging as viable solutions. We will feature new implementations in coastal regions of China, where ecosystem augmentation is mitigating habitat degradation, reducing run-offs that affect marine biodiversity, and strengthening local climate resilience. The potential scalability of these applications to other regions will also be discussed.
Finally, the symposium will delve into the connections between augmented ecosystems and human health, with a particular focus on immune-related diseases. Research is demonstrating that exposure to biodiverse environments can positively impact immune health, supporting ecosystem services as a public health strategy. We will present findings that suggest how augmented ecosystems contribute to a reduction in chronic illnesses linked to immune dysfunction.
Relevance and Significance
The concept of “Human Augmentation of Ecosystems” embodies a transformative vision for eco-civilization, fostering symbiotic relationships between human societies and natural systems. By engaging a multidisciplinary panel of experts, this symposium offers Ecosummit 2024 a valuable platform to examine the ecological, technological, and social dimensions of sustainable ecosystem management. Through international collaboration and innovative methodologies, this symposium will underscore the potential of augmented ecosystems as foundational assets for human resilience and a sustainable future.
References
The following two papers were published:
・Masatoshi Funabashi and Tomoyuki Minami “Dynamical assessment of aboveground and underground biodiversity with supportive AI” Measurement: Sensors Volume 18, December 2021, 100167 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.measen.2021.100167
・Kousaku Ohta and Masatoshi Funabashi “Complementary analyses of soil microbial and chemical properties and human observation on augmented ecosystems in urban environment” Measurement: Sensors Volume 18, December 2021, 100333 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.measen.2021.100333
The following two papers were presented at XXIII IMEKO World Congress (IMEKO2021):
-Masatoshi Funabashi and Tomoyuki Minami, “Dynamical Assessment of Aboveground and Underground Biodiversity with Supportive AI”
-Kousaku Ohta and Masatoshi Funabashi, “Complementary Analyses of Soil Microbial and Chemical Properties and Human Observation on Augmented Ecosystems in Urban Environment”
Sony CSLより青竹峻太郎・舩橋真俊が参画した、協生農法に関する早稲田大学との共同研究について、以下の通り学会発表を行いました。
2021 年度 第 49 回画像電子学会年次大会
Media Computing Conference 2021
https://www.iieej.org/annualconf/2021nenji-top/
6月26日（土）
●16:00-16:45 学生セッション(S7) 3件 「動物」 (15分/件) 座長：森谷友昭(東京電機大学)
【S7-3】協生農法環境におけるRGB画像からの圃場の優勢植生の深層学習を用いる検出方法に関する研究
〇征矢寛汰(早稲田大学) , 青竹峻太郎(早稲田大学/ソニーコンヒ゜ュータサイエンス研究所), 小方博之(早稲田大学/成蹊大学), 大谷 淳, 大谷拓也, 高西淳夫(早稲田大学), 舩橋真俊(ソニーコンヒ゜ュータサイエンス研究所)
●16:55-17:40 学生セッション(S8) 3件 「動物」 (15分/件) 座長：小林直樹(埼玉医科大学)
【S8-2】協生農法環境におけるRGB画像に対するSemantic Segmentationを用いた圃場の被覆状態の認識方法に関する研究
〇吉崎玲奈(早稲田大学) , 青竹峻太郎(早稲田大学/ソニーコンヒ゜ュータサイエンス研究所), 小方博之(早稲田大学/成蹊大学), 大谷 淳, 大谷拓也, 高西淳夫(早稲田大学), 舩橋真俊(ソニーコンヒ゜ュータサイエンス研究所)
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English :
The Institute of Image Electronics Engineers of Japan（IIEEJ）
Media Computing Conference 2021
6/26
Student Session(S7) “Animal Session”
●【S7-3】 Study of a method for detecting dominant vegetation in a field from RGB images using deep learning in Synecoculture environment
〇Kanta SOYA*1, Shuntaro AOTAKE*2/*3, Hiroyuki Ogata*4/*5, Jun OHYA*6, Takuya OHTANI*7, Atsuo TAKANISHI*6, Masatoshi FUNABASHI*3
*1 Dept. of Modern Mechanical Engineering, WASEDA University, *2 Dept. of Advanced Science and Engineering, WASEDA University, *3 Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc, *4 Waseda University, Future Robotics Organization, *5 Dept. of System Design, SEIKEI University, *6 Dept. of Modern Mechanical Engineering, WASEDA University, *7 Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering
Student Session(S8) ”Animal Session”
●【S8-2】 Study of a Method for Recognizing Field Covering Situation by Applying Semantic Segmentation to RGB Images in Synecoculture Environment
〇Reina YOSHIZAKI1，Shuntaro AOTAKE2,3，Hiroyuki OGATA4,5，Jun OHYA1，Takuya OHTANI6，Atsuo TAKANISHI1，Masatoshi FUNABASHI3
1 Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering, Waseda University，2 Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University，3 Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc.，4 Faculty of Science and Technology, Seikei University，5 Waseda University, Future Robotics Organization，6 Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering
Un ouvrage issu d’un colloque de Cerisy (2017) est publié d’Éditions Hermann, dans lequel Masatoshi Funabashi a contribué un chapître “La gestion agro-environnementale: Les atouts de la synécoculture.”
An article on Synecoculture appeared in Sony’s Technology 2020, a special issue on the technology of Sony’s in-house magazine “Sony Family.”
A short movie on Synecoculture and MMS is online, which was prepared for the FAO Global Symposium on Soil Biodiversity (GSOBI20) that is postponed for the moment.
