2026 年 18 巻 p. 10-
The present paper reports on the terms related to native, alien, endangered, and invasive species that appear in Unit 5, "Ecology and the Environment" of five currently used Advanced Biology textbooks as well as organisms, particularly endangered species and invasive alien species, that appear in the unit. There was a considerable variation in the treatment of these terms among the five textbooks surveyed. However, definitions and explanations of these terms were absent or generally insufficient. Regarding organisms’ names, a total of 39 extinct or endangered species were found in the unit in the five textbooks, of which 17 were native to Japan. The number of extinct or endangered species listed in each textbook varied considerably, ranging from one to 18. Furthermore, some species were covered in topics unrelated to species extinction or biodiversity conservation or were not explicitly stated as endangered. The organisms listed in these textbooks were mostly animal species, with a predominance of mammal, and most appeared in only one textbook. Invasive alien species relevant to biodiversity conservation, on the other hand, were only listed in two textbooks, with nine for Japan and three for overseas. Most of these species were also listed in Basic Biology textbooks.
Biodiversity conservation is one of the major challenges facing modern society (Stockholm Resilience Centre, undated, see the Website list) and is a key topic in biology education at schools (Heavenlin et al., 2015; Shoji and Nagashima, 2015; Børresen et al., 2022) as well as in environmental education (Numata, 1990; Navarro-Perez and Tidball, 2012).
Regarding the transition of conservation education in upper secondary school biology subjects in Japan, Kato (2016) reported that, based on the results of a survey of upper secondary school biology textbooks published between 1973 and 2008, the scope of conservation has expanded from just ecosystems to include biodiversity. Since Kato’s work, no comprehensive studies have been conducted on the content of biodiversity conservation in upper secondary school biology classes. Therefore, to clarify what content related to biodiversity and its conservation is taught in biology classes at upper secondary schools in Japan now, we have investigated the current USS-NCS, its Guidelines, and currently used Basic Biology and Advanced Biology textbooks. In the two previous papers, we reported which terms related to biodiversity and its conservation appear in these materials and how they are used (Katayama and Nakamichi, 2024), and how endangered species and invasive alien species are treated in Basic Biology textbooks (Katayama, 2025).
Under the current curriculum framework for upper secondary schools in Japan, students are expected to take Advanced Biology after taking Basic Biology. Therefore, the content of Advanced Biology is designed to build on and deepen the knowledge that students learnt in Basic Biology. In the study of Unit 3, "Diversity of Organisms, and Ecosystems," of Basic Biology, students are required to
In the current USS-NCS, there are no specific instructions on how to treat biodiversity-related topics in Advanced Biology. However, the USS-NCS Guidelines provide the following instructions for the section "Ecosystems and Human Life" of the unit "Ecology and the Environment": “In Basic Biology, students have learnt about ecosystem balance and the impact of anthropogenic disturbances on it, as well as the importance of conserving ecosystems, in the section 'Ecosystem Balance and Conservation.' The aim here is to have students find and understand the impact of human life on ecosystems, based on materials related to ecosystems and human life. The impact of human activities on ecosystems will focus on those seen in many regions around the world, rather than those seen in a specific region.” (MEXT, 2021, p.145) Therefore, in Advanced Biology classes, students should learn about the impact of human activities on ecosystems, including examples from both Japan and other countries, and should draw attention to biodiversity and its conservation at the global level in connection with SDGs Goal 14 "Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development" and Goal 15 "Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems; sustainably manage forests; combat desertification; halt and reverse land degradation; and halt biodiversity loss" (UN, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, undated, see the Website list).
In relation to the results of my previous study (Katayama, 2025), this paper reports on how endangered species and invasive alien species are treated in Advanced Biology textbooks and examines whether the treatment of these organisms in these textbooks is appropriate in relation to the instructions in the USS-NCS Guidelines and the contents of Basic Biology textbooks. I recognize that there are many other causes of decline in biodiversity, including pollution, climate change, deforestation, and land development. But I focus on invasive alien species as a threat to biodiversity, since one of the threats to biodiversity in natural ecosystems is competition and predation by invasive alien species and these form an important component of a study in biology.
Five Advanced Biology textbooks published in 2023 (See the list in the “ADVANCED BIOLOGY TEXTBOOKS SURVEYED” at the end of the paper), which passed the textbook authorization process (MEXT, undated, see the Website list) the year before publication, were used for the textbook survey. As in the previous papers, each textbook will be referenced by number in this paper.
Terms related to native and alien organisms and endangered species that appear in the "Ecology and Environment" unit of Advanced Biology textbooks were analysed in terms of their definitions and explanations. The English translations and definitions of terms collected are based on previous reports (Katayama and Nakamichi, 2024; Katayama, 2025). The organism names that appear in the unit were also searched in the text and recorded. The handling of the organism names that were collected, and the notation used in this paper also follow Katayama (2025).
Data AnalysisThe method for analysing the descriptions of native and alien organisms and endangered species in textbooks followed that used in the previous paper (Katayama, 2025).
The organism names listed in Advanced Biology textbooks are not necessarily species names, as in the Basic Biology textbooks mentioned in the previous report (Katayama, 2025). For example, one Advanced Biology textbook describes in the text that elephants, rhinoceroses and tigers are in danger of extinction due to overhunting, but on the same page there are photos of a rhinoceros and a tiger with a caption like the white rhinoceros and the Bengal tiger are in danger of extinction due to declining populations. In this way, some textbooks list the names of taxonomic groups, such as genus or family names, and the names of a specific species which belong to those taxonomic groups on the same page. Although the rhinoceros taxonomic group includes the white rhinoceros and the tiger taxonomic group does the Bengal tiger, in the case mentioned above, this paper distinguishes the white rhinoceros and the Bengal tiger from rhinoceroses and tigers, respectively, and treats them as individual species.
To determine whether a species is an extinct or endangered species that is native to Japan, the Red List 2020 provided by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan <MOE> (abbreviated as the MOE Red List; MOE, 2020) was referenced. For endangered species overseas, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (abbreviated as the IUCN Red List; International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources <IUCN>, undated, see the Website list) was referenced.
For organisms that are thought to be alien species in Japan, the List of Alien Species that May Cause Damage to Japan's Ecosystems (MOE, 2015) and the List of Regulated Living Organisms under the Invasive Alien Species Act (MOE, 2024) were referenced to determine whether they fall into any of the categories of invasive alien species in Japan. For invasive alien species overseas, the list of 100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species (Lowe et al., 2000) was referenced. If the name of organism mentioned was not a species name but a taxonomic group name, I handled it as follows: If any specific species within that taxonomic group was designated as an endangered species or an invasive alien species, then the entire taxonomic group was considered to be so designated.
As shown in Table 1, three of the five Advanced Biology textbooks mention the terms native organism (or native species; from now on, every term found in the textbooks will be underlined), endemic species and rare species used in relation to biodiversity in the text, while the other two textbooks do not mention these terms at all. For native organisms/native species, two of the three textbooks list the term in the indexes, and one furthermore treats it as a key term. For endemic species, one of the three textbooks lists the term in its index.
| Term or Explanation | Advanced Biology textbook | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | A2 | A3 | A4 | A5 | |
| "Native organisms" | ● | ◎ | 〇 | ||
| Explanation of native organisms | 〇 | ||||
| "Endemic species" | ◎ | 〇 | 〇 | ||
| Explanation of endemic species | 〇 | ||||
| "Primeval vegetation" | 〇 | ||||
| Explanation of primeval vegetation | |||||
| "Rare species" | 〇 | 〇 | 〇 | ||
| Explanation of rare species | △ | ||||
| "Endangered species" | 〇 | ● | ◎ | 〇 | |
| Explanation of endangered species | △ | 〇 | 〇 | △ | |
| Measures to conserve or preserve native organisms | 〇 | 〇 | |||
| 〇: found in the text, ◎: listed in the index, ●: listed in the index and treated as a key term, △: presented in the text, but insufficient | |||||
Although "primeval species" is found in one Basic Biology textbook (Katayama, 2025), none of the Advanced Biology textbooks mention this term. However, the term primeval vegetation was found in Textbook A5. Most Advanced Biology textbooks which list these terms either provide no explanation for each term, or only provide insufficient explanations. Some of these terms are not even explained sufficiently in Basic Biology textbooks (Katayama, 2025). Using these similar terms without adequately explaining the differences between them contradicts the following instruction in the USS-NCS Guidelines: “In order to help students understand the basic concepts, principles, and laws of biology, it is important to focus instruction on helping them understand key concepts, rather than simply learning the definitions of many terms” (MEXT, 2021; p. 147).
Four textbooks mention the term endangered species, two of which list it in the indexes, and one treats it as a key term. Textbook A4 does not include any terms related to native organisms, nor does it include the term endangered species (Table 1), but it does list several animal species and states that they are at risk of extinction. This appears to be in line with the instruction of the USS-NCS Guidelines mentioned above. Textbooks A1 and A2 describe measures for conserving native species and local biodiversity well by providing ideas, such as eradicating invasive alien species, reintroducing extinct native species, establishing protected areas, creating ecological corridors, and reviewing land use plans (Table 1). The other two textbooks (A3 and A5) present some causes of the decline of local biodiversity but do not list any ideas to address such causes, possibly to allow students to consider measures to conserve endangered native species and local biodiversity by themselves. However, some Basic Biology textbooks do cover these topics because Basic Biology primarily treats topics related to the local environment (MEXT, 2021, p. 125).
Although not shown in Table 1, Textbook A3 mentions the terms Red List and Red Data Book and gives a brief explanation for each. These terms are covered in almost all Basic Biology textbooks and are fully explained (Katayama, 2025). Furthermore, two Basic Biology textbooks published by the same publisher as Textbook A3 contain descriptions that are almost identical to those in Textbook A3. In Japan, Red Lists and Red Data Books are compiled and published not only by the national government (the MOE Red List) but also by many local governments, and internationally the IUCN Red List is the most well-known, but the textbook makes no mention of such facts.
The USS-NCS recommends covering nature conservation, which may include biodiversity conservation, at the global level in Advanced Biology. However, all five textbooks surveyed only covered a few topics related to international biodiversity conservation, and even those topics are not discussed in detail. Textbook A5 mentions the term Washington Convention (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) and explains the international trade regulations on endangered species that are based on the convention. Biodiversity Hotspots proposed by Conservation International (Conservation International, undated, see the Website list) are one of the important learning topics related to the global biodiversity conservation that the USS-NCS aims to achieve. However, as already reported in our previous paper (Katayama and Nakamichi, 2024), there were only two textbooks (A3 and A5) that list the term and give some explanations. Textbook A4 states that “the loss of biodiversity by several sorts of human activities in some places around the world (p.372)” and gives some examples of such places, such as tropical rainforests and coral reefs, but does not mention Biodiversity Hotspots. In addition, it also does not describe any specific measures for conserving endangered species and preventing the decline of biodiversity. Regarding IUCN, an international nature conservation organization whose members include nations, government agencies, and NGOs, Textbook A1 explains that one of its activities is to “survey the habitat status of all living species that have ever existed on Earth (p. 421),” but makes no mention of the IUCN Red List. This is even though two Basic Biology textbooks published by the same publisher mention in their explanations of the Red Data Book that the IUCN has compiled such a Red List. The other four Advanced Biology textbooks make no mention at all of IUCN activities including its Red List and Red Data Book.
Extinct or endangered species that appear in Advanced Biology textbooksThe number of extinct or endangered species and taxa listed in each textbook varied considerably, ranging from one to 18, but in the textbooks that list the names of these species and taxa, some species are covered in the "Ecology and Environment" unit as topics other than species extinction and biodiversity conservation, and therefore are not necessarily stated as endangered species. All of the organisms whose names are listed in these textbooks were animals except for one species in Textbook A2 (Table 2). Even in current Basic Biology textbooks, there are more animal species listed as native endangered species than plant species (Katayama, 2025), but the situation is not as extreme as in the case of Advanced Biology textbooks. In addition, most of the animals listed are vertebrates (Appendix 1 and 2).
| Advanced Biology textbook | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | A2 | A3 | A4 | A5 |
| 18 (16) | 15 (13) | 1 (1) | 4 (4) | 6 (3) |
| 0 | 1 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 (16) | 16 (14) | 1 (1) | 4 (4) | 6 (3) |
| *The number in parentheses indicates the number of species which is stated that the species is extinct or endangered. | ||||
This does not reflect the number of extinct and endangered species in each taxonomic group listed on the MOE Red List or the IUCN Red List.
The total number of the names of endangered species and taxa, found in the five Advanced Biology textbooks surveyed was 39. Of these, 17 species/taxa were native to Japan: six mammals, four birds, three reptiles, one amphibian, one fish, one insect, and one plant (Appendix 1). Textbooks A3 and A4 do not list any endangered native species. In the remaining three textbooks (A1, A2, and A5), each of endangered native species appears in only one of the three textbooks, except the Japanese crested ibis (Appendix 1). However, most of these native species were also found in Basic Biology textbooks (Katayama, 2025). Notably, all seven species listed as endangered native species in Textbook A2 are also listed as examples of such species in a Basic Biology textbook from the same publisher, while there is little such overlap in Textbooks A1 and A5. The Japanese otter, the Amami rabbit, the Japanese crest ibis, and the rock ptarmigan have been designated as Special Natural Monument, Japan (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan, undated; ◆ in Appendix 1), but this fact is not mentioned in any textbooks which list these species names. Sakamoto (2022) suggests that designated natural monuments are good teaching materials for science education in elementary and lower secondary schools, since they have unique regional characteristics, are easy to obtain relevant information, and have sufficient academic value. Given these characteristics, they are more suitable as teaching materials for Basic Biology, where students learn about their local environment, as teaching materials for Advanced Biology. Regarding bats in Appendix 1, more than 20 native species belonging to this taxonomic group are listed on the MOE Red List. Textbook A5 which mentions bats as endangered species, notes that the distribution of many species other than bats will be affected by global warming. Unlike Basic Biology textbooks (Katayama, 2025), many of the species listed on Advanced Biology textbooks were at a high risk of extinction (Appendix 1).
The names of extinct or endangered species and taxa from overseas that were found in the five Advanced Biology textbooks surveyed are shown in Appendix 2. Most of them are clearly stated to be extinct or in danger of extinction. These species and taxa numbered 20, all animals and three-quarters of which were mammals. Among them, the taxonomic group names of the rhinoceroses, the orangutans and the tigers were found in multiple textbooks. Textbook A1 shows illustrations of normal and abnormal sperms from "Tanzanian lions" with a caption explaining that the abnormal sperms are the result of inbreeding (so-called "inbreeding depression"). This is a reference to the existence of a species called the Tanzanian lion, but this picture has no source and could not be verified. Since there is no such species on the IUCN Red List, this was considered a misquote and included under lion species. Most of the mammals in Appendix 2 can be seen in zoos and safari parks in Japan, so are likely to be familiar to upper secondary school students. The orangutans are mentioned in two Advanced Biology textbooks as a taxonomic group at a high risk of extinction due to deforestation in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. However, the same topic is already addressed in three Basic Biology textbooks (Katayama, 2025), two of which are published by the same publisher as one of the Advanced Biology textbooks that cover this topic. Among the animals shown in Appendix 2 other than orangutans, the Bengal tiger, the elephants, the lion, and the polar bear are also listed in Basic Biology textbooks, but these textbooks use these animals to describe the world's biomes and do not state if they are endangered (Katayama, 2025).
The USS-NCS Guidelines request, in Advanced Biology classes, the impact of human activities on ecosystems to be focused on at the global level (MEXT, 2021, p.145). In Advanced Biology textbooks, coral breeching (Textbooks A1, A3 and A4), decline in polar bear populations (Textbook A1) and their habitat shrinkage (Textbook A5) due to global warming, animal species affected by the loss of tropical rainforests due to logging (Textbooks A1, A2 and A4), and marine organisms, such as sea turtles, affected by plastic garbage (Textbook A2 and A5) are presented as examples of the direct and indirect impacts of human activities on ecosystems at the global level. Textbook A5 states that “Many wild species are used for food, medicine, and materials for crafts, etc., overhunting and illegal collecting lead to the loss of biodiversity … The import and export of endangered species is regulated by the Washington Convention, but even today, the trade of illegally harvested timber, ivory, the shell of the endangered hawksbill turtle, and rare wild plants continues. (p. 370)” and present a photo of confiscated ivory as an example.
Terms related to alien organisms and their countermeasures that appear in Advanced Biology textbooksAlthough the previous USS-NCS Guidelines stated that in Advanced Biology the introduction of alien organisms can affect the local populations and regional biodiversity could be addressed (Higa, 2019), the current USS-NCS and its Guidelines mention nothing on the treatment of alien organisms in Advanced Biology course (MEXT, 2018, 2021; Higa, 2024). However, as shown in Table 3, the term alien organisms (or alien species) was found in three textbooks (A1, A3 and A5). These textbooks list the term in the indexes and one of them treats it as a key term. Textbooks A1 and A3 provide a definition or an explanation of alien organisms.
| Term or Explanation | Advanced Biology textbook | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | A2 | A3 | A4 | A5 | |
| “Alien organisms (species)” | ● | ◎ | ◎ | ||
| Explanation of alien organisms (species) | ○ | ○ | |||
| “Invasive Alien Species (IAS) Act” | ○ | ||||
| “Invasive alien species” | ◎ | ||||
| Explanation of invasive alien species | △ | ||||
| Effects of invasive alien species | ○ | ○ | △ | ||
| Routes/ history of introduction or invasion of alien species | △ | ||||
| Measures against invasive alien species in Japan | ○ | △ | |||
| “DIAS”* under the IAS Act | ● | ||||
| Explanation of DIAS | ○ | ||||
|
〇: found in the text, ◎: listed in the index, ●: treated as a key term, △: presented in the text, but insufficient. * DIAS: designated invasive alien species. |
|||||
Textbook A5 but does not provide a definition of the term although it briefly explains the impacts of alien species on native species. Basic Biology textbooks from the same publisher already provides a definition of the term (Katayama, 2025). Other terms related to alien organisms found in the textbooks were Invasive Alien Species Act (The official name is Act on the Prevention of Adverse Ecological Impacts Caused by Designated Invasive Alien Species; abbreviated as the IAS Act; Textbook A3), invasive alien species (Textbook A1), and designated invasive alien species (DIAS; Textbook A3). The terms invasive alien species and designated invasive alien species are listed in the indexes of respective textbooks, and the latter term is treated as a key term (Table 3). These terms are explained in the textbooks where they are mentioned. Measures against invasive alien species in Japan are explained well in Textbook A1 and briefly in Textbook A3. However, the history or routes of introduction or invasion of alien species is briefly explained only in Textbook A1. Textbooks A2 and A4 do not mention the introduction of alien species as an example of human activities that affect biodiversity and ecosystems, nor do they list any terms related to alien organisms.
Regarding the invasive alien species, Textbook A1 notes that “the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) has selected the '100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species,' which are species that have been introduced around the world and are causing major negative impacts, and is calling for widespread vigilance. The Ministry of the Environment, Japan, has selected the '100 of Japan’s Worst Invasive Alien Species,' and has published information on their habitats and countermeasures (p. 431).” However, the second part of this statement in the textbook is incorrect. The "100 Worst Invasive Alien Species in Japan" was not selected by the MOE, but rather by the Ecological Society of Japan, and was published in 2002 as part of their "Alien Species Handbook" (The Ecological Society of Japan, undated, see the Website list).
Invasive alien species that appear in Advanced Biology textbooksAmong five Advanced Biology textbooks surveyed, Textbooks A2, A4 and A5 do not list any names of invasive alien species in Japan. The number of invasive alien species in Japan listed in the other two textbooks (Table 4) is much lower than the number of extinct and endangered species in these textbooks (Table 2).
| Advanced Biology textbook | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | A2 | A3 | A4 | A5 | |
| Animals | 3 (0) | 0 | 5(4) | 0 | 0 |
| Plants | 1 (0) | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 4 (0) | 0 | 6 (5) | 0 | 0 |
| * The number in parentheses indicates the number of species which the textbook clearly states that the species is designated under the IAS Act or the species is invasive. | |||||
Although Textbook A1 lists the term invasive alien species in its index, in the text it simply lists the names of species along with a statement that they are just alien species. Most Basic Biology textbooks already provide a thorough explanation with mentioning many specific alien species that have invaded Japan. Nevertheless, two Advanced Biology textbooks (A1 and A3) still focus on invasive alien species in Japan, with no additional description, and all of the invasive alien species listed in those textbooks (Appendix 2 ), except the locust tree, already appear in Basic Biology textbooks (Katayama, 2025).
Advanced Biology textbooks are expected to cover global environmental conservation issues (MEXT, 2021), but only two textbooks mention problems of invasive alien species outside of Japan. Textbook A3 mentions that the introduction of Canis lupus dingo (dingo) to Australia resulted in the extinction or endangerment of many native animals such as the thylacine (Appendix 2 ). Textbook A1 mentions two Japanese native plant species, Fallopia japonica (Japanese knotweed) and Pueraria montana var. lobata (kudzu) are invasive alien species in the United States. However, these plant species are invasive not only in the United States but around the world and are listed on the 100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species, for example, the Japanese knotweed has also been a well-known invasive plant in Europe and the British Isles since the last century (Conolly, 1977), yet these facts are not mentioned in the textbook at all. Although the kudzu is already mentioned in two Basic Biology textbooks as Japanese native species that have been introduced and become established in the USA (Katayama, 2025), Textbook A1 is published by a different publisher than the publishers of these Basic Biology textbooks.
According to Sakuraba et al. (2013), two Basic Biology textbooks published in 2012 listed the kudzu and Undaria pinnatifida (WAKAME) as the examples for this topic, and one of these textbooks further listed the Japanese knotweed, Acanthogobius flavimanus (yellow goby), Asterias amurensis (Northern Pacific seastar) and Miscanthus sinensis (Japanese silver grass). Among them, Japanese silver grass is used as an example in one current Basic Biology textbook. However, although WAKAME has become an invasive alien species overseas other than the USA (South et al., 2017) and was listed on the 100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species, it is not mentioned in any Basic Biology and Advanced Biology textbooks. Therefore, as I recommended in my previous paper (Katayama, 2025), this species could be used as a good example for this topic. Furthermore, the 100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species includes some species which are DIAS under the IAS Act in Japan, such as the small Indian mongoose, the bullfrog, the largemouth bass (Appendix 3 ), and Solenopsis invicta (red imported fire ant). Pointing out this fact will help students understand that the problem of invasive alien species is not just limited to Japan.
Other wildlife conservation issues mentioned in Advanced Biology textbooksAs pointed out in my previous report (Katayama, 2025), the problem of invasive alien species in Japan is not only caused by species that have invaded Japan from overseas, but in recent years the problem of "alien species of domestic origin" (domestic alien species) has become increasingly serious. This term was not found in either Basic Biology textbooks or Advanced Biology textbooks. Only three out of ten Basic Biology textbooks address this issue (Katayama, 2025), and even among Advanced Biology textbooks, only Textbook A3 deals with this issue, mentioning genetic pollution. While the textbook states that “introducing individuals of the same species living in a different region should not be done lightly, even to replenish the population of an endangered population (p. 393),” it does not provide any specific examples.
In recent years, damage to agricultural crops caused by the excessive population growth of native species, such as Cervus nippon (Japanese deer), Sus scrofa (wild boars), and Macaca fuscata (Japanese macaques), has become a problem in Japan. Possible causes of this issue include the collapse of Satoyama (Satoyama forests), an increase in animal populations, structural changes in rural areas, and inadequate wildlife protection and management administration (Kato, 2022). Textbook A1 mention this issue, citing the examples of the Japanese deer and the wild boar, and pointing out the need for population control of native species. However, addressing this issue will require the conservation of Satoyama environments, i.e., proper management of Satoyama. Most Basic Biology textbooks explain that Satoyama areas are of high biodiversity, and that the decline in Satoyama management is causing a decline in biodiversity. The use of Satoyama as teaching materials for biodiversity and its conservation has already been discussed in my previous paper (Katayama, 2025). None of the Basic Biology textbooks mention the damage caused by wild animals due to the abandonment of Satoyama management, but as this issue is related to the regional characteristics of Japan, it should be dealt with in Basic Biology rather than Advanced Biology.
As the present textbook survey has made clear, the content of Advanced Biology textbooks is not sufficient to make students fully aware of the need for global-scale natural environmental conservation, as required by the USS-NCS Guidelines (MEXT, 2021, p.145). When it comes to conserving the natural environment on a global scale, the following nine problems have been recognized and are being addressed as problems of global environments (the Environmental Glossary: EIC Net, undated, see the Website list):
(1) global warming,
(2) depression of the ozone layer,
(3) loss of tropical forests,
(4) pollution in developing countries,
(5) acid rain,
(6) desertification,
(7) loss of biodiversity,
(8) marine pollution, and
(9) transboundary movement of hazardous waste.
Most Basic Biology textbooks address at least some of these issues, (1), (2), (3), (5), (6), and (8), as causes of the decline of biodiversity (Katayama and Nakamichi, 2024). Conversely, Advanced Biology textbooks, which should primarily deal with environmental issues and biodiversity conservation at the global level (MEXT, 2021), often mention topics already covered in Basic Biology, such as those related to local environmental issues and biodiversity conservation at the local level. While those mentioned above are all important learning topics, due to time constraints, careful consideration must be given to which and to what extent these topics are covered in Basic Biology and Advanced Biology. Furthermore, few or no Advanced Biology textbooks mention "Biodiversity Hotspots," "Ramsar Convention (Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat) and Ramsar sites," "IUCN Red List," "Washington Convention," and "100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species" (Katayama and Nakamichi, 2024). However, these topics are essential for students to gain a comprehensive understanding of global biodiversity and conservation, and therefore should be included in Advanced Biology courses.
Many of the endangered species and invasive alien species listed in Advanced Biology textbooks are also appearing in Basic Biology textbooks, and furthermore there is a significant bias toward certain taxa. Careful consideration is needed to determine which species (or taxa) are appropriate to be listed as endangered and invasive species in Basic Biology and Advanced Biology textbooks. Furthermore, the notation of organism names must be accurate, as befits biology textbooks.
The author would like to express his sincere gratitude to Professor Robert Wallis of Federation University, Australia, for carefully reading the draft of this paper and for providing valuable suggestions for its completion. The author also would like to express his heartfelt gratitude to Dr. C. H. Diong, Singapore, for his helpful advice in revising the manuscript.
| Organisms | MOE Category* | Number of textbooks listing** | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mammals | Canis lupus hodophilax (Japanese wolf) | EX | 1 (1) |
| Lutra lutra nippon / Lutra lutra whiteleyi (Japanese otter) ◆ | EX | 1 (1) | |
| Enhydra lutris (sea otter) | CR | 1 (0) | |
| Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus (Tsushima wildcat) | CR | 1 (1) | |
| Pentalagus furnessi) (Amami rabbit) ◆ | EN | 1 (1) | |
| Bats (order: Chiroptera) | EX - VU | 1 (1) | |
| Birds | Nipponia nippon (Japanese crested ibis) ◆ | CR | 2 (2) |
| Aquila chrysaetos japonica (golden eagle) | EN | 1 (1) | |
| Lagopus muta japonica (rock ptarmigan) ◆ | EN | 1 (0) | |
| Phoebastria albatrus (short-tailed albatross) | VU | 1 (1) | |
| Reptiles | Caretta caretta (logger head turtle) | EN | 1 (1) |
| Eretmochelys imbricata (hawksbill turtle) | EN | 1 (1) | |
| Chelonia mydas mydas (green sea turtle) | VU | 1 (1) | |
| Amphibians | Odorrana splendida (AMAMINO ISHIKAWA GAERU) | EN | 1 (1) |
| Fish | Anguilla japonica (Japanese eel) | EN | 1 (1) |
| Insects | Fabriciana nerippe (OH-URAGIN HYOUMON) | CR | 1 (1) |
| Plants | Stellaria humifusa (saltmarsh starwort) | EN | 1 (1) |
| * EX: extinct, CR: critically endangered, EN: endangered, VU: vulnerable. | |||
|
** The number in parentheses indicates the number of textbooks which clearly state that the species is extinct or endangered. ◆ Species that have been designated as Special Natural Monument, Japan. |
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| Organisms | IUCN Category** | Number of textbooks listing*** | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mammals | Thylacinus cynocephalus (thylacine) | EX | 1 (1) |
| Ceratotherium simum cottoni (northern white rhinoceros) | EW | 1 (1) | |
| Dicerorhinus sumatrensis (Sumatran rhinoceros) | CR | 1 (1) | |
| rhinoceros (family: Rhinocerotidae) | EW - NT | 2 (2) | |
| Pongo spp. (orangutans) | CR | 2 (2) | |
| sloth (suborder: Folivora) | CR, EN | 1 (1) | |
| pangolin (family: Manidae) | CR - VU | 1 (1) | |
| Panthera tigris (tiger) | EN | 3 (3) | |
| Oryctolagus cuniculus (European rabbit) | EN | 1 (0) | |
| Panthera tigris tigris (Bengal tiger) | EN | 1 (1) | |
| elephant (family: Elephantidae) | EN | 1 (1) | |
| Lynx pardinus (Iberian lynx) | VU | 1 (1) | |
| Panthera leo (lion) | VU | 2 (0) | |
| Phascolarctos cinereus (koala) | VU | 1 (0) | |
| Ursus maritimus (polar bear) | VU | 1 (1) | |
| Lagorchestes hirsutus (rufous hare-wallaby) | NT | 1 (1) | |
| Ceratotherium simum (white rhino) | NT | 1 (1) | |
| Birds | Raphus cucullatus (dodo) | EX | 1 (1) |
| Rhinoplax vigil (helmeted hornbill) | CR | 1 (1) | |
| Aquila adalberti (Spanish imperial eagle) | VU | 1 (1) | |
| Aptenodytes forsteri (emperor penguin) | NT | 1 (0) | |
| Fish | Thunnus orientalis (pacific bluefin tuna) | NT | 1 (1) |
|
* Species listed on the MOE Red List 2020 (Appendix 1) are excluded. ** EX: extinct, EW: extinct in the wild, CR: critically endangered, EN: endangered, VU: vulnerable, NT: near threatened. |
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| *** The number in parentheses indicates the number of textbooks which clearly state that the species is extinct or endangered. | |||
| Organisms | Category* | Number of textbooks listing** | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mammals | Herpestes auropunctata* (small Indian mongoose) | DIAS | 2 (1) |
| Procyon lotor (raccoon) | DIAS | 1 (1) | |
| Reptiles | Anolis carolinensis (green anole) | DIAS | 1 (0) |
| Amphibians | Rana catesbeiana (bullfrog) | DIAS | 1 (1) |
| Fish | Lepomis macrochirus (bluegill) | DIAS | 1 (0) |
| Micropterus salmoides (largemouth bass) | DIAS | 2 (1) | |
| Plants | Pistia stratiotes (water lettuce) | DIAS | 1 (1) |
| Robinia pseudoacacia (locust tree) | SK | 1 (0) | |
|
* DIAS: species that have been designated invasive alien species under the IAS Act; SK: invasive alien species of industrial importance that require appropriate management. ** The number in parentheses indicates the number of textbooks that state that the species is DIAS or invasive alien species. |
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