Landscapes Forest and Global Change - ESA - Escola Superior ...

S.F. Chen et al. 2010. A physiotope-based model for ecoregions for the the nationwide ecosystem management of Japan
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Figure 1: Proposed Physiotpe-based ecoregion map, with four main geological regions followed by
regional climatic units nested within, and 7 physiotope classes for characterizing ecoregion units.
this region, consisting of 25% and 22% respectively. It is a fine-grained, fragmented and
heterogeneous mosaic interspersed evenly across the region (Fig. 2a-2f).
Analysis on the landscape level reveals a region with the highest patch numbers, but smallest
largest patch index among all regions. The highest score in interspersion and juxtaposition
suggests that even though physiotope classes are small and fragmented, they remain evenly
distributed across the landscape (Table 1).
3.1.2 Region B – Outer Zone of Southwest Japan
Paleozoic-Mesozoic Mountain is the predominant landscape matrix in this region with an area
percentage of 57%, largest patch index of 25% (Fig. 2a & Fig. 2c). Analysis on class and
landscape level show that physiotope classes has patches with the poorest connectivity and are
most fragmented and isolated. Despite the scores, the patches here are strongly connected and
Forest Landscapes and Global Change-New Frontiers in Management, Conservation and Restoration. Proceedings of the IUFRO Landscape Ecology
Working Group International Conference, September 21-27, 2010, Bragança, Portugal. J.C. Azevedo, M. Feliciano, J. Castro & M.A. Pinto (eds.)
2010, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal.