The status and conservation of the largest population of the vulnerable tree Acer pycnanthum in the Iwayado habitat, central Japan

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  • Kanazashi Ayako
    Hokkaido Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute
  • Kikuchi Satoshi
    Department of Forest Genetics, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute
  • Sugiyama Masayuki
    Research Planning and Coordination Department, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute
  • Ishida Kiyoshi
    Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University
  • Nagamitsu Teruyoshi
    Department of Forest Genetics, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute
  • Suzuki Wajiro
    Tadami Beech Center, Tadami-machi, Fukushima

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Other Title
  • 希少樹種ハナノキの岩屋堂自生地(岐阜県中津川市千旦林)について : 最大規模の個体群の成立とその保全
  • キショウジュシュ ハナノキ ノ イワヤドウ ジセイチ(ギフケン ナカツガワシ センタンリン)ニ ツイテ : サイダイ キボ ノ コタイグン ノ セイリツ ト ソノ ホゼン

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Abstract

Acer pycnanthum (Sapindaceae), a dioecious tree endemic to Japan, is designated as vulnerable on the Japanese Red List. In this study, we evaluated the status and demography of the largest known population of this maple in the Iwayado habitat in Sendanbayashi, Gifu Prefecture. All individuals of A. pycnanthum > 15 cm in girth at breast height (gbh) were mapped, and their size, stem number, flowerring, and sex were recorded. In total, 785 and 44 individuals of A. pycnanthum were observed in two subpopulations located 150 m apart: Area A (7.5 ha) and Area B (0.9 ha), respectively. The subpopulation in Area A showed an inverted J-shaped size distribution, indicating sustainable regeneration. In contrast, the subpopulation in Area B showed a multi-peaked size distribution having few young individuals, suggesting that population decline will follow the death of extant individuals. Repeated past human activities such as clear cutting may have created large open spaces for successful regeneration of A. pycnanthum. While most A. pycnanthum populations are small and declining due to poor regeneration, the continuous monitoring of population dynamics in the Iwayado habitat is important in assisting management strategies for sustainable conservation of this species.

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