Tree Architecture
樹形研究

Tree architecture represents the foraging behaviour of trees for their primary resource: light. Hydraulic architecture reflectes the way water is distributed within the tree body and also defines hieracrhical relationships among modular units within the tree. Our research focuses on linking tree architecture with ecological and physiological aspects of trees.

樹形は樹木が光を求めて探索した軌跡ととらえることができる．また，樹形は樹木個体の中での水分輸送経路でもあることから，モジュール間の序列を反映している．樹形と樹木の生態・生理をつなげる研究を進めている．

　
樹木や低木はより効率的に光を獲得できるように光条件に応じて葉の配置を変化させる。京都大学農学部の修士論文研究として、ヒノキ人工林の被陰下でのコアジサイの３次元構造を解析した。コアジサイは葉を重なりが少なくなるように樹冠内で配置し、また、１つの個体は地下部で互いにつながった地上茎が約７年の寿命で生死を繰り返すことで維持されている事が明らかになった。

Trees and shrubs distribute their foliage so that they can efficiently capture light for photosynthesis. For my master's research at the Department of Forestry, Kyoto University, I investigated the three-dimensional distribution of foliated shoots of Hydrangea hirta. Under the light-limited environment of a Hinoki cypress forest, this species arranges foliated shoots so that there is minimal overlap among leaves. This species is also a clonal shrub, and the clone is maintained by continuous turnover of above-ground stems. The study was conducted at the forests in World Heritage, HieizanEnryakuji Temple in Kyoto, Japan.

PUBLICATIONS

石井弘明・吉村謙一・音田高志（2006）樹木生理学と森林群落動態をつなぐ樹形研究．
日本森林学会誌．88(4): 290-301.

Ishii. H.and Takeda. H. (1997) Effects of the spatial arrangement of aerialstems and current-year shoots on the demography and growth of Hydrangeahirta in a light limited environment. New Phytologist 136: 443-453.