SASAKI A.
Holocene vegetation changes inferred from soil stratigraphy on Mt. Sumon-Dake, central Japan
Pages 85-89
Abstract
Geo-historical surveys of slopes and soil stratigraphy shows the changes in vegetation on the present-day upper montane zone of Mt, Sumon-dake 0,538 m a.s.l.; 3T23′N, 139°08′E) since the Late Gl acial when the slopes were covered poorly veget ation. The snowpatch meadows widely covered the crest gentle slop es between the summit and 1,250 m in altitude in the early Holocene, indicated by initi ation of the herbaceous pe aty soil layer. Although th e vegetation zones shifted up – ward in response to the warming after th e Last Gl acial, the upper limit of the continuous montane vegetation area represent ed by Fagus crenata trees remained at 1,200-1,300 m in altitu de, 100-250 m lower than pres – ent, in the early Holocene. The widely distributed snowpatch meadows continued to exist on the slopes above 1,200-1,300 m in altitude during the early to middle Holocene inst ead of F. crenata forest. The changes in vegetation were strongly controlled by heavy snow accumulation since the Late Glacial.
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