Abstract
An investigation was carried out on the extent of damage caused by typhoon 7 on the subalpine coniferous forest in Mt. Norikuradake, central Japan, in 1998. It has been confirmed that sizable amounts of trees were found fallen, on the northwest slope of Nekodake (2200-2350m), particularly at 3 spots of 0.9 ha, 1.1 ha and 2.6 ha. According to the belt-transect survey, many canopies of coniferous trees such as Abies mariesü, A. veitchü and Picea jezoensis var. hondoensis, were blown off by the typhoon. However, damage on saplings was slight. Still, many trees were uprooted by the strong southwest wind and resultantly lay perpendicularly to the direction of the slope. As for the forest stands covered with Sasa senanensis, it is better to leave them as they are because it is precisely on these sites that the fallen trees are able to flourish and regenerate themselves.
