Study of a future forest type when canopy was formed again based on current status of a shrubby vegetation on coastal forest damaged by Tsunami

Abstract

We investigated a shrub vegetation and guessed a forest type 50 years later on the tsunami-stricken coastal forest. As a result of the investigation in 20 sites, pines and many deciduous broadleaf tree species grew as the tall tree species, and an evergreen broadleaf tree didn't exist except for Neolitsea sericea. The density of woody plant in the open forest near a coast was lower than that in the hinterland because sea breeze influenced. It had the high density of Cerasus jamasakura and Quercus serrata which are an intolerant tree on the highest level of the shrub vegetation in the open forest and the woodlot. We guessed many sites to transfer in wood land with the closing canopy and stratification in the interior. The forest types 50 years later were different depending on the distance from the sea, the situation of the remains tall tree and the vegetation before Tsunami.