Impacts of iron production on vegetation during the late Holocene in western Japan

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25882028
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Cultural assets study and museology
• Research Institution: Kyoto Prefectural University
• Principal Investigator: SASAKI Naoko 京都府立大学, 生命環境科学研究科(系), 研究員 (50425427)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-08-30 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 植生史 / 植生変化 / 古代製鉄 / 完新世 / 火事史 / 花粉分析 / 微粒炭分析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The Chugoku Mountains, western Japan is known as iron production area since seventh century. To elucidate impacts of ancient manufacture on vegetation, sediment samples from two sites in the Chugoku Mountains, were analyzed for pollen and charcoal. Pollen records suggest that secondary forest dominated by deciduous oaks with Cryptomeria japonica had been developed at ca. 2000 cal yr BP. In the medieval period, Pinus, Poaceae and Artemisia pollen increased coincidentally with increase of charcoal particles. It suggests that open landscape was established by fire disturbance. Many iron-smelting sites from sixth to eighteenth century were excavated in the Chugoku Mountains. Based on comparing pollen and charcoal records with archaeological and historical records, it is suggested that decrease of forest resource at two sites were caused by iron working, which consume a large amount of wood.

Free Research Field

植生史，古生態学