Pollination system and the effect of inflorescence size on fruit set in the deceptive orchid Cephalanthera falcata.

Larger inflorescences in reward-producing plants can benefit plants by increasing both pollinator attraction and the duration of visits by individual pollinators. However, ultimately, inflorescence size is determined by the balance between the benefits of large inflorescences and the increased cost of geitonogamy. At present, little is known about the relationship between inflorescence size and fecundity in deceptive plants.

Radiocesium leaching from contaminated litter in forest streams.

In Japanese forests suffering from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, litter fall provides a large amount of radiocesium from forests to streams. Submerged litter is processed to become a vital food resource for various stream organisms through initial leaching and subsequent decomposition. Although leaching from litter can detach radiocesium similarly to potassium, radiocesium leaching and its migration are poorly understood.

Microhabitat use by Hyla japonica and Pelophylax porosa brevipoda at Levees in rice paddy areas of Japan.

In Japan, rice paddies have acted as substitute habitats for pond-breeding frogs. However, frog populations are declining due to the loss of habitat and environmental changes in rice paddy areas. Frogs need both aquatic and terrestrial habitats to complete their life history; in rice paddy areas, levees that surround rice paddies provide terrestrial habitats for basking, foraging, and shelter from predators.

Negative effects of deep roadside ditches on Pelophylax porosa brevipoda dispersal and migration in comparison with Hyla japonica in a rice paddy area in Japan.

In Japan, rice paddies have acted as a substitute habitat for pond-breeding frogs. However, since the 1950s, agricultural modernization has altered the rice paddy environment, and pond-breeding frog populations have been decreasing. This agricultural modernization has led to rice paddy fragmentation via roadways and the construction of deep channels.

Effects of water management, connectivity, and surrounding land use on habitat use by frogs in rice paddies in Japan.

In Japan, rice paddies play an important role as a substitute habitat for wetland species, and support rich indigenous ecosystems. However, since the 1950s, agricultural modernization has altered the rice paddy environment, and many previously common species are now endangered. It is urgently necessary to evaluate rice paddies as habitats for conservation.