Changes in riparian vegetation communities below a large dam in a monsoonal region: Futase Dam, Japan

This paper examines the effects of a dam reservoir flood control on riparian plant communities in an Asian monsoon area subjected to large summer floods under natural conditions. We compared riparian plant communities downstream of the Futase Dam located on the Arakawa River, with communities on the Nakatsu River, a tributary of the Arakawa River with no dam. Historical changes in spatial distribution of riparian vegetation communities were analysed using aerial photographs. Stand ages and flood history were also examined to analyse the likelihood of tree erosion in scenarios with and without flood control. Comparison of the two reaches shows that the reduced flood peaks below the Futase Dam led to the expansion of riparian forest area and an increase in species diversity. Reduction in the flood peaks below the dam means that the toppling moment of the trees is no longer exceeded. The result is that the riparian forest below the dam is able to develop into later successional stages. Copyright (C) 2004 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.