Description:    Recently, the conversion of plantations into natural forests has attracted increasing attention, but little is known about how to convert a windthrown plantation into a natural forest. We examined the initial 3-year effects of salvage logging, site preparation, planting, and weeding in comparison with the effects of legacy retention after a typhoon blowdown on the changes in terrestrial environments and plant compositions and the similarity of the species composition to that of the intact natural forest. Our major findings are as follows: (1) A homogeneous, sunny, and flat environment continued for 3 years in the planted and weeded plot, whereas a heterogeneous environment was observed in the legacy retention plot; however, the light environment changed slightly in the planted plot. (2) The species composition in the planted plots changed greatly due to invasion by annual, biennial, and perennial herbs and early successional trees. Alien species also invaded the planted row. Conversely, the species composition changed little in the legacy retention, which was likely due to the presence of residual plants that prevented shade-intolerant species from being established. (3) The legacy retention, followed by the residual row, was the closest to the natural forest with respect to species composition, whereas the planted row was the most dissimilar from the natural forest. Legacy retention appears to be the most appropriate way to restore a natural forest immediately after a windthrow, yet supplemental planting may be necessary to restore the desired broadleaved species. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s11355-012-0206-3 Authors Miho Morimoto, Laboratory of Forest Ecosystem Management, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita 9 jo, Nishi 9, Kita ku, Sapporo, 060-8589 Japan Junko Morimoto, Laboratory of Forest Ecosystem Management, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita 9 jo, Nishi 9, Kita ku, Sapporo, 060-8589 Japan Yoshiaki Moriya, Laboratory of Forest Ecosystem Management, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita 9 jo, Nishi 9, Kita ku, Sapporo, 060-8589 Japan Futoshi Nakamura, Laboratory of Forest Ecosystem Management, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita 9 jo, Nishi 9, Kita ku, Sapporo, 060-8589 Japan Journal Landscape and Ecological Engineering Online ISSN 1860-188X Print ISSN 1860-1871

Description:    This study was conducted to assess the floral composition of the Alno communal mixed forest in the Philippines. A quadrat method of vegetational analysis was used for the assessment of trees, shrubs, saplings, and seedlings. A total of 78 species belonging to 43 families were identified in this communal forest. For the assessment of grasses, herbs, ferns, and other low-lying vegetation, the line intercept method was used. A total of 31 species belonging to 20 families were found using this method. The diversity (Shannon–Wiener) indices of this communal forest are 3.2129 and 2.3870 for the quadrat method and line intercept method, respectively. The most dominant species in this area is Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon (Benguet pine) with an importance value of 64.19 %. Endemic species in the area also connote ecological importance, being considered a good indication of the status of habitats and ecosystems of this communal forest. Content Type Journal Article Category Report Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s11355-012-0204-5 Authors Roscinto Ian C. Lumbres, Department of Forest Resources, Kongju National University, Yesan, Chungnam 340-802, South Korea Jennifer A. Palaganas, College of Forestry, Benguet State University, 2601 La Trinidad, Benguet, Philippines Sheryll C. Micosa, College of Forestry, Benguet State University, 2601 La Trinidad, Benguet, Philippines Kenneth A. Laruan, College of Forestry, Benguet State University, 2601 La Trinidad, Benguet, Philippines Elvira D. Besic, College of Forestry, Benguet State University, 2601 La Trinidad, Benguet, Philippines Chung-Weon Yun, Department of Forest Resources, Kongju National University, Yesan, Chungnam 340-802, South Korea Young-Jin Lee, Department of Forest Resources, Kongju National University, Yesan, Chungnam 340-802, South Korea Journal Landscape and Ecological Engineering Online ISSN 1860-188X Print ISSN 1860-1871

Description:    A method enabling the object-oriented image analysis of landscape elements incorporating topographic data was designed and tested on a Japanese countryside target area. IKONOS data (four multispectral bands with a spatial resolution of 4 m and a panchromatic band with a spatial resolution of 1 m) acquired on 23 April 2001 were used. Definiens v.5 software (Definiens AG, München, Germany) was employed for the classification. The initial segmentation was multiresolution and bottom-up, and each segment identified was considered to be one object. Two classifications employing the same landscape elements and ground truth data were implemented. One classification adopted an object-based image analysis classification method based on spectral characteristics; the other utilized an object-oriented image analysis (OOIA) that allows for a suitable scale parameter to be selected independently for each landscape element. In addition, topographic data derived from field surveys (walking surveys) and topographic maps were used to create a topographic database delineating the boundary between valley bottoms and the adjacent slopes (elevation: about 10 m). These data were then integrated into the OOIA analysis. The accuracies of the two classifications were assessed by comparing the results to a master landscape map produced directly from aerial photographs and on-site observations. The object-oriented method using the topographic data resulted in a higher overall kappa coefficients (0.63–0.47) than the object-based method. These results indicate that object-oriented image analysis of very high resolution data used in combination with topographic data can be an effective tool for landscape classification in Japan, where historical land-use patterns have resulted in finely dissected landscapes. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s11355-012-0202-7 Authors Kazuyuki Takahashi, Graduate School of Informatics, Tokyo University of Information Sciences, 4-1 Onaridai, Wakaba-ku, Chiba, 265-8501 Japan Noritoshi Kamagata, Kokusai Kogyo Co. Ltd, 2-24-1 Harumicho, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-0057, Japan Keitarou Hara, Department of Environmental Information, Tokyo University of Information Sciences, 4-1 Onaridai, Wakaba-ku, Chiba, 265-8501 Japan Journal Landscape and Ecological Engineering Online ISSN 1860-188X Print ISSN 1860-1871

Description:    Salix cheilophila Schneid. is a naturally occurring Salix species in Mu Us Sandy Land, Inner Mongolia, China. We focused on the morphological adaptability of S. cheilophila to sand dune burial. For morphological measurements, 32 S. cheilophila seedlings were removed from a community which was in the process of being buried by a shifting sand dune. Each seedling collected included the entire root system. We measured the number, length, and biomass of the adventitious roots, primary lateral roots, and taproot, and compared the morphological characteristics of the root system, including adventitious roots, for seedlings buried to various levels in the sand. The growth range of adventitious roots increased as the length of the buried portion of the main shoot increased. In addition, the total dry weight of all current-year shoots tended to increase gradually with increasing total dry weight of the adventitious roots. These results suggest that S. cheilophila tends to make use of the sedimentary sand layer that accompanies shifting sand dunes. However, there was no correlation between biomass or number of adventitious roots and the length of the buried part of the main shoot. Thus, S. cheilophila does not grow adventitious roots proportional to the buried part. These morphological characteristics of the root system, including the adventitious roots, may indicate that S. cheilophila has poor morphological adaptability to sand dune burial. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s11355-012-0205-4 Authors Tomohiro Teraminami, Graduate School of Environmental Science, Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530 Japan Atsushi Nakashima, Graduate School of Systems Engineering, Wakayama University, Wakayama, 640-8444 Japan Mao Ominami, Graduate School of Systems Engineering, Wakayama University, Wakayama, 640-8444 Japan Masanori Yamamoto, Wakayama Prefecture, Wakayama 640-8585, Japan Zhang Guo Sheng, College of Forestry, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia 010019, China Ken Yoshikawa, Graduate School of Environmental Science, Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530 Japan Journal Landscape and Ecological Engineering Online ISSN 1860-188X Print ISSN 1860-1871

Description:    In limited-water-level reservoirs, areas along the reservoir shoreline are often exposed within the drawdown zone when water levels are reduced from normal to limited levels during the flood season. To prevent erosion and conserve the landscape, test plantings and landscaping along the shoreline have been implemented at some dam reservoirs. The establishment of vegetation within the drawdown zone contributes to both landscape and wildlife habitat conservation. Distribution, habitat, and seed-dispersal period of willows such as Salix subfragilis were investigated at Miharu Dam reservoir in northeastern Japan. Eight willow species were found around the dam, but S. subfragilis dominated within the drawdown zone. Field survey results beginning in 1995 indicate that the size of the S. subfragilis community increased after initial impoundment. Although many other Salix species disperse seeds prior to the drawdown period, S. subfragilis disperses during and after drawdown in the spring; thus, when water levels are lower than normal, its seeds are supplied to the newly exposed zones that provide suitable habitat for Salix seedling establishment. Our results suggest that S. subfragilis dominated because of water-resistant properties and timing of the seed dispersal period. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s11355-012-0200-9 Authors Kazuhiro Azami, OYO Corporation, 275 Aza Ishibatake Oaza Nishikata, Miharu-machi, Tamura-gun, Fukushima, 963-7722 Japan Asako Fukuyama, Department of Environmental Science, Saitama University, 255 Shimo-okubo, Sakura, Saitama, 338-8570 Japan Takashi Asaeda, Department of Environmental Science, Saitama University, 255 Shimo-okubo, Sakura, Saitama, 338-8570 Japan Yuko Takechi, Miharu Board of Education, 1-2 Aza Ohmachi, Miharu-machi, Tamura-gun, Fukushima, 963-7796 Japan Shigekazu Nakazawa, Miharu Dam Management Office, Tohoku Regional Construction Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, 403-4 Aza Nakanouchi Ohaza Nishikata, Miharu Machi, Tamura Gun, Fukushima, 963-7722 Japan Kazumi Tanida, Laboratory of Ecology and Systematics, Graduate School of Science, Osaka Prefecture University, Gakuen-cho 1-2, Nakaku, Sakai, 599-8579 Japan Journal Landscape and Ecological Engineering Online ISSN 1860-188X Print ISSN 1860-1871

Description:    The number of avian species in urban areas throughout the world, particularly in Europe and the USA is low; however, their total density is higher than that observed in surrounding habitats. Nevertheless, it has not been confirmed whether this is true in Japan. Japanese cities have fewer green areas than European and American cities, and Japanese suburbs are likely to face forests on mountain slopes, whereas cities in most other countries face open grasslands, rural areas, or flatlands. These differences could influence the structure of avian diversity from city to native habitat. We compared the number of species and individuals of all species among city centers, suburbs, and forested areas in Japan. Similar to other countries, the structure of avian communities in Japanese cities was dominated by a handful of species, and total abundance was highest among the other environments. This suggests that the underlying mechanism determining the structure of the avian community is the same between Japan and other previously studied countries. However, species richness was not the highest in the intermediate areas, which is typical in Europe and the USA. This is because suburbs face forested areas and moderately urbanized areas are scarce in the study area. The lack of intermediate area is moderately typical in Japan. This difference is important not only for managing avian diversity but also total diversity from the city to native habitats in Japan. Content Type Journal Article Category Report Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s11355-012-0201-8 Authors Osamu K. Mikami, Department of Biology, Center for Liberal Arts and Sciences, Iwate Medical University, 2-1-1 Nishi-Tokuda, Yahaba-cho, Shiwa-gun, Iwate, 028-3694 Japan Katsura Mikami, Japan Bird Research Association, 1-29-9 Sumiyoshi, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-0034, Japan Journal Landscape and Ecological Engineering Online ISSN 1860-188X Print ISSN 1860-1871

Description:    Amorpha fruticosa L., introduced from the eastern part of North and Central America as a revegetation material for artificial slopes, has escaped into riverbeds in Japan, and its negative effects are of concern. In this study, an attempt has been made to clarify the actual extent of escape and establishment of A. fruticosa , through a case study of the Sendaigawa River, Tottori Prefecture, coupled with a survey of national distribution using the National Censuses on River Environments. The autecology of A. fruticosa , including phenology, germination, allelopathy and coppicing ability, was also studied by observation and experiments. The following conclusions were drawn: A. fruticosa preferred sunny sites; the total established area in the study site was 7,500 m 2 ; A. fruticosa showed strong coppicing ability; there was lower species diversity in and around areas populated by A. fruticosa ; and A. fruticosa has been expanding its area both in the watershed of Sendaigawa River region and nationwide. The authors emphasize the importance of quick control of A. fruticosa . Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s11355-012-0195-2 Authors Kohei Takagi, Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, Tokyo, Japan Yoshiyuki Hioki, Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-cho, Minami, Tottori, 680-8553 Japan Journal Landscape and Ecological Engineering Online ISSN 1860-188X Print ISSN 1860-1871

Description:    Perennial C 4 grasses, especially Miscanthus sinensis , are widely distributed in the degraded lands in South China. We transplanted native and exotic tree seedlings under the canopy of M. sinensis to assess the interaction (competition or facilitation) between dominant grass M. sinensis and tree seedlings. The results of growth, chlorophyll fluorescence, and ultrastructure showed that negative effects may be stronger in perennial dominant grass M. sinensis . Although M. sinensis buffered the air temperature, improved soil structure, and increased soil phosphorus content, these beneficial effects were outweighed by the detrimental effect, especially overshading. To ensure the establishment of target native species in M. sinensis communities in degraded lands of South China, restoration strategies should include removing aboveground vegetation, planting target species seedlings in openings to reduce the effects of canopy shading, and/or selecting competition-tolerant target species. Also, seedlings of exotic species used in restoration engineering cannot be directly planted under the canopy of M. sinensis . Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s11355-012-0199-y Authors Long Yang, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650 China Hai Ren, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650 China Nan Liu, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650 China Jun Wang, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650 China Journal Landscape and Ecological Engineering Online ISSN 1860-188X Print ISSN 1860-1871

Description:    In this study, we propose a new method for planning ecological networks in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, Korea. The basic idea of this method is that, in urban areas where the price of land is high, it is most cost-effective to protect linear green areas that act as ecological corridors for potential movement paths (PMPs) of wild animals. PMPs were identified by a path-finding algorithm (PFA) that selected the optimum routes with minimum travel costs between pairs of locations where individuals of the indicator species—great tits ( Parus major )—were found during field surveys. The PFA created an imaginary line segment network that connects nodes separated by 30 m across the entire study area, and estimated the total travel cost of a route from one P. major location to another by summing the travel costs associated with all of the segments comprising that route. We assumed that the travel cost of each segment is the average of the inverses of the bird densities at the two end nodes. For each node, the bird density was estimated from the linear relationship between percentage vegetation cover and bird density, as observed during field surveys. The predicted PMPs showed a pattern that was highly concentrated on patches with relatively high vegetation cover. The preference of P. major for a few specific routes allowed us to easily identify ecological corridors in the study area. An ecological network plan that protects and/or restores areas along ecological corridors would greatly improve the ecological connectivity of fragmented habitats in highly urbanized areas. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s11355-012-0194-3 Authors Suk-Hwan Hong, Department of Landscape Architecture, Pusan National University, Miryang, Kyongsangnam-do 627-706, Republic of Korea Bong-Ho Han, Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Seoul, Seoul, 130-743 Republic of Korea Song-Hyun Choi, Department of Landscape Architecture, Pusan National University, Miryang, Kyongsangnam-do 627-706, Republic of Korea Chan Yong Sung, Department of Environmental Planning, Keimyung University, Daegu, 705-701 Republic of Korea Kyong-Jae Lee, Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Seoul, Seoul, 130-743 Republic of Korea Journal Landscape and Ecological Engineering Online ISSN 1860-188X Print ISSN 1860-1871

Description:    Tree establishment on degraded sites has failed in many tropical areas due to invasive plants and competition with herbs. The cultivation of plants that are capable of maintaining a site can avoid the dominance of invasive species. Some native species of the genus Stylosanthes (family Fabaceae) have been reported to effectively block invasive plants off ecosystems that are under restoration in Brazil. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the influence of perennial Stylosanthes spp. on plant colonization in a rehabilitated gravel mine in the Brazilian savanna region. Half of the mining area was sown with a mixture of three perennial Styloshantes species (treatment), while half of it remained unsown (control). The line intercept method was used to sample recruited plants within the mine after five years of site rehabilitation. Results showed that 31 plant species recruited in the gravel mine: 27 in the area sown with Stylosanthes spp. and 17 in the control area. Native species contributed for 47 % of the importance value index (IVI) in the treated area and 26 % in the control area. Two invasive exotic grasses made up 31 % of the plant community IVI in the treated area and 59 % in the control area. Perennial Stylosanthes spp. were supposed to block the development of incoming plants, but their presence actually allowed the area to be colonized by 1.6-fold more plant species than the control area. Ultimately, the area covered with Stylosanthes spp. evolved into a plant community that was more diverse and less dominated by exotic species than the control area. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s11355-012-0196-1 Authors Carolina Rizzi Starr, University of Brasília, CP 04401, Brasília, DF 70910-970, Brazil Rodrigo Studart Corrêa, University of Brasília, CP 04401, Brasília, DF 70910-970, Brazil Tarcíso de Sousa Filgueiras, Botanic Institute of São Paulo, IBOT, CP 3005, Água Funda, São Paulo, SP 01061-950, Brazil John Du Vall Hay, University of Brasília, CP 04401, Brasília, DF 70910-970, Brazil Perseu Fernando dos Santos, Catholic University of Brasília, Campus II, PGA, Brasília, DF CEP 70790-160, Brazil Journal Landscape and Ecological Engineering Online ISSN 1860-188X Print ISSN 1860-1871