Geographical Differences in the Undergrowth Vegetation of Artificial Forests on the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan

The Noto Peninsula, situated in an intermediate-temperate forest region in the north of Japan, was designated as an area containing .. Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS)" by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAQ) of the United Nations (UN) in 2011. Nonetheless, despite this status, artificial forests on the peninsula are being abandoned and suffer from poor undergrowth vegetation. Therefore there are concerns that the forests are losing their original functions such as the development of water catchment areas and the prevention of surface soil erosion. In order to make a contribution to sustainable artificial forestry management, this study aimed to clarify the relationship between undergrowth vegetation and the topography in the artificial forests of the Noto Peninsula. Undergrowth vegetation was investigated using phytosociological methods in 27 randomly set 100m2 quadrats in September and October 2015. As a result, the undergrowth vegetation in an artificial forest of the Noto Peninsula was classified into three vegetation types: (I) a high-altitude area type, (2) a low-altitude area in the peninsula\u27s northern outer region (.. sotoura") type, and (3) a low-altitude area in the peninsula\u27s southern inner region (.. uchiura") type. The differences in species composition between the vegetation types is mainly defined by the sea level, secondary to have been located at a position facing the seaside