Ecosystem adaptability under volcanic disturbance on Miyake Island

2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23780155
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Forest science
• Research Institution: Niigata University
• Principal Investigator: ABE HARUE 新潟大学, 自然科学系, 助教 (60462272)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): TAKAHASHI Toshimori 宇都宮大学, 農学部, 准教授 (20396815) ; HASEGAWA Masami 東邦大学, 理学部, 教授 (40250162)
• Research Collaborator: YOSHIKAWA Tetsuro 森林総合研究所, 森林植生研究室, 研究員
• Project Period (FY): 2011 – 2013
• Keywords: 三宅島 / 種子散布 / 鳥類 / 噴火 / 遺伝的多様性

Research Abstract

Physiological tolerances in species in addition to ecological tolerance for disturbance in interspecific interactions act as key elements for restoration of a whole island ecosystem. In an effort to study these community recovery processes, we aim to identify the key elements on a seed dispersal system and estimate these ecological tolerance on a volcanic island, Miyake-jima, which experienced an eruption in the summer of 2000. In the results, seeds of Eutya japonica were found most frequently in bird feces and Japanese white-eye was the dominant visitor, comprising 75% of all visits to fruiting Eurya trees. The genetic diversity of Eurya seeds in bird feces were not correlated with index of volcanic damages. The results indicated that the seed-dispersal system of E. japonica and White-eye was maintained under volcanic disturbance and act as important elements for forest restoration.