Structure and regeneration of Fraxinus spaethiana‐Pterocarya rhoifolia forests in unstable valleys in the Chichibu Mountains, central Japan
1996; Springer Science+Business Media; Volume: 11; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1007/bf02347793
ISSN1440-1703
AutoresSeoung Won Ann, Yasuyuki Oshima,
Tópico(s)Forest ecology and management
ResumoAbstract The structure of temperate deciduous forests dominated by Fraxinus spaethiana and Pterocarya rhoifolia in V‐shaped valleys in the Chichibu Mountains, central Japan was studied to clarify their dynamics, with special reference to disturbance. Forest structure and annual ring analysis revealed that the forests have been subjected to mass movement (mud flow) in the past. The size and age structure, and diameter growth curves, indicated that F. spaethiana is relatively shade tolerant, long living and slow‐growing, while P. rhoifolia is less shade tolerant, short living, but fast growing. Pterocarya rhoifolia appears to depend on large‐scale but rare disturbances. Fraxinus spaethiana establishes its seedlings on relatively unstable substrate in V‐shaped valleys, but once established, they survive a long time with high shade tolerance. The dominance and coexistence of the two species may primarily depend on the intensity and frequency of geomorphological processes.
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