Data Set Citation:
When using this data, please cite the data package:
Fukuzawa K and Satoh F.
Stream water quality in relation to watershed-scale practical forest management in a cool-temperate natural forest in northern Japan
datapaper 2020-04.1.5 (https://db.cger.nies.go.jp/JaLTER/metacat/metacat/datapaper 2020-04.1.5/jalter-en)
General Information:
Title:Stream water quality in relation to watershed-scale practical forest management in a cool-temperate natural forest in northern Japan
Identifier:datapaper 2020-04.1.5
Abstract:
The water chemistry of a stream reflects the biogeochemical processes occurring in upstream forests. Anthropogenic disturbances in forests, such as cutting of trees, altering the nitrogen (N) cycle, and increase in N leaching from the soil to streams, potentially cause acidification or eutrophication downstream. In forests with dense understory vegetation, mechanical site preparation following tree cutting is commonly used to improve the early establishment of tree seedlings. In cool-temperate forests in northern Hokkaido, Japan, dense understory vegetation (mainly comprising Sasa dwarf bamboo) inhibits forest regeneration after tree cutting. Soil scarification is a common site preparation technique for eliminating Sasa bamboo and improving forest regeneration. Long-term data are useful for examining the temporal changes in stream water chemistry exposed to different specific forest management practices under changing environment (e.g., climate change and atmospheric N deposition). For 14 years (2003–2016), we observed the stream water chemistry in naturally forested watersheds and at one point after the confluence of all streams in Uryu Experimental Forest of Hokkaido University (North Hokkaido Experimental Forests Site of JaLTER) in northern Japan. We also monitored stream discharge, water level, and stream water temperature in each watershed. Water samples were collected from the outlets of ten watersheds. The forest management practice in each watershed includes clear-cutting, soil scarification in sparse forest with dense understory Sasa, and clear-cutting and soil scarification followed by soil replacement. Long-term data in the six unmanaged watersheds are also valuable as a background information to analyze the effect of long-term climate, environment, and vegetation changes on stream water chemistry. The measured water quality data of 1,873 water samples include the ion concentrations (Cl-, NO3-, SO42-, Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+), pH, and electrical conductivity (EC) in the stream water. The range of the concentrations of Cl-, NO3-, SO42-, Mg2+, and Ca2+ in the stream water across all the watersheds throughout the observed periods (minimum to maximum) were 3.35 to 23.67, 0.01 to 8.68, 0.83 to 4.01, 0.45 to 2.55, and 0.72 to 6.16 mg L-1, respectively. Similarly, the stream pH and EC ranged from 6.04 to 7.53 and 3.14 to 9.47 mS m-1, respectively.
Keywords:
  • stream water quality
  • ion concentration
  • pH
  • electrical conductivity
  • forested watershed
  • forest management
  • clear-cutting
  • soil scarification
  • understory vegetation
  • Sasa dwarf bamboo
Data Table, Image, and Other Data Details:
Metadata download: Ecological Metadata Language (EML) File
Data Table:Dorokawa_discharge_2003-2015.csv ( View Metadata | Download File download)
Data Table:stream_Dorokawa_ion_2003-2015.csv ( View Metadata | Download File download)
Data Table:stream_Dorokawa_pHEC_2005-2015.csv / stream_Dorokawa_pHEC_2005-2015.csv ( View Metadata | Download File download)
Other Data:Figure1_Fukuzawa_final.tif ( View Metadata | Download File download)
Other Data:data_descriptor ( View Metadata | Download File download)

Involved Parties

Data Set Owners:
Individual: Karibu Fukuzawa
Organization:Nakagawa Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Nakagawa Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, 483 Otoineppu,
Otoineppu, Hokkaido 098-2501 Japan
Phone:
+81(1656)5-3216 (voice)
Phone:
+81(1656)5-3218 (fax)
Email Address:
caribu@fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
Individual: Fuyuki Satoh
Organization:Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, N9 W9, Kita-ku,
Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0809 Japan
Email Address:
f-satoh@fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
Data Set Contacts:
Individual: Karibu Fukuzawa
Organization:Nakagawa Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Nakagawa Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, 483 Otoineppu,
Otoineppu, Hokkaido 098-2501 Japan
Phone:
+81(1656)5-3216 (voice)
Phone:
+81(1656)5-3218 (fax)
Email Address:
caribu@fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
Associated Parties:
Individual: Karibu Fukuzawa
Organization:Nakagawa Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Nakagawa Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, 483 Otoineppu,
Otoineppu, Hokkaido 098-2501 Japan
Phone:
+81(1656)5-3216 (voice)
Phone:
+81(1656)5-3218 (fax)
Email Address:
caribu@fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
Individual: Fuyuki Satoh
Organization:Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, N9 W9, Kita-ku,
Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0809 Japan
Email Address:
f-satoh@fsc.hokudai.ac.jp
Individual: Hideaki Shibata
Organization:Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, N9 W9, Kita-ku,
Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0809 Japan
Individual: Tatsuya Kamiura
Organization:Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, N9 W9, Kita-ku,
Sapporo, Hokkaido Japan
Individual: Chikara Kozuka
Organization:Uryu Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Uryu Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Moshiri, Horokanai,
Uryu, Hokkaido 074-0741 Japan
Individual: Toshikazu Takanishi
Organization:Nakagawa Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Nakagawa Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, 483 Otoineppu,
Otoineppu, Hokkaido 098-2501 Japan
Individual: Shintaro Hayakashi
Organization:Teshio Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Teshio Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, 131 Toikanbetsu,
Horonobe, Hokkaido 098-2943 Japan
Individual: Yuya Hirano
Address:
Teshio Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University,
Horonobe, Hokkaido 098-2943 Japan
Individual: Wataru Mamiya
Organization:Uryu Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Uryu Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Moshiri, Horokanai,
Uryu, Hokkaido 074-0741 Japan
Individual: Yuri Yabuhara
Organization:Uryu Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Uryu Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Moshiri, Horokanai,
Uryu, Hokkaido 074-0741 Japan
Individual: Rei Sakai
Organization:Uryu Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Uryu Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Moshiri, Horokanai,
Uryu, Hokkaido 074-0741 Japan
Individual: Hiroshi Sugiyama
Organization:Tomakomai Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Tomakomai Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Takaoka,
Tomakomai, Hokkaido 053-0035 Japan
Individual: Hiroshi Masumoto
Organization:Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, N9 W9, Kita-ku,
Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0809 Japan
Individual: Naoko FUkuzawa
Organization:Nayoro Research Office, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Nayoro Research Office, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, 250 Tokuda,
Nayoro, Hokkaido 096-0071 Japan
Individual: Tetsuji Takeda
Organization:Uryu Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Uryu Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Moshiri, Horokanai,
Uryu, Hokkaido 074-0741 Japan
Individual: Hideaki Morita
Organization:Uryu Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Uryu Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Moshiri, Horokanai,
Uryu, Hokkaido 074-0741 Japan
Individual: Makoto Yamanouchi
Organization:Uryu Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Uryu Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Moshiri, Horokanai,
Uryu, Hokkaido 074-0741 Japan
Individual: Junko Hasegawa
Organization:Uryu Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Uryu Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Moshiri, Horokanai,
Uryu, Hokkaido 074-0741 Japan
Individual: Toshiya Yoshida
Organization:Nayoro Research Office, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Address:
Nayoro Research Office, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, 250 Tokuda,
Nayoro, Hokkaido 096-0071 Japan

Data Set Characteristics

Geographic Region:
Geographic Description:Sampling points
Bounding Coordinates:
West:  142.035  degrees
East:  142.2078  degrees
North:  44.434  degrees
South:  44.418  degrees
Time Period:
Begin:
2003-02-14
End:
2016-03-23
Time Period:
Begin:
2003-06-06
End:
2016-03-23

Sampling, Processing and Quality Control Methods

Step by Step Procedures
Step 1:
Description:

Water sampling

We collected water at the outlet of each watershed by grab sampling using 250 ml plastic bottle. In watersheds with weirs, stream water was collected at stream channel above the weirs. We measured water temperature using thermometer (TT-508, Tanita Corp., Tokyo, Japan). The sampling interval during the non-snow season was 1–2 weeks until 2010, and then 1 month. During the snow season, the sampling interval was 1 month.

Step 2:
Description:

Filtering and chemical analysis

After transferring the samples to the laboratory, we measured the pH and electrical conductivity (EC) using a pH meter (HM-30V, DKK-TOA Corp., Tokyo, Japan) and EC meter (CM-30S, DKK-TOA Corp., Tokyo, Japan), respectively. We then passed the water through a glass fiber filter (GF/F: 0.7 μm, Whatman plc, Maidstone, UK) and stored below 4 °C until further processing and analysis. We analyzed the concentrations of anions (Cl-, NO3-, SO42-) and cations (Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+) by ion chromatography (DX-500; Dionex Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA; Dionex ICS-1100; Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Waltham, MA, USA) after additional filtering using a 0.2-μm membrane filter (DISMIC-25; Advantec Inc., Tokyo, Japan).

Step 3:
Description:

Stream discharge

We established V-notch weirs at the outlet of the watersheds (DE1-DE9). We measured water level at the notch using scale and measured water volume at the weir by collecting water by plastic cup or plastic bag. We recorded the time for the sampling and calculated stream discharge as the volume divided by time (seconds). We conducted the measurement more than five times and averaged. In watershed DE0 and DEU, we measured the depth of the water using scale and velocity using current meter (VR-301, KENEK Corp., Tokyo, Japan) with certain distance interval on the channel cross section. Then we calculated the area of channel cross subsection between the measuring points. We calculated discharge of each subsection by multiplying area by mean velocity and summed for stream discharge as the value of whole channel cross section.

Data Set Usage Rights

This dataset is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International License (CC BY NC 4.0; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).
Access Control:
Auth System:JaLTER
Order:allowFirst
Allow: [read] public
Additional Metadata
Metadata download: Ecological Metadata Language (EML) File