Factors affecting the dynamics of vegetation in the landscapes of shimokamagari Island,southwestern Japan |
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| Authors: | Nobukazu Nakagoshi Yoko Ohta |
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| Institution: | (1) Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University, Higashi-senda, Naka-ku, 730 Hiroshima, Japan |
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| Abstract: | On Shimokamagari, an island of the Seto Island Sea, patterns of vegetation in the landscape were studied using vegetation
maps. Relationships between social and economic changes, site conditions and the vegetation were examined from a historical
perspective. In the process of economic development, mandarin orange production became important on this island. However,
over-production, a reduction in the price of mandarin oranges and low-temperature damage to orange trees caused large citrus
orchards to be abandoned. A plant community dominated by kudzu appeared in the abandoned orchards and the pine forests, as
well. These changes in orchards were connected with the natural site conditions, such as soil, geology, inclination, elevation,
direction of slope, and also with artificial conditions, such as density of working paths. Another factor causing change was
the replacement of the organic fertilizer of litter from forests by chemical fertilizer since the 1960's. As a result, medium
and small forests of pine became tall forests and tall forests of pine changed into tall oak forests. In the human-dominated
areas, the major factors affecting the process of vegetation were economic activities, and after the abandonment of the farm-lands,
forest succession were controlled by natural site conditions.
This paper was presented at the World-Congress of Landscape Ecology in Ottawa, 1991
Titles are tentative translations for original titles in Japanese by the authors. |
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| Keywords: | agricultural economics citrus fruit production island landscape rural forest site condition social change |
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