Contributing to Food and Environmental Improvement through Water and Soil research
The production of staple grains has increased alongside the expansion of irrigated aagricultural land, where water is artificially supplied. Over the past 60 years, however, the irrigated area per capita has remained unchanged. In other words, under growing populations, our lives rely on irrigated agriculture. Today, approximately 70% of global freshwater use is for agriculture, and the limits of water resources available for irrigation are becoming apparent. Technologies that allow us to use this precious water as efficiently as possible are increasingly important.
On the other hand, soil erosion caused by rainfall not only hinders food production but also affects the ecosystems of nearby rivers and lakes. The activity of microorganisms is also influenced by soil moisture and the associated soil air environment. To maintain and optimize agricultural productivity, it is essential to quantitatively understand the dynamics of water, air, heat, and chemical substances such as fertilizers in the soil, as well as the changes in the soil itself. Our laboratory conducts research through measurement and modeling to reveal the critical phenomena occurring beneath our feet in the soil—phenomena that often go unnoticed.
Educational approach
Can We Optimize Soil Functions Using Data?
While desertification is a global issue, even water-rich humid regions such as Japan experience unique soil degradation. Both too much and too little water in the soil can be problematic, so it is desirable to optimize its quantity over time and space. High-performance microorganisms are often proposed to improve soil environments, but creating soil conditions that allow these microorganisms to be active—regarding moisture and nutrients—is a separate issue.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, measurement technologies for soil have advanced significantly, enabling us to acquire previously unavailable information about soil moisture, chemical properties, and soil structure. With the progress of IoT and ICT, real-time data observation is becoming increasingly feasible, though the abundance of data can sometimes be overwhelming.
In this context, we aim to cultivate individuals who can critically evaluate obtained data rather than accept it blindly, as well as those who can acquire data independently. Students with a passion for experiments are especially welcome. As a result, our graduates pursue careers not only as researchers and engineers in soil-related agriculture and engineering but also as consultants and national civil servants using data to build society.
Vision for industry-academia collaboration
Understanding the Movement of Heat, Water, Chemicals, and Soil
Various transport phenomena in soil have profound impacts on our society. Understanding the transport and remediation of underground contamination is essential. The emission of greenhouse gases from soil by soil respiration exceeds human-induced CO₂ emissions. To achieve carbon sequestration in soil and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it is important to understand the dynamics of inorganic and organic matter, water, and heat in soil. Even the most effective materials will not perform as expected without proper water and heat supply.
In agriculture, understanding the transport of water and nutrients in farmland will be crucial for maintaining production under future climate change. Although IoT and DX technologies make it easier to acquire agricultural data, soil water movement changes by orders of magnitude depending on soil wetness and dryness—variations rarely seen in other engineering materials. Our laboratory uses soil data to build scientific and engineering approaches that maintain and enhance soil functions. We also tackle environmental themes, such as carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas mitigation, from the perspective of water, heat, and material movement in soil.
