Abstract
The Pacific Ocean side of Japan is characterized as snow poor and thus should exhibit reduced beech tree regeneration compared to the snowy Japan Sea side. However, beech regeneration on the Pacific side may be relatively better if temperature is low enough to keep snow and sika deer are absent. We examined factors that influence the regeneration of beech trees on the Pacific side of Japan. Beech population data in an approximately 1 ha area was obtained from 25 sites on the Pacific side. We found that the most suitable model for predicting young (DBH<10 cm) beech density incorporated the monthly average minimum temperature and sika deer presence in 1979. Young beech density was higher at colder sites that lacked deer than at sites where deer were present. However, in warmer regions, young beech density was quite low and almost same in both deer present and lacked sites. The correlation coefficient with young beech density was higher in winter temperature variables than in summer temperature variables. However, no significant correlation between young beech density was observed for precipitation variables, maximum snow depth, adult (DBH>30 cm) beech density, or for deer density. We conclude that beech regeneration on the Pacific side of Japan benefits from cold temperatures but that it is strongly hindered by deer.
