2005 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Effects of decreasing snow accumulation under global change on forest ecosystems in central Japan
| Project/Area Number |
15310027
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Environmental impact assessment/Environmental policy
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| Research Institution | Toho University |
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Principal Investigator |
MARUTA Emiko Toho University, Faculty of Science, Associate Professor, 理学部, 助教授 (90229609)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
HASEGAWA Masami Toho University, Faculty of Science, Associate Professor, 理学部, 助教授 (40250162)
UEDA Masafumi Nara Forest Research Institute, 主任研究員
SEKI Takeshi Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 東北支所, 主任研究官 (40353742)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2003 – 2005
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| Keywords | global change / forest limit / winter water stress / photoinhibition / Fagus crenata / Abies mariesii / embolism / cavitaion |
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| Research Abstract |
Abies mariesii is a dominant sub-alpine tree in central Japan. Leader stems of tree-line A.mariesii at Mt.Norikura degenerate due to environmetal stresses above the snow surface during winters, whereas shoots within snowpack were not affected by any stresses. High photon flux density in the early spring might have injured photochemical systems of A.mariesii leaves above the snow surface at the tree-line. Shoots above the snowpack line suffered from winter desiccation and embolism during the winter over the snow surface. In early summer, stomatal conductance remained low due to embolism. Embolism did not recover until new xylem formation. Winter desiccation should decrease dry matter production over the snowpack line and the main production might be made by the part below snowpack line. Thus, decrease in snowfall under climate change should have an unfavorable effect on tree-line A.mariesii. Similarly, climate change might have an unfavorable effect on the regenerate process of dominant tree species, Fagus crenata in cool temperate forest. Seedlings of F.crenata could not survive in the snow-free winter due to embolism in xylem.
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