Micrometeorological measurements were carried out at the surface of a seasonally-inundated floodplain (várzea) and a non-flooded bare land (terra firme) along the Solimões River in central Amazonia. The soil water content at a depth of 10 cm was as high as 0.47 m³ ·m^-3 (47%), and that at 30 cm was also as high as 0.65 m³ ·m^-3 (65%) at the várzea. The latent heat flux at the terra firme was about 50% of the net radiation, while that at the várzea was 60-80%. The daily evaporation averaged 2.64 ± 4.56 mm·day-1 at the terra firme, while at the várzea it was 3.12 ± 6.00 mm·day^-1 , with the standard deviation being larger because of high evaporation in daytime and condensation in nighttime. The várzea is in a special environment where phase changes of water between air and liquid easily occur. In the future, it is expected to expand short-term cultivation of crops which is suitable in conditions of high solar radiation and soil moisture.

We investigated the initial growth behavior of Machilus thunbergii（Kosterm） potted saplings planted around the northern limit of the Pacific side of Japan for five years to study reforestation of coastal forest degraded by a tsunami. Measurement of tree height, basal diameter, and air temperature at the planting site were recorded from October 2012 to October 2017. Numerous M. thunbergii potted saplings were affected by low temperature and low humidity in the winter season. Further, sprouting regeneration, after the main stems withered, was observed in more than 40% of the potted saplings. There was a difference in height and survival between the regenerated potted saplings and the undamaged ones. The average height of undamaged saplings was 324 cm, with nearly the same growth as other sites on the southern and western sides of Japan, and showed a 92.8% survival rate. However, the regenerated saplings exhibited a height of 210 cm, and a 48.4% survival rate, which decreased annually. This suggests, that low-temperature damage in the initial growth stage causes the shorter regenerated potted saplings to decline in survival rate for several years, due to the lack of sunlight caused by the closed crown that formed on the undamaged saplings.

We studied the appearance and mechanical characteristics of trees in plant communities with heavy snow in Katashina Village, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. Abietetum veitchio-mariesii was coniferous forest type mixed with Abies veitchii and A. mariesii on a ridge and Abietetum mariesii appeared on a gentle slope. The Hamamelido-Fagetum crenatae forest type occurred on a gentle ridge. We investigated the physical properties of cut tree trunks and branches. A static bending test was conducted, and fracture strength, strain, strain energy, specific gravity, and water content of the specimens were examined. A. veitchii and A. mariesii had lower fracture strength than the broadleaf trees we investigated, including frutescent Lindera umbellata var. membranacea. A. veitchii and A. mariesii showed a constant fracture strength regardless of branch size. The strength of Fagus crenata suggested mechanical plasticity and variability in response to environmental conditions, such as snow pressure. L. umbellata var. membranacea showed higher strength among Lauraceae. The conifer species showed a tendency toward higher values than broadleaf tree species for strain. Abies species branches have the ability to bend more to accommodate for snow. A. mariesii showed lower fracture stress and larger strain than A. veitchii, due to a strategy to bend more with more snow pressure.

A comprehensive phytosociological system of Japanese forest vegetation has not been published for 23 years since Miyawaki, Okuda & Fujiwara 1994. In this report, we reorganized the phytosociological system of Fraxino-Ulmetalia Suz-Tok. 1966 according to the latest scientific articles and phytosociological nomenclature. Several vegetation units were integrated based on the presence of characteristic species and the extent of distributional range. We found 2 alliances and 11 associations in the order Fraxino-Ulmetalia in the Japanese archipelago and described the synonyms and ecological characters of vegetation units.

In Nairobi in the Republic of Kenya, reforestation activities have been carried out since 2007 using a dense and mixed planting method for indigenous seedlings. In this paper, we report on the growth performance of the trees at seven and nine years after planting. We determined that the survival and growth of most of the planted tree species was progressing within comparable bounds to what had been achieved previously in Japan and Southeast Asia. Trees in Kenya that exhibited particularly favorable growth included Croton megalocarpus, which grew to approximately 6 m by the seventh year after planting, as well as Brachylaena huillensis and Markhamia lutea, which grew to at least 4 m in that time. Meanwhile, Vepris simplicifolia and Elaeodendron buchananii had a slower growth rate reaching about 1–2 meters in seven years, and so the growth characteristics between the different species became apparent. In addition, a tree planting site on a sloped area exhibited superior survival, growth height, and basal diameter growth compared to a flat site, which was a similar tendency to previous examples of growth at well-drained locations. Although issues remain, such as improving seedling quality and techniques for forming a base for planting, developing tree planting methods when targeting larger planting areas, and similar issues, in this study, the planted trees generally had survival and growth rates in ranges comparable to previous results from Japan and Southeast Asia. Thus, we considered the dense and mixed planting method with indigenous seedlings to be a reforestation method that is quite applicable to Kenya.

An environmental protection forest （Miyawaki et al., 1972）is a semi-natural forest aimed at environmental preservation and disaster prevention. Environmental protection forests were planted in eight locations in Fukui Prefecture. Planting took place from 2000 to 2011. The Japanese Center for International Studies in Ecology cooperates with Fukui Prefecture to create those forests, and has been conducting estimation of potential natural vegetation and proposing tree species suitable for planting. The authors surveyed the species composition in seven environmental protection forests, 6 to 17 years after planting, in June 2017. The species composition in the current forests is strongly influenced by the planted species, which reflect the potential natural vegetation and regional flora, but the invading plants also influence composition. Planted environmental protection forests are developing as forests that are adapted to the local environment.

The names for phytosociological units of herbaceous vegetation on the rocky coasts were described in Nakanishi（1980）were revised based on International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature, because some species names have changed based on identification, new classification, or both. Names of one order, one alliance, and two associations were revised.