Ken Sugimura

Monitoring the effects of forest clear-cutting and mongoose Herpestes auropunctatus invasion on wildlife diversity on Amami Island, Japan

Wildlife populations on Amami Island, Japan, have been affected by forest clear-felling and the introduction of alien species, in particular the mongoose Herpestes auropunctatus . We used monitoring data collected over 24 years to track changes in the population sizes of five species of mammals and 20 species of birds. We assigned species to the following groups: indigenous, rare, insectivorous, negatively affected by forest clear-cutting, and negatively affected by mongoose invasion. We examined trends in each group at four time points between 1985 and 2010 using two methods: species abundance estimates and the Living Planet Index. We then assessed the usefulness of these methods as tools for conservation planning. Inspecting species individually we identified four main patterns of abundance change: (a) an increase from the first to the last census period, (b) an increase in all periods except 2009–2010, (c) a decrease from 1985–1986 to 2001–2002 but an increase in 2009–2010, and (d) a decrease in all census periods. We observed certain relationships between these patterns and the species groups assigned as above. According to the Living Planet Index the group negatively affected by forest clear-cutting did not show significant recovery and the groups of rare species and species negatively affected by mongoose recovered to c. 40% of the original level after a sharp decline during 1985–2002. The Living Planet Index is a more useful tool for assessing the urgency of particular conservation needs, although limited information on species abundance reduces its representativeness for some groups.

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in the Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi)

We report on the isolation and characterization of eight polymorphic and five monomorphic microsatellites in the Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi). Microsatellite polymorphism was determined using 25 individuals. There were 2–11 alleles for each polymorphic locus with heterozygosity ranging between 0.08 and 0.76. Linkage disequilibrium was not suggested between any pairs among the eight polymorphic loci. We suggest that these primers be used in future studies to monitor population size, determine dispersal patterns, and genetic diversity within and between populations of this and related species.

Development of a Forest Network System to Improve the Zoning Process: A Case Study in Japan

The Japanese forest zoning process used to be simple when society treated wood production as the primary objective. However, due to little attention paid to biodiversity as well as decreasing dependence on the domestic wood supply in the market, the government introduced the current system that requires zoning for a variety of uses and environmental services. In this procedure the site quality of a forest block is first evaluated based on natural conditions but without paying sufficient attention to social factors. In the next step they attempt to determine the primary management objective of a forest block without incorporating public views into the process. Therefore, we propose a new forest network system, using a set of social factors to revise the site quality assessment (SQA) in the first step and propose a method that integrates SQA scores and social evaluations (SE) that were obtained through public involvement in the next step. As a case study, we selected a region that is close to large cities and another in which forestry is one of the major industries. First, we examined some influences of social factors on the evaluation of SQA scores. Then, employing the SQA scores and SE for forest service categories, we determined the area to which each category was assigned as the primary management objective. As a result, incorporating social factors and public views yielded significant effects on the site quality assessment as well as providing a larger area for biodiversity in the forests near large cities.

Emerging Human Values of Forest Resources

In Japan and the United States, people are placing greater emphasis on green (non-timber) resources. In independent studies designed to elicit social preferences for forest functions in Japan and in the United States, survey respondents were asked to rank their preferences for two sets of forest functions and to choose between two functions in a series of paired choices. Japanese respondents indicated that land and water conservation, wildlife conservation, scenic beauty, in that order, were more important than timber production. Their preferences for specific land and water conservation measures varied by local disaster history. In paired comparisons, they weighted land and water conservation, wildlife, scenic beauty, and timber functions in decreasing order of preference. United States respondents indicated that air and water quality was the most important issue and that timber and forest products supply was second in importance. However, in paired comparisons, timber was the least important function. These respondents also indicated a willingness-to-pay approximately 32 US

Population Trend, Habitat Change and Conservation of the Unique Wildlife Species on Amami Island, Japan

per year to protect the full range of forest functions by means of conservation easements. Respondents in each country indicated clear preferences for non-timber forest values. The extent to which forest managers respond to these preferences will impact the flows of forest goods and services. Cultural differences will affect the means by which public agencies in Japan and the United States assess and incorporate public sentiment into forest management. Private forestry will be affected through the differing objectives of landowners and regulatory climates. These, too, have important cultural aspects. Research cooperation and information exchanges across the Pacific may provide new insights for solving resource management issues.