森林立地学会誌　森林立地39(2),1997,101〜110

Jpn.J.For.Emvironment39, 101-110 1997

 

DATA 

 

Dynamic features of the subalpine meadow

development on Mount Aizukomagatake, central Honshu, Japan.

 

 

Sadao TAKAOKA ・ Yoshihiko KARIYA

 

  The historical development of subalpine mesic meadows was examined on Mount Aizukomagatake which is in a Japanese snowy region. The age and size structure of Abies mariesii trees growing in and around the meadows were studied to discover the characteristics of vegetation dynamics in snowy subalpine areas. Soil profiles were observed to estimate growing conditions of A. mariesii trees and to reconstruct the long-term change in the meadow size. The results of the study suggest that the dynamism of subalpine meadows is affected by the temporal scale at which data are gathered. The meadows have reduced for the last millenniums. They have remained almost stable for the last 300 years, and have sometimes been invaded by A. mariesii saplings over the last 40 years.

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