Abstract
Recent changes of mire plant communities in the Yawata highland, southwestern Japan, are documented. The area and the boundary length of five important mires (range 1 to 6 ha) declined during past 24 years. Qualitative changes are primarily caused by human influences, e.g., accumulating debris from forest-harvest sites above the mires, from road construction, and increased drainage from man-made ditches. The Cirsieto-Molinietum japonicae, a characteristic mire community of temperate Japan climates, maintained its community structure and flora. However, 3 of 11 subordinate units of this community changed species composition and population structure, and 3 of them disappeared. The 28 mire plants classified as endangered in the 1950s were present in 1991.
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