Biogeochemistry and Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Practices in Japan - Earth Stewardship: Linking Ecology and Ethics in Theory and Practice - page 31

ground in most forest ecosystems. They often facilitate slow forest recovery after
disturbances caused by timber harvesting by providing shade during tree seed ger-
mination (Yoshida et al. 2005 ). Fukuzawa et al. ( 2006 ) found that the presence of
Sasa dwarf bamboo in this northern region prevented nitrate leaching after the clear-
cutting of trees in the whole catchment. This occurred through increased N uptake
by Sasa dwarf bamboo after the timber harvest, suggesting that certain characteris-
tics of the local vegetation structure provide unique biogeochemical responses to
disturbances caused by forestry practices.
The Asian monsoon climate provides unique seasonality of precipitation and tem-
perature. This leads to different temporal responses of Japanese forest catchments to
anthropogenic N pollution compared with those noted in the US and European regions
(Ohte et al. 2001 ; Park et al. 2010 ; Mitchell 2011 ). In the US, increased nitrate leach-
ing during the growing season is regarded as an early warning indicator of N satura-
tion in forested watersheds (see, e.g., Stoddard 1994 ). On the contrary, researchers
have observed that higher temperatures with higher precipitation during the summers
than other seasons produce more nitrate leaching from the soil to streams during
growing season in Japanese forested regions. This is especially evident along the east-
ern side of Japan, even in less polluted environments (Ohte et al. 2001 ).
Japan's diverse climate pattern also induces different N biogeochemical responses
in the soil to winter climate change (Shibata et al. 2013 ; Makoto et al. 2014 ; Urakawa
et al. 2014 ). A decrease in snowpack amplifi es soil freeze-thaw cycles because of the
corresponding decrease in the heat insulation function of snowpack. This leads to an
alteration of soil microbial N processes (N mineralization, nitrifi cation, or denitrifi ca-
tion) during the dormant season (Shibata et al. 2013 ; Makoto et al. 2014 ). Responses
of soil microbial N processes to winter climate changes vary in soils found in differ-
ent locations in Japan, as recently highlighted by Urakawa et al. ( 2014 ).

3.4 Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Practices

The characteristic diversity of the Japanese environment in terms of climate,
geology, topography, and vegetation is strongly associated with a historical and
continuing traditional culture, environmental ethic, and perspectives on nature and
religion among the Japanese people. From ancient times, there has been an estab-
lished traditional religion that fosters respect for diverse natural objects, including
both visible and invisible entities, through a belief in nature deities that reside in
various natural places such as mountains, forests, lakes, and oceans. This belief of
the Japanese infl uences their fundamental attitudes and ethic toward nature, and
forms the basis for many traditional festivals celebrated locally by farmers, fi sher
folk, and other community groups. Therefore, many nature deities are respected for
the benefi ts from nature that they provide for human well-being. These include use
of natural products, exploitation of natural resources, harvests, hunting, averting of
natural disasters, or granting of wishes for sound health. Frequent natural hazards
that occur in Japan such as volcano eruptions, earthquakes, fl oods, or tsunamis also