Dr. Nobuyuki Yamaguchi

Current Research Activities and Areas of Interest

Area of interest (1): Behavioural ecology of terrestrial mammalian carnivore on the basis of species evolutionary history

Research activities: Although behavioural ecology is considered as an evolutionary science, the fact that most studies are based on observations at present may be often overlooked. For example, a particular type of benefit of behaviour-A may be observed in a species living in environment-A, but not in environment-B. If so highlighting the observed type of benefit concerning the evolution of the behaviour-A may be misleading if the species evolutionary centre has been in the environment-B. It may be especially so concerning medium-large sized terrestrial mammalian carnivores, which are naturally highly mobile and used to have large contiguous geographical ranges, and yet are now often confined to isolated small populations with their ranges having been substantially reduced. Furthermore, the ongoing anthropogenic isolation and confinement may create extra factors (eg, disappearance of a large scale population replacement) to be carefully considered when observations are interpreted in the context of evolutionary biology. On the other hand, their relatively large body size makes tracing fossil records feasible for some species, amongst which charismatic species are recorded well in many human cultures too making it possible to follow their range contractions during the historic time. I try to interpret behavioural ecological observations based on the extant populations in the context of species evolutionary histories.

Area of interest (2): Evolutionary approach to the conservation of terrestrial mammalian carnivores

Research activities: Conservation sciences, as well as conservation practices, have been heavily influenced by rarity (eg. extinction risk) and distinction (eg. distinguishable populations), and evolutionary history of species may have attracted disproportionally little attention. To assess the current status of a species, we need an objective yardstick against which it can be compared. Such yardstick would not be given either by rarity-based approach (eg. extant total population size) or by distinction-based one (eg. whether or not a population is currently recognised distinct). It may be especially so in medium-large sized terrestrial mammalian carnivores, which naturally occur in low densities, and anthropogenic isolation of (and confinement of remaining individuals to) small populations, may result in many mutually distinct small populations. It may be appropriate to define such yardstick as the possible natural state of the species, which in turn may be defined as the state in the late Pleistocene - Holocene period before anthropogenic effects become conspicuously recognisable. Such state would not be reconstructed without understanding the evolutionary history of the species. I try to develop an idea of evolutionary approach to conservation on the assumption that conservation is to push the species current status back towards its natural state.

Area of interest (3): Mammalian reproductive tactics with special references to their reproductive physiology

Research activities: The behavioural ecology and sociobiology require an understanding of individual tactics that maximise survival and reproductive success, which are, in turn, determined by the availability of important resources: food and shelter for both sexes, and receptive females for males. In spite of this theoretically accepted importance of females being receptive, detailed evaluation of the receptivity of females, which may change throughout the year and animal's life, often appear to be unsatisfactory in many studies based on field work. This may be partly due to the lack of detailed information concerning reproductive physiology and endocrinology of many species. I try to highlight the importance of understanding laboratory-based reproductive physiology for field-based behavioural ecological and sociobiological studies.

Recent publications

Yamaguchi, N., Dutton, A. and Macdonald, D.W. soon to be submitted. How effective is socio-economic approach to nature conservation in the Developing World?  

Barnett, R., Barnes, I., Ho, S.Y.W., Yamaguchi, N . and Cooper, A. soon to be submitted. Global phylogeny of extinct lion species Panthera leo sp. reveals late Pleistocene reduction in genetic diversity.  

Yamaguchi, N., Cooper, A., Mills, M.G.L., Barnett, R. and Macdonald, D.W. submitted. Beware the shifting baseline: “Naturalness” and its application to nature conservation.  

Barnett, R., Yamaguchi, N., Barnes, I. and Cooper, A. in press. The origin, current diversity, and future conservation of the modern lion Panthera leo. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.  

Barnett, R., Yamaguchi, N., Barnes, I. and Cooper, A. 2006. Lost population and preserving genetic diversity in the lion Panthera leo: implications for its ex situ conservation. Conservation Genetics.  

Yamaguchi, N., Dugdale, H.L. and Macdonald D.W. 2006. Female receptivity, embryonic diapause, and superfetation in the European badger Meles meles: Implications for the reproductive tactics of males and females. The Quarterly Review of Biology 81: 33-48  

Kitchener, A.C., Yamaguchi, N., Ward, J.M. and Macdonald, D.W. 2005. A diagnosis for the Scottish wildcat Felis silvestris: A tool for conservation action for a critically- ndangered felid. Animal Conservation 8: 223-237 [cover story of the issue].  

Yamaguchi, N., Kitchener, A.C., Ward, J.M., Driscoll, C.A. and Macdonald, D.W. 2004. Craniological differentiation amongst wild-living cats in Britain and southern Africa: natural variation or the effects of hybridisation? Animal Conservation7: 339-351.  

Yamaguchi, N., Driscoll, C.A., Kitchener, A.C., Ward, J.M. and Macdonald, D.W. 2004. Craniological differentiation amongst the European wildcat Felis silvestris silvestris, the African wildcat F. s. lybica and the Asian wildcat F. s. ornata: implications for their evolution and conservation. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 83: 47-64.  

Yamaguchi, N., Cooper, A., Werdelin, L. and Macdonald, D.W. 2004. Evolution of the mane and group-living in the lion Panthera leo: a review. Journal of Zoology 263: 329-342 [cover story of the issue].  

Yamaguchi, N., Sarno, R.J., Johnson, W.E., O'Brien, S.J. and Macdonald, D.W. 2004. Multiple paternity and reproductive tactics of free-ranging American mink, Mustela vison. Journal of Mammalogy 85: 432-439.  

Yamaguchi, N., Gazzard, D., Scholey, G. and Macdonald, D.W. 2003. Concentrations and hazard assessment of PCBs, organochlorine pesticides and mercury in fish species from the Upper Thames: River pollution and its potential effects on top predators. Chemosphere 50: 265-273.  

Yamaguchi, N. and Macdonald, D.W. 2003. The burden of co-occupancy: intraspecific resource competition and spacing patterns in American mink, Mustela vison. Journal of Mammalogy 84: 1341-1355 [joint cover story of the issue].  

Yamaguchi, N., Rushton, S. and Macdonald, D.W. 2003. Habitat preferences of feral American mink in the Upper Thames. Journal of Mammalogy 84: 1356-1373 [joint cover story of the issue].  

Yamaguchi, N., Strachan, R. and Macdonald, D.W. 2002. Practical consideration for the field study of American mink Mustela vison in lowland England. Mammal Study 27: 127-133.  

Yamaguchi, N. and Macdonald, D.W. 2001. Detection of Aleutian disease antibodies in feral American mink in southern England. The Veterinary Record 149: 485-488.  

Wingfield, J.C., Ishii, S., Kikuchi, M., Wakabayashi, S., Sakai, H., Yamaguchi, N., Wada, M. and Chikatsuji, K. 2000. Biology of a critically endangered species, the Toki Japanese Crested Ibis, Nipponia nippon. Ibis 142: 1-11.  

Appleby, B.M., Yamaguchi, N., Johnson, P.J. and Macdonald D.W. 1999. Sex-specific territorial responses in Tawny Owls, Strix aluco. Ibis 141: 91-99.  

Macdonald, D.W., Yamaguchi, N. and Passanisi W.C. 1998. The health, haematology and blood biochemistry of free-ranging farm cats in relation to social status. Animal Welfare 7: 243-256.  

Yamaguchi, N., Macdonald, D.W., Passanisi, W.C., Harbour, D.A. and Hopper, C.D. 1996. Parasite prevalence in free-ranging farm cats, Felis silvestris catus. Epidemiology and Infection 116: 217-223.

Ishii, S., Wada, M., Wakabayashi, S., Sakai, H., Kubodera, M., Yamaguchi, N. and Kikuchi, M. 1994. Endocrinological studies for artificial breeding of the Japanese ibis, Nipponia nippon, an endangered avian species in Asia. Journal of Biosciences 19: 491-502.

Book chapters and other publications for specialists

Yamaguchi, N. 2006. Revaluation of “generic” zoo lions. International Zoo News 53: 41-42.  

Patterson, B.D., Yamaguchi, N., Dubach, J.M. and York, D. 2005. Molecular genetics and morphological variation of lions Panthera leo. African Lion News 6: 17-23.

Yamaguchi, N. 2005. The identity of the royal lion of Morocco: a recent development in molecular investigation. African Lion News 6: 23-26.  

Yamaguchi, N. 2005. Phylogeny and conservation of extinct populations: the Barbary lion and the Caspian tiger. In Macdonald, D.W. ed. The Second WildCRU Review. Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Oxford. p 48.  

Yamaguchi, N. 2005.Group-living feral cats: disease prevalence, health condition and the social category within the group. In Macdonald, D.W. ed. The Second WildCRU Review. Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Oxford. Pp 49-50.  

Yamaguchi, N. 2005. Defining wildcats - an evolutionary approach. In Macdonald, D.W. ed. The Second WildCRU Review. Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Oxford. p 46.  

Thom, M. and Yamaguchi, N. 2005. Ecology of feral American mink in the Upper Thames. In Macdonald, D.W. ed. The Second WildCRU Review. Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Oxford. Pp 166-175.  

Macdonald, D.W., Daniels, M.J., Driscoll, C., Kitchener, A.C. and Yamaguchi, N. 2004. The Scottish Wildcat: Analyses for Conservation and an Action Plan. Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Oxford.  

Yamaguchi, N. and Haddane, B. 2002. The North African Barbary lion and the Atlas Lion Project. International Zoo News 49: 465-481[cover story of the issue].  

Yamaguchi, N. 2002. Practical demonstration: measuring the skull of a lion. In De Waal, H ed. Proceedings of the 2nd meeting of the African Lion Working Group. African Lion Working Group, Brandhof. pp 157-163.  

Yamaguchi, N. 2001. Wild cats in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Cat News 35: 22-24.  

Yamaguchi, N. 2000. The Barbary lion project: its feasibility and potential. African Lion News 2: 12-13.  

Yamaguchi, N. 2000. The Barbary lion and the Cape lion: their phylogenetic places and conservation. African Lion News 1: 9-11.  

Macdonald, D.W., Stewart, P.D., Stopka, P. and Yamaguchi, N. 2000. Measuring the dynamics of mammalian societies: an ecologist's guide to ethological methods. In Boitani, L. and Fuller, T.K. eds. Research Techniques in Animal Ecology: Controversies and Consequences. Columbia University Press, New York. pp 332-388.  

Macdonald, D.W., Yamaguchi, N. and Kerby, G. 2000. Group-living in the domestic cat: its sociobiology and epidemiology. In Turner, D.C. and Bateson, P. eds. The Domestic Cat: the Biology of its Behaviour 2nd Edition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. pp 95-118.  

Macdonald, D.W., Barreto, G.R., Ferreras, P., Kirk, B., Rushton, S.P., Yamaguchi, N. and Strachan, R. 1999. The impact of American Mink, Mustela vison, as predators of native species in British freshwater systems. In Cowand, D.P. and Feare, C.J. eds. Advances in Vertebrate Pest Management. Filander Verlag, Fürth. pp 5-23.  

Yamaguchi, N. 1996. The feral farm cat. In Macdonald, D.W. and Tattersall, F.H. eds. The WildCRU Review. Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Oxford. pp 175-178.

Publications for the general public

Yamaguchi, N. 2005. The size of the tiger and the lion 2. Doubutsu Bungaku animal literature71: 2: 36-50 [in Japanese].

Yamaguchi, N. 2005. The size of the tiger and the lion 1. Doubutsu Bungaku animal literature71: 1: 60-73 [in Japanese].

Sheikh-Miller, J. and Turnbull, S. 2002. Big Cats. Usborne Publishing, London. consultants: Pat Mansard, Ridgeway Trust for Endangered Cats and LiFeline, Nobuyuki Yamaguchi, and Andrew Kitchener.

Yamaguchi, N. 2001. Restoring the Barbary lion. In Macdonald, D.W. ed. The New Encyclopedia of Mammals. Oxford University Press, Oxford. p 12.

Hunter, L. and Yamaguchi, N. 2000. Oxford DNA search for the Barbary lion. Endangered Species1: 68-69.

Hunter, L. and Yamaguchi, N. 2000. The Barbary Lion: resurrected king or myth? Africa: Environment and Wildlife. 8: 93-97.

Yamaguchi, N. 1998. Into Britain to study lion. Honyurui Kagaku mammalian science37: 2: 51-56 [in Japanese].