In the previous literature, the words “shima no saki” in “Sakuteiki” have been interpreted as a state of space structures where an end of the island²⁸⁾ in the pond was put on a perpendicular drawn from the middle of the shinden house. Such an orthodox interpretation has contributed to understanding gardens designed in the Heian and Kamakura periods in which there existed an asymmetric elegance of Japanese traditional design and has quoted the above word as a criterion for investigating the features of space structures of Joruriji Temple's garden.
The present study represents an alternative interpretation based on the fact that there existed an old hall for an Amitabha in Joruriji Temple's garden. When a perpendicular is drawn from the middle of the old hall for an Amitabha, the perpendicular intersects the middle of the island in the pond. For these reasons, the conclusion of the present study represents that the words “shima no saki” will be better interpreted as “the forward direction of the island” rather than “the end of the island” as have been interpreted conventionally in general.

View full abstract

This paper deals with the constructions of garden facilities such as tea house, gate, fences and mariba or foot ball-like game court, etc, at Yokooka retreat owned by the Inatsuka fammily in the 19th centry. Kaho Inatsuka, the master of the house, participated many of the constructions in his garden. In many cases, as well as supervising his workers, he worked with them, replanting trees, putting fences, thatching a roof, etc. With these activities he gave form to the place as he like. For him, the labor in his garden was mingled with the joy of creatingbeautiful setting for his pastimes. He had an acquaintance of plants, soils, and stones through working at his fields. Owari or men with skill of both planting and building stone walls and the farmers who were primarily employed to take care of his fields helpt his work in the garden.

View full abstract

We can understand that publications of garden design books, such as Tsukiyama teizoden by Kitamura, E. in 1735 and Tsukiyama teizoden kohen by Akisato, R. in 1828, substantiate prosperity of common landscape gardening in the late Edo period.
Many haso-sho (textbook of house aspects) had been published from 1780s to 1860s, some of which touched upon landscape gardening, especially about trees, ponds and tuhiyama (artficial hill). The commom people of Edo had needed presentative models depending on kaso, originally based on the ancient Chinese theories of yin and yang, for making a garden or a house. In a sence kaso-ka had made standards of judgement connected with landscape gardening. We must pay special attentions in mind to the popularity of kaso among common people in those days.

View full abstract

In the early Heian period (in the 10th century) noblemen laid earth on the ground and planted chrysanthemums in front of their residence.These ridges seem the beginning of flower beds in Japan.The word “Kadan”(a flower bed), which a Chinese poet used in the 10th century, first appeared on the Japanese nobleman's diary “Kanmon-gyoki” in Feb.28, 1418.The oldest flower bed discovered at Asakura Yakata was made in the 16th century. The kinds of available grass and trees increased in the Muromachi period, thus many plants came to be planted in gardens and flower beds.In the Edo period many types of flower beds were created to plant fashionable flowers. The most important purpose for creatingflower beds was to cultivate grass and trees, so it was of secondary importance to shape them beautifully.

View full abstract

In this paper, the ex Saigo Judo's garden (in Meguro-ku, Tokyo) is reconstituted with changes of the way of use, memories and facts etc. Namely, it could be characterized by following properties; (1) one of the typical gardens of Daimyo in Tokyo, retraceable with documents and excavations etc.(2) the place maintains topographical original character.(3) noted as one of the Meisho, a place of semi-public interest. Rone of the remarkable gardens and villas, utilized by sociable and political place in Meiji period.(4) one of the gardens in the Meiji period was the production of the Japanese westernization reflecting on garden design and life in the garden. and (6) once it was a empire heritage as a remembering place of the Emperor Meiji. In these effects, this garden might be regarded as one of the important cultural landscape heritage.

View full abstract

Excellent noted places and sight-seeing places have been selected as fixed numbered places since the mediaeval ages in Japan. The paper considers changes of numbered noted places, sight-seeing places and so on in the Seto Inland Sea, through analyses of their intention or background of selections, locations, landscapes, and new places. The paper shows changes of the directivity of intention or background, the location movement among Kinki, Tyugoku, Shikoku, and Kyusyu District, the proportion of natural and cultural landscapes, and the rate of new places. The paper also considers preliminarily the poems of Manyosyu in the ancient times.

View full abstract

[in Japanese]

View full abstract

It is accepted that tray landscapes (Bonsai and Bonseki) was originated in China. But, when and in what forms the earliest tray landscapes were made is not obvious. So, this paper considers their formation and origins.
The paper, first, lists and discuss 4 theories about the formation and origin of tray landscapes in China and Japan. Then, the culture and techniques related to the formation of tray landscapes is analyze. The results are as follows:
(1) Tray landscapes first appeared in Hebei Province in the Donghan period, and (2) It was obvious that Potted planting, as an original form of Bonsai, had deeply relation with Buddhism.

View full abstract

Based on the survey of present situation and the analysis of related historical literature, we studied the spatial composition of Puyongdong and Gumseidong gardens, constructed by Yun Seun-do(Kosan), an outstanding confucian in Chosen period, who spent a secluded life for many years in both areas. These spatial composition are considered to be fundamentally based on the two ideas; Pungsu theory and the doctrines of Zhuzi. Puyongdong, his first seclusion area, is located in a big valley of Bogil island. We could find out his ideals showing the idea of politics. On the contrary, Hoeshimdang of Gumseidong which was constructed in about 4 years later in the upper area of a mountain the relation with the real world becomes thin. These characteristics are deep-rooted in Confucianism, as in Chinese seclusion. But, it is quite different from seclusion in Japan.

View full abstract

The author reviewed the usage of the ward “Karesansui” in pre-modern and modern era, which is a style of Japanese gardens as we think today. Through the study it was made clear that the ward “Hiraniwa”, one of Japanese garden style defined in pre-modern era, has not been used as a style of Japanese garden. On the other hand the ward “Karesansui” has been used more in the changing situation of the idea of Japanese garden style. Also the author pointed out that the design vocabulary of Karesansui has been getting more popular in the modanists' design and their articles after Warld War II, and reached to an important design concept of modern landscape design.

View full abstract

Suburban housing development in Japan before World War II, those in Keihanshin Area in particular, has been investigated in terms of environmental planning and site design. Based upon the recognition of importance on environmental aspects by some leading architects and planners, some housing developments along the railways which had been extended into suburban area enhanced the environmental features of the region and the site. Detailed examination of the site plans prepared for housing exhibitions of 12 development areas revealed that layout plan of most development projects took advantages of the factors to be attributed in natural features of the region and the site. Also, those features of the environment were promoted for sales of several development areas as well.

View full abstract

This paper is intended to investigate the concepts of city-park disposition planning in Tokyo City Planning Council (1885). It was revealed that the disposition of many squares had great relationships with existing location of elementary schools and police offices. It was discussed that the relationships between parks and schools were derived from the thought of sanitation, which conceived parks as the places of body exercise. And it was discussed that the relationships between parks and police offices were derived from the thought of police, which conceived parks as the facilities of surveillance system on anti-government movements.

View full abstract

In this study, the author anlalyzed the reration between the argument about the small urban parks and the social situation before and after the Great Kanto earthquake. Then, not only the neccesity of play ground for children, but also the request for the education at the play ground were increasing. In 52 small urban parks in Tokyo constructed during the reconstruction period, The play of children were directed. Arid the small urban parks had the meaning as the installation to integrate communities to the nation and to organize the social order.

View full abstract

In this study, I structually analyzed the historical discourses over ‘HURO-SHYA’ category on the urban open spaces. Especially, I refered to these discourses of trade unionist, social worker, bureaucrat and sociologist. So, I could make clear that the ‘HURO-SHYA’ category had been represented as negativity of ‘citizen society’ and a labour discipline by the analogy with a criminal, a mental disease, and a idel. On the other hand, it was a real problem to Japanese Capitalisim in 1910's that blue workers had not internalized a labour discipline, and not fixed habitation.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study is to pursuit the genealogy of discourses over modern urban openspace and the process of social order formation on openspace by police in Tokyo during late Meiji era. On that time, two kinds of works were controlled. They were street entertainers and junkpeople. The street entertainers were cleared from any street in Tokyo under the pretext that they were dangerous and lazy for civil society. On the other hand, junkpeoplewere recognized as the same way at first, but instead of clearance, they were strictly controlled by their licence and the limit of their business. Therefore, it could conclude that nowaday familiar and orderly discourses had formed through the relationship between modern knowledge and social power structure.

View full abstract

There have been arguments about the influence of Cubism, one of the abstract art movements, upon the design of French modernist gardens in the early twentieth century. Those have tended to focus on the Cubistic vocabularies evident in the compositions of space and the forms of the garden elements. But, it has been hardly discussed if the same way of abstraction as that of the Cubists, who pursued how to abstract their “objects” in the analytical period, emerged in the realm of the garden design. In this discussion, an example of abstraction among the modernist gardens is comparatively analyzed with a Cubist painting. The result shows not only the resemblance but also the difference between the both ways of abstraction.

View full abstract

Japanese Ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), a native of East Asia, is one of the most popular climbing plants in Western countries.
The objective of the study was to explain the early process of the introduction and spread of this plant to the United Kingdom, based on the articles of horticultural magazines published in the 19th century.
The results were as follows:
1) Japanese Ivy was introduced (in commerce) from Japan to the United Kingdom by John Gould Veitch in 1862, and it was also introduced by Richard Oldham to the Royal Gardens, Kew.
2) It was brought into general cultivation in 1868 by Messrs. J. Veitch and Sons.
3) It spread rapidly in 1870s as a climbing plant for walls because its power of attaching itself to walls, the colour of its leaves in autumn and its hardiness were appreciated.
4) It became popular from 1880s, and various ways of its use were suggested.
5) People became aware of its use for improving city environment in the end of the 19th century.

View full abstract

This study aims to reveal the characteristics of residential areas which built in the suburb of Brussels, the capital of Belgium, at the beginning of the twentieth century. They modeled after garden cities of England that had considerable influence on the formation of city planning ideology. We examined their distribution, size, planning methods, technics, public spaces and styles of corporation. By analyzing them, it became clear that these residential areas were garden suburbs, partly depending on the existing city area. and not garden cities planned by E. Howard. And they had relatively small sizes and a planning method for low-density low-rise with irregular arrangement of semidetached houses and terrace houses.

View full abstract

There are 161 Premodern Castle Buildings that were Removed and Reconstructed at the temple or the shrine. We examined there characteristic, career and the owner's opinions for preservation. At the result, the career was variant, for example, one was present by the governor of feudal clan, and other was purchase by parishioner. At preservation, the owner's hope to leave those as they are. In the future, when we examine the Premodern Castle Buildings at the temple or the shrine, we have to estimate them by not only the style or design of architecture but also there career, present enviroment and cultural utility form, and consider “Removing and Reconstruction” as a culture. At preservation, we expect popularization of the Cultural Property Registration System, and increase of subsidy on repair.

View full abstract

This research aims at grasping the whole lists of regional and miniature pilgrimage courses in Wakayama and clarifying the development process of the pilgrimage courses.
The result of the analysis is as the following. 1) There were 38 pilgrimage courses related to 33-kasho and 29 pilgrimage courses related to 88-kasho as a result of the literature investigations, the questionnaire for priests of the Buddhist temples and the field surveys. 2) The pilgrimage courses related to 88-kasho were distributed in the whole area, and the pilgrimage courses related to 33-kasho were concentrated to the two areas. 3) It was confirmed that there were twice foundation booms in 1800 and 1920. 4) There were many open-circuit type located on hillside as a result which was compared about the space structure of the miniature pilgrimage courses. The existence of long ridge route type and small course type located on the summit of mountain related with the Shugen-do is characteristic. 5) Relations between the miniature pilgrimage courses and the village space model could be put together in the 5 pattern;(1) surrounding, (2) overlooking, (3) leading, (4) climbing over and (5) ascending for pray.

View full abstract

The special quality and its change in intention of the aged concerning with the use and conservation of nature were analyzed with multi-dimensional scaling analysis by using the data of public opinion censuses taken by Prime minister's Office in 1986, 1991 and 1996. The following results are obtained: 1) The aged take strong interest in nature. 2) Many of them are amply satisfied with the natural environment in the neighborhood. 3) They show their approval for conservation of nature for the reason of its resources and disaster prevention. 4) The approvers of development in natural park expect improvement in convenience of access to it. 5) Their intention of joining in party for protecting nature is rising. 6) It is suggested that organizing the party for enjoying nature and raising the status of access to it make better in contacting with nature.

View full abstract

On the experimental landscape planting field on the overhead line, located in Yamatotakada city in Nara prefecture, the actual conditions of plants were investigated. The results are summarized as follows:
1) An artificial light-weight soil generally encouraged the growth of the plants with the exception of some species.
2) The rain water storing system under the layer of fill-up soil reduced the death rate of the plants.
3) The ventilation pipe for a water storing system was not expected to make obvious effect.

View full abstract

The evaporation control effect of covering materials for landscaping was studied. The environment of evaporation was considered for indoor planting or atrium where water management is necessary. The knowledge of the evaporation control effect was empirical, however those effect were not estimated numerically. Among many factors, the effective diffusion coefficient in covering materials is the most important physical factor to explain the water transport process. This was determined by the Stefan cell. We developed a one dimensional soil water transport model which described the evaporation process of the soil-covering system, where the water transport in soil was considered both in the liquid and vapor states, while that in covering material was considered only in the vapor state. Assuming that the ruling equation was the Richards type of non-linear differential equation, the diffusion equations was converted to a non-linear type because the independent variables were same in both equations. Then numerical solutions explained the measurement value well. Therefore this model is considered useful for indoor or atrium systems.

View full abstract

Reforestation of steep slopes, which caused by road or new town constructions in hilly areas, is important from the viewpoint of restoring the native landscape and preventing the soil erosion. In the previous articles, we presented the possibility of using stem cuttings for reforestation in the bare slope. However, when we practically apply this method, it is necessary to clear the tolerance of cuttings against the storage term before planting, and also against the none-watering condition after planting. Experimental plots with different banking heights and rain conditions were prepared. As materials, Quercus glauca and Camellia japonica were used because of successful results in our previous experiments. The results of this experiment were as follows:
It became apparent that Q. glauca and C. japonica could keep sprouting ability during 2 weeks and 6 weeks of storage term, respectively. Both species showed promising results under none-watering condition, and especially, C. japonica achieved developing shoots and roots even under rainless condition in 120cm banking height plot.

View full abstract

This paper reports the results of a study of the effect of using different root-wrapping materials, or using none, on the above-ground and root growth of two types of deciduous trees (Magnolia kobus and Quercus acutissima). The study also monitored the soil temperature and soil water, which cause root-wrapping materials to biodegrade: during the test period, differences between the trees-in terms of soil temperature and the amount of soil water-were small. Results for both types of trees, 28 months after transplanting, showed that using different root-wrapping materials-or not using root wrapping-had no effect on the growth of transplanted trees. We found that the reason was that (after 28 months) between 69% and 88% by weight of the root-wrapping materials had biodegraded, so the conditions for trees with root wrapping were virtually the same as for those without. This indicates that root-wrapping does not interfere with the root development and growth of transplanted trees.

View full abstract

Adventitious root formation and lateral shoot growth was studied in juvenile and adult Ficus pumila (Fp), F. oxyphylla (Fo) and F.thunbergii (Ft) using two node-stem cuttings. In both Fp and Ft, j uvenile cuttings showed larger adventitious root formation than adult ones, but such difference was not observed in Fo. The position of cuttings on the shoot did not affect the rooting ability in juvenile shoots of Fp and Ft, but in cuttings derived from upper part of adult shoots of Ft and Fo, adventitious rooting occurred at higher ratio than in lower ones. Eighteen weeks after the cuttings were placed, growth of lateral buds was estimated in juvenile Fp and Ft cuttings. In Fp, length and number of nodes of lateral shoots were larger than in Ft. In practice, some nurserymen usually treat cuttings of Fp and Ft similarly because they believe there is no difference in growth of the lateral shoots from the cuttings between Fp and Ft. But, the present study showed the presence of such difference. Further experiment seems to be needed to clarify this point in detail.

View full abstract

In order to clarify the effects of storage term and post-storage temperature on germination of the seeds of nine species in Fagaceae, germination speed and germination rate were examined using the seeds stored under a wet (75%RH) and cold (4°C) condition. Experimental conditions were as follows.(1) Post-storage temperature: 9°C, 16°C, 23°, 30°C and 35°C.(2) Storage term: long (127-175 days) and short (15-70 days).
Germination speed and germination rate of Quercus myrsinaefolia and Q. acuta were higher in long-term storage. Germination speed of Q. glauca was higher in long-term storage. On the other hand, germination speed and germination rate of Q. serrata and Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii were lower in long-term storage.
Germination speed and germination rate of Q. salisina were the highest at 23°C, and those of Q. gilva were the highest at 16°C. Germination rate of Q. acutissima under temperatures between 9 and 30°C were over 80%. Germination speed and germination rate of Pasania edulis were the highest at 9°C and 30°C, respectively. Each species of Fagaceae had their own germination characteristics affected by temperature. And geographical difference of germination characteristics within a species were not clear.

View full abstract

We studied annual growth characteristics of young plants of Quercus acuta, Q. glauca, and Q. salicina. Q. acuta increased the tree height from early April to early October. Q. glauca increased the tree height from early April to early September. Q. salicina increased the tree height from early April to mid-October. All of them showed flashes four to five times during each period.
All of the three species increased the stem diameter between early April and late November. Periods when the increasing rate of the total leaf area of a whole tree showed maxima were different among three species and the age within a species. However, all of the species began to increase the total leaf area in early April, and stopped the increasing in late October, irrespective of species and age.
These results showed that young plants of three species had a similar growth characteristics.

View full abstract

In order to explicate the formation of the stand structure of 'ecological tree planting' site, we investigated the conditions of the stand in a bay shore power station at Himeji city on the eighteenth year after planting. Vegetation of the upper layer were mainly composed of Machilus thunbergii, Lithocarpus edulis and Ligusturm lucidum. Many seedlings of Rhaphiolepis umbllata and Ligusturm lucidum grew on the stratum on the ground surface. The formation of some vegetation layers was recognized, which was caused by gap formation. The soil stratum within carbon and nitrogen extended to deeper layer from the planting time. Furthermore, those formation was emphasized by the recognition of some species of cicadas with the cast-off shells and forester insects. However, the floristic composition in the stand was different from that of Photinia glabra-Castanopsis cuspidata association, a natural vegetation around the investigated area.

View full abstract

Photosynthetic characteristics of 4 broad leaved woody species (Ternstroemia gymnanthera, Ilex rotunda, Ilex integra and Michelia figo) under different light environments (full sun, shaded and interior condition) were measured in an atrium building for detached leaves. These 4 species had lower dark respiration and light compensation points than that of Mallotus japonicus which is a sun tree and differs from M. japonicus in photosynthetic characteristics. Shade tolerances of 4 species increased under 70% shaded condition, those under interior condition increased furthermore. I. rotunda and I. integra under full sun or shaded condition had high photosynthetic rate like M. japonicus at relative high light level. On the other hand, these two species had lower dark respiration and light compensation points which are almost at the same rate of trees in understory of tropical rain forest. So these two species seem to have high photosynthetic plasticity.

View full abstract

The Mu-us Desert is located in the Ordos Plateau of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in China, where desertification has expanded due to unreasonable land utilization. In recent years, with the establishment of the Mu-Us Desert Reserch Center, afforestation program has progressed. In this study, we conducted an analysis of annual ring on afforestation trees and a native shrub species of climax community in the site, and evaluated the relationship of annual ring growth with meteorological factors, to clarify the cause of still poor results in some areas. The results showed that, coldness during winter and aridity during sprouting season has the greatest effect on tree growth, followed by moisture during summer, daylight hours during winter and precipitation. Species specific reaction could also be recognized.

View full abstract

Optimizing the land use system is needed for sustainable biological products in a regional scale. The ojective of this study is to recognize potential land productivity in relation with catenary sequence of land form and soils in coastal area, Peninsular Thailand.
Rubber plantations and Melaleuca cajuputi, which is used by making charcoal, were chosen as the evaluation objects, in the result of the combination between land form-soils and land use maps. The results are as follows. 1) growing size of rubber trees for 10 years was the highest on foot slopes among the sequence from hill tops to foot slopes and high terrace. 2) Ecological carrying capacity of M. cajuputi was the highest in thick peats among peats with different peat depth and offshore bars.
In discussion, selecting the appropriate plants and/or land use types, and evaluating from various angles might be needed for potential land productivity evaluation in a regional scale, which is the complex of diverse land form-soil.

View full abstract

Evaluation of abiotic conditions in order to estimate potential suitability in wetland are very important for biotope planning. The authors tried to develop evaluation methods of potential abiotic conditions by a case study. Three different water conditions, groundwater level, location and quantity of surface water, and lake water level as well as topography, soil and landuse in 1960's were investigated in the study area located in Michinoku Lakewood National Government Park beside the manmade (dam) lake, Miyagi Pref., northeast Japan.
The study area (approximately 40ha) divided to 36 micro land units which identified by topographic characteristics influenced by past agricultural landuse. It became clear that each land unit had relatively homogeneous groundwater level. Water availability for each land unit supplied by three different water sources were estimated in case of excavation in order to create shallow open water as the primary stage of hydrarch succession. Finally, potential suitability of each micro land unit as wetland was evaluated by the composition of water availability.

View full abstract

Yato (paddy field at bottomland with sideslope), dotted in urban area, is habitat of rural animals. Frogs are bio-index characterized Yato where have an unit of paddy fields and coppice forests. We discussed the peculiarity in Yato and conservation of frogs formed the ecological network in urban area.
As a result of investigation on watershed of Kasio river, we understood that the fauna of Frogs was endangered. Because Yato have much missed and isolated by the urban impact. It is indispensable to conservation of frogs that protect individual Yato habitat and form the ecological network in large area. And, it is efficiency to select Yato: centers of Frogs habitat, that we study the ecological network from the viewpoint of watershed.
In ecological urban planning, we consider Yato important position and significance to preserve connection between human and rural nature.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study is to clarify the difference of cicader species according to the forest stand. The objective area was settled around Komayama hill (altitude 167.3m) in Ohiso-town, Kanagawa prefecture. The survey routes were fixed in evergreen bload leaf forest, deciduous bload leaf forest, evergreen and broad leaf mixed broad leaf forest, and evergreen conifer forest.The cicada's shells were collected every week during the season in 1996 and the number of each species in each forest stands were counted. In total, 1363 shells of 5 species were registered. The highest shell number per area among the stands was recorded at evergreen bloadleaf forest. However, in case of particular cicada species, the number per area in deciduous forest is much higher than in evergreen forest. Therefore, the diversity of the flora is important to keep diversity of species even within family of cicadas. The difference of cicada species density according to the luminance, soil hardness and soil water content were also founded.

View full abstract

The little tern Sterna albifrons breeds on sandy coasts or riverbanks.It has become an endangered species because of decreasing nesting habitat in recent years.
I investigated 18 colony sites of little terns in south-Kanto provinces to clarify essential conditions for nesting and to propose a possibly way of habitat reconstruction for little terns. It turned out that little terns established their breeding colonies on sandy grounds where the percentage of vegetation cover was 5% or less.Such materials like stones that can indicate the nest location often existed near the nests.It is preferable to maintain and to manage a habitat which is suitable for breeding of little terns considering the abovementioned matters.

View full abstract

This paper studies the relationship between the land use formations centered on the paddy field and the bird inhabiting in the western part of Robe city and East Harinla (Inami-cho, Kako country and eastern part of Akashi city). As a result, the fewness of bird population and bird species and low level of bird's diversity were confirmed in the single paddy field of land use and warm house, artificial land in the farming area and isolated paddy field and field in the town area. On the other hand, the various land use compositions increase the bird diversity in the rural landscape at urban fringe area that include the paddy field, upland field for open cultivation, secondly woods and rural settlement with trees. It is thought that the various land use existed diversely is important for the bird inhabiting.

View full abstract

This experiment was undertaken in order to increase the aesthetics and the biodiversity in semi-natural grasslands using the pot grown plants of Ranunculus japonicus. The pot grown plants were transplanted to the levee in Fukui city at a density of 16/m² followed by three years of mowing management.
Two years after transplantation, about 90% of parent individuals had survived. Some parent individuals died after three years, however, new seedlings had established themselves by then. Mowing the population at the early stage of flowering produced few flowering after mowing, while mowing during the middle of the flowering period interrupted flowering completely. The number of seedlings reached 161/m² when mowing each year for three years after the seed setting had occurred. Even when mowing was performed at the middle of the flowering period, seedlings had a density of 56/m². Even with mowing performed twice or three times a year, the Ranunculus japonicus population never declined.

View full abstract

This paper aims to identify the relationship between distribution patterns and structure of forests for the conservation of spring ephemeral species in Nishi-waga, Iwate, Japan.
Two spring ephemeral species, Anemone pseudo-altaica and Erythronium japonicum, were selected as target species, and their distribution patterns were studied in relation with shrub layer structures of forests, land-use history, and the accessibility into the interior for each forest site. Distribution patterns of other spring-blooming species including Asiasarum sieboldii, Heloniopsis orientalis, Trillium smallii, Paris tetraphylla, and Viola grypoceras were also taken into account.
The study identified that; 1) shrub layers should be less than 20% in coverage and lower than lm in height to provide an optimum condition for the growth of spring ephemeral species, as well as that of other spring-blooming species mentioned above, 2) the growth of target species are restricted at forest sites which had been overused as a grassland, and 3) both forest sites with low shrub layers and sites which used to be grasslands can be found in easily accessible areas.
The results suggest that forest floor management is one of key factors for the conservation of spring ephemeral species, while land-use history and accessibility of the site, which restrict the growth of spring ephemeral species, should be taken into account when deciding the sites which should be managed. The results also suggest the need of a comprehensive land management system for the conservation of spring ephemeral species.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study is to make clear transitions of agricultural land-use and landscape in rural communities. 3 rural communities, Uchizono, Onda and Shirahage in Oita prefecture, were selected as study areas. Land-use maps of 1947, 1976 and 1992 were made from aerial photo for each community. Interview survey to the inhabitants was also conducted about the number of agricultural laborers and landscape in 1947, 1976 and 1992.
The results are as follows;
(1) The typical character of landscape in these rural communities has been changing from “terraced paddy field, coppice woodland and common grass land” in 1947, through “orchard and conifer plantations” in 1976, to “invading bamboo forest and abandoned arable land” in 1992.
(2) The number of agricultural laborer has decreased from 2.9person/house in 1947 to 1. 1person/house in 1992, and it caused significant abandonment of agricultural land.
(3) Transitions of land-use and landscape are different in each community according to the agricultural management.

View full abstract

Vegetational changes induced by the magnitude of improvement cut at the two investigated district of Pinus densiflora forest in Hyogo prefecture were studied. Five years after the management, the number of species in a 100m²-quadrate increased in conducted area (+21 sp. at max.). On the otherside, there were little changes in uncontrolled area. These results indicates that the management was effective for conserving species diversity. In more-conducted area, species of Miscanthetea sinensis and Clerodendro-Mallotion japonicae, which have been considered to be unsuitable in P. densiflora forest, had appeared. And root sprout origin species tend to dominate.

View full abstract

We analyzed the flora of 11 open spaces in Sapporo city using Principal Component Analysis. The first axis AX1 negatively correlated with forest-cover ratio in peripheral area and time after isolation, both of which indicated the degree of isolation, and number of forest species. Since isolation of open space was advanced by the increase of urbanized area, AX1 should extract the decrease of forest species due to the urbanization. The second axis AX2 extracted the anthropogenic disturbance affected the flora of open space; The enlargement of disturbed area which positively related with the area of open space increased the ruderal species.
The number of forest plants being extinguished by the urbanization was 30 of grasses and herbs, and 14 of trees. Among the 14 trees, 10 were bird-dispersal and 4 were wind-dispersal. Accordingly, bird-dispesal species would be extinguished by the isolation of woodlot, and forest-cover ratio within 100 m of peripheral area was most effective for the isolation. However, because all grasses and herbs was forest-floor species, the effect of fragmentation causing the decrease of woodlot size would significantly affect.

View full abstract

For the purpose of monitoring of revegetation works in Mu-Us desert using remote sensing data, we conducted groundtruthing survey. Spectral reflectance characteristics of the vegetation were treated as the vigor, and the relations between the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and vegetation variables such as leaf area index (LAI) and biomass analyzed. The results show that NDVI is positively related to LAI. Although biomass has low correlation with NDVI, multiple regression expression of NDVI and LAI as independent variable is useful for estimating biomass.

View full abstract

The expansion of remobilized sand dune in the sandy grassland in Naiman-Qi, Inner Mongolia, China was studied using the map produced by the Former Imperial Japanese Army and the desertification classification map published by Chinese Academy of Sciences. Sand dune expanded 1.8 times larger in 1980's than 1930's. The spatial distribution of its severity depended upon edaphic factors such as landform and soil type. Concerning landform, the sequence of sand dune-low terrace-flood plain arranged in order of the magnitude of bare land rate while in soiltype, aeolian sandy soils were damaged far more severely than meadow soils.

View full abstract

As a method for monitoring the vigor of planted forest community, we examined the spectral light intensity inside and outside the community by a photometer and a experimental detector of vegetation index. By mesuring the spectral intensity and checking an optical model, it is concluded that ambient light inside the community is more sensitive than reflected light outside the community, and near infrared spectrum is also more sensitive than red spectrum to detect the variation of LAI of the community. Vegeation indexes, such as R/IR and NDVI, derived from the light inside the community is also useful as for the reflected light for the forest vigor monitoring.

View full abstract

The species composition conservation function of rural space and its landscape conservation function are assessed in Nose-cho, Osaka Prefecture. The relationships among the assessing results are studied in detail, the environmental characteristics indicated by land use and topography, and the passing years after the consolidation projects were implemented. It is concluded that the visual quality of terraced paddy field without consolidation projects is scored higher in the study area. The highest plants diversity is also result with which the invasion rate of alien plants are lower. On the other hand, the big bank created by the field consolidation have a great negative impacts on the visual quality, and species composition of the bank. Big bank have more alien species than the small and not consolidated bank. Although the visual quality is assessed a little higher regardless of the year when the consolidation projects was undertaken, the study results show that the later the date of consolidation projects is, the higher the invasion rate becomes, and the lower the conservation function of native species tends to become.

View full abstract

Our last report was a study of the effective form (eg. type, shape or scale) of open space for urban climate control by Landsat TM data of Northen Tokyo areas.
This paper tried to analyze on the form of open space and surface temperature. Following results are obtained:
1) cool island area extend growing larger open space area,
2) cool island area with a plural open space is more low temperature than that with a independent open space, and showed effective form of open space for reducing the warming temperature in a pixel (30m×30m) scale.

View full abstract

This paper studies the importance of continuously collecting monitoring images to establish a landscape information base using networks.
to send and receive multimedia information (e. g., images) via the Internet and we decided to apply this technology to the recording and sharing of landscape images. Since October, 1995 we have developed two forest video-recording robot cameras, have recorded close-up images of branches and leaves and a whole forest, provided data to forest science researchers, and have been evaluating the scientific value of these cameras. As a result, we have found that images continuously recorded from a fixed point are valuable study data for many researchers of the forest landscape and environment. This study also suggests that a system in which image information is compiled with existing environmental data and is distributed over the Internet will contribute to the study of environment education.
In conclusion, to build a landscape information base for the future, it is important to compile image information continuously recorded from afixed point in the visual landscape monitoring method.

View full abstract

Picture information processing to record a picture, to digitize it, and to share it in a network is effective technology to share landscape information. These are realized by new information processing technical application. We picked up and evaluated these technical application examples for preparing forest environmental information base using fixed point camera and made a subject by the present clear. We developed the forest video-recording robot for arecord of the forest picture information and put it to practical use. Recorded videos were digitized by Apple video codec and made links with the weather data and we made it possible to provide them intuitively through the Internet.

View full abstract

Internet has become an inportant media for disclosure of environmental information and visualization of the landscape on WWW (World Wide Web) is effective tool for showing the information. In the present study, 3-D visulization techniques on WWW were described. First, CGI (Common Gateway Interface) script and terrain rendering software were developed for the visualization on WWW. Details of algorithm for texture mapping and parameters of the terrain rendering software were explained. Secondly, VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) was used for the terrain visualization and example of the program and image were shown.

View full abstract