Abstract
Vegetation changes and human activities around the eastern part of the Musashino Upland during the last 6000 years were reconstructed from plant fossil assemblages and pollen influx at the Tameike Site, and seven vegetation stages were established accordingly. At ca. 6000 yr B.P., dissected valleys formed drowned valleys around the Tameike Site, and deciduous broad-leaved forests dominated by Quercus subgen. Lepidobalanus flourished. Since ca. 4000 yr B.P., Castanea forests expanded on the upland with swamp forests in the dissected valleys. At ca. 3200 yr B.P., the vegetation on the upland changed into evergreen broad-leaved forests dominated by Quercus subgen. Cyclobalanopsis. The pollen influx suggested a decrease of forests by human activities since ca. 2600 yr B.P. After the Yayoi Period, forests declined gradually and changed into sparse copse at about 1000 yr B.P. Since ca. 1000 yr B.P., forests on the upland recovered, but changed into sparse forests again after the 14th century, and Pinus forests expanded after that. At the beginning of the 18th century, the shore of the Tameike pond was buried rapidly with domestic garbage, such as edible plants and garden trees.
