北海道アポイ岳の高山植物群落 : カンラン岩土壌における植物群落の遷移(<特集1>アポイ岳の植物群落-アポイ岳の高山植物群落の現状と将来について-)

概要

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Mt. Apoi (810 m above sea level, N 42°07', E 143°02') 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 the present study, we investigated the 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.
2005-04-25