Evaluation of natural landscape and environment on the basis of vegetation in Otsu City, Japan.

Abstract

An evaluation of the natural landscape and environment was made on the basis of vegetation in the entire area of Otsu City (302.29 km^2), which is located in central Japan. With regard to natural landscape, eight landscape constituents from the actual vegetation map were classified and a map was prepared showing the distribution by degree of landscape dominance for each landscape constituent. The dominance of the landscape constituent was then classified into three types according to the standard of evaluation. After evaluating the landscape using mesh analysis, a landscape distribution map was prepared and analyzed. Concerning the natural environment, points of relative nature-degree were calculated for each mesh by using the nature-degree of vegetation and their spread. The points of relative nature-degree were then converted to classify the relative nature-degree. Finally, the distribution of relative nature-degree was plotted on a map superimposed with a mesh to evaluate relative nature-degree in Otsu City. Following this procedure, changes in relative nature-degree were studied by using the relative nature-degree distribution map prepared in 1979. To make an overall evaluation, the landscape distribution map and relative nature-degree distribution map were overlapped, and a map showing distribution of conservation areas was prepared by classifying each mesh into four categories according to their need of conservation. The four categories are : I. Area with highly natural vegetation ; II. Area with abundant natural landscape and environment ; III. Area where natural landscape and environment remain ; IV. Area with little natural landscape or environment. Finally, each evaluated area was described and an overall evaluation of Otsu City was made.