Regeneration Process after Clear-cutting of a Secondary Abies and Tsuga Forest in Kirishima, Southwest Japan
2002 年 8 巻 1 号 p. 1-7
詳細
2002 年 8 巻 1 号 p. 1-7
The objective of this study was to clarify the regeneration process of a secondary Abies firma and Tsuga sieboldii forest after clear-cutting in Kirishima. The stand structure and individual tree height growth pattern were analyzed. Then, the regeneration process of such a forest was discussed based on the above results. The dominance of coniferous species such as Pinus densiflora, A. firma, and T. sieboldii was observed. The study stand was considered to be stratified into two strata from tree height distributions, but the degree of separation between the strata was low. However, analysis of the individual height growth pattern showed that this study stand was in a transition period to discontinuous tree height distribution in the Abies and Tsuga population. Therefore, we consider that the structure of this Abies and Tsuga stand will shift in the future to one observed in a nearby old-growth stand. Based on the age of P. densiflora, the approximate year of clear-cutting on this site was determined. P. densiflora trees colonized after clear-cutting, whereas some A. firma and T. sieboldii seedlings were established before clear-cutting. It is suggested that the advance growth of A. firma and T. sieboldii played an important role in the regeneration process of the secondary Abies and Tsuga forest after clear-cutting. Therefore, advance growth must be left on clear-cut areas in order to grow the forest as fast as possible after clear-cutting.
