Course Introduction: Independent Study Seminar

General Education Courses | Independent Study Seminar

The Faculty of Economics offers "Independent Study Seminars," which are small-group classes where faculty members set their own subtitles and syllabi based on their research specialties and engage in seminar-style activities with students. I belong to the Biology Laboratory of the Faculty of Economics at the Hiyoshi Campus, and I conduct research on fungi (such as mushrooms and molds) from the perspectives of phylogeny, taxonomy, biogeography, and their relationship with humans. Furthermore, the Hiyoshi Campus maintains a rich satoyama ecosystem primarily consisting of secondary forests, making it a familiar field suitable for nature observation. Based on this, my seminar develops activities centered on fieldwork within the Hiyoshi Campus and its surrounding areas.

The area around Hiyoshi in Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, where the Hiyoshi Campus is located, retains natural vegetation and secondary nature formed by human activities over a long history despite being near an urban center. There are also outcrops where topographical and geological features can be observed. Many of these were formed under the influence of climate change, sea-level fluctuations, crustal movements, and human activities over the past several hundred thousand years. Additionally, the shrines, temples, ruins, farmland, and parks located throughout the Hiyoshi area, which convey human activities to the present day, make use of these natural environmental characteristics. Therefore, my seminar aims to have students experience and realize the history and current state of nature in the Hiyoshi area firsthand, without being restricted by frameworks such as biology or geology. Specifically, we walk around the Hiyoshi Campus and its surroundings to observe biodiversity such as animals, plants, and fungi (mushrooms), as well as topography and geology. We also explore the history of the relationship between the local natural environment and people while actually strolling through the outdoors. Furthermore, in the forest spreading across the Hiyoshi Campus (Hiyoshi-no-mori), we incorporate experiences in maintaining and managing satoyama secondary forests (mowing, pruning, tree felling, etc.) to truly feel the connection between the natural environment and humans.

Based on the activities above, students in this seminar set their own themes of interest regarding the nature (biodiversity, topography, geology) of the Hiyoshi Campus and its surrounding areas, as well as the relationship between the natural environment and humans, and summarize them in reports. Additionally, students summarize the morphological and ecological characteristics of fungi and mushrooms found in the Hiyoshi area to create illustrated booklets.

Throughout almost the entire year from April to January, we walk around various parts of the Hiyoshi Campus and its surroundings nearly every week, searching for mushrooms and living creatures and exchanging opinions. The characteristic of this seminar is that two-way communication between students and faculty deepens, allowing us to stimulate each other. Another feature is that taking this seminar leads to stronger connections between students and the building of relationships across different year levels, such as interactions with past participants. The Faculty of Economics offers Independent Study Seminars by faculty members specializing in various other fields, all of which have unique content. I highly recommend that all of you studying in the Faculty of Economics take the initiative to enroll in one.

(Professor Taiga Kasuya)