Clarification of adaptive mechanism of tropical tree species t soil environment

• Project/Area Number: 25870569
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Forest science; Ecology/Environment
• Research Institution: Kagoshima University
• Principal Investigator: Ugawa Shin 鹿児島大学, 学術研究院農水産獣医学域農学系, 准教授 (30582738)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2015)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,640,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥840,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥650,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥150,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
• Keywords: 熱帯林 / 共存機構 / 土壌環境 / 細根特性 / Macaranga属 / Shorea属 / Macarange属

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we aim to clarify a mechanism that tropical tree species adopts soil environment of their own habitat. Five Macaranga and 8 Shorea species were chosen in Pasoh Forest Reserve of Malaysia, and the environmental factors of their habitat and their fine root morphology were measured. As a result, tree species grow in different environment of soil water and light. However, the difference in soil nutrient condition among tree species was detected for Macaranga but not for Shorea. The difference in fine root diameter among tree species was detected for Macaranga. These results indicate a possibility that fine root morphology is related to light condition rather than soil condition.