The landscape change of red pine [Pinus densiflora] forests in the last 31 years (1975-2006) in Utsunomiya University Forests at Funyu [Japan]
2010
Nakayama, M., Utsunomiya Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Agriculture | Aizawa, M. | Matsue, K. | Ohkubo, T.
We aimed to delineate the landscape change of Red pine (Pinus densiflora) forests in the last 31 years (1975-2006) based on the aerial photo analysis and tree survey in Utsunomiya University Forests at Funyu, northern Tochigi. We made landscape maps of the red pine forests using four aerial photos taken in 1975, 1986, 1995 and 2006 and assessed the changes of area and landscape mosaic of the forests. On the basis of the maps, we conducted tree surveys in Red pine forest stands in which the different patterns of landscape change were observed in the last 31 years. The aerial photo analysis indicated that the area of the red pine forests became decreasing year by year mainly due to replacement by Hinoki cypress plantations. Cluster analysis using tree survey data classified four main stand structural types, Red pine dominant type, Enkianthus subsessilis dominant type, deterioration type of Japanese cedar and Hinoki cypress planted, and succession type toward broad-leaved deciduous forest. These results reveal that the landscape changes of the red pine forests in the last 31 years were occurred mostly due to the afforestation of Hinoki cypress and an extensive death of the pines by pine wilt disease was not taken place, and suggest that the present Red pine forests may exhibit different patterns of succession in the four respective stand structural types.
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