Main Research Topics

Ogawa is an experiment forest site with ca.60 tree species and species-rich forest floor vegetation. In 1987, this site was established for the purpose of clarifying the dynamics of trees throughout their life history. At this site, detailed surveys have been continued to date, targeting each stage of tree life history, including seeds, seedlings, saplings, saplings, and mature trees. In recent years, large trees have died and fallen frequently, and there are also concerns about the oak wilt and the invasion of sika deer. These may dramatically change the forest in the future.

For details,

Tohru Nakashizuka, Yoosuke Matsumoto eds. (2002)Diversity and Interaction in a Temperate Forest Community: Ogawa Forest Reserve of Japan (Ecological Studies, 158), Springer, 342pp.

All trees ≥ 5 cm in diameter at breast height (DBH) in the 6 ha plot are identified, mapped and tagged. Recently, all trees ≥ 1 cm in DBH in the 6 ha plot were investigated.