1999 Volume 52 Issue 4 Pages 4-12
This study aims to examine a natural revegetation process with relation to the topsoil reformation following a shallow landslide disturbance and effective indicators for predicting the potential sites of the shallow landslide on Shirasu (Ito pyroclastic flow deposits) steep slopes in Kagoshima City, southern Kyushu, Japan. Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii took the place of Pinus thunbergii at a transitional stage around 50-55 years after landsliding and was a dominant at a climax stage over 80 years after landsliding. The topsoil reformation on the landslide scar was making gradually progress as time goes on, reached about 40cm thick over 80 years after landsliding. It could be concluded that frequency of evergreen broadleaved trees and Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii to the total number of tree plants were effective indicators for predicting potential sites of the shallow landslide.
