An ecological study for the species composition and species richness of the secondary
lucidophyllous forests in the Yaeyama Islands was carried out. As the result, five species groups
(differential species) were recognized on the basis of phytosociological fidelity degree of 5, and
the secondary lucidophyllous forests in the area were classified into Machilus thunbergii-
Livistona chinensis Comm., Castanopsis sieboldii-Styrax japonica Comm. and Castanopsis
sieboldii-Schima wallichii Comm.. The Machilus thunbergii-Livistona chinensis Comm., which
was differentiated by the presence of species groups A and D, was distributed on the abandoned
fields in Yonaguni Island. This community was recognized as the secondary Machilus thunbergii
type forest which was distributed at the southern limit of the forest in Japan. The Castanopsis
sieboldii-Styrax japonica Comm., which was differentiated by the presence of species groups B, D
and E, was distributed in Yonaguni Island. The Castanopsis sieboldii-Schima wallichii Comm.,
which was differentiated by the presence of species groups C and E, was distributed in Iriomote
Island. The mean number of total species and the mean number of lucidophyllous elements per
stand in the three communities, which were indicative of species richness, ranged from 30.8 and
25.4 to 44.8 and 39.8, respectively. The species richness of the secondary lucidophyllous forests in the Yaeyama Islands was higher than the species richness of the forests in Kyushu.
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