Tak attended The International Society for Ecological Modelling (ISEM) Global Conference, held over 19–23 October in Kashiwa, near Tokyo. This conference is a congregation of researchers who apply mathematical and statistical models to ecological problems, thus providing insights for effective natural resource management and conservation. At the conference, Tak presented a talk on modelling the effects of fragmentation on extinction risk of populations, which is a collaboration with Ryan and Nao Takashina from the University of Tokyo. Tak attended other talks and poster presentations related to ecological modelling, and networked with numerous other researchers.

After the conference, Tak spent ten days visiting Nao and colleagues at the Department of International Studies at the University of Tokyo’s Kashiwa campus. Nao constructs and uses mathematical models to explore ways of balancing human extraction and conservation in socioecological systems, such as fished marine ecosystems. Nao has previously collaborated with Chisholm Lab on the effects of environmental variability on tropical tree biodiversity. During his visit, Tak worked with Nao on our fragmentation–extinction project as well as a project on how the effectiveness of protected areas changes with spatial grain.