Abstract
Budbursting patterns and browning processes of Quercus dentate THUNS. and Q. mongolica TURCZ. variety grosseserrata REND. et WILS. in natural coastal forests of northern Hokkaido were observed from 1981 to 1985. The budbursting patterns were classified into five types as follow: T, TL, L1, L2, and D. These types varied with the environmental conditions. At the seaside of the coastal forests, most of the bud burst only from the lower lateral buds (L2) or dead shoots (D) in winter, We named these two types as coast types. Inland areas, the buds burst from the terminal buds (T), the inland type. The types of budburstings were controlled mainly by the distance from the beach line. Browning started in the upper-part buds of shoots, and it extended to the lower-part buds. This browning process may be the cause of the decrease in the inland type through the winter in seaside areas. Because the very small leaf scars made in the growing season were wrapped with bark and protected against salt spray in winter, the budbursting from the lower lateral buds was dominant in the seaside areas. We concluded that the specifications of the budbursting patterns could be used as evaluations of the environmental conditions for silvicultural purposes in the coastal forests of northern Hokkaido.
