A Trial for Reforestation After Forest Fires with Sakhalin Spruce in the Northern Most Japan

• Main Authors: Nomura Mutsumi, Koike Takayoshi
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Sakhalin
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.621.2628; http://www.agr.hokudai.ac.jp/env/ctc_siberia/bibliography/sympo2006/PDF/030-Kayama.pdf

Sakhalin spruce (Picea glehnii Masters) is a common species native to Hokkaido Island in northern Japan. This tree species can grow in infertile regions, such as serpentine, swamp, volcanic ash soils, etc. In comparison to other spruces, Sakhalin spruce classified as slow growing spruce species. The growth, photosynthetic rate, and concentration of nitrogen in needles were relatively lower for Sakhalin spruce compared to other spruce species. However, Sakhalin spruce had greater needle longevity, and required lower nutrients for growth than other spruce species planted in Japan. These distinct ecophysiological traits observed for Sakhalin spruce were advantageous for growth on serpentine soils, which are low in nutrients. Serpentine soil contains high concentrations of magnesium and heavy metals, such as chromium and nickel. Sakhalin spruce grown on serpentine soil had shown a high capability for excluding these elements. The Teshio Experimental Forest undertook a reforestation project, in which about half a million Sakhalin spruce seedlings were planted on a serpentine barren area that had been disturbed by four times of forest fires during these 10 decades. The climatic conditions of this area were severe, especially in winter months. Sakhalin spruce planted on serpentine barren area endured