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Phytolith and charcoal records in cumulative soils provide a past history of vegetation transition with fire occurrence. By using these records, we assess the long-term response of respective grass types to variations in fire frequency in central Japan. We analyzed phytoliths and macrocharcoals in cumulative soils on the Kannabe Plateau in central Japan. The results of the analysis showed that prior to 8000 cal BP, Sasa species was dominant along with Pleioblastus species under conditions of low fire frequency. Between 8000 and 2000 cal BP, the plateau was covered by grasslands dominated by Pleioblastus species under a warmer climate and/or an increase in fire frequency. Since approximately 2000 cal BP, the grasslands have been covered by Miscanthus sinensis under a high fire frequency of repeated cycles of annual burning, as is present today. The establishment and maintenance of a M. sinensis grassland are probably related to human activity in this area because this species had many uses. Correlation coefficients for phytolith types versus charcoal concentrations in cumulative soils from three areas in central Japan, including the Kannabe Plateau area, were obtained to assess the habitats and related fire frequencies for their respective grass types. These correlations were consistent with their fire tolerance and degree of succession, as inferred from modern observations. This suggests that the modern fire ecology of these grass types can be used to understand their long-term fire ecology.

There is convincing evidence for a scaling relationship between leaf dry weight (DW) and leaf surface area (A) for broad-leaved plants, and most estimates of the scaling exponent of DW vs. A are greater than unity. However, the scaling relationship of leaf fresh weight (FW) vs. A has been largely neglected. In the present study, we examined whether there is a statistically strong scaling relationship between FW and A and compared the goodness of fit to that of DW vs. A. Between 250 and 520 leaves from each of 12 bamboo species within 2 genera (Phyllostachys and Pleioblastus) were investigated. The reduced major axis regression protocols were used to determine scaling relationships. The fit for the linearized scaling relationship of FW vs. A was compared with that of DW vs. A using the coefficient of determination (i.e., r2). A stronger scaling relationship between FW and A than that between DW and A was observed for each of the 12 bamboo species investigated. Among the 12 species examined, five had significantly smaller scaling exponents of FW vs. A compared to those of DW vs. A; only one species had a scaling exponent of FW vs. A greater than that of DW vs. A. No significant difference between the two scaling exponents was observed for the remaining 6 species. Researchers conducting future studies might be well advised to consider the influence of leaf fresh weight when exploring the scaling relationships of foliar biomass allocation patterns. Keywords: Allometry, dry weight, Foliar water content, Fresh weight, Power law, Reduced major axis

This chapter presents the members of the tribe Bambuseae and subtribe arundinariinae. It includes Acidosasa, Arundinaria, Bashania, Ferrocalamus, Gaoligongshania, Gelidocalamus, Indocalamus, Menstruocalamus, Metasasa, Oligostachyum (Clavinodum), Pleioblastus (Nipponocalamus), Polyanthus, Pseudosasa, Sasa (Neosasamorpha, Sasamorpha), Sasaella (Nipponobambusa), and Vietnamocalamus in alphabetical order. Taxonomic and nomenclatural references, selected references, number of species known, common names, geological distribution, and features of all the members have been presented in the chapter.