Alpine vegetation pattern in relation to environmental factors in japanese high mountains

The habitat of alpine plant communities was examined on the basis of environmental factors such as landforms, time of snow release, soil moisture, surface materials, and stability of land surface in three Japanese high mountains, i.e., the Daisetsu Mountains, the Northern Japan Alps, and the Southern Japan Alps. Alpine vegetation pattern is affected by various environmental factors, and a chain of hierarchical relationships is found among these factors. A close relationship is found between landforms, time of snow release, and vegetation. Time of snow release governs vegetation pattern through factors such as growing period of plants, soil moisture, and stability of land surface. In sites with intermediate time of snow release, soil moisture is the most important factor controlling vegetation pattern. In stable sites with intermediate time of snow release (early June-mid-July; late May-late June in the Southern Japan Alps) and mesic moisture condition, alpine herbaceous plant communities occur. In sites with early-melting snow, stability of the land surface is an important factor governing vegetation pattern