Meet Komi: from rice paddy fields to the rainforest

Hello everyone, my name is Shujiro Komiya. Please feel free to call me Komi by my nickname.

I’m a postdoc in the Tall Tower Atmospheric Gas Measurements Research group of Dr. Lavric at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena, Germany. I studied at Meiji University in Tokyo in Japan from the bachelor to doctorate programs. During my M.Sc. and Ph.D. studies, I built up micrometeorological and automated chamber systems for measuring fluxes of greenhouse gases. With those, I investigated methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) dynamics in rice paddy fields in temperate Japan and tropical Thailand. I also combined the built-up systems with a state-of-the-art CH4/CO2 isotope analyzer. This helped me to better understand CH4 processes in a tropical rice paddy.

Komi checking data in the lab.
Komi checking data in the lab. © Shujiro Komiya

These field experiences with the latest isotope technique inspired me and brought me more motivation to explore the dynamics of greenhouse gases in another attractive and poorly studied site. This led me to the Amazon rainforest. Since August 2017, I’m part of the ATTO project. Thus far, I mainly worked on developing a vertical profile measurement system of water vapor (H2O) stable isotopes (δ2H and δ18O) at the 80 m walk-up tower. We want to clarify how water is (re-)cycled in the Amazon rainforest on a regional scale. I am also studying canopy scale fluxes of CH4 and CO2, measured at the ATTO site.

Right now, I’m planning to conduct some field campaigns for tree CH4 and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions together with my colleagues, once we can travel to ATTO again. I am looking forward to working together with the wonderful colleagues at the ATTO site and getting exciting results.