[VARIETY OF VEGETATION] WETLAND IN JAPAN

[Biodiversity] Wetland in Japan

2. VARIETY OF VEGETATION

Japanese vegetation is abundant because of the diversity of climatic conditions and geographical features. More than 5,000 species of higher plants have been identified.

The Distribution of Vegetation in Japan

Forests vary with the change in temperature and other conditions. From north to south, different forests include broadleaf evergreen, broadleaf deciduous, and coniferous evergreen woodlands. A dramatic change in vegetation can also be observed with altitude changes from coastal areas to high mountainous zones. Japan has a great variety of species because of its many isolated areas and separate mountainous regions. Japan also experienced a temporary invasion of foreign species from other continents during the fourth period of the Ice Age when a land bridge connected with the Asian mainland. Finally, various plant and animal species were transported to Japan through air currents or by ocean currents. These factors have helped the evolution of Japan's rich and unique natural environment.

CLIMATIC REGIONS

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Actual Vegetation Map

Ministry of the Environment Government of Japan