Soil animal fauna and ground water levels were examined to determine the influence of soil water on soil animals around an agricultural pond in a suburban area. Large plots (10 m × 10 m each) for creating plant community profile diagrams; they were Concave (with spring water), Convex (without spring water), and Bamboo (with spring water after heavy rain events) sites. Two small plots (2 m × 2 m each) were set within each large plot for sampling of soil animals and litter, and analysing of soil chemistry. Soil samples were collected by the gleaning method and soil animals were extracted by Tullgren funnels for three days. We also installed a total of 18 wells to measure the ground water levels within the three study sites. The presence of ground water was confirmed in the Concave and Bamboo sites, particularly throughout the year in the Concave site. Enchytraeidae, Pseudoscorpiones, and Amphipoda were the common groups in the Concave site, although these were observed in a small number in the Convex site. A large numbers of taxa were observed in the Bamboo site throughout the year. This site presumably provided a rich food resource and an appropriate habitat for soil animals with plenty of litter. There were some large size broad-leaved trees mixed with bamboo, so that the litter might be good quality for soil animals

View full abstract

Chemical species in bulk precipitation, through fall and stemflow of Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) were determined during the period from September 2000 until August 2001 at the Oku-Chichibu (CCB) in the mountainous site, and at the Tama Hills (TAM) and Kamakura (KMK) in the suburban forest hills sites. The pH values of throughfall was the highest of all sites at CCB, presumably due to neutralization by base cations such as K⁺ The pH values of the stemflow was low at TAM and KMK, presumably because the contribution of input acidity “Ai (N0₃^- + nss-SO₄^2-)” was large. Dry deposition and canopy leaching fluxes were estimated for forest canopies. utilizing a model based on the material balance method. Dry deposition fluxes of anions were estimated to be much larger at TAM and KMK in comparison with those of CCB. Therefore, it was supposed that dry deposition in forest canopies is more important to acidic deposition in suburban hills than in remote mountains. Leaching flux of N0₃^- was estimated to be as large as dry deposition flux in suburban hills, whereas adsorption flux of N0₃^- was estimated in the mountainous site. Concentrations of K⁺ and Ca²⁺ in leachate collected at all sites were higher than concentratins of other cations. The concentration of Mg²⁺ in the leachate collected at TAM and KMK was much higher than that at CCB, though the ratio of this ion in total cations was low.

View full abstract

There have been no scientific studies on where the juveniles of the Japanese fire-bellied newts Cynops pyrrhogaster move after their metamorphosis. The study site was in a riverside lowland of Tottori City. An area of 6 m x 14 m including a small stream where the adult fire-bellied newts breed every year was examined for the existence of juveniles from June through September of 2006. The following results were obtained. After their metamorphosis, the juveniles landed on the bank and stayed under dead grass close to the stream for some days. Then they moved some meters away from the stream and stayed there more than a few months. Some juveniles, which were seemingly older than one year of age, were also observed some meters away from the stream. Analysis of feces of juveniles showed that they preyed on small soil animals like Acari and Collembola.

View full abstract

Centric diatoms of an assemblage from Hashie-numa (Hashie Pond) in Isesaki, Gunma, Japan, were investigated over a period of 26 years. Hashie-numa is a man-made pond was built somewhere between the late Heian Period (ca. 1100 A.D.) and the middle Kamakura Period (ca. 1300 A.D.). The pond is used to irrigate rice fields and to farm carp and smelt. The latter caused the pond to become eutrophic in quality. A total of 16 samples taken from 1979 to 2005 yielded 22 taxa of centric diatoms belonging to 10 genera. The assemblage is characteristically abundant in Aulacoseira taxa in fall to winter and Stephanodiscus taxa in spring. Dominant taxa are Aulacoseira ambigua (Grunow) Simonsen, Aulacoseira granulata (Ehrenb.) Simonsen, Cyclostephanos cf. invistatus (M.H.Hohn et Hellerman) E.C.Ther., Stoermer et Håk., Cyclotella meneghiniana Kütz., Stephanodtiscus hantzschii f. tenuis (Hust.) Håk. & Stoermer and Stephanodiscus minutulus (Kütz.) A.Cieve et J.D.Möll. Microstructure and/or taxonomic information of the 14 prevalent taxa is presented here.

View full abstract

Vibrio fischeri (marine bioluminescence bacteria) is known for changes in the quantity of bioluminescence by a chemical substance. Recently, attempts have been made to develop a biosensor using this characteristic. One problem is that it is difficult to use as a biosensor in culture solutions. In this study, a biosensor was made by the bacteria immobilization method using agar and magnetic force (ferromagnetic powder). The relationship between the concentration of a chemical compound and the quantity of immobilized bacterial bioluminescence was examined to evaluate the convenience of a new magnetic biosensor.

View full abstract

In this study, tardigrades were found in 94 samples of bryophytes which were collected from the various places of Kochi Prefecture. Among those, Isohypsibius mammillosus was first recorded from Japan. Echiniscus dreyjusi, E. fischeri, E. laterosetosus, E. reticulates, E. semifoveolatus, E. tesselatus, E. viridis, Macrobiotus hibernicus, M. occidentalis, Hypsibius convergens, H. dujaradini, H. microps, H. novemcinctus, Platicrista angustata, Itaqascon umbelinae, Diphascon pingue, D. higginsi, D. scoticum, and Ramazzottius baumanni were first recorded from the Shikoku district, Echiniscus baius, E. japonicus, Macrobiotus harmsworthi, and M. richtersi were first recorded from Kochi Prefecture.

View full abstract

Echinochaete ruficeps is a tropical white rot fungus, but recently has been observed in the Kinki region of Japan. Occurrence of E. ruficeps was observed not only on the fallen branches but also on the branches of living trees (Konara: Quercus serrata) in Kyoto and Uji. From this observation, it is suggested that this fungus infects the branches of host-living trees and its fruit body forms on them.

View full abstract

A total of 87 species of liverworts and one species of hornwort were recorded from approximately 1400 specimens collected from Mt. Ohyama and adjacent areas, northwest of Kanagawa. Taxa of phytogeographic interest include Alobiellopsis parvifolia and Lejeunea planiloba.

View full abstract

An investigation was conducted on bryophytes from the north side of Mt. Iwato and adjacent areas, east of Shizuoka, Japan, from October, 2006 to March, 2007.
A total of 157 species of mosses, 82 species of liverworts, and one species of hornwort were recognized from approximately 1,200 specimens collected. Taxa of phytogeographic interest include Diphyscium kashimirense, D. lorifolium, Fissidens geppii, Entodon conchohyllus, Cephaloziella kiaeri, and Cololejeunea nakajimae.

View full abstract

This paper is the first report on liverworts from Mt. Kaji, mainly from Seongnamsa (360 m) and Eoreumgol (720 m), South Korea. A total of 28 species of liverworts were recorded. The liverworts flora at the foot of this mountain is very poor, and all species are common in South Korea.

View full abstract

A supplementary literature survey was conducted on bryophytes reported from Kanagawa Pref., Japan. A total of 651 species including 445 species of mosses，197 species of liverworts，and 9 species of hornworts were recorded

View full abstract