Author(s): Masatoshi Denda; Junji Miwa; Toshitaka Iwamoto

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Abstract: Flood has important roles for river ecosystem. Many previous studies pointed out that flood contribute to the mechanism of river ecosystem through changing the diversity of vegetation by the disturbance. However, few previous studies focused on the roles of flood on middle-sized mammals living in the ecosystem. Therefore, we studied behavioral characteristics of the mammals, the habitat and the relationships between habitat and disturbances by flood. In this study, we focused on a weasel as an example of middle-size animal. First, we established an auto-radio-tracking system for wild animals, and tracked the weasel to recognize the land utilization pattern. In the results, the weasels frequently utilized brushwood and grassland as habitat. Second, in order to clarify the effect of disturbance by flood on vegetation community, we reconstructed the flooding condition by 2D hydro-simulation and evaluated the its effect. In the results, we clarified that the brushwood and grassland were approximately flooded in two times per a year, and the results indicated that the periodical disturbance maintained the landscape. In this study we understand that disturbance by flood influenced not only vegetation diversity but also behavior of middle-size mammal. And the results of study indicated the multifunctionality of floods for river ecosystem health.

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Year: 2012