抄録
The roles of the disturbance regime in the dynamics and stability of forest communities are reviewed, and various types of mosaic structure are classified according to this factor. A community shows a mosaic structure including mature phases when the rotation period of disturbance exceeds both the return interval and the maturation time of the community. The relative length of the former two factors in comparison to the maturation time can be a major criterion of community stability, while fluctuation of biomass, as an index of stability, depends on the rate of disturbance relative to that of recovery. As a case study, the influence of the disturbance regime on the stability of cool-temperate deciduous forest communities in Japan is overviewed. The loss caused by a large typhoon may exceed the annual increment of forest biomass tenfold or more. Further problems in the study of disturbance and forest regeneration are discussed, with speclal emphasis given to the necessity for continuous study over a large area.
