The active Mt. Oyama volcano on Miyake-jima Island in the Izu Islands, Japan, erupted in 2000 followed by large amounts of volcanic gas containing high concentrations of SO2has been emitted. The island ecosystem has been heavily damaged by the volcanic ash and gas. We detail the destruction and recovery of vegetation found in a 7-year study of 11 permanent plots from 2001 to 2007. Damage to vegetation by ash was worst near the crater in 2001. Trees began dying in 2001, apparently due to direct and/or indirect effects of volcanic gas emission. In contrast to the tree decline, two grass species,Miscanthus condensatusandCarex oshimensis, increased notably following the eruption, suggesting their high SO2and acidic soil tolerance.Miscanthus condensatusandC. oshimensiswere not dominant species in early stage of primary succession before the 2000-year eruption. In the vegetation recovery after the eruption, the tolerances to SO2and acidic soils are necessary for plant species to colonize on devastated sites.
To detect the effects of a deciduous shrub Salix reinii on microclimate along a gradient of elevation during the snow-free period, we measured ground surface temperature and surface photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) for bare ground and S. reinii patches (henceforth 'patches'). Measurements were made at low (560 m above sea level), middle (665 m), and high (755 m) elevations on the Mount Koma volcano in northern Japan. Soil water content was also measured for bare ground and under S. reinii patches at the middle elevation, and wind speed was measured on bare ground at all 3 elevations. The forest canopy, dominated by Larix kaempferi, was more developed at lower elevations, and wind speeds there were lower. The PAR value in patches decreased with increasing foliage, which also reduced temperature fluctuations at all 3 elevations. The water content remained higher in patches than on bare ground. These observations show that shrub cover markedly reduces temperature fluctuation and soil desiccation by intercepting solar radiation. Differences in microclimate between the 3 elevations were less in the shrub patches, showing that the patches weakened the effects of elevation and canopy on microclimate at each of the elevations surveyed.
Aims Shrub patches often support the colonizers particularly under stressful and/or disturbed environments. The intensities of stresses and disturbances on mountains are often related to an elevation gradient and are decreased by shrub patches (canopy and litter). We aim to clarify these relationships by using shrub patches at different elevations on a volcano. Methods We monitored all shoots in plots established inside and outside of patches of Salix reinii (Salicaceae) and their related environments, such as temperature, light, moisture and chemistry, at three elevations on Mount Koma (1131 m elevation), northern Japan, from early spring in 2005 to summer in 2006. The patch structures were evaluated by area, branch density and litter thickness. Important findings The structures of shrub patches did not differ among the elevations. The patches increased the diversity of rare species, by an overall increase in plant species richness. The moisture, nitrogen and phosphate contents in the patches were higher than outside of patches. The effects of shrub patches on the cohabitants were overall positive, although the effects were negative on seedling abundance, shoot survival and flowering. These results suggest that the growth patterns of shrub patches determine the plant community structures and facilitate plant diversity.
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