The Border between Wetlands and Forest
Here we can observe how the wetlands transition into forest. Moving away from the acidic, high-moisture and low-nutrient environment of the wetlands, new types of plants begin to appear. Hardy Japanese holly, Hakusan rhododendron and other shrubs take root in the borderlands, then give way to trees and shrubs such as minekaede snakebark maple, willow-leaf magnolia, and koshiabura aralia. Finally, Japanese beech forests take root on firmer ground. Notice how the change in vegetation signals differences in the ecosystem.