Distribution patterns of plant species are believed to be impacted by small-scale habitat heterogeneity. However, there have been few comparative studies examining how woody vegetation composition and diversity varies...Distribution patterns of plant species are believed to be impacted by small-scale habitat heterogeneity. However, there have been few comparative studies examining how woody vegetation composition and diversity varies with aspects of different orientations in the Trans-Himalayan region at a local scale. Here, we examined the effects of incoming solar radiation on variation in woody species composition and compared the diversity between the northeast- and southwest-facing slopes in a Trans-Himalayan valley of Nepal. We also examined the implicit interactions between slope orientation and land use in determining the compositional variations between the slopes. We selected two pairs of northeast- and southwest-facing slopes where the first pair has a similar land use and differs in exposure only(Pisang site) while the other pair has clear differences in land use in addition to slope exposure(Braka site). In each site, we sampled 72 plots(36 on each slope) in which the presence and absence of woody species, environmental variables, and disturbance were recorded. Correspondence Analysis(CA) results suggested that the woody species composition significantly varied between northeast- and southwest-facing slopes at both sites, and was significantly correlated with measured environmental variables such as radiation index, altitude, and canopy openness. In the Braka site,mean alpha diversity was significantly higher on southwest-facing slopes. In contrast, beta diversity and gamma diversity were greater on northeast-facing slopes at both sites. Our results suggest that topographic variables(e.g., radiation index) affect species composition between the slopes, likely due to their influence on small scale abiotic environmental variables. However, the effects of land use, such as livestock browsing/grazing may interact with the effects of slope exposure, effectively reducing differences in species composition within slopes but enhancing the differences in beta diversity between contrasting slopes in the Braka. We conclude that slope orientation and land use are important factors in structuring the woody species composition and diversity in the arid Trans-Himalayan region. We suggest that both environmental and land use variables should be taken into consideration in future studies on plant community structure along the cultural landscapes.展开更多
Comparative studies of Japanese mythology have developed since the 1920s above all through eftbrts of Japanese ethnologists. They have paid attention to the possible ethno-cultural complexes that brought mythological ...Comparative studies of Japanese mythology have developed since the 1920s above all through eftbrts of Japanese ethnologists. They have paid attention to the possible ethno-cultural complexes that brought mythological motifs into the archipelago. In the present paper the theories set forth by Nobuhiro Matsumoto, Akihide Mishina, and Masao Oka are examined in terms of retrospect. The result shows that they shared the view that at least three different complexes, based in ancient Yamato, Izumo, and Kyushu respectively, contributed to the formation of Japanese mythology compiled in the 8th century CE （Common Era）. Their assumptions were synthesized by Taryo Obayashi in 1961, the hypothesis which has survived until today. In future we should cooperate with other disciplines and address the formation process of Japanese mythology.展开更多
A large number of towns along the Sanriku coastal line were swept away by tsunami attacks on March 11,2011. Although some heritage buildings survived, the damage condition was too severe to carry on repair and restore...A large number of towns along the Sanriku coastal line were swept away by tsunami attacks on March 11,2011. Although some heritage buildings survived, the damage condition was too severe to carry on repair and restore them to the owners. As the municipal cultural heritage division and local cultural society in Kesennuma City were looking for possibility to save these damaged heritage buildings, the author gave them full assistance. To apply for fund for the repair and restoration work to related foundations, the author made an investigation of the damage conditions, prepared measured drawings, fundamental restoration plans and cost estimates. Domestic and international foundations granted funds to our projects for three years in May 2012, and we formed a restoration body to take responsibility of repair and restoration work. But soon, we were faced with several difficulties. The first is that we had to wait for a long time until the authority fixed the town redevelopment plan, meeting the National Guideline of Tsunami-Free Redevelopment. The second is that the building cost continued to increase during rapid-development periods. Although the author expected to complete the whole work within three years, the progress is really slow, and has not amounted to a quarter.展开更多
基金Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP)Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Lnekassen)+2 种基金Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences,University of Bergen for financingfunded by Norwegian Research Council(project no.148910/730)supported by The Norwegian Council for Higher Education Programme for Development Research and Education(NUFU Project ID:PRO 04/2002)
文摘Distribution patterns of plant species are believed to be impacted by small-scale habitat heterogeneity. However, there have been few comparative studies examining how woody vegetation composition and diversity varies with aspects of different orientations in the Trans-Himalayan region at a local scale. Here, we examined the effects of incoming solar radiation on variation in woody species composition and compared the diversity between the northeast- and southwest-facing slopes in a Trans-Himalayan valley of Nepal. We also examined the implicit interactions between slope orientation and land use in determining the compositional variations between the slopes. We selected two pairs of northeast- and southwest-facing slopes where the first pair has a similar land use and differs in exposure only(Pisang site) while the other pair has clear differences in land use in addition to slope exposure(Braka site). In each site, we sampled 72 plots(36 on each slope) in which the presence and absence of woody species, environmental variables, and disturbance were recorded. Correspondence Analysis(CA) results suggested that the woody species composition significantly varied between northeast- and southwest-facing slopes at both sites, and was significantly correlated with measured environmental variables such as radiation index, altitude, and canopy openness. In the Braka site,mean alpha diversity was significantly higher on southwest-facing slopes. In contrast, beta diversity and gamma diversity were greater on northeast-facing slopes at both sites. Our results suggest that topographic variables(e.g., radiation index) affect species composition between the slopes, likely due to their influence on small scale abiotic environmental variables. However, the effects of land use, such as livestock browsing/grazing may interact with the effects of slope exposure, effectively reducing differences in species composition within slopes but enhancing the differences in beta diversity between contrasting slopes in the Braka. We conclude that slope orientation and land use are important factors in structuring the woody species composition and diversity in the arid Trans-Himalayan region. We suggest that both environmental and land use variables should be taken into consideration in future studies on plant community structure along the cultural landscapes.
文摘Comparative studies of Japanese mythology have developed since the 1920s above all through eftbrts of Japanese ethnologists. They have paid attention to the possible ethno-cultural complexes that brought mythological motifs into the archipelago. In the present paper the theories set forth by Nobuhiro Matsumoto, Akihide Mishina, and Masao Oka are examined in terms of retrospect. The result shows that they shared the view that at least three different complexes, based in ancient Yamato, Izumo, and Kyushu respectively, contributed to the formation of Japanese mythology compiled in the 8th century CE （Common Era）. Their assumptions were synthesized by Taryo Obayashi in 1961, the hypothesis which has survived until today. In future we should cooperate with other disciplines and address the formation process of Japanese mythology.
文摘A large number of towns along the Sanriku coastal line were swept away by tsunami attacks on March 11,2011. Although some heritage buildings survived, the damage condition was too severe to carry on repair and restore them to the owners. As the municipal cultural heritage division and local cultural society in Kesennuma City were looking for possibility to save these damaged heritage buildings, the author gave them full assistance. To apply for fund for the repair and restoration work to related foundations, the author made an investigation of the damage conditions, prepared measured drawings, fundamental restoration plans and cost estimates. Domestic and international foundations granted funds to our projects for three years in May 2012, and we formed a restoration body to take responsibility of repair and restoration work. But soon, we were faced with several difficulties. The first is that we had to wait for a long time until the authority fixed the town redevelopment plan, meeting the National Guideline of Tsunami-Free Redevelopment. The second is that the building cost continued to increase during rapid-development periods. Although the author expected to complete the whole work within three years, the progress is really slow, and has not amounted to a quarter.
