Pteridophyte communities established on levees modified by slope protection using iron cage frames in Heiwadai Park, Miyazaki City, were surveyed to understand the habitat conditions suitable for pteridophytes. In this study, 2 types of levees were compared: levees with cage frames and those without slope protection materials. The number of pteridophyte species and the coverage of pteridophytes were higher on the levees with cage frames than on those without slope protection materials. The occurrence frequency for many pteridophyte species was also higher on the levees with cage frames than on those without slope protection materials. The species composition of the levees with cage frames was characterized by a higher proportion of pteridophytes and a lower proportion of seed plants. The number of pteridophyte species per unit area was also higher on these levees than in the surrounding lucidophyllous forests. Although epiphytic pteridophytes were rarely found on the levees with cage frames, these results indicate that the levees with cage frames function as suitable habitats for terrestrial pteridophytes. The possible factors that promote the development of pteridophyte communities on levees with cage frames are vertical soil surfaces and soil stability.
