2004 Volume 2004 Issue 776 Pages 107-112
Bamboo groves expanding is a geoenvironmental problem caused by a decrease in demand of food and architecture materials, and aging of owners or shortage of labor in the farm villages. The total areas of bamboo groves distributed in Toyota-cho, Yamaguchi prefecture have increased up to about 157% for 18 years on the basis of analysis of aerial photographs. Also field survey of the bamboo groves was carried out on 18 sites. Main conclusions are summarized as follows. 1) The cause of bamboo groves expanding is dependent on the type of surrounding vegetation and the predominance of bamboo. 2) Bamboo groves expanding results in the death of conifers. 3) Bamboo have a tendency to grow in silt ground having characteristics of low liquid limit and comparatively low Nd value.
