Wetland is characterized with the relation of water. As the water level is changed, the vegetation would be totally different. In the case of Kushiro wetland, more than 80% of the area is classified as low moor, which indicate the high water level, and the main vegetations to be able to ovbserve are phragmites, sedge, and alder there. The high moor located around Akanuma area has peat moss as main vegetation, which is by the way very different from the one of low moor.
Phragmites and sedge are the main vegetation to characterize Kushiro wetland, and these vegetations not only form the wetland-like landscape, but also offer habitat for wetland species such as siberian salamander. Alder is also one of the main vegetations at Kushiro wetland, but this is also treated as the indicater of aridification of wetland since it prefers relatively arid environment compared to phragmites and sedge does.
In fact, the area of alder vegetation has been spread rapidly last 20 years, and now reaches to the area of 2.4 times compared to the one in 1970. (See detail of spreading the area of alder) Negative effect, such as degradation of wetland landscape and habitat destruction of wetland lives, are concerned.
Not only phragmites, sedge, alder and peat moss, but various precious vegetation can be found at Kushiro wetland.
Fundamental Info.
Nature of Wetland
Topic 1
