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This open access book presents and analyzes the results of more than 30 years of long-term ecological research in riparian forest ecosystems with the aim of casting light on changes in the dynamics of riparian forests over time. The research, focusing on the Ooyamazawa riparian forest, one of the remaining old-growth forests in Japan, has yielded a number of interesting outcomes. First, it shows that large-scale disturbances afford various trees opportunities for regeneration and are thus the driving force for the coexistence of canopy trees in riparian forests. Second, it identifies changes in reproductive patterns, highlighting that seed production has in fact quantitatively increased over the past two decades. Third, it describes the decline in forest floor vegetation caused by deer grazing and reveals how this decline has affected bird and insect populations. The book illustrates the interconnectedness of phenomena within an ecosystem and the resultant potential for cascade effects and also stresses the need for long-term ecological studies of climate change impacts on forests. It will be of interest to both professionals and academics in the field of forest science.

Ecology --- Forestry --- Plant Ecology --- Ecosystems --- Environment, general --- Riparian Ecology --- Environmental Sciences --- Changes in forest vegetation --- Long-term ecological research --- Life history of trees --- Riparian forest --- Natural disturbance --- Masting behavior --- Forest decline --- Ecological science, the Biosphere --- Forestry & silviculture: practice & techniques --- Botany & plant sciences --- The environment

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Hydrological processes in forested watersheds are influenced by environmental, physiological, and biometric factors such as precipitation, radiation, temperature, species type, leaf area, and extent and structure of forest ecosystems. Over the past two centuries, forest coverage and forest structures have been impacted globally by anthropogenic activities, for example, forest harvesting, and conversion of forested landscapes for plantations and urbanization. In addition, since the industrial revolution, climate change has resulted in profound impacts on forest ecosystems due to higher carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration or CO2 fertilization, warmer temperatures, changes in frequency and intensity of extreme weather events and natural disturbances. As a result, hydrological processes in forested watersheds have been altered by these natural and anthropogenic factors and these changes are expected to accelerate due to future changing climatic conditions.

river discharge --- groundwater level --- riparian forest --- climate change --- watershed management --- frequency analysis --- flood --- hydrological model --- probability distribution --- partial least squares (PLS) regression --- reforestation --- annual water yield --- forest hydrology --- boreal forest --- relative contribution --- climate warming --- East Asia --- forest floor --- forest hydrology --- subalpine forest --- forest disturbances --- climate variability --- extreme weather events --- streamflow --- low flows --- climate variability --- land-use change --- human activities --- SWAT --- cumulative effects --- forest disturbance --- climate change --- annual streamflow --- low flow --- high flow --- tree rings --- Weihe River --- streamflow variability --- reconstruction --- reforestation --- fruit tree planting --- flow regimes --- high flows --- low flows --- tree rings --- Schrenk spruce (Picea schrenkiana Fisch. et Mey.) --- hydroclimatology --- Chu River --- Tianshan Mountains --- climate change --- Central Asia --- canopy filtering --- closed canopy --- forest hydrology --- gap-edge canopy --- throughfall --- trace metal --- headwater stream --- metals --- non-woody litter --- woody litter