Coexistence of Three Canopy Tree Species in a Riparian Forest in the Chichibu Mountains, Central Japan

Three canopy tree species (Fraxinus platypoda, Pterocarya rhoifolia, and Cercidiphyllum japonicum) coexist in riparian forests in the Chichibu Mountains of central Japan. We compared the forest structure and the reproductive characteristics of these species. F. platypoda was the dominant canopy spec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Folia geobotanica 2002-03, Vol.37 (1), p.45-61
Main Authors: Sakio, Hitoshi, Kubo, Masako, Shimano, Koji, Ohno, Keiichi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Canopies
Coexistence
Deciduous forests
Floodplains
Forest canopy
Forest regeneration
Landslides
Life history
Mountains
Plant species
Riparian areas
Riparian forests
Saplings
Seedlings
Seeds
Species
Sprouts
Trees
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Summary:Three canopy tree species (Fraxinus platypoda, Pterocarya rhoifolia, and Cercidiphyllum japonicum) coexist in riparian forests in the Chichibu Mountains of central Japan. We compared the forest structure and the reproductive characteristics of these species. F. platypoda was the dominant canopy species. It produced many saplings and grew in abandoned channels and floodplains, and was able to invade both large and small disturbance sites. P. rhoifolia was a subdominant species that occurred on the deposits of large-scale landslides and grew in patches containing even-aged trees. C. japonicum was the other subdominant species that produced few saplings and invaded large disturbance sites together with P. rhoifolia. Establishment sites of C. japonicum were restricted to fine mineral soils and fallen logs. We found tradeoffs in reproductive characteristics (seed size, seed number, irregular seed production, and sprouting) among the three canopy species. F. platypoda and P. rhoifolia had large seeds and produced fruits irregularly. C. japonicum produced many small seeds every year and sprouted prolifically around the main stem. The causes of the coexistence mechanism of the three riparian canopy tree species may be both niche- and chance-determined to varying degrees. In riparian areas, the three canopy species were well-adapted to disturbances throughout their life-history.
ISSN:1211-9520
1874-9348
DOI:10.1007/bf02803190