Betula schmidtii （Schmidt birch） is a broadleaved tree similar to Betula platyphylla var. japonica and is mainly distributed on the steep rocky ridges of the Jobu Mountains in central Japan.　This study elucidates the habitat conditions and regenerations of Betula schmidtii stands, focusing on the forest structure and tree population establishment.　On the steep rocky ridges, Betula schmidtii grows on poor soils and gently inclined surfaces in contrast to the local dominant species Quercus serrata.　Under these conditions, the local dominant species （Quercus serrata） lost its complete dominance.　Betula schmidtii stands were composed of seedlings, saplings, and young and mature low-statured trees.　In summary, we conclude that Betula schmidtii trees are maintained by successive regeneration and that they represent a local climax forest spreading across the Jobu Mountain’s steep rocky ridges.

The vegetation of Kinkazan Island （992 ha）, northern Japan is prevailed by forests and only small openings exist.　Many of the latter were dominated by Miscanthus sinensis, a tall tussock grass while communities of Zoysia japonica, a low growing grass, develop at the places where high density deer populations live.　This suggests that a M. sinensis community alters to a Z. japonica community as grazing intensity of the deer increases.　Although similar phenomena are known at pastures grazed by livestock, previous studies only described the phenomena.　This study intended to explain the reason of these phenomena by a clipping experiment of mixed planting of M. sinensis and Z. japonica.　Although leaf length, plant height, and productivity of M. sinensis were more intensively reduced as clipping frequency increased, those of Z. japonica were not affected.　These suggest that heavy grazing decreased M. sinensis tussocks and favored Z. japonica swards.　This clipping experiment partly explained that frequent leaf clipping caused the replacement of M. sinensis by Z. japonica on the island.

We examined traditional semi-natural grasslands （TSGs）, i.e., semi-natural grasslands primarily dominated by Imperata cylindrica var. koenigii on the levee slopes of traditional terraced paddy fields in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.　The species composition of TSGs was compared with that of semi-natural grasslands dominated by Miscanthus sinensis and Zoysia japonica.　Four phytosociological associations （i.e., Arundinario pygmaeae–Miscanthetum sinensis Miyawaki et Itow 1974, Saussureo−Miscanthetum sinensis Suganuma 1970, Geranio–Zoysietum japonicae Suganuma 1966, and Centello−Zoysietum japonicae Itow 1970） were selected as Miscanthus sinensis- and Zoysia japonica-dominated semi-natural grasslands.　The species composition of TSGs markedly differed from that of the four phytosociological associations.　Majority of the differential species of TSGs were annual plants, such as Justicia procumbens var. procumbens, Acalypha australis, and Setaria pumila.　In addition, comparison of life-form spectra revealed that the proportion of annual plants was higher in TSGs than in the four associations.　These findings indicate that TSGs are characterized by the presence of annual plants.