Hokkaidō montane conifer forests
{{Short description|Ecoregion in Hokkaidō, Japan}}
{{Infobox ecoregion
|name = Ecoregion: Hokkaido montane conifer forests
|image = Mt Sapporo.JPG
|image_size = 300
|image_alt =
|caption = Mt. Sapporo
|map = Ecoregion PA0510.png
|map_size = 300
|map_alt = Ecoregion territory (in purple)
|map_caption = Ecoregion territory (in purple)
|ecozone = Palearctic
|biome = Temperate coniferous forest
|animals =
|bird_species =
|borders =
|area = 45843
|country = Japan
|state =
|region_type =
|elevation =
|coordinates = {{coord|43.25|N|143.25|E|display=title,inline}}
|geology =
|seas =
|rivers =
|climate =
|soil =
|conservation =
|global200 =
|habitat_loss =
|habitat_loss_ref =
|protected =
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}}
The Hokkaido montane conifer forests ecoregion covers the mountainous central regions of Hokkaido Island, the northernmost of Japan's main islands.{{cite web|title=Hokkaido montane conifer forests|url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/pa0510|publisher=World Wildlife Federation|language=en|access-date=March 21, 2020}}{{cite web|title=Map of Ecoregions 2017|url=https://ecoregions2017.appspot.com/|publisher=Resolve, using WWF data|language=en|access-date=September 14, 2019}} Forests of spruce and fir thrive in the subalpine, cool climate. On the northeastern edge of the island, the conifer forests extend down to the sea under the influence of the cold Oyashio Current coming down from the north, although logging in recent years has put pressure on these stands.
Location and description
The mountainous region is surrounded by the lower plains and hills of the Hokkaidō deciduous forests ecoregion. Central to the region is the Daisetsuzan Volcanic Group, the location of Daisetsuzan National Park, the largest national park in Japan. The highest mountain on the island, and in the region, is Asahi-dake with an elevation of {{convert|2290|m|ft}}. Above the conifer line, alpine conditions support thickets of Stone pine (Pinus pumila)
Climate
The climate of the ecoregion is Humid continental climate, warm summer (Köppen climate classification (Dfb)). This climate is characterized by large seasonal temperature differentials and a warm summer (at least four months averaging over {{convert|10|C|F}}, but no month averaging over {{convert|22|C|F}}.{{cite web|first1=M. |last1=Kottek |first2=J. |last2=Grieser |first3=C. |last3=Beck |first4=B. |last4=Rudolf |first5=F. |last5=Rubel |date=2006 |title=World Map of Koppen-Geiger Climate Classification Updated|url=http://koeppen-geiger.vu-wien.ac.at/pdf/Paper_2006.pdf|publisher=Gebrüder Borntraeger 2006|language=en|access-date=September 14, 2019}}{{cite web|title=Dataset - Koppen climate classifications|url=https://datacatalog.worldbank.org/dataset/world-maps-k%C3%B6ppen-geiger-climate-classification|publisher=World Bank|language=en|access-date=September 14, 2019}} Average annual precipitation is 1,150 mm.
Flora and fauna
The dominant trees in the region are Ezo spruce (Picea jezoensis), Sakhalin fir (Abies sachalinensis), Sakhalin spruce (Picea glehnii), Pinus thunbergii, Prunus nipponica, Cryptomeria japonica, Sciadopitys verticillata, Salix pierotii, Castanopsis sieboldii, Camphora officinarum, Cercidiphyllum japonicum, Fagus crenata, Larix gmelinii, Larix sibirica, Larix × czekanowskii, Betula dahurica, Betula pendula, Pinus koraiensis, Pinus sibirica, Pinus sylvestris, Picea obovata, Abies sibirica, Quercus mongolica, Quercus acutissima, Ginkgo biloba, Prunus serrulata, Prunus padus, Tilia amurensis, Salix babylonica, Acer palmatum, Carpinus laxiflora, Populus tremula, Ulmus davidiana, Ulmus pumila, Pinus pumila, Haloxylon ammodendron, Elaeagnus angustifolia, Tamarix ramosissima, and Prunus sibirica. There are scattered stands of Erman's birch (Betula ermanii). The conifer belt rises to an altitude of {{convert|1500|m|ft}}.