Effects of mammal behavior on deadwood decomposition

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K14490
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 40010:Forest science-related
• Research Institution: Shizuoka University
• Principal Investigator: Kurihara Yosuke 静岡大学, 農学部, 特任助教 (70814359)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 枯死木 / 哺乳類 / 昆虫

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Japanese macaques caused a rapid loss of deadwood volume, and furthermore, the fragmented deadwood was more likely to be trampled by Japanese deer in the western coastal forest in Yakushima Island, Japan. Japanese macaques broke white-rot wood in a late stage of decay in forests to feed on arthropods, and such wood was inhabited by arthropods such as larvae of beetles, cockroaches, and termites. The results of the present study suggest that medium and large mammals play an additional role in promoting deadwood decomposition especially in the late stage of decomposition.

Free Research Field

動物生態学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

枯死木は森林に大量に存在するだけでなく、生物多様性や物質循環を支えるなど生態系において重要な役割を果たしている。その分解は主に真菌や節足動物が担うことが知られている一方、中大型動物が枯死木分解プロセスにどのように関与するかはよくわかっていない。本研究では、ニホンザルやニホンジカなどの中大型哺乳類が枯死木分解速度にあたえる影響に関するデータを得ることで、枯死木と中大型動物という未解明のリンクに迫ることができた。