研究プロジェクト

Full Research

Stage	FR
Project No.	R-03
Project Name	Historical Interactions between the Multi-cultural Societies and the Natural Environment in a Semi-arid Region in Central Eurasia
Abbreviated Title	Ili Project
Project Leader	KUBOTA, Jumpei
Research Axis	Resources
URL	http://www.ilipro.com/index.html
Key Words	arid and semi-arid region Central Eurasia ethnic groups border agriculture nomadic pastoralism historical interactions

○Research Subject and Objectives

Background and objectives

This project examines the historical interactions of humanity and nature in the semi-arid region of Central Eurasia. Textual, archaeological and biophysical evidence is used to examine the effect of human boundaries on environments, ethnic groups, dominant patterns of subsistence, and relations between cities and their surrounding areas. The findings of this project will improve understanding of how past human activities cumulatively affected ecosystems in Central Eurasia, and how semi-arid regions can best be managed in the future.

Nomads were once the principal inhabitants of semi-arid Central Eurasia. Following the rise and fall of various ethnic groups and empires, the Yuan Dynasty took nominal control of much of Eurasia in the 13th and 14th centuries. In the 18th century, however, a national border was drawn across the region, definitely distinguishing Russia from Qing China. The inhabitants of the area subsequently experienced a great change of lifestyle, as the border and national settlement policies forced nomadic peoples out of their traditional patterns of livelihood.

This project combines analysis of historical documents, archaeological remains and natural proxies such as ice cores, lake sediment samples, tree rings and windblown deposits in order to describe how nomadic peoples and nation-states affected the natural resources and climatic conditions in the Ili River watershed in Central Eurasia. Project researchers also investigate human activities on both sides of the Russia/China border in order to describe its potential effect on contemporary environmental conditions.

Research area and groups

Research centers on the Ili River watershed area, which extends from China to Kazakhstan, and surrounding areas, including Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Throughout human history, Central Eurasia has been a key site of interaction between individual ethnic groups inhabiting or passing through the area, and a longtime crossroads for the civilizations of East and West. In more recent times, the development policies of modern states have led to severe environmental degradation.

This project consists of two research groups. The first group uses historical documents and natural proxies to describe historical changes in both human and natural systems. The second group investigates current human activities and natural systems in order to interpret the long term significance of past human and environmental change.

○Progress and Results in 2009

Initial analysis of data from Lake Balkash indicates that lake level began to decrease in the 10th century, and at the turn of the 13th century reached its lowest level in the past 2000 years. After this regression, the lake level showed rapid recovery, and remained relatively high until the modern regression beginning in the 1960s. Other lakes in Central Eurasia, such as the Aral Sea and Lake Issyk-Kul,experienced a similar regression in medieval times, suggesting the climate then was cooler and drier. Increased human reliance on lake waters in this period could also be associated with their lower levels.

We find evidence that the establishment of a clear border between Russia and the Chinese Qing Dynasty shifted patterns of human-environmental interaction in the region. The border exposed certain areas to concentrated human activity, which, along with increasing technological capacity, clearly demonstrate human potential to cause dramatic environmental change.

The most dramatic change in long-term patterns of human and environmental interaction in semi-arid Eurasia was the shift from nomadic to sedentary societies accompanying the establishment of modern agriculture. Russia's expansion into Kazakhstan in the late 19th century, agricultural collectivization in 1929, and Khrushchev's Virgin Lands Program gradually converted Kazakhstan into a major agricultural zone. Agricultural production was pursued with little regard for environmental capacity or impact. With the collapse of the Soviet Union many farms were abandoned, reducing pressure on natural resources, and allowing some ecosystem recovery.

In China, modern development did not begin in earnest until the 1950s. China’s dramatic recent growth, however, is increasing demand for natural resources and the western provinces may again be subject to centrally planned development.

Cooperation with research institutions in Kazakhstan, China and Russia has facilitated collection of a number of unusual historical documents, maps and images of the region. Several documents describe the locations and populations of different nomadic groups, and the number of animals kept by each. Of these documents and maps, those written in Manchurian have not been previously investigated because few researchers can understand the Manchurian script; we are currently engaged in their translation and analysis.

○Project Members

◎ Kubota, Jumpei ( Research Institute for Humanity and Nature,Associate Professor,Project leader )

○ Soma, Hidehiro ( Nara Women’s University,Professor,Analysis of Archaeological monument using satellite images )

Endo Kunihiko, ( Nihon University,Professor,Lake sediment core Analysis )

○ Fujita, Koji ( Nagoya University,Associate Professor,Ice core analysis, Glacier discharge modelling )

○ Takeuchi, Nozomu ( Chiba University,Associate Professor,Ice core analysis, Glacier biology )

Kobayashi, Osamu ( Ehime University,Associate Professor,Tree ring analysis )

Funada, Yoshiyuki ( Tokyo university of Agriculture and Technology,Associate Professor,Tree ring analysis )

○ Uyama, Tomohiko ( Hokkaido University,Professor,Historical Analysis in Kazakhstan )

Onuma, Takahiro ( Gakusyuin University,Assistant Professor,Historical Analysis in China )

Noda, Jin ( Toyo Bunko,JSPS Research fellow,Historical Analysis in China and Kazakhstan )

○ Sugiyama, Masaaki ( Kyoto University,Professor,Historical analysis on Yuan Dynasty )

Ono, Hiroshi ( Kyoto Tachibana University,Professor,Historical analysis on Yuan Dynasty )

Hori, Sunao ( Konan University,Professor Emirates,Historical analysis in Central Asia )

○ Kato, Yuzo ( Research Institute for Humanity and Nature,Assistant Professor,Analysis of Chinese documents )

○ Chengzhi ( Research Institute for Humanity and Nature,Senior project researcher,Historical Analysis on Manchuria documents )

Furumatsu, Takashi ( Kyoto University,Assistant Professor,Historical Analysis in China )

Hayashi, Toshio ( Soka University,Professor,Archaeological analysis )

Shiraishi, Norio ( Niigata University,Professor,Archaeological analysis )

Izumi, Takura ( Kyoto University,Professor,Archaeological analysis )

Hua, Li ( Osaka Keiho University,Professor,Historical Analysis in China )

Miya, Noriko ( Kyoto University,Assistant Professor,Historical Analysis in China )

Kitamura, Yoshinobu ( Tottori University,Professor,Analysis on irrigation system and agricultural system )

Shimizu, Katsuyuki ( Tottori University,Professor,Analysis on irrigation system and agricultural system )

○ Funakawa, Shinya ( Kyoto University,Professor,Soil analysis )

Kozan, Osamu ( Kyoto University,Assistant Professor,Hydrological Modeling )

○ Konagaya, Yuki ( National Museum of Ethnology,Professor,Analysis of Nomadic system )

○ YOSHIDA, Setsuko ( Shikoku Gakuin University,Associate Professor,Analysis of Nomadic system )

Nakayama, Yasunori ( Nihon University,Professor,Analysis on land use change using satellite images )

Haraguchi, Tsuyoshi ( Osaka City University,Associate Professor,Lake sediment core Analysis, Sonic Sounding )

Sugai Toshihiko ( University of Tokyo,Associate Professor,Lake sediment core Analysis )

Yoshikawa, Ken ( Okayama University,Associate Professor,Analysis of arid zone ecosystem )

Tsujimura, Maki ( Tsukuba University,Associate Professor,Hydrological analysis using Isotope date )

○ Matsuyama, Hiroshi ( Tokyo Metropolitan University,Associate Professor,Precipitation, Climate change )

Narama, Chiyuki ( Research Institute for Humanity and Nature,Project researcher,Analysis of Glacier discharge, Glacier distribution using satellite images, GIS database )

Endo, Takahiro ( Research Institute for Humanity and Nature,Assistant Professor,Water resources management )

Yatagai, Akiyo ( Research Institute for Humanity and Nature,Assistant Professor,Precipitation, Climate change )

Morimoto, Yukihiro ( Kyoto University,Professor,Analysis of arid zone ecosystem )

Natsuhara, Toshihiro ( Kyoto University,Professor,Analysis of arid zone ecosystem )

Nobe, Koichi ( Sensyu University,Associate Professor,Analysis of policies and economy on Agriculture in Kazakhstan )

Watanabe, Mitsuko ( Research Institute for Humanity and Nature,Project researcher,Analysis of present status, especially land use change using satellite images,GIS database )

Oji, Toshiaki ( Ritsumeikan University,Professor,Analysis on Agricultural system )

Nakamura, Tomoko ( Tohoku University,Research fellow,Analysis of Nomadic system and agriculture in China )

Shinjilt ( Kumamoto University,Associate Professor,Analysis of Nomadic system in China )

Akiyama, Tomonori ( Kyoto University,Research fellow,Analysis of water resources management )

Abe, Kenichi ( Research Institute for Humanity and Nature,Professor,Analysis of agriculture development in Kazakhstan )

Karl Baipakov ( Institute of Archaeology, Kazakhstan,Director, Professor,Archaeological investigation on subsistence in medieval time of Kazakhstan )

Dimitry Voyakin ( Institute of Archaeology, Kazakhstan,Senior researcher,Archaeological investigation on subsistence in medieval time of Kazakhstan,GIS database )

Irina Yerofeyeva ( Kazakhstan Scientific Research Institute on Problems of the Cultural Heritage on Nomads,Director, Professor,Analysis on historical documents and maps )

Renato Sala ( Kazakhstan Scientific Research Institute on Problems of the Cultural Heritage on Nomads,Senior researcher,Archaeological investigation on settlement in medieval time of Kazakhstan, )

Jean-Marc Deom ( Kazakhstan Scientific Research Institute on Problems of the Cultural Heritage on Nomads,Senior researcher,Development GIS database of Archaeological information )

Bolat Aubekerov ( Institute of Geological Sciences, Kazakhstan,Professor,Lake sediment core analysis )

Zhulduzbek Abylkhozhin ( Institute of History and Ethnology,Professor,Analysis of agriculture development in Kazakhstan )

Roman Jashenko ( Institute of Zoology,Senior researcher,Evaluation of impacts of agricultural development in Kazakhstan )

Vladimir Aizen ( University of Idaho,Professor,Ice core analysis, )

○Future Themes

We are trying to Compile information obtained from historical texts, archaeological sites and images into a chronological GIS database that will demonstrate in graphic manner the long-term human and environmental transformations in Central Eurasia.

Books

【Authored/Co-authored】

・Chengzhi(Kicengge) Feb,2009 Daicing gurun to sono jidai: teikoku no keisei to hakki shakai(The Great Qing Empire and its historical background) . The University of Nagoya Press, Chikusa-ku Nagoya, 632pp. (in Japanese) .

【Chapters/Sections】

・Jumpei Kubota and Tomoko Nakamura Mar,2010 Water issues and water saving policies in China. . Tomoya Akimich, Kazuhiko Komatsu and Yasuo Nakamura (ed.) Water and the Environment. Water and People, 1. Showa-do, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, pp.275-304. (in Japanese)

・Jumpei Kubota Feb,2010 Water and People in the Silkroads. Tomoya Akimichi (ed.) Water and Civilization. Showa-do, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, pp.174-204. (in Japanese)

・Jumpei Kubota Jul,2009 Historical changes of climate and water resources in central Eurasia. Yo-Ichiro Sato and Takashi Kurata (ed.) Agriculture and climate in desert and pasture. History of agriculture in Eurasia, 3. Rinsen Book co., Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, pp.93-140. (in Japanese)

・Jumpei Kubota Feb,2009 Water resources problem in the arid and semi-arid region as the global environmental issues: Case study on the agricultural development in the Heihe river basin. Masayoshi Nakawo,Qian Xin and Zheng Yue Jun (ed.) Water environmental issues in China: Water shortage caused by development. Bensei Publishing Inc., Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, pp.15-30. (in Japanese)

・Funakawa S, Yanai J, Takata Y, Karbozova-Saljnikov E, Akshalov K and Kosaki T 2007 Dynamics of water and soil organic matter under grain farming in Northern Kazakhstan. Eds. R. Lal, M. Suleimenov, B.A. Stewart, D.O. Hanson and P. Doraiswamy. (ed.) Toward sustainable land use both from the agronomic and environmental viewpoints. In Climate Change and Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration in Central Asia.. Taylor & Francis, Leiden, Netherlands, pp.279-331.

Editing

【Editing / Co-editing】

・Jumpei Kubota (ed.) Mar,2010 History of Central Eurasia from the 13th to 15th Century. Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, KIta-ku, Kyoto, 430pp. (in Japanese)