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Lake Puma Yumco is a typical alpine lake (altitude; 5,030m) located in the pre-Himalayas of Tibet, China. This study was the first limnologicak investigation. Puma Yumco (28°34'N,90°24'E) has the following morphometric properties: maximum length of 31 km; maximum width of 14 km; mean width of 9 km; shoreline of 90 km; surface area of 280 km²; shoreline development of 1.5. Transparency was approximately 10 m. Dissolved oxygen was l7 mg O₂ L⁻¹ and showed saturated values. Saljnity was 360 mg L⁻¹. The chemical type of the lake water was Mg-Ca-HCO₃-SO₄. Total nitrogenous nutrients and phosphate were extremely low at 1μM and 0.02 μM, respetively. Chlorophyll-a concentration was 0.2 mg chl.a m⁻³. Phytoplankton and zooplankton were dominated by Aphanocapsa. and Diaptomidae. The grain size of lake sediment was that of silt in most cases., Article, 信州大学山地水環境教育研究センター研究報告 2: 83-90(2004)

The negative impact of pollutants in any form to the environment, makes it imperative for mankind to develop systems that shall attain zero emission. Recognizing this and to be able to contribute in attaining that goal, we at Mie University, are now developing a BDF program towards zero emission in our newly established Iga Integrated Research Institute, Mie, Japan. This paper introduces to you the existing and proposed projects as well as our activities in the institute. The Japanese government in 2006 designed and revised “The fundamental policy for biomass utilization” to enhance more effective utilization of biomass to recover energy from the wastes. Major unutilized wastes include among others, livestock excreta, sawmill dusts, logging residues, food residues and sewage. These wastes especially, livestock excreta, sawmill dusts and logging residues abound in rural areas where progress is slow because of underpopulation due to immigration. The Japanese government hopes to be able to address this concern by generating jobs through the establishment of “Biomass Town Project” under the Ministry of Agriculture,Forestry and Fishery (MAFF). The planned project targets the reutilization of more than 90% of wastes and the effective utilization of more than 40% of biomass from lumber and forest residues. To support this target, the government had already mobilizedmore than 300 municipalities all over Japan. However, specific properties of biomass such as bulkiness and low energy per unit density cause some difficulties in their collectionand handling. These entail high costs in transporting biomass to other places from generation areas. Utilization of biomass in areas where it was produced will develop and activate the locality through employment generation. It will also relieve other areas from receiving wastes generated elsewhere under the precept, “local production for local consumption.” This is a good reason to get some public support to construct sustainable society. Located northwest of Mie Prefecture, Iga City’s major industry is agriculture, such as, stockbreeding and forestry. Under the “Biomass Town Projects”, Iga City in 2008 proposed to undertake “Rape-seed oil project” (Iga Nanohana project) to the National government in order to attract young people to repopulate the area and reinvigorate the aging population. One of essential features of this project is the creation of renewable energy from used vegetable oil and the rape-seed oil as biodiesel fuel (BDF) for agricultural machineries. And unlike the biodisel fuel (BDF) from EU which was synthesized from vegetable oils (sun flower, rape seed), the BDF in Japan is synthesized from kitchen waste oils. This explains the high production of BDF (several thousands liters per cycle) in EU compared to very low production in Japan (average of 100 liters per cycle). The exception is KyotoCity-Hall, a model on the use of BDF from recycled vegetable oils, which produces from 50～200L/cycle. The BDF processors in Japan are called as “Community scaled BDF-Processor” which are usually enterprising cities, towns andvillages or a small business without know-how and technical skills in BDF production. To help Iga City hall make BDF effectively,Mie University and Mie Prefectural Environmental Institute participated in this project starting from the planning stage. This report outlined the Iga-nanohana project and current status of BDF production from the BDF-Processor in local area. Currently, we are investigating BDF production from used oil but our future plans include exploration of other BDF sources such as phytoplankton, Jathropa and other potential materials for biofuel production. Taking care of the terrestrial environment through zero emission programs is a step that can be taken to control or even prevent the negative impact of land-based activities to the coastalenvironment.