| Research Abstract |
The subtropical/warm-temperate evergreen broad-leaved forests which extend from tropical lower montane belt on tropical high mountains toward subtropical/warm-temperate lowland zone of humid east Asia were studied in terms of forest structure, leaf type, phenological aspects, and ecophysiological traits. The objectives of this study are to understand causatively the spatial and temporal pattern of the subtropical/warm-temperate evergreen broad-leaved forests at various scales, and eventually to get some idea on functional types of those tree species. I have conducted, firstly, geographical analysis of the evergreen broad-leaved rain forests in east Asia, and have foud that the energy factor expressed as temperature sum value controls both forest structure and species richness in ever-humid east Asian environment. The topographical distribution pattern of the forest is largely dependent on competitive interactions among species as well as ecophysiological constraints. The competitive interrelationships among evergreen broad-leaved trees are well correlated to the leaf size, i.e., whether the tree is microphyllous or notophyllous. Therefore, various ecological behavior of the evergreens, e.g., the successional behavior, topiographical distribution, distribution along stress gradients, etc., are all well correspond to the leaf size category. Ecophysiological causation for these aspects are still going on by using portable photosynthesis measuring instrument, pressure chamber, soil moisture measuring instruments etc.
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