Tree regeneration in a disturbed sub-tropical wet hill forest of north-east India: Effect of stump diameter and height on sprouting of Four tree species

Abstract

The effect of diameter and height of stumps on sprouting and survival of sprouts of Alnus nepalensis, Quercus dealbata, Quercus griffithii and Schima khasiana was studied in a disturbed sub-tropical wet hill forest of north-east India. The study is based on observations of five diameter and four height classes of the stumps. Sprouting percentage of the stumps and number of sprouts per stump decreased with the stump diameter. Thickness of stump bark increased with the increase in stump diameter in all the four species. Number of sprouts per stump decreased with the bark thickness, whereas it increased with stump height. Production of sprouts was maximum in S. khasiana and minimum in Q. griffithii. In all species, the sprouts arising from the stumps of medium diameters (> 15–30 and > 30–45 cm) and heights (25–30 and 45–50 cm) survived better than those from the stumps of smaller or larger diameter and heights.