Distribution shift of montane forests and its speed along climate change

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H03835
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Forest science
• Research Institution: Forest Research and Management Organization (2020-2021); Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (2017-2019)
• Principal Investigator: Nakashizuka Tohru 国立研究開発法人森林研究・整備機構, 森林総合研究所, 研究員(移行) (00281105)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 饗庭 正寛 総合地球環境学研究所, 研究部, 特任助教 (80751990) ; 黒川 紘子 国立研究開発法人森林研究・整備機構, 森林総合研究所, 主任研究員 等 (70515733)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 気候変動 / 分布移動速度 / 環境要因 / 景観要因 / 炭素循環

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Forest canopy dynamics over the past 30 years were elucidated in 17 montane forests in the central to northern part of the Honshu Island in Japan. We measured the changes of canopy area by analyzing the past arial photos and the photos took by drone for this time together. The results showed that the average annual rate of change in the canopy area of conifers was positive in many sites, while the rate of change in the canopy area of deciduous broadleaf trees was positive in some sites and negative in others, over a 30-year period from the 1980s to the 2010s. We also found that the factors affecting the rate of change in tree distribution were different at the upper and lower limits of the distribution.

Free Research Field

森林生態学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、日本の冷温帯山地林で、過去30年間での樹木の分布変化速度を推定し、それらを決定する要因を明らかにした。これらの成果は、森林衰退など脆弱性評価、森林に対する気候変化適応策の具体的手法などに関する基礎的知見を提供するのみならず、生態系適応策の社会的意義やその適用時期、優先順位などを現実的に明確にするためにも重要である。