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Hokkaido University Kelp Lab
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A lab that unravels the diversity of kelp and breeds strong strains.
AboutAbout the lab
Protecting and nurturing the diversity of kelp.
The Kelp Lab studies the diversity of plants of the order Laminariales (kelps) and their origins.
The coasts of the northwest Pacific are among the most kelp-diverse regions in the world. Using molecular biology methods, the lab investigates where Japanese kelps, which include many endemic species, came from and how they expanded their distributions.
To prepare for changes in growth environments, the lab identifies the genetic characteristics of various species, and also works on conserving genetic resources and breeding highly productive industrial species.
The lab is located in an annex of the Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere on the Sapporo Campus, and conducts its research using the Oshoro Marine Station in Otaru.
Key terms
- Laminariales
- A taxonomic group of brown algae that comprises the kelps. They grow large on rocky shores in cold seas.
- Phylogenetic classification
- Organizing organisms and dividing them into groups based on their evolutionary relationships.
- Breeding
- Creating new varieties by selecting or crossing individuals that have desired traits.
ResearchResearch themes
The lab surveys the diversity of Laminariales and clarifies their phylogenetic relationships and how their distributions have spread. It also works on conserving genetic resources in preparation for changes in growth environments, and on breeding more productive industrial species.
*Illustrative imagePhylogeny and Taxonomy of Kelps
The coasts of the northwest Pacific are among the most kelp-diverse regions in the world. The lab surveys the diversity of Laminariales and infers the phylogenetic relationships among species.
*Illustrative imageWhere Did the Diversity Come From?
Using molecular biology methods, the lab investigates where Japan's kelps, which include many endemic species, came from, and how they expanded their distributions and diverged.
*Illustrative imageConserving Genetic Resources and Breeding
In preparation for possible future changes in the growth environments of kelps, the lab identifies the genetic characteristics of each species and strain and conserves genetic resources. It also works on breeding to create more productive industrial species.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Kelp Lab are faculty, postdoctoral researchers, doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students, technical assistants, administrative assistants, and staff of the Oshoro Marine Station.As of 2026
- ProfessorNorishige Yotsukura
VoicesStudent voices
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Laminaria (Split Kelp) ( )” Jerry Kirkhart from Los Osos, Calif. / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Phylogeny and Taxonomy of Kelps: “Laminaires après récolte (Ifremer )” Olivier Dugornay (Ifremer) / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Where Did the Diversity Come From?: “Hidaka Line coast side” Takasunrise0921 / CC BY 2.5 (cropped)
- Conserving Genetic Resources and Breeding: “Large kelp leaves” Fumikas Sagisavas / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Chiba Lab): “A thaliana” Safflle / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Watahiki Lab (Plant Morphology and Function Ib)): “Arabidopsis thaliana sl13” Stefan.lefnaer / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Fujita Lab): “Ecotypes of Physcomitrella patens” Lab of Ralf Reski (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralf_Reski) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Naramoto Lab): “Arabidopsis thaliana kz07” Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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