Koji Shimano

Coexistence of three canopy tree species in a riparian forest in the Chichibu Mountains, central Japan

Three canopy tree species (Fraxinus platypoda, Pterocarya rhoifolia, andCercidiphyllum japonicum) coexist in riparian forests in the Chichibu Mountains of central Japan. We compared the forest structure and the reproductive characteristics of these species.F. platypoda was the dominant canopy species. It produced many saplings and grew in abandoned channels and floodplains, and was able to invade both large and small disturbance sites.P. rhoifolia was a subdominant species that occurred on the deposits of large-scale landslides and grew in patches containing even-aged trees.C. japonicum was the other subdominant species that produced few saplings and invaded large disturbance sites together withP. rhoifolia. Establishment sites ofC. japonicum were restricted to fine mineral soils and fallen logs. We found tradeoffs in reproductive characteristics (seed size, seed number, irregular seed production, and sprouting) among the three canopy species.F. platypoda andP. rhoifolia had large seeds and produced fruits irregularly.C. japonicum produced many small seeds every year and sprouted prolifically around the main stem. The causes of the coexistence mechanism of the three riparian canopy tree species may be both niche- and chance-determined to varying degrees. In riparian areas, the three canopy species were well-adapted to disturbances throughout their life-history.

Effects of snow accumulation on survival of beech (Fagus crenata) seed

The escape of beech seeds from seed predators and winter desiccation due to snow accumulation was studied by comparing two sites in Japan: one site that experiences much snow and another site that experiences less snow cover. At the site with greater snow cover, about 70% of the beech seeds escaped seed predation by rodents during winter and about 70% of surviving seeds germinated successfully in spring. At the site with less snow cover, however, all of the beech seeds were eaten by rodents, and all seeds that were protected from feeding were killed by winter desiccation. We confirmed that snow prevents beech seeds from predation by rodents because it conceals their sight and scent. These effects are one of the main reasons why beeches in snowy areas regenerate constantly and those in less snowy areas do not.

Analysis of the Relationship between DBH and Crown Projection Area Using a New Model

Relations of DBH-crown projection area (CPA) were studied for deciduous and coniferous trees with different models, one of which is newly derived this time. For DBH-CPA relations, a proposed power-sigmoid function was the most suitable one among four models because of its good fit and mechanistic meaning. This model contains the feature that CPA grows with the second power relation to DBH, and the increasing rate of CPA slows as DBH increases. With transformation, the power-sigmoid function for DBH-CPA relation can be applied for individual basal area (IBA)-CPA relations as single-saturate function, and these two functional models have high compatibility. Next, the differences of DBH-CPA between deciduous and coniferous tree groups were analyzed with power-sigmoid function. The initial increasing rates of CPA against DBH for each group were similar, though the CPAs increasing rate for the coniferous group tended to decrease earlier than for the deciduous group. Because the power sigmoid function has mechanistic meanings, one can separately analyze the attributes of the DBH-CPA relation: the initial increasing rate of CPA and final tree form.

REGENERATION DYNAMICS, CAUSAL FACTORS, AND CHARACTERISTICS OF PACIFIC OCEAN-TYPE BEECH (FAGUS CRENATA) FORESTS IN JAPAN: A REVIEW

This paper reviews the differences in the distribution and regeneration ofFagus crenata between two types of Japanese beech forests, the Japan Sea (JS)-type and the Pacific Ocean (PO)-type, and discusses the causal factors and characteristics of these forests, particularly the PO-type.F. crenata in PO-type forests regenerates sporadically rather than constantly, whereas regeneration in the JS-type forests is relatively constant with gap dynamics.F. crenata has dominated in snowy areas both in the past, after the last glacial age, when there was less human disturbance, and in the present. Snow accumulation facilitates beech regeneration in snowy JS-type forests, but not in the less snowy PO-type. Snow protects beechnuts from damage caused by rodents, desiccation, and freezing. In addition, snow suppresses dwarf bamboo in the spring, thus increasing the amount of sunlight available for beech seedlings on the forest floor. Snow also supplies melt water during the growing season and limits the distribution of herbivores. Moreover, snow reduces the number of forest fires during the dry winter and early spring seasons. The low densities ofF. crenata impede its regeneration, because disturbed wind pollination lowers seed fertility and predators are less effectively satiated. In snowy JS-type beech forests,F. crenata dominates both at the adult and the juvenile stages because it regenerates well, while other species are eliminated by heavy snow pressure. On the less snowy PO-side, deciduous broad-leaved forests with various species are a primary feature, althoughF. crenata dominates because of its large size and long lifespan.

FACTORS INFLUENCING SEEDLING EMERGENCE AND SURVIVAL IN CERCIDIPHYLLUM JAPONICUM

Cercidiphyllum japonicumSieb. etZucc. is found in riparian forests in Japan, but the seedlings rarely regenerate more than coexisting tree species. We investigatedC. japonicum emergence and seedling survival in a nursery for 21 months. Bare soil, soil-with-litter, and gravel treatments and 3.0%, 10.9%, 22.7%, 60.1%, and 100% relative photosynthetic photon flux density (RPPFD) light conditions were tested. Seedling emergence depended on soil type and light conditions. Owing toC. japonicum’s small seed size, germinated seedlings could not penetrate the litter layer and became desiccated in gravel, but most seedlings emerged and survived in bare soil. These surviving seedlings needed quite bright light to germinate but not extreme light conditions. Initial mortality was high, but most of the seedlings that survived the first three months survived for the duration of the study, even under quite dark 10% RPPFD conditions. Current-year seedlings grew poorly under bright light conditions and rarely survived under the brightest light condition, when survival was probably negatively affected by desiccation. After one year, seedlings were able to use the higher light conditions more efficiently for growth. Such seedlings probably have a high chance of survival. Under low light conditions, both current- and second-year seedlings grew poorly. However, even small seedlings are likely to survive under low light conditions in a nursery, because the seedbed is level and nursery seedlings do not face all of the threats that are present in an actual forest.

Differences in beech (Fagus crenata) regeneration between two types of Japanese beech forest and along a snow gradient

Differences in beech (Fagus crenata) regeneration were quantitatively investigated using power function analysis for the size–class (diameter at breast height, DBH) distribution and juvenile-to-canopy tree (J/C) ratio along a snow gradient throughout Japan. In snowy areas, all species combined, as well as F. crenata alone, showed constant regeneration, with parameter b≈−1.6 for the power function y=axb (x=DBH, y=density), which is related to the DBH–class distribution. The good fit of the data to the function suggests that beech regenerates constantly with self-thinning patch dynamics. Parameter a, which indicates the abundance of small trunks, was high. Furthermore, the mean J/C ratio was ≈8, i.e., each parent beech tree produced eight juveniles. These results suggest that beech regenerates constantly with gap dynamics in snowy beech forests on the Japan Sea side of Japan (snowy). However, the fit of F. crenata was lower and nonsignificant in some forests in less snowy areas, despite the high fit of all species combined. In these areas, the mean of a was low, and b was often near zero for F. crenata regressions. These results suggest that the abundance of beech was low, and self-thinning was not evident because of the initial low abundance. Moreover, the mean J/C ratio was <1.0, suggesting that juvenile density was lower than that of canopy trees. Thus, the regeneration of F. crenata on the Pacific Ocean side of Japan (less snowy) is rather sporadic. Less snowy conditions may promote seed desiccation, predation of beechnuts and seedlings, and water stress. Lower F. crenata density may also reduce predator satiation and wind pollination.

Habitat availability and density estimations for the Japanese hare by fecal pellet counting

Abstract We aimed to clarify the factors that affect Japanese hare (Lepus brachyurus) densities and habitat availability in certain vegetation types. Using fecal pellet counts, we found that hare densities and habitat availability were higher in open–tree-canopy habitats with a dense ground cover of herbs and grasses, such as cleared areas in artificial forests. However, when we examined the relationships between fecal pellets as an indicator of hare density and various attributes of forest floor vegetation, no vegetation parameters had a significant correlation with fecal pellets among different plant communities. Thus, it is difficult to predict hare density based on forest floor vegetation, in general. However, in seven Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) plantation sites, high herb volume index and a low degree of canopy closure, calculated from fisheye-lens photographs, had a significant correlation with fecal pellet density (P = 0.029 and 0.006, respectively). Based on the relationships between fecal pellets and certain forest attributes (e.g., stand height and diameter at breast height of trees), we determined that fecal pellet density was higher in young stands in these plantations. This is likely because young stands have a larger volume of herbaceous species that provide food and shelter for hares, owing to the bright ground conditions resulting from the relatively open canopy. Appropriate plantation control such as cutting and planting trees is important for habitat conservation of L. brachyurus, because planted C. japonica forest occupies more than half of artificial forests in Japan.

Effects of ski resort management on vegetation

We investigated species composition and characteristics of plant communities in plots at seven site types within a ski resort: forests, an abandoned ski slope, an area under the gondola lines, forest waterfronts, open waterfronts, edges of ski slopes, and an active ski slope. On the abandoned ski slope, under the gondola lines, at the edges of ski slopes, and on the ski slope, canopy closure was low, tall herbs were present, and species diversity was high. Some wetland species were present at waterfront plots. Differential species composition was caused by vegetation cutting, which was necessary to manage the ski resort. We found various plants, including herbs, some rarely seen because their habitats have decreased. Despite their negative effects, such as surface-soil erosion and magnification of plant size due to the use of ammonium sulfate, ski resorts can be important plant habitats with highly diverse species composition.

Photosynthesis and Biomass Allocation of Beech (Fagus crenata) and Dwarf-bamboo (Sasa kurilensis) in Response to Contrasting Light Regimes in a Japan Sea-type Beech Forest

Regeneration of beech (Fagus crenata) forests depends on the formation of canopy gaps. However, in Japan Sea-type beech forests, a dwarf bamboo (Sasa kurilensis) conspicuously occupies sunny gaps. Therefore,F. crenata seedlings must escape the severe interference ofS. kurilensis in the gaps and persist beneath a closed canopy of the beech forest. We hypothesized that the growth ofF. crenata seedlings in the understory would be favored by their being more plastic thanS. kurilensis in photosynthetic and morphological traits, which would support the matter production ofF. crenata seedlings in a wide range of light availabilities. To examine this hypothesis, the photosynthetic-light response of individual leaves and the biomass allocation in aboveground parts (i.e., the culm/foliage ratio) were surveyed at sites with contrasting light availabilities in a Japan Sea-type beech forest in central Japan. InF. crenata, photosynthetic light utilization efficiency at relatively low light was greater, and the dark respiration rate was smaller in the leaves of seedlings (10 cm in height) beneath the closed canopy than in the leaves of saplings at the sunny forest edge. The culm/foliage (C/F) ratio of theF. crenata seedlings at the shady site was small, suggesting effective matter-production beneath the beech canopy. On the other hand,S. kurilensis both in the gap and beneath the beech canopy showed low plasticity in photosynthesis and the culm/foliage ratio. Because the shoot density ofS. kurilensis was smaller beneath the beech canopy than in the gap, the light availability at the bottom of theS. kurilensis layer was greater beneath the beech canopy. These results suggest that the photosynthetic productivity of theF. crenata seedlings would be enough for the seedlings to survive in the understory with a low density ofS. kurilensis shoots beneath the closed beech canopy.

Vegetation succession at the abandoned Ogushi sulfur mine, central Japan

We surveyed plant community development at the abandoned Ogushi sulfur mine. We found seven communities dominated by the following respective species: Deschampsia flexuosa, Miscanthus sinensis, shrub willow, Gaultheria miqueliana–Betula ermanii, Sasa senanensis–Betula ermanii, willow–Betula ermanii, and Sasa kurilensis–Abies veitchii. We examined the succession of these communities, in which younger communities of low height and ground cover contained seedlings of the successive communities that were taller and had higher ground cover. To understand the development of these different communities, we surveyed damage from mining pollution and effects of immature soils formed by landslides. The average pH (H2O) was 4.12, and aluminum concentrations were not sufficiently high to damage plant growth, except in areas where sulfur had been mined. The organic carbon and nitrogen content in soil samples were very low because of a delay in soil development caused by a large landslide in 1937. Hence, succession was positively correlated with the soil development stage. The delay in soil development after a large landslide influenced the seven successional steps of the plant communities, but mineral poisons at the abandoned Ogushi sulfur mine had no effect on succession.