Categorization of the rarity of species in local flora based on phytosociological releves : a case study in hilly Satoyama area in central Japan

DOI Web Site 1 Citations 30 References
  • NEMOTO Mari
    United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
  • HOSHINO Yoshinobu
    Institute of Symbiotic Science and Technology , Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • 植生調査資料を用いた地域フロラ構成種の希少性の類型化 : 関東の丘陵地の里山景観における事例
  • ショクセイ チョウサ シリョウ オ モチイタ チイキ フロラ コウセイシュ ノ キショウセイ ノ ルイケイカ カントウ ノ キュウリョウチ ノ サトヤマ ケイカン ニ オケル ジレイ

Search this article

Abstract

We investigated the flora and vegetation in 14 small catchments in the hilly Satoyama area in Tochigi Prefecture, central Japan, to objectively and quantitatively categorize their components, i.e., the vascular plants, into rarity types. The plants were categorized into eight rarity types on the basis of the combination of two divisions (above and below the median) with respect to the following three traits: (1) distributional range of species, which was represented by the number of occurring catchment, (2) habitat specificity, which was represented by the number of occurring community and (3) local abundance, which was represented by the average cover of species in the phytosociological releves. These categorization parameters were primarily determined on the basis of Rabinowitz's system of species rarity. The proportion of the species assigned to the rarest (rarity type VIII) or the commonest (rarity type I) category of the total number of species was higher than that of the other six categories. Although the proportion of species for each rarity type shows little variation among the sites (catchments), the index of rare species occurrence (IRO; total weighted proportion of rare species in each category) was higher in paddy fields and coppice communities than in other plant communities. Since effective conservation programs for species in question vary with their rarity conditions, our classification method of plants rarity based on the three above mentioned ecological traits enables us to identify the factors that may cause local extinction of species. Further, our study can serve as the first step in identifying endangered species and habitats; this knowledge may contribute to the conservation of plant species richness in local areas.

Journal

  • Vegetation Science

    Vegetation Science 25 (2), 109-120, 2008

    The Society of Vegetation Science

Citations (1)*help

See more

References(30)*help

See more

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top