Sapporo forest meteorology research site (SAP)
Overview of this site
Sapporo forest meteorology research site is located in a hilly area neighboring urban district of Sapporo city. It is a secondary boreal deciduous broadleaf forest which had grown after wildfire. Century-old japanese white birch is its dominant species but it is on the wane and oak trees are gradually taking over the forest. The climate of this area is classified in cool-temperate, with relatively hot and dry summer and heavily snowing winter (air temperature falls below -15°C and snows more than a meter in depth). We are observing the CO2 and energy budget in a typical secondary forest of northern Japan under various climatic conditions.
The forest around the observation tower was badly damaged by typhoon in September 2004. Most of the fallen trees are untouched to study the natural transition of ecosystem. The observation tower had restarted its operation in June 2005, after the recovery from damage.
The site is supporting the continuous research activities on ecology, physiology, pedology and hydrology and accumulating the results for the future studies which especially focus on transition of forest ecosystem.
Location
| Position | 42° 59.210′ N (42.9868° N), 141° 23.117′ E (141.3853° E) |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 182m |
| Slope | 0° ~ 7° |
Climate
| Climate Classification | Continental (Dfb, Continental - Fully humid - Warm summer) | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Mean Air Temperature | 7.4°C | (year 2000-2012) |
| Annual Mean Precipitation | 1150mm | (year 2006-2012) |
| Annual Mean Solar Raadiation | 12.5MJm-2d-1 | (year 2000-2012) |
|
(year 2000-2012) |
The detailed climatic data of the Sapporo site are described in MIZOGUCHI & YAMANOI(2015a) and MIZOGUCHI et al.(2014).
Ecosystem
| Vegetation | Boreal deciduous broadleaf forest |
|---|---|
| Area | approx. 80ha |
| Fetch | 500 ~ 1500m |
| Dominant Species | |
| Canopy Height | approx. 20m |
| Breast High Diameter | approx. 25 cm (japanese White Birch) |
| Age | approx. 100 years (japanese White Birch) |
| Leaf Area Index | 1999~2004: approx. 4 in max. 2004~present, after wind damage: N/A |
| Community Structure | Overstory, understory, forest floor: Sasa |
| Soil Type | Moderately moist black soil, BlD |
| Minimum distance from residential area is approx. 600m. Forest around the site is recreational area for citizens for wildplant-picking, mushroom-picking, strolling and cross-country skiing. Vehicle entery into the experimental forest including the site is restricted only to the concerned researchers. Wind-fallen trees are unattended except for the forest roads. |
Observation Period
| Period | 15 Aug. 1999 ~ 8 Sept. 2004 June 2005 ~ present |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Continuous |
Facility
| Tower Height | 41m |
|---|---|
| Access to Tower Top | Possible |
| Electric Power Supply | Commercial power supply AC100V 20A(30A max.) |
| Communication Equipment | Not available |
| Accommodation | Not available |
Top of PageMicrometeorology
Instruments
| Name and Model | Level | |
| Downward Short-wave Radiation | Kipp&Zonen, CM-6F | 41.3 m |
|---|---|---|
| Upward Short-wave Radiation | Kip&Zonnen, CM-6B | 39.2 m |
| Downward Long-wave Radiation | Eppley, PIR-F | 41.3 m |
| Upward Long-wave Radiation | Eppley, PIR | 39.2 m |
| Downward PPFD | LI-COR, LI190-SA | 41.3 m |
| Upward PPFD | LI-COR, LI190-SA | 39.2 m |
| Downward PPFD below Canopy | LI-COR, LI190-SA | 2.4 m |
| Downward Short-wave Radiation below Canopy | EKO MR-40 | 2.4 m |
| Air temperature | Platinum resistance thermometer; Vaisala HMP-155 Vaisala HMP-45D | 33.5, 29.6, 25.8, 20.1 m 16.3, 10.5, 3.6 m |
| Humidity | Capacitive hygrometer; Vaisala HMP-155 Vaisala HMP-45D | 33.5, 29.6, 25.8, 20.1 m 16.3, 10.5, 3.6 m |
| Wind Speed & Direction | Vaisala WMT-52 | 33.5, 29.6, 25.8, 20.1 m 16.3, 10.5, 3.6 m |
| Barometric Pressure | PTB-100 | 1 m |
| Soil Temperature | Platinum resistance thermometer; JIS-A | 0.02, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 m deep |
| Soil Heat Flux | EKO, MF-81 | 0.02 m deep |
| Soil Water Content | TDR soil-moisture meter; Campbell CS-650 Tensiometer; Sankeirika inc. SK5500 | 0.1 m deep 0.05, 0.15, 0.30, 0.50, 0.90 m deep |
| Snow Depth | Ultrasonic distance sensor; Campbell SR-50 | 2.5 m |
| Groundwater Level | Pressure type water gauge; Druck PDCR940 | 1.4 m deep |
| Rainfall Duration | Wetness sensor; PREDE PPS-02 | 41 m |
| Precipitation | Tipping bucket raingauge; Yokogawa B-071-12 | approx. 1.8m, Open space |
Data Logger
| Sampling Period | Every 10 seconds |
|---|---|
| Averaging Period | 5 minutes |
| Recorder | Campbell, CR-1000 |
| Media | Internal memory |
Turbulence Fluctuation Method (Eddy Covariance Method)
| System | Closed-path and Open-path | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Instruments
| Sonic Anemometer-thermometer | KAIJO DAT-600-3T,TR-61c | Sensor span | 0.2m |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level | 28.5 m | ||
| Height from Canopy Surface | 8 m | ||
| Gas(CO2) analyzer (Closed-path) | LI-COR LI-6262 | Distance between gas intake and analyzer | approx. 40 m |
| Height of intake | 28.3 m | ||
| Height from Canopy Surface | 8 m | ||
| Distance between gas intake and analyzer | 0.25 m | ||
| Gas(CO2) analyzer (Open-path) | LI-COR LI-7500 | Distance between anemometer and analyzer | 0.5m |
| Relative humidity sensor | Vaisala HMP155 | Distance between anemometer and sensor | 0.5 m |
| Barometer | Vaisala PTB-210 | Level | 28 m |
Data Logger
| Sampling Method | Continuous |
|---|---|
| Averaging Period | 0 second |
| Sampling Frequency | 10 Hz |
| Filters for Antialiasing | Available |
| CutOff Frequency | 24 Hz |
| Recording Range | All data |
| Recorder | Campbell CR3000 |
| Media | CF card |
Flux Calculation
| Calculation Period | 1800 s | |
|---|---|---|
| Method | Detrending | w, u, Ta, CO2, H2O |
| Coordinate Rotation | Corrected | |
| Line Averaging | Not-corrected | |
| Sensor Separation | Not-corrected | |
| Humidity Correction of Virtual Temperature | Corrected | |
Vertical profiling CO2 Concentration in Canopy
| Instruments | LI-COR LI-6262 |
|---|---|
| Level | 29.6, 20.1, 16.3, 10.5, 3.6 m |
| Sampling Period | Every 120 seconds at a level x 5 levels |
| Averaging Period | 15 seconds |
| Recorder | Campbell CR1000 |
| Format | Text |
Other Observation
Photosynthesis (inactive)
| Method | Photosynthesis of sunny crown, transpiration rate, diurnal variation of stomatal conductance |
|---|---|
| Instrument | LI-COR LI-6400 |
| Observation Frequency | Several times a year, on the basis of typical air temperature and vapor pressure deficit |
Soil Respiration (inactive)
| Method | automatic switching chamber |
|---|---|
| Observation Frequency | Continuous |
Litter (inactive)
| Method | Litter Trap |
|---|---|
| Observation Frequency | Every second week in defoliation period |
Biomass
| Method | Tree diameter and height (calculated by hight-diameter curve) |
|---|---|
| Observation Frequency | Every one or two years |
Japan-US Inter-Comparison Measurements (Aug., 2001)
There are several research networks for carbon dioxide flux studies now, and they are well maintained and reinforced by the scientists with the common interest. For a cooperative studies, it is important to know the characteristics of individual observation systems and analytical approaches and recognize the difference in the obtained data.
Concerning such issue, a proposal of inter-comparison measurements was brought up from AmeriFlux and it was conducted in two flux observation sites in Hokkaido (Tomakomai Flux Research Site, NIES and Sapporo forest meteorology research site, FFPRI) from 10 August 2001 for ten days.
More details (Japan-US Inter-Comparison Measurements) 
Reference
YAMANOI Katsumi, MIZOGUCHI Yasuko, UTSUGI Hajime(2015): Effects of a windthrow disturbance on the carbon balance of a broadleaf deciduous forest in Hokkaido, Japan. Biogeosciences, 12: 6837-6851.
MIZOGUCHI Yasuko, YAMANOI Katsumi(2015b): Forty-year meteorological statistics of the Hitsujigaoka Experimental Forest. Bulletin of FFPRI, 14(4): 209-218.
MIZOGUCHI Yasuko, YAMANOI Katsumi(2015a): Error in the measurement of precipitation in Hitsujigaoka experimental forest: Influence of the difference in instrument type. Bulletin of FFPRI, 14(3), 145-146.
MIZOGUCHI Yasuko, YAMANOI Katsumi, KITAMURA Kenzo, NAKAI Yuichiro and SUZUKI Satoru(2014): Meteorological observations at the Sapporo forest meteorology research site from 1999 to 2008, Hokkaido, Japan. Bulletin of FFPRI, 13(4), 193-206.
KITAMURA Kenzo, NAKAI Yuichiro, SUZUKI Satoru, OHTANI Yoshikazu, YAMANOI Katsumi, SAKAMOTO Tomoki(2012): Interannual variability of net ecosystem production for a broadleaf deciduous forest in Sapporo, northern Japan. Journal of Forest Research, 17(3):323-332.
ISHIZUKA Shigehiro, SAKATA Tadashi, SAWATA Satoshi, IKEDA Shigeto, TAKENAKA Chisato, TAMAI Nobuaki, SAKAI Hisao., SHIMIZU Takanori, KAN-NA, Kensaku, ONODERA Shin-ichi, TANAKA Nagaharu, TAKAHASHI Masamichi(2006): High potential for increase in CO2 flux from forest soil surface due to global warming in cooler areas of Japan. Annals Forest Science, 63(5):537-546
SUZUKI Satoru, ISHIZUKA Shigehiro, KITAMURA Kenzo, YAMANOI Katsumi, NAKAI Yuichiro (2006): Continuous estimation of winter carbon dioxide efflux from the snow surface in a deciduous broadleaf forest. Journal of Geophysical Research, 111:D17101
WATANABE Tsutomu, NAKAI Yuichiro, KITAMURA Kenzo, UTSUGI Hajime, TOBITA Hiroyuki, ISHIZUKA Shigehiro (2005): Scaling energy and CO2 fluxes from leaf to canopy using a Multilayered Implementation for Natural Canopy-Environment Relations (MINCER). Phyton, 45:353-360
NAKAI Yuichiro, KITAMURA Kenzo, SUZUKI Satoru, ABE Shin (2003): Year-long carbon dioxide exchange above a broadleaf deciduous forest in Sapporo, Northern Japan. Tellus B, 55(3):305-312
Research Fund
- Major Facility Installation for Carbon Dioxide Monitoring, Forestry Agency, MAFF*
- Research Grant, FFPRI
- Research Fund (Evaluation, Adaptation and Mitigation of Global Warming in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Research and Development), MAFF*
- Research Revolution 2002, MEXT**
- Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research, MEXT**
- Global Environment Research Account for National Institutes, MOE***
* MAFF: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan
** MEXT: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
*** MOE: Ministry of the Environment
Researchers
Katsumi YAMANOI, Yasuko MIZOGUCHI, Kenzo KITAMURA, Yuichiro NAKAI
Cooperative Researchers
Hajime UTSUGI, Hiroyuki TOBITA, Akira UEMURA, Tadashi SAKATA, Masayoshi TAKAHASHI (Hokkaido Research Center, FFPRI)
Contact Information
Cold Regions Environment Conservation Research Group,
Hokkaido Research Center,
Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI)
Address: Hitsujigaoka-7, Toyohira, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 062-8516 Japan
TEL: +81-11-851-4131 (main)
email: 