Skip to main content
Log in

Vegetation dynamics of the Siberian dwarf pine (Pinus pumila Regel) in the Taisetsu mountain range, Hokkaido, Japan

  • Published:
Vegetatio Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Previous studies have provided phytosociological descriptions and classifications of the communities of the Taisetsu mountain range, Hokkaido. Here, the authors give an account of the establishment, development and maintenance ofPinus pumila stands and describe the dynamic balance between the pine and its habitat factors, particularly snow depth and wind exposure. The establishment ofP. pumila stands was dependent on the degree of wind exposure and snow depth. The dominancy ofP. pumila diminished gradually on wind-exposed sites but reduced drastically on snow-depositing sites.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Clements, F. E., 1916. Plant succession: an analysis of the development of vegetation. Carnegie Inst. Washington Publ. No. 242: 3–4.

  • Gorchakovsky, P. L. & Shiyatov, S. G., 1978. The upper forest limit in the mountains of the boreal zone of USSR. Arct. Alp. Res. 10: 349–363.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayata, B., 1911. The vegetation of Mt. Fuji with a complete list of plants found on the mountain and a botanical map showing their distribution. Sanseido, Tokyo. 125 pp.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Hotta, M., 1974. History and geography pf plants. Evolutionary biology in plants. III. Sanseido, Tokyo. 400 pp. (in Japanese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Ito, K. & Nishikawa, T., 1976. Alpine communities of the northern Taisetsu mountain range(1). Air-and soil-temperature, soil acidity, and a cyclical change of the Vaccinio-Pinetum pumilae. Rep. Taisetsuzan Inst. Sci., Asahikawa Coll. Hokkaido Univ. Education 11: 1–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ito, K. & Nishikawa, T., 1977. Alpine communities of the northern Taisetsu mountain range (2). Syntaxonomy of plant communities. Rep. Taisetsuzan Inst. Sci., Asahikawa Coll. Hokakaido Univ. Education 12: 1–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Janssen, J. G. M., 1975. A simple clustering procedure for preliminary classification of very large sets of phytosociological releves. Vegetatio 30: 67–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kil'dyushevski, I. D., 1965. Formation of the vegetation under various environmental conditions in the southern Verkhoyansk range. In: V. N., Sukachev, (ed.), Studies on the Flora and Vegetation of High-Mountain Areas (I., Zuckerman & Rabinowitch, English transl. & eds.). pp. 57–66. Keter Press Binding, Jerusalem.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kira, T. & Shidei, T., 1967. Primary production and turnover of organic matter in different forest ecosystems of the western Pacific. Jap. J. Ecol. 17: 70–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koaze, T., 1965. The patterned grounds on the Daisetsu volcanic group, central Hokkaido. Geogr. Rev. Japan 38: 179–199 (in Japanese with English summary).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kobayashi, Ke., 1971. Phytosociological studies on the scrub of dwarf pine (Pinus pumila) in Japan. Journ. Sci. Hiroshima Univ., Ser. B, Botany 14: 1–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kobayashi, Ku., 1956. Asymmetrical ridges in the Japan Alps. Geogr. Rev. Japan 29: 484–492 (in Japanese with English summary).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koidzumi, H., 1926. Mts. Daisetsu. Daisetsuzan Chosakai, Asahigawa. 364+39 pp. (in Japanese).

  • Koizumi, T., 1974. Landschaftsökologische Untersuchungen in der alpine Stufe des Kisokomagatake in den japanischen Zentral-Alpen. (mit besonderen Berücksichtigung der Vegetation und des Structurbodens). Jap. J. Ecol. 24: 78–91 (in Japanese with German summary).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kojima, S., 1979. Biogeoclimatic zones of Hokkaido Islands, Japan. J. Coll. Liberal Arts, Toyama Univ. 12: 97–141.

    Google Scholar 

  • Konoya, M., Kobayashi, T., Kim, C. W. & Kawachi, S., 1968. Explanatory text of the geological map of Japan, Asahidake. Hokkaido Development Agency, Sapporo. 52 pp. (in Japanese with English summary).

    Google Scholar 

  • Maarel, E.van der, Janssen, J. G. M. & Louppen, J. M. W., 1978. Tabord, a program for structuring phytosociological tables. Vegetatio 38: 143–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nemoto, M., 1925. Meteorological observations on the Taisetsu-zan, the highest mountain in Hokkaido in the year 1924. Chigaku-Zasshi (J. Geogr.) 37: 205–224 (in Japanese).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ohba, T., 1974. Vergleichende Studien über die alpine Vegetation Japans. 1. Carici rupestris-Kobresietea bellardii. Phytocoenologia 1: 339–401.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohwi, J., 1975. Flora of Japan (new revised and enlarged ed.). Shibundo, Tokyo. 1582 pp. (in Japanese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Okitsu, S., 1981. Biomass and productivity of Pinus pumila scrub in the Taisetsu mountain range. Rep. Hokkaido Branch Jap. For. Soc. 30: 149–151 (in Japanese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sakai, A., 1970. Mechanism of desiccation damage of conifers winterning in soil frozen areas. Ecology 51: 657–664.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sakai, A., 1976. Adapation of plants to deposited snow. Low Temp. Sci., Ser. B 34: 47–76 (in Japanese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sakai, A. & Kurahashi, A., 1975. Freezing resistance of conifers in Japan with special reference to their distributions. Jap. J. Ecol. 25: 192–200 (in Japanese with English summary).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sakai, A. & Otsuka, K., 1970. Freezing resistance of alpine plants. Ecology 51: 655–671.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shidei, T., 1956. The effect of some climatic factors on the existence of vertical forest zones in Ou-district. J. Jap. For. Soc. 38: 356–358 (in Japanese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Takeda, H., Tanabe, K. & Takenaka, Y., 1950. Illustrated manual of alpine plants of Japan. Hokuryukan, Tokyo. 4+50+294+16 pp (in Japanese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Tatewaki, M., 1963. The vegetation of the Daisetsu volcanic group. In: T. Ishikawa, (ed.), Reports of the Natural Conservation Society of Japan, No. 8. Scientific Researches of the Daisetsu Volcanic Group, pp. 25–59 (in Japanese with English summary).

  • Tikhomirov, B. A., 1946. On the origin of the dwarf pine (Pinus pumila Rgl.) association. Materials on the history of the flora and vegetation of the USSR, Fasc. II, pp. 469–537. Moscow (in Russian with English summary).

  • Weaver, J. E. & Clements, F. E., 1938. Plant Ecology, 2nd ed. McGrow-Hill, New York. 601 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamada, T., Kikuchi, T. & Kaneda, Y., 1978. Data of air temperature, wind speed and wind direction in the west slope of Mt. Asahidake, central Hokkaido, 1977–1978. Low. Temp. Sci., Ser. A 36–37, Data report: 11–24 (in Japanese).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Nomenclature follows Ohwi (1975).

The authors wish to express their gratitude to Prof Dr C. H. Gimingham, who kindly read and criticized the manuscript. Acknowledgements are due to Drs H. Fukuda, M. Haruki and S. Higashi, Hokkaido University, for their valuable discussions.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Okitsu, S., Ito, K. Vegetation dynamics of the Siberian dwarf pine (Pinus pumila Regel) in the Taisetsu mountain range, Hokkaido, Japan. Vegetatio 58, 105–113 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00044934

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00044934

Key words

Navigation