Establishment of simple detection method of invasive ant species applying DNA bar coding and application of environmental education

根据本研究，我们可以建立一种简单实用的PCR装置。在此之前，最便宜的热循环器约为30万日元，但这种新开发的PCR装置仅为10万日元（实际上是8万日元）。这是我们学习中最有价值的成就。此外，这种新建立的装置可以检测来自中美洲的入侵蚂蚁物种的独特DNA条带模式。这比使用DNA测序过程的典型DNA条形码要简单得多。我们与札幌大谷高中、北海道科学教育中心、千叶大滨高中的老师一起进行了实践，证实了该装置和实验程序对高中课程中的环境教育是完全有效的。

According to this research, we could establish a simple and useful PCR device. Until then, the cheapest thermal cycler is around 300,000 Japanese yen, but this new developed PCR device is only 100,000 (in fact 80,000 yen). This is the most valuable accomplishment in our study. Furthermore, this newly established device could detect unique DNA bar cording band patterns of invasive ant species derived from Central America. This is much easier than that of typical DNA bar coding using DNA sequencing process. We implemented to the Sapporo Ohtani high school, Hokkaido Science Educational Center, and Chiba Oihama high school with its teachers and it confirmed that this device and experimental procedure are fully effective against environmental education in high school curriculum.