Species combination and distribution pattern of North-Eastern Asian vegetation

Nakamura Y. (Tokyo Univ. of Agriculture)

It is important geographical evaluation that vegetation is formed by interrelated species combination through the historical events. How the contrast of vegetation developed between Pacific and Japan Sea sides, and how vicarious continental vegetation isolated in the inland of Japan. In North eastern Asia we focus the cool-temperate and the boreal vegetation. Japanese Fagetea crenatae and Abieti-Piceetalia are corresponding to Russian Querco-Betuletea davuricae and Abieti nephrolepidis-Piceetalia jezoensis. Japan Sea side is characterized by new endemic Saso-Fagion crenatae and Abietetum mariesii regional association. They are recently-divided new syntaxa from Pacific side and it means the climate of Sea of Japan shows not so old. Corylo heterophyllae-Betuletum davuricae and Picea koyamae community are vicarious to the continent. Picea koyamae is similar to Russian Picea obovata and distributed widely in Honshu at the period of the ice age. Russian Athyro crenati-Pinetum koraiensis which northern boundary is located at latitude 45 degrees north. So during the ice age temperate forests could enter to Japan through the Korean peninsula and boreal forests through Sakhalin to Hokkaido.