Stand dynamics during a 12 year period in an old‐growth, cool temperate forest in northern Japan

Abstract

AbstractIn 1979 and 1991, trees over 2.0 m high were measured and mapped together with their crown projections to clarify stand dynamics and shifts in canopy dominants during this period, in a permanent plot of 0.525 ha in an old‐growth, cool temperate mixed forest of Mt Moiwa, Central Hokkaido, northern Japan. During this period, an abundant recruitment of trees was observed after some canopy trees were felled by a typhoon in 1981 leaving gaps in the canopy. Vigorous recruitment was observed for Tilia japonica, Acer mono and Prunus ssiori. These species had different regeneration sites in relation to canopy state. Neither Ulmus japonica nor Kalopanax pictus had any recruits during the 12 year period even in gaps. The equilibrium composition of tree species projected from transition probability analysis also implied the above shift of dominant species during the 12 year period in the plot and suggested that the present forest is not in an equilibrium state.