Ikawa Forest Station
Organization
Ikawa Forest Station, Mountain Science Center, University of Tsukuba
Research Theme
Studies on forest ecosystem and erosion control over Oigawa river basin
Site Outline
Ikawa Forest is located in the Akaishi Mountains of central Japan. Ikawa
University Forest covers the upper stream of the Higashigouchi River, a tributary of the Ohi River, and forms a 1700 ha basin. The lowest elevation in the Ikawa University Forest is at the south end (900 m a.s.l.), whereas the highest elevation is the peak of Mount Aonagi (2406 m a.s.l.) at the northwest end. Vegetation types in the Ikawa University Forest change with the elevation. Broad-leaved deciduous forests mainly composed mainly of Quercus crispula and maple trees are located in the low-altitude areas, while subalpine conifer forests (e.g., Abies mariesii) are located in the higher-altitude areas (over 2000 m a.s.l.). Ikawa University Forest is a suitable site for studies and research on natural vegetation and wild animals because of extensive secondary forests (1350 ha). Median tectonic line and Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line, the largest tectonic lines in Japan, cross the upper stream of the Ohi River. Therefore, bedrock in the Ikawa University forest, fractured by active tectonics, is significantly weak. Several large landslides (> 5 ha) and multiple shallow landslides in the Ikawa University Forest supply large amounts of sediment. Debris flow also frequently occurs in the rivers and tributaries. Therefore, many field studies and observations on the geomorphology of high mountains have been conducted in the Ikawa University Forest.
Contact
- Address : Ikawa Forest Station, Mountain Science Center, University of Tsukuba, 1621-2 Ikawa, Aoi, Shizuoka, 428-0504 Japan
- Name : Yosuke Yamakawa
- Phone : 054-260-2419
- Fax : 054-260-2626
- E-mail :yamakawa.yosuke.ga@u.tsukuba.ac.jp
WWW site URL
Japanese : http://www.msc.tsukuba.ac.jp/field-facility/fld-03/
English :