Mount Apoi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mount Apoi | |
|---|---|
| アポイ岳 | |
 A view of Mount Apoi with Samani Town in the foreground. | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 810.2 m (2,658 ft)[1] |
| Prominence | 130 m (430 ft)[1] |
| Parent peak | Pinneshiri (Hidaka) |
| Listing | List of mountains and hills of Japan by height |
| Coordinates | 42°6′28″N 143°1′32″E / 42.10778°N 143.02556°E[1] |
| Geography | |
  Mount Apoi Location of Mount Apoi in Japan. | |
| Location | Hokkaidō, Japan |
| Parent range | Hidaka Mountains |
| Topo map(s) | Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (国土地理院, Kokudochiriin) 25000:1 アポイ岳, 50000:1 えりも |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Fold |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Hike |
Mount Apoi (アポイ岳, Apoi-dake) is located in the Hidaka Mountains, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is near the town of Samani. It is well known for hosting a large number of plants that are found only on Hokkaidō, such as Callianthemum miyabeanum (ヒダカソウ, Hidaka-sō). The mountain is made from ultramafic rock of unknown age.[2]
Mount Apoi Geopark is a geopark covering whole territory of Samani. Mt. Apoi Geopark is a geological area where visitors can learn about and enjoy the valuable geological heritage and the rich natural environment as well as the history and culture of Samani. The area is home to mountains and gorges made of peridotites featuring purity and variety found in few places worldwide as well as endemic alpine plant communities that thrive in the area's particular soil. The town also has a long history and a rich culture based on its development as a trading hub thanks to the favorable natural harbor created by its unusual coastal terrain.
The Mt. Apoi Geopark was certified as a Japanese Geopark in 2008, and a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2015.[3]
Flora of Mt. Apoi
Mt. Apoi and the surrounding area consist of a mixed forest of needle-leaved and broad-leaved trees, with a mixture of cool-temperate northern Japanese spruce and subalpine Ezo spruce. The distribution of alpine plants and Ezo spruce descends to lower elevations than what one would typically see. Mt. Apoi is a hotspot for biodiversity. About 80 species of alpine plants grow on Mt. Apoi despite its low elevation (810 m), and there are nearly 20 endemic species, including subspecies, varieties, and varieties. The reasons for this include:
- The soil made from peridotite on Mt. Apoi contains high levels of nickel, magnesium, and other elements that inhibit plant growth, and the peridotite takes a long time to erode, therefore it takes time to become soil. The soil is thin, dry, and nutrient-poor because it is easily moved by wind and rain, preventing the establishment of coniferous trees.
- The environment is similar to that of higher mountains due to the local weather conditions. The area receives low snowfall and is exposed to strong winds, which can easily cause freezing and thawing of the soil damaging plant roots and destabilizing the soil on sloping areas. The low temperatures during summer are due to the thick fog that comes from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
- In addition, northern plants that migrated south from the Asian continents during the glacial period escaped to the high mountains and Mt. Apoi during the warm interglacial period. The plants that remained on Mt. Apoi were isolated and evolved in their own way as they adapted to the characteristic peridotite soil.
