Growth Characteristics of Seedlings of Castanopsis spp., Quercus glauca and Quercus myrsinifolia in a Large-scale Urban Forest in Kyoto city

Abstract

We set up 1055 quadrats (1055m²) on the forest floor in Tadasu-No-Mori forest, a large-scale mature urban forest in Kyoto city, to clarify the growth characteristics, recruitment, relative height growth rate and mortality of seedlings of three evergreen Fagaceae species, Castanopsis spp, Quercus glauca and Q. myrsinifolia. We recognized the differences in growth characteristics of seedlings among the species. Q. glauca showed high recruitment rates. It seems to be because the individual density of mature trees of Q. glauca was highest in this forest. Recruitment rates of C. spp and Q. myrsinifolia seedlings were relatively high, when the individual density of the mother trees which is located near, was high. Although C. spp seedlings showed higher growth rate than other two species, mortality rate of C. spp seedlings were relatively high. In contrast, mortality rate of Q. myrsinifolia seedlings were relatively low. It indicates that the individual density of Q. myrsinifolia might increase than other two species in this site in the long term. In order to conserve the original vegetation of Tadasu-No-Mori forest, the deciduous broad-leaved forest dominated by Aphananthe aspera, Celtis sinensis and Zelkova serrata and to suppress the regeneration of Q. myrsinifolia, it is necessary to maintain the population density of the mature trees of Q. myrsinifolia low.