Hokkaido University Short-Term Exchange Program
(HUSTEP)
Link to: International Student Center
Environmental Earth Science
I am the instructor in charge in 2009.
Subsection: Plants and Plant communities in Japan - A brief introduction -
Syllabus
Temporal and spatial patterns of plant communities. Spatial pattern: plant community structures with different sceales, as viewed from sattelites, airplaines, and earth.
Temporal pattern: community dynamics and succession. How do plant community structures change with time?
What power promotes changes in plant community structure? - Disturbances, interactions, ...
Contents
[ 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | References ]
2009
April 13, 2009
Guidance
May 25, 2009
Question: Find out the common characteristics of the five species.
Trillium kamtschaticum Pall. (Liliaceae)
= Emblem of Hokkaido University
Corydalis ambigua Cham. et Schlecht. (Papaveraceae)
Anemone raddeana Regel
Scopolia japonica Maxim.
Gagea lutea (L.) Ker-Gawl.
Vegetation map in Japan
Deciduous and evergreen forests
Spring ephemerals
Climate in Japan: temperature and precipitation
Temperature
Sakura front (cherry blossom front)
Equation for predicting the date of cherry blossom
Changes in date of cherry blossom may change animal behavior
Distribution of fern species (evergreen and summer-green ferns)
Japan Sea front vs Pacific Ocean front - differences in temperature and precipitation
Precipitation
Dorso-ventral structure in Japan
Snow
Straight and dwarf forms of trees
Life form on Sasa (dwarf bamboo) group
Skislope vegetation
IPCC 2007
procedure on skislope establishment
problems (not only natural but also living problems)
Miscanthus sinensis: may be keystone species on skislopes in Japan
Summary
Human disturbance and exotic plants
Numbers of native vascular plants in Japan and Hokkaido
Number of alien plants estimated in Japan
Poisonous plants - for field trip
Aconitum japonicum, Rhus ambigua, Urtica platyphylla and phylogenetically-closed species
June 1, 2008
Field trip: see the flora list
June 8, 2008
Seed dispersal
Changes in the distribution of plant communities by global warming
Migration pace on plant communities with reference to seed dispersal types
Vertical distribution
Alpine ecosystem: snowbed and fellfield
Subalpine ecosystem, or Pinus pumila
Mixed forest
Routes of plant immigration for 2 million years
Disturbances
Scale, frequency, and intensity
Intermediate hypothesis (or theory)
Look at the campus
Flood - disturbance-maintained plant communities
Skip!
Regeneration on fallen logs
Wetlands
Volcanoes
Volcanic succession - climax
Succession on Mount Usu
Let's talk about ...
- Q Global warming increases number of exotic species in Japan, or not?
- Q If yes (or no), tell why and how?
[global warming does not means temperature increase only.] - Q We can not avoid 'global warming' in the present state. Shall we accept exotic species or not?
- Q Do we have any ways to restrict the invasion of exotic species?
[clipping, herbicides, habitat manipulation, or the other techniques?]
+ consider global scale (economy, etc.) - Q What shall we do for this problem?
August 3, 2009
- Brief summary
- Questionnaire
- Short exam
Thank you for joining!
2008
June 9, 2008
Question: Find out the common characteristics of the five species.
Trillium kamtschaticum Pall. (Liliaceae)
= Emblem of Hokkaido University
Corydalis ambigua Cham. et Schlecht. (Papaveraceae)
Anemone raddeana Regel
Scopolia japonica Maxim.
Gagea lutea (L.) Ker-Gawl.
Vegetation map in Japan
Deciduous and evergreen forests
Spring ephemerals
Climate in Japan: temperature and precipitation
Temperature
Sakura front (cherry blossom front)
Equation for predicting the date of cherry blossom
Changes in date of cherry blossom may change animal behavior
Distribution of fern species (evergreen and summer-green ferns)
Japan Sea front vs Pacific Ocean front - differences in temperature and precipitation
Precipitation
Dorso-ventral structure in Japan
Snow
Straight and dwarf forms of trees
Life form on Sasa (dwarf bamboo) group
Skislope vegetation
IPCC 2007
procedure on skislope establishment
problems (not only natural but also living problems)
Miscanthus sinensis: may be keystone species on skislopes in Japan
Summary
Human disturbance and exotic plants
Numbers of native vascular plants in Japan and Hokkaido
Number of alien plants estimated in Japan
Poisonous plants - for field trip
Aconitum japonicum, Rhus ambigua, Urtica platyphylla and phylogenetically-closed species
June 16, 2008
Field trip: see the flora list
June 23, 2008
Seed dispersal
Changes in the distribution of plant communities by global warming
Migration pace on plant communities with reference to seed dispersal types
Vertical distribution
Alpine ecosystem: snowbed and fellfield
Subalpine ecosystem, or Pinus pumila
Mixed forest
Routes of plant immigration for 2 million years
Disturbances
Scale, frequency, and intensity
Intermediate hypothesis (or theory)
Look at the campus
Flood - disturbance-maintained plant communities
Regeneration on fallen logs
Wetlands
Volcanoes
Volcanic succession - climax
Succession on Mount Usu
Let's talk about ...
- Q Global warming increases number of exotic species in Japan, or not?
- Q If yes (or no), tell why and how?
[global warming does not means temperature increase only.] - Q We can not avoid 'global warming' in the present state. Shall we accept exotic species or not?
- Q Do we have any ways to restrict the invasion of exotic species?
[clipping, herbicides, habitat manipulation, or the other techniques?]
+ consider global scale (economy, etc.) - Q What shall we do for this problem?
Examination
2007
- Characteristics of temporal and spatial patterns on ecosystems in Japan.
- Strolling across the campus to see the real examples of ecosystems. (The schedule may be changed, if the weather is terrible.)
- Effects of disturbances on ecosystems in Hokkaido
- Problems on biological conservation and restoration with various scales, i.e, from trampling to global warming
May 28, 2007
plant community
Mount Koma
Flora on Mount Koma
The characteristics of flora
vegetation physiognomy
strata
forest floor
distribution correlated with environment
photosynthesis
toposequence
scale
scale-depencent environmental factor
biome
temperature vs precipitation
Japan: location, latitude and altitude
climate and plant community patterns in Japan
cherry blossom (Sakura) front, rainy seasons
equation to predict cherry blossom
distribution of fern species (evergreen and summer-green ferns)
warmth index
Japan Sea front vs Pacific Ocean front - differences in temperature and precipitation
snow depth
distribution of Camellia with reference to snow depth
plant forms in relation to snow depth
distribution of Sasa (dwarf bamboo)
front-end
Part 1. Tree
Betula platyphylla var. japonica, Populus maximowiczii, Picea yezoensis, Abies sachalinensis, Alnus japonica
June 4, 2007
Part 2. Herb
Phragmites communis, Drosera rotundifolia, Sphagnum spp., Anaphalis margaritacea, Polygonum sachalinense
plant community and landscape on skislopes
procedure on skislope establishment
problems (not only natural but also living problems)
IPCC 2007
restoration ecology
Miscanthus sinensis: may be keystone species on skislopes in Japan
seed dispersal
seed dispersal and succession
changes in the distribution of plant communities by global warming
migration pace on plant communities with reference to seed dispersal types
vertical distribution
alpine ecosystem: snowbed and fellfield
subalpine ecosystem, or Pinus pumila
mixed forest
routes of plant immigration for 2 million years
human disturbance and exotic plants
number of native vascular plants in Japan and Hokkaido
number of alien plants estimated in Japan
Poisonous plants - for field trip
Aconitum japonicum, Rhus ambigua, Urtica platyphylla and phylogenetically-closed species
June 11, 2007
Field trip
June 18, 2007
Schedule
- additional remarks: disturbances
- talking about disturbances, including global warming and exotic species
- short examination, if we have enough time Definitely complicated
disturbances
scale, frequency, and intensity
intermediate hypothesis (or theory)
look at the campus
flood - disturbance-maintained plant communities
regeneration on fallen logs
wetlands
volcanoes
volcanic succession - climax
succession on Mount Usu
as a bonus
spring ephemerals
emblem of Hokkaido University
symbols of Hokkaido Government
Summary
- determinants on ecosystems differ with scale
- disturbances maintain various ecosystems. Ex. Intermediate hypothesis
- succession is related to various abiotic and biotic factors
spatial and temporal changes in ecosystems
Let's talk about ...
Examination
2003
May 12, 2003
Front-end
Part 1. Tree
Betula platyphylla var. japonica, Populus maximowiczii, Picea yezoensis, Abies sachalinensis, Alnus japonica
Part 2. Herb
Phragmites communis, Drosera rotundifolia, Sphagnum spp., Anaphalis margaritacea, Polygonum sachalinense, Miscanthus sinensis
Plant community
Flora, vegetation physiognomy, distribution correlated with environment
Stratification: canopy - subcanopy - herb layer - ground surface
Biome: temperature and precipitation
Remote sensing
Plant community in Japan
Climate in Japan
Sakura front (cherry blossom front)
Warmth index
Distribution of fern species (evergreen and summer-green ferns)
Japan Sea front vs Pacific Ocean front - differences in temperature and precipitation
Snow depth
May 19, 2003
Verticl distribution on plant communities
Case: Mount Yotei (Ezo-Fuji)
Alpine zone
Subalpine zone (Pinus pumila zone)
Mixed forest zone
Cool temperate zone
Plant community in Hokkaido
Soil type: relationships bewteen volcanic activity and the distribution of plant communities
(Pan-)mixed forest
Forest fire and slope direction
Disturbance: Natural and human disturbances
Scale, frequency, and intensity
Intermediate hypothesis (or theory)
How to measure?
Look at the campus
Flood - disturbance-maintained plant communities
Human disturbance and exotic plants
Poisonous plants - for field trip
Aconitum japonicum Thunb., Rhus vernicifiua Stokes., Utrica thunbergiana Sieb. et Zucc. and phylogenetically-closed species
Plant community and landscape on skislopes
Procedure on skislope establishment
Problems (not only natural but also living problems)
... continuing to June 2, 2003
May 26, 2003
Field trip
June 2, 2003
... continued from May 19, 2003
Miscanthus sinensis Anderss (Poaceae) might be keystone species on skislopes
On restoration
Wetland in Hokkaido
Bog and fen
Wetland plants
Tussock
Sphagnum (peat moss)
Succession (case of volcanoes)
Sakurajima Island
Miyake Island
Mount Usu
- find out what are common patterns in plant succession
Seed dispersal and succession
As a bonus
Spring ephemerals
Emblem of Hokkaido University
Symbols of Hokkaido Government
Summary
- Determinants on ecosystems differ with scale.
- Disturbances maintain various ecosystems. Ex. Intermediate hypothesis
- Succession is related to various abiotic and biotic factors
Spatial and temporal changes in ecosystems
Examination report
2002
May 20, 2002
Plant community
Flora, vegetation physiognomy, distribution correlated with environment
Stratification: canopy - subcanopy - herb layer - ground surface
Biome: temperature and precipitation
Remote sensing
Plant community in Japan
Climate in Japan
Sakura front (cherry blossom front)
Warmth index
Distribution of fern species (evergreen and summer-green ferns)
Japan Sea front vs Pacific Ocean front - differences in temperature and precipitation
Snow depth
Zonation (horizontal and vertical distribution of plant communities)
Poisonous plants - for field trip
Aconitum japonicum Thunb., Rhus vernicifiua Stokes., Utrica thunbergiana Sieb. et Zucc. and phylogenetically-closed species
Plant community in Hokkaido
Soil type: effect of volcanic activity
Pan-mixed forest
Forest fire and slope direction
May 27, 2002
Field trip
June 3, 2002
Disturbance: Natural and human disturbances
Scale, frequency, and intensity
Intermediate hypothesis
How to measure?
Look at the campus
Flood - disturbance-maintained plant communities
Gap dynamics
Restoration ecology
Human disturbance and exotic plants
Landscape on skislopes
Problems (not only natural but also living problems)
Wetland
Bog and fen
Tussock
Sphagnum (peat moss)
Succession (case of volcanoes)
Sakurajima Island
Miyake Island
As a bonus
Spring ephemerals
Emblem of Hokkaido University
Symbols of Hokkaido Government
2001
Spatial patterns of plant communities
Introduction to plant community ecology
Types of plant communities
Spatial and temporal scale
Relationship between climate and plant community - viewing from global to regional scales
Plant community patterns with global scale
Temperature and precipitation
Biome (e.g., tropical forest, tundra, desert)
Vegetation map made by remote sensing
Latitude and altitude
Trade wind and westerlies
Location of Japan
Plant community patterns in Japan
Japan Sea front vs Pacific Ocean front - differences in temperature and precipitation
Zonation (horizontal and vertical distribution of plant communities)
Cherry blossom (Sakura) front, rainy seasons
Distribution of fern species (evergreen and summer-green ferns)
Soil types
Distribution of volcanoes
Snow depth
Distribution of Camellia with reference to snow depth
Plant forms in relation to snow depth
Distribution of Sasa (dwarf bamboo)
Plant community patterns in Hokkaido
Forest fire and slope direction
Pan-mixed forest
Tephratrophic mire
Disturbances
Natural and human disturbances
Flood - disturbance-maintained plant communities
Soil erosion
Ski slope
Temporal pattern: community dynamics and succession. How do plant community structures change with time?
Succession
References
See also, references for lectures
- Forman RTT & Godron M. 1986. Landscape ecology. John Wiley, New York.
- Glenn-Levin DC, Peet RK & Veblen TT. 1992. Plant succession. Theory and prediction. Chapman & Hall, London.
- Walker LR (ed.). 1999. Ecosystems of disturbed ground. Ecosystems of the world 16. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
[In Japanese]
- Hayashi I. 1990. Vegetation and geology (Shokusei Chirigaku). Taimeido, Tokyo.
- Kadomura H, Okada H & Araya T. 1988. 1977-78 volcanism and environmental hazards of Usu Volcano. (Usuzan. Sono Hendo to Saigai). Hokkaido University Press, Sapporo.
English