Division of Biodiversity, Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 3-1-3, Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8604, Japan.
Rural Development Division, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, 1-1, Ohwashi, sukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8686, Japan.
J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2022 Jun 16;18(1):45. doi: 10.1186/s13002-022-00543-7.
Isolated trees are often planted in agricultural landscapes around the world, but their planting background often remains unclear. In this study, we examined the history of demarcation trees in Ibaraki Prefecture in eastern Japan by using land dispute records mainly from the early modern period (from 1600 to 1868), the Rapid Survey Map (RSM) drawn in the late nineteenth century, demarcation tree records from 2011, and interviews of the local residents.
We reviewed 39 documents on land disputes to examine the temporal and spatial usage of demarcation tree species in the early modern period. The association between the present distribution of 1486 individuals of six demarcation tree species and past land use in the RSM were analyzed with Fisher's exact test and residual analysis. In addition, we conducted interviews with 48 farmers, most of whom were over 60 years old.
The demarcation plants in vast communal lands and village boundaries in the early modern period were mostly visually prominent tall trees, usually pines. In contrast, smaller trees were planted for demarcation in small-scale areas of forests and farmlands. Although Pourthiaea villosa (Thunb.) DC. Has been planted since the mid-eighteenth century, its planting seems to have accelerated as communal forests were divided mainly in the Meiji period (from 1868 to 1912). The present dominant state of Deutzia crenata Siebold et Zucc. in older farmlands and its ritual use, history of upland field development in the Kanto region, and ancient demarcation use in central Japan indicate its original use may date back to the medieval (from 1185 to 1600) or ancient ritsuryo period (from the seventh century to 1185). Tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) and mulberry (Morus spp.) individuals were considered as early modern or modern crop remnants. Results from the map-based analysis and interviews clarified the recent increase in the use of Euonymus japonicus Thunb. and Celtis sinensis Pers. for demarcation.
Chronologically dynamic anthropogenic legacies have shaped the present agricultural landscape with different demarcation tree species. A better understanding of the dynamic transformation of vegetation under human influence adds to the historical heritage value of the landscape and should motivate its conservation.
孤立的树木经常被种植在世界各地的农业景观中，但它们的种植背景往往不清楚。在这项研究中，我们通过使用主要来自近代早期（1600 年至 1868 年）的土地纠纷记录、19 世纪末绘制的快速调查图（RSM）、2011 年的界标树记录以及对当地居民的采访，来研究日本东部茨城县的界标树历史。
我们审查了 39 份土地纠纷文件，以检查近代早期界标树种的时空使用情况。利用 Fisher 精确检验和残差分析，分析了 1486 株六种界标树种个体在现代的分布与 RSM 中过去土地利用的关系。此外，我们还对 48 名农民进行了采访，其中大多数人年龄在 60 岁以上。
近代早期在广阔的公有地和村庄边界的界标植物大多是视觉上突出的高大树木，通常是松树。相比之下，在森林和农田的小范围内，种植较小的树木用于界标。尽管自从 18 世纪中叶以来一直在种植 Pourthiaea villosa（Thunb.）DC.，但随着明治时期（1868 年至 1912 年）主要分割公有林，其种植似乎有所加速。在较老的农田中，绣球花（Deutzia crenata Siebold et Zucc.）目前的主导地位及其仪式用途、关东地区旱地开发的历史以及日本中部的古代界标用途表明，其原始用途可能可以追溯到中世纪（1185 年至 1600 年）或古代律令制时期（7 世纪至 1185 年）。茶树（Camellia sinensis（L.）Kuntze）和桑树（Morus spp.）个体被认为是近代早期或现代作物的残余。基于地图的分析和访谈的结果阐明了最近日本卫矛和朴树用于界标的使用增加。
从时间上看，人为活动的遗产动态塑造了具有不同界标树种的现代农业景观。更好地了解人类影响下植被的动态变化增加了景观的历史遗产价值，并应激励对其进行保护。
