As one of the causes of biodiversity loss, habitat fragmentation can be mentioned. The corridor is known as a strategy to prevent the decline of biodiversity through fragmentation. In Tohoku, there are many stripe-shaped beech forests called “HOZANTAI” which are made by forest trimming. I think these forests have the potential to act as corridor.

Last year, I found that the abundance of seedlings which are dispersed by birds in hozantai is larger than in matrix. I hypothesized that this difference is caused by using hozantai as corridor by birds.

This year, to research the abundance of seed dispersal by birds, I collected bird droppings in hozantai and in matrix. I used the seed trap which is made up of litter trap and pseudo-fruits made of plastic beads. Through comparison with the abundance in hozantai and that in matrix (planted larch forests), I analyzed corridor effects. Through comparison with the abundance in hozantai whose matrix is planted larch forests and in hozantai whose matrix is pasture, I analyzed edge effects.