Nine
Betula species inhabit Saitama prefecture and two of them were designated endangered species. The aims of this study are to analyze the habitats of nine
Betula species in relation to geology and geography and to discuss the formation processes of biodiversity.
According to result of the analysis,
B. corilifolia,
B. ermanii and
B. globispica are distributed on high-elevation areas. And
B. schmidtii and
B. maximowicziana found in steeply slope.
B. davurica was found in low-pitched slope.
B. schmidtii inhabits in convex areas.
The distribution of
Betula species was affected by the diversity of geology, geography and climate. We estimated that the
Betula species, a taxon that was widely distributed in the arctic area during the Tertiary, advanced southward into Japan, speciated and adapted to various environmental conditions such as limestone, sub-alpine climate, heavy wind and also collapsed areas, steep slope and floodplains.
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