Asia-Pacific Association of Chemical Ecologists (APACE)

The 4th Asia-Pacific Conference on Chemical Ecology was held from 10th to14th of September, 2007 in Tsukuba, Japan. Since APACE was officially inaugurated in 1997, it was a memorial step for the future in that more than 300 researchers from 20 countries participated in the conference, which was organized around the theme "from Biomolecules to Ecosystems - an interactive Chemical Message for our Future".

Photograph: APACE 2007 members.

The opening remarks and greetings were given by Professor Tatsuki (President of the Local Organizing Committee), and Prof. Kyung Saeng Boo (President of Asia-Pacific Association of Chemical Ecologists).

We, the researchers in the Asia-Pacific area, work on similar or very closely related subjects on agricultural pests, forest environments, marine natural resources, microbial ecosystems and so on. The aim of this conference was to bring people from not only chemical ecology but also various fields to interact with each other, and to conduct interdisciplinary discussions beyond their own respective scope of research. Thus, the following 9 topics were chosen as the symposium themes (with the respective organizers in parenthesis):

Symposium Sessions

• A: Aquatic ecosystem (Mari Yotsu-Yamashita; Peiyuan Qian)
• B: Sociobiology and human (Hiromi Sasagawa; Robin Crewe)
• C: Plant allelochemical diversity (Yoshiharu Fujii; Warinthorn Chavasiri)
• D: Chemical senses and behavior (Mamiko Ozaki; Wynard G. Naters)
• E: Insect-plant interactions I (Kotaro Konno; David E. Dussourd)
• F: Practical use of pheromones (Sadahiro Tatsuki; Yong Ping Huang)
• G: Insect-plant interactions II (Junnji Takabakyashi; Jeremy McNeil)
• H: Diversity of pheromonal communication (Tetsu Ando; Gerhard Gries)
• I: Perspectives of chemical ecology (Yukio Ishikawa; Jocelyn Millar; Tetsu Ando)

Forty six speakers contributed papers for the above symposiums which are associated with plenary and keynote speeches given by world's leading researchers in their respective fields:

Plenary Speech

• PL-1: Chemical Communication: Structural Principles, Evolution, and Perspectives (Wittko Francke (Germany)
• PL-2: Food Web and Ecological Aspects of Marine Toxins (Takeshi Yasumoto, Japan)
• PL-3: Balanced olfactory antagonism as a concept for understanding evolutionary shifts in moth sex pheromone blends (Thomas C. Baker, USA)
• PL-4: Organic Synthesis in Chemical Ecology - from Early Days to Future (Kenji MoriI, Japan)

Keynote Speech

• KS-1: Molecular mechanisms underlying sex- pheromone reception in insects and mice (Kazushige Touhara, Japan)
• KS-2: Allelopathy of tropical plants in Thailand (Warinthorn Chavasiri, Thailand)
• KS-3: Odor-independent effects of human chemosignals and pheromones on ovulation, sexuality and cognition (Martha K. McClintock, USA)
• KS-4: Cuticular pheromones and sexual isolation in insects (Jean-Marc Jallon, France)
• KS-5: Application of pheromones in area-wide integrated pest management programs (Alexandre IL'ichev, Australia)
• KS-6: Semiochemical sociology of true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) (Jeffrey R. Aldrich, USA)

The value of the conference's large poster sessions with 183 papers was enhanced by grouping the posters into 10 topical poster workshops during which selected poster authors were invited to give brief oral presentations on the major points of their research. An open discussion was held at the end of each workshop. The sessions were very well organized by and for many young scientists.

Poster Workshops

• A1: Natural products chemistry (Shigefumi Kuwahara)
• A2: Diversity of marine natural products (Tatsufumi Okino)
• A3: Animal-plant interactions (Soich Kugimiya)
• A4: Microbial interactions (Keiko Yamaji)
• A5: Plant allelopathy (Mayumi Hachinohe)
• B1: Chemosensory signaling (Hajime Ono)
• B2: Multi-modal & chemical sensing: from behavior to neuron (Takuma Takanashi)
• B3: Social insects (H. Sasagawa & Ryohei Yamaoka)
• B4: Diversity & evolution of pheromonal communication in insects (Jun Tabata)
• B5: Application of pheromone to pest control (Kiyoshi Nakamuta)

Endless discussion lasting until late in the evening with beer and Japanese style snacks was conducted in the poster-workshop hall. The outstanding quality of the poster presentations was recognized through a series of Poster Awards that were presented across several categories. Financial sponsorship for the poster awards was provided by companies which supported this conference [Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., Fuji Flavor Co., Ltd., Shimadzu Corporation, Dow AgroSciences, Bayer CropScience, Sophia Scientific Co., Ltd.]. In addition, a special award recognizing outstanding research in scientifically emerging countries was presented by the sponsorship of Pesticide Science Society of Japan. The awardees and their poster topics are listed at Winners of Prize.

One innovation incorporated into the programming involved a luncheon seminar sponsored by Pesticide Science Society of Japan (organized and chaired by Tetsu Ando).

• LS-01: Chemical ecological interface between parasitic plants and fungi (Koich Yoneyama, Japan)
• LS-02: Scope of chemical communication (Izuru Yamamoto, Japan).

The APACE General Assembly was held on September 13. The APACE President, Prof. Kyung Saeng Boo, gave the final remarks and formerly transferred his responsibility to the new APACE executive officers.

Before the Closing Ceremony, Emeritus Prof. Kenji Mori gave us an impressive lecture entitled: "Organic Synthesis in Chemical Ecology - from Early Days to Future", and the 4-day symposium adjourned - promising to "see you again" at the 5th APACE Conference that will be held in Hawaii in 2009.

Information on the conference is available at the website: http://apace-news.org/archives/meetings/

Photos of the 4th conference are available at the website: http://apace-news.org/archives/photo2007/