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Saito Lab
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The lab explores the roles plankton play in marine food webs and in the cycling of biogenic elements.
AboutAbout the lab
Studying microscopic plankton to understand Earth's ecosystems and material cycles
The Saito Lab studies the roles plankton play in marine food webs and in the cycling of biogenic elements such as carbon and nitrogen.
Plankton produce organic matter and form the foundation of marine ecosystems, and by being eaten by fish and other animals, they support fisheries production.
The lab holds lab seminars, conducts research cruises, and carries out research jointly with the Plankton Group at the Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute.
The lab also explores ways to use sustainably the marine ecosystem services that underpin human society.
Key terms
- Biogenic elements
- Elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus that make up the bodies of living organisms and are essential to life processes
- Food web
- A web-like network of relationships among organisms, formed by who eats whom
- Ecosystem services
- The benefits humans receive from natural ecosystems, such as food, water, and climate stability
NewsLab news
Paper published on small eukaryotic plankton in the Kuroshio, in collaboration with National Taiwan University
Co-authored paper received the Top Cited Article Award
Paper published on the evolution of photosymbiosis in foraminifera
Paper published on the community structure of copepods along the Kuroshio
ResearchResearch themes
The lab studies the roles plankton play in marine food webs and in the cycling of biogenic elements such as carbon and nitrogen. Through research on microscopic plankton, it aims to clarify how the ocean and the Earth work, and the mechanisms behind their variability.
*Illustrative imageDistribution and Cycling of Biogenic Elements in the Ocean
Using the research vessel Hakuho Maru, the lab surveys wide areas of the Pacific Ocean to determine the forms in which biogenic elements such as nitrogen and phosphorus are distributed, and investigates the role zooplankton play in their cycling.
*Illustrative imageSolving the Kuroshio Paradox
The Kuroshio is low in nutrients, yet it is a rich fishing ground where many fish spawn and their young grow. The lab is working to uncover the mechanism behind this through a project with researchers in physical oceanography and biological oceanography.
*Illustrative imagePhysiology and Ecology of Dinoflagellates
The lab examines the physiology and ecology of dinoflagellates through both laboratory experiments and field observations at sea, in order to clarify the diverse roles they play in ecosystems.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Saito Lab consist of faculty members, doctoral and master's students, a secretary, and technical support staff.As of 2025
- ProfessorSaito HiroakiPublications ↗
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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: “Calanus finmarchicus” Leïla Brunner / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Distribution and Cycling of Biogenic Elements in the Ocean: “JAMSTEC Research Vessel Hakuho Maru P7159767” Kestrel / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Solving the Kuroshio Paradox: “Western Boundary Currents - The Kuroshio Current” NASA Goddard Space Flight Center / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Physiology and Ecology of Dinoflagellates: “Ceratium sp umitunoobimusi” Keisotyo / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (浮遊生物分野): “Fish3511 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library” Matt Wilson/Jay Clark, NOAA NMFS AFSC / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (水圏生物環境学研究室): “Marine plankton - Dinoflagellat (Neoceratium horridum), diatom (Coscinodiscus radiatus) - 160x ( )” Picturepest / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (海洋生態系
変動分野): “SHINSEI-MARU” Pointerseven / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped) - Related lab (微生物分野): “Hakuho Maru, Fremantle, 2019 (03)” Bahnfrend / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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