An ecological study of actual vegetation at Kinki University\u27s Nara Campus

The Nara Campus of Kinki University covers an area of about 110 ha. Approximately one-fourth of the area is covered by buildings, gardens, ponds, and grounds used for athletic activities. Most of the area is forested with secondary broad leaf deciduous trees and Japanese Sugi and Hinoki plantations. For the present study, we carried out vegetation analyses following the methods of Braun-Blanquet, Miyawaki, and Fujihara. The vegetation on the campus was classified as belonging six forests, eight grasslands, or two other associations or communities. In addition, students on the Nara Campus were required to answer questionnaires about environmental and ecological issues. The results of the survey suggested that greater environmental awareness could be obtained if a nature trail was added to the campus. Such a trail would include stops with written information on signs that would describe the various plant communities and informs the public about the ecological roles played by these plants communities.記事区分：原