Alpine plant community on Mt. Apoi, Hokkaido [Japan]: Succession of plant community on the ultrabasic soil
2005
Masuzawa, T. (Shizuoka Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Science) | Mitsuda, H. | Tanaka, M. | Natori, T. | Watanabe, S.
Mt. Apoi (810 m above sea level, N 42 deg 07 min, E 143 deg 02 min) is located in the southern part of the Hidaka mountain range. Many alpine plants are distributed along the ridge, despite its relatively low altitude. From a botanical viewpoint, this mountain has a number of special and interesting features due to the abundance of endemic plants. The following factors may contribute to the growth of alpine, endemic and relic plants at low altitude: (1) Reduction of solar radiation as well as air temperature by fog in the summer. (2) The bedrock of Mt. Apoi is ultrabasic rock (olivine). The physical and chemical characteristics of this soil and rock environment are unfavorable for plant growth, and are the cause of the abundance of endemic plants on Mt. Apoi (Watanabe 1970, 1971). The alpine meadow plant community of this area has been altering as a result of invasion of woody plants over the last 40-50 years (Watanabe 2001). In die present study, we investigated die process of invasion of Pinus pumila and Pinus parviflora var. pentaphylla (a pioneer woody plant) in this alpine meadow by measurement of tree age. The special soil environment (ultrabasic rock) in the investigated area has helped to maintain the special alpine meadow on Mt. Apoi. The delicate relationship between the soil environment and alpine plant growth will be affected by global warming and/or acid rain, resulting in a rapid decline in the distribution area of the alpine meadow.
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