Characteristics ofEcological System
Masashi Ohara
Course in Ecological Genetics
Faculty of Environmental Earth Science
Hokkaido University
Email:ohara@ees.hokudai.ac.jp

Chapter 1
Characteristics of Ecological System
Masashi Ohara
The island of Hokkaido is the northernmost in the Japanese archipelago. It
faces the Sea of Okhotsk and is separated from Honshu by the Tsugaru Strait
and from Sakhalin by the Soya Strait. The lowlands of Hokkaido represent atransitional zone between cool temperate forests in the south and sub-arctic
forests in the north. The mostly upland eco-region of Hokkaido is situated in the
cold-temperate and sub-arctic/sub-alpine climate zones. This chapter introduces
the importance and uniqueness of wildlife and ecosystem of Hokkaido.
1. What is Hokkaido Island?
(1) Where and how big is this?
The map (Fig. 1-1) shows that Hokkaido is located between 41°21'N and
45°33'N latitude, and 139°20'E and 148°53'E longitude. It is in the same latitude
as Portland, Oregon (USA), Toronto (Canada) and Rome (Italy). The area of
Hokkaido is 83,451 km2, which is 22% of the total land area of Japan. The
population of Hokkaido is 5.69 million (cf. 11.77 million in Tokyo) and 32% (1.856
million) of people live in Sapporo city, which is the capital of Hokkaido. The
population density of Hokkaido is roughly 68 people/km2 compared to 5384
people/km2 of Tokyo.
(2) Geography
Hokkaido is a biogeographically important region. The central Hokkaido has
mainly mountains and highlands. It includes the Taisetsu mountain range (Fig.
1-2), which has the highest summit Mt. Asahidake (2291 m ASL), the Tokachi
mountains and east Taisetsu mountains. The Taisetsu mountain range is also
called the "The Roof of Hokkaido". In the north of the central highlands is the
Kitami mountain range. Towards the Sea of Japan runs the Teshio mountain
range from north to south. In the south of the central highlands stretch the sharp

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ridges of the Hidaka mountain range,140 km toward cape Erimo. The Yubari
mountain range lies parallel to the west of the Hidaka mountain range. These
spinal mountains that run from cape Sohya to cape Erimo, are truly the
backbone of Hokkaido, and undoubtedly influence the climate and vegetation of
Hokkaido.
In eastern Hokkaido, there is Shiretoko peninsula, which has been
designated as a world heritage site. The Akan volcanoes are in thesouthernmost part of the Chishima volcanic zone. In the southwest area of the
Ishikari lowland zone, there is a chain of active volcanoes such as Mts. Tarumae,
Usu, Koma (Fig. 1-3), Yohtei and the Niseko ranges. Because of volcanic
activities in Hokkaido, there are many crater lakes, namely Shikotsu, Toya (Fig.
1-3), Kussharo, Akan and Mashuu.
(3) Climate
Hokkaido has four distinct seasons like the rest of Japan. As it lies in far
north, it generally has cooler summers, and cold, snowy and blustery winters(Fig. 1-4). The average temperature in August is around 22°C (72°F), while in
January it ranges from -12°C to -4°C (10°F to 25°F) depending on elevation andlatitude. Unlike the other major islands of Japan, Hokkaido is normally notaffected by “Tsuyu” and typhoons in the rainy season. During winter, passage
through the Sea of Okhotsk is often disturbed by large ice floes broken loose
from the Kamchatka peninsula. Due to high winds that occur during winter, airtravel and maritime activity almost come to a halt in the northern coast of
Hokkaido.
2. Vegetation
Since the geographical structure of Hokkaido is complex with mosaic
distributions of volcanic, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, this island has
been historically providing a variety of habitats for wildlife. It has interesting
Japanese Islands, Sakhalin and Kurile, and its flora and fauna are a mixture of
species from southeastern Asia, Siberia and North America. The southern sea
barrier, Tsugaru Strait, is the bio-geographical boundary, “Blakiston Line”, which
has interrupted the migration of many animals between Hokkaido and Honshu,

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the main island of Japan. On the other hand, in the northern barrier, Sohya Strait,a land bridge was frequently formed in the glacial epoch. Hokkaido is located ina zone of high snowfall and this has facilitated a mixture of summer-green
deciduous trees and evergreen coniferous trees. Actually, the mixed forest of
this island is considered to be the richest in species among all temperate andboreal vegetations of the world.
(1) Boreal coniferous forests
This forest cover is dominated by Asian spruce (Picea jezoensis) andSachalin fir (Abies sachalinensis). These are distributed at high altitudes ofTaisetsu and Hidaka mountain ranges as well as at comparatively lower
elevations of Sohya, Kushiro and Nemuro districts. Dominance of Picea
jezoensis increases at higher altitudes with increasing levels of stability.
Conifer forests are found up to an elevation of approximately 1,500 m in
Hokkaido; above this point alpine conditions predominate. Stone pine (Pinus
pumila) forms low (1-2 m) and dense growth in alpine areas, with poorly
developed undergrowth, but vigorous mosses on the ground. The abrupt changeof the landscape from high forests to low lying Pinus pumila shrubs is impressive
and can be easily recognized. In the alpine zone, the coniferous species are
sometimes accompanied by deciduous broad-leaved shrub communities. The
main associations found are of birch-alder (Betula ermanii-Alnus maximowiczii)
andmountainconspicuouslyashof(Sorbussambucifolia).

Alpineheathscomposed

nigrumdwarf

shrubs(Arcterica

Empetrumandnana-Loiseleuria procumbens association) are found at some of the highest
altitudes (Kudo 1993).
The sub-alpine coniferous forests that used to extend up to thenortheastern hills and plains in coastal areas, for the most part, have been cut
down. However, compared to the rest of the country there still remain relatively
intact large tracts of forests in Hokkaido. Mt. Daisetsu National Park is the largest
national park in Japan covering several volcanic mountains with extensive
spruce and fir forests on its slopes.
(2) Deciduous forests

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The lowlands of Hokkaido represent a transitional zone between cooltemperate forests in the south and sub-arctic forests in the north with the
exception of the Oshima peninsula. This eco-region covers low hills and plains of
Hokkaido. The lowland deciduous forests of the island are dominated by oaks
(Quercus – especially Mongolian oak Quercus mongolica var. crispula),
basswoods (Tilia japonica), elm (Ulmus davidiana) and ash (Fraxinus
mandshurica), typically with undergrowth of dwarf bamboo (Sasa species). Thebase of the peninsula forms a boundary known as the Kuromatsunai line
(Tatewaki 1958; cf. Fig. 1-1). The beech (Fagus crenata) forest, representative
forest type in the cool-temperate zone of Japan, is the only forest present
throughout the Oshima peninsula, which is situated south of Kuromatsunai
lowland. This is a striking northern limit for the distribution of this species.
The campus of the Hokkaido University is located in the center of Sapporo
city developed on the drainage basin of two big rivers, Ishikari and Toyohira, in
Ishikari plain. In the campus, there are many large elm (Ulmus davidiana), maple(Acer mono) and ash (Fraxinus mandshurica) trees, which prefer mesic and richsoil (Fig. 1-5).
In spring as days become longer and temperature rises, brown deciduous
forests and fields of Hokkaido start to turn green. The forest floor in particular,brightens as scores of wild flowers, “the spring ephemerals”, bloom in April andMay. These flowers open, and leaves unfurl for a few days only. During this shortperiod, the spring ephemerals show many unique and different ecologicalfeatures (cf. Fig. 1-5). Although most of the species of Araceae are common intropical regions, Lysichiton camtschatcense (Fig. 1-5a) of this family is adapted
to cool temperate regions, having unique life forms. Erythronium japonicum is
one of the representative spring woodland perennials of Japan (Fig. 1-6b). The
large showy pinkish flowers of this species have been attracting many flower
lovers. Corydalis fumariifolia (Fig. 1-6c) has deep blue palate, arranged inracemose inflorescence of 1 to 15 flowers. Each flower has a spur in which
nectar collects. Nectar attracts bumblebees, which is an important pollinator. A
representativewild

flowerof

Hokkaido

worth

mentioningisTrilliumcamschatcense (Fig. 1-6d). This flower can be seen on the main campus and in
the Botanical garden of Hokkaido University. This flower figures in the emblem of

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Hokkaido University. In May, one finds Trillium camschatcense in bloom
everywhere in Hokkaido (Fig. 1-5). In late spring (early June), lily-of-the-valley,
Convallaria keiskei with aromatic white flowers starts to flower (Fig. 1-6e). In
summer (during July) in deciduous forests, one finds tall plants (1.5–2.0 m high)of Cardiocrinum cordatum (Fig. 1-6f) with large conspicuous flowers.
(3) Mixed conifer-hardwood forests
The conifer-hardwood forest is a mixture of boreal evergreen conifers andtemperate deciduous hardwoods that differ in life forms but grow in the sameplace (Fig. 1-7). However, in some cases, the mosaic-like areas of pure standsof different species growing adjacent to one another are also called mixed
forests. The mixed forests can be seen not only in the Far East including
Hokkaido, but also in southern Scandinavia and northern parts of Eastern
Europe, and those between the Great Lakes regions and the northernmost of theAppalachian mountains of North America. Tatewaki (1958) named this type offorest zone the “pan-mixed forest zone”, which is more commonly known as the“hemi-boreal zone” (Hamet-Ahti et al. 1974) or the “boreo-nemoral forest
ecotone”

emphasizing the transitional aspects (Uemura 1993).

3. Biodiversity Features(1) Flora
There are 2,250 species of higher plants (including ferns, gymnosperms
and angiosperms), and it is important to note that the central mountain ranges in
Hokkaido harbor many rare and endemic flora particularly in areas withserpentine

rocks.

For

example,Salix paludicola,

chickweed(Stellaria

pterosperma), aconite (Aconitum yamazakii), and Draba nakaiana are endemic
to Mt. Daisetsu. The flora of Mt. Apoi also contains by far the greatest number ofendemics of Hokkaido, and is one of the most distinct among the serpentine
communities of Japan. Some of the remarkable serpentine relics are
Hypochoeris crepidioides, Callianthemum miyabeanum, Crepis gymnopus,
Rhamnus ishidae, Betula apoiensis, Viola hidakana, and Primula hidakana.
(2) Mammals

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There are approximately 62 species of mammals in this eco-region. These aremostly small mammals such as microbats, rodents, rabbits, and small mustelids.
Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are also present. There is also an endemic
subspecies of a more widespread Sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis)(Kamamichi 1996; Hilton-Taylor 2000). Japan's largest mammal species theYezo brown bear (Ursos arctos yesoensis) is found only in this eco-region. The
Yezo brown bear is considered a subspecies and is also found in theneighboring Russian controlled islands. The brown bear is an area-sensitive
focal species for conservation planning as its population has restricteddistribution in the lowland eco-region where they tend to overlap with humanareas.
There is also an endemic sub-species of Pika (Ochotona hyperborea
yesoensis) and Sable (Martes zibellina brachyura). Pika is a remnant of theglacial age and has a very narrow habitat range in the central mountains aroundMt. Daisetsu. The Japanese sable is threatened by breeding with the Japanesemarten (Martes melampus) introduced in Hokkaido.
(3) Birds
In Hokkaido, more than 400 species of birds are thought to habit and/or
breed (Brazil 1991; Birdlife International 2000). A number of species found in
Hokkaido is associated with northern latitudes and are not seen in the rest ofJapan. These include vulnerable Stellar’s sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus),
white-tailed sea eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), common merganser (Mergus
merganser), tufted puffin (Lunda cirrhata), hazel grouse (Tetrastes bonasia),
three-toed woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus), and willow tit (Parus palustris)(Higuchi et al 1995; Hilton-Tayler 2000). An endemic sub-species of hazel
grouse (Tetraste bonasia vicinitas) is also found in Hokkaido (Higuchi et al.
1997).
Blakiston's fish owl (Keputa blakistoni) is a rare, endangered bird found in
this eco-region. Its habitat-range is believed to be limited to the Hidaka mountainto Nemuro and the Shiretoko peninsula.
The endangered red-crowned Japanese crane (Grus japonensis) is
considered a natural national bird and a symbol of happiness and longevity.

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Hokkaido’s red-crowned crane is a permanent resident of the lowland east coastof the island, whereas the mainland population of red-crowned cranes ismigratory.
4. Importance of Conservation(1) Factors responsible for extinction of wildlife
A variety of causes, independently or in concert, are responsible forextinction of wildlife. Historically, overexploitation was the major cause of
extinction; although overexploitation is still a factor. Habitat loss is another major
problem of today. Many other factors can contribute to species extinctions as
well, including disruption of ecosystem interactions, pollution, loss of genetic
variations, and catastrophic disturbances, either natural or man-made. The
action of one factor predisposes a species to be more severely affected byanother factor. For example, habitat destruction may lead to decreased
birthrates and increased mortality rates. As a result, populations become smaller,
and more fragmented and isolated making them more vulnerable to disasters
such as floods or forest fires, and also to inbreeding. The loss of genetic
variation through genetic drift, further decreases the population fitness. So,
which factor causes the final coup de grace may be irrelevant as many factors
and interactions between them may have contributed to a species’ eventual
extinction.
(2) What is happening in Hokkaido?
As mentioned above, Hokkaido is geographically, geologically andbiologically interesting and unique island, and there is much precious wildlife
including endemic species. However, after the rapid settlement of the Japanesein the Meiji era (1868-1912), natural forests were quickly replaced by farmlands
and plantations, and some animal species such as the gray wolf and European
river otter are now extinct. Tokachi plain in eastern Hokkaido, is a very active
area for agriculture (adzuki bean, soybean, sugar beet and so on) and dairy
farming. Anthropogenic land conversion (e.g. road construction and agriculturaldevelopment) has resulted in highly fragmented landscape with a large numberof forest remnants, many of which are smaller than 1 ha (Tan 1994)(Fig. 1-8).

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Loss of habitat by a species frequently results not only in decrease inpopulation, but also in fragmentation of the population into unconnected patches.
A habitat may become fragmented in non-obvious ways, when roads and humanhabitation intrude the forest. This often results in disastrous consequences forwild life. The conservation status in Hokkaido is not satisfactory, andfragmentation of wildlife habitat is thought to be very substantial.
Habitat loss and degradation in the form of continued agricultural andindustrial development constitute the principal threats to red-crowned cranes in
Hokkaido. However, adoption of two active habitat management measures i.e.
winter feeding stations and the installation of conspicuous markers on utility lines
have allowed the Japanese red-crowned crane population to increase. These
actions have reduced the rate of mortality from near extinction to approximately
60% (Swengel 1996).
Only 30% of the Blakiston's fish-owl nesting sites are protected within
national parks or wildlife protected areas, and there is no regulation for generalprotection of the owl habitats. Well developed mixed forests have often been
exploited for human establishments. Wild life has also been heavily affected bygrazing by horses and cattle. Rapid decline in the population of endemic hazel
grouse subspecies has been observed and it is probably due to the replacementof natural deciduous mixed forest with pine (Larix leptrepis) plantations forseveral decades.
Population of brown bears has been affected by hunting for sport andvehicular disturbances, but the greatest threat is the conversion of hardwood
habitats into conifer plantations. Efforts directed at public education regarding
human-bear interactions and the need to conserve and plan around bears’
habitats have been identified as priorities.
(3) Harmony in agriculture and conservation
Development of agricultural fields and conservation of forests is antagonist
to each other. However, we need to combine the both. Species populations in
isolated patches may go extinct unless efforts are made to re-colonize these. It
has become clear that isolated patches of habitat lose species far more rapidly
than large preserves do. Corridors may assist dispersal between patches, and

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maintaining connectivity among habitats has become one of the importantfeatures of conservation biology. Conservation biologists recently have promoted
the criterion of so-called “mega-reserves”, large areas of land containing a coreof one or more undisturbed habitats. The key to devoting such large tracts ofland for long periods is that the operation of reserve should be compatible withlocal land use. Thus, while no economic activity is allowed in the core regions of
the mega-reserve, the rest of the reserve may be used for nondestructive
harvesting of resources i.e. sustainable resource harvesting. Linking reserved
areas to carefully managed land zones creates a much larger total patch of
habitat than would otherwise be economically practical, and thus addresses the
key problem created by habitat fragmentation. Accordingly, joint management of
biodiversity and economic activity is essential. The ecological challenge ofconservation biology is to develop adequate management plans for individual
species and ecosystem, whereas the challenge for the government is to broaden
the movement so as to harmonize agricultural land use with conservation ofnatural habitats for wildlife in Hokkaido.
References
Birdlife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Lynx Edicions,
Barcelona and Cambridge, UK.
Brazil, M. (1991) The birds of Japan. Smithsonian Institution Press, Wasington
DC.
Hamet-Ahti, L., T. Ahti, and T. Kopponen (1974) A scheme of vegetation zones
for Japan and adjacent regions. Annales Botanici Fennici 11:59-88.
Higuchi, H., J. Minton, and C. Katsura (1995) Distribution and ecology of birds ofJapan. Pacific Science 49:69-86.
Higuchi, H., H. Morioka, and S. Yamagishi (1997) Encyclopedia of animals inJapan Volume 4: Birds II. Heibonsha Limited Publishers, Tokyo, Japan.
Hilton-Taylor, C. (2000) The 2000 IUCN red list of threatened species. IUCN,
Gland, Switzerland & Cambridge, UK.
Kamamichi, T. (1996) Encyclopedia of Animals in Japan Volume 1: Mammals I.
Heibonsha Limited Publishers, Tokyo, Japan.

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Kudo, G. (1993) Introduction to Alpine Plants. In: Biodiversity and Ecology in theNothernmost Japan. (Higashi, S., Osawa, A. and Kanagawa, K. eds.).
Hokkaido University Press. pp. 61-73.
Swengel, S.R. (1996) Red-crowned crane. In: The cranes: Status, survey andconservation action plan. (Meine, C.D. and G.W. Archibald, eds). IUCN,
Gland, Switzerland, and Cambridge, U.K. 294 pp.
Tan, Y. (1994) Present condition of the forest islands in Obihiro. Report of the
Obihiro Centennial City Museum 12: 1-8 (in Japanese with English summary)
Tatewaki, M. (1958) Forest ecology of the islands of the North Pacific Ocean.
Journal of Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido Univeristy. 50: 371-486.
Uemura, S. (1993) Forests and plants of Hokkaido: floral dynamics and ecologyof mixed conifer-hardwood forest zone. In: Biodiversity and Ecology in theNothernmost Japan. (Higashi, S., Osawa, A. and Kanagawa, K. eds.).
Hokkaido University Press. pp.21-35.

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