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Individual growing conditions that affect diameter increment of tree saplings after selection harvesting in a mixed forest in northern Japan

  • Original Article
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Journal of Forest Research

Abstract

We analyzed temporal patterns in diameter growth of saplings following selection harvesting in an uneven-aged mixed stand dominated by Abies sachalinensis, Acer mono, Quercus crispula, and Betula ermanii in Hokkaido, northern Japan. We examined interspecific differences in growth responses to local growing conditions including harvesting intensity, crowding, stem size, and past duration of the small growth period. Consistent with expectations based on shade tolerance of the species, the age at which the individual reached a diameter at breast height (DBH) of 12.5 cm was highest for A. sachalinensis and lowest for B. ermanii. The interspecific growth differences between saplings that had or had not experienced local harvesting increased gradually for A. sachalinensis and B. ermanii, but peaked at around 4–6 years after harvesting for Q. crispula. Generalized linear mixed model analysis clearly suggested that individual growth conditions required to enhance diameter growth of saplings differed considerably among species. For Q. crispula and B. ermanii, local harvesting intensity was most strongly and positively associated with diameter growth rate, whereas for A. sachalinensis and A. mono, stem size had the strongest negative effect. Abies sachalinensis saplings responded more to surrounding harvesting when they were relatively small, whereas A. mono showed a weak opposite response. The duration of the small growth period before harvesting had negative effect for A. sachalinensis, but not for the other species. Our study indicated that the influence of selection harvesting on growth of shade-tolerant species depends upon pre- and post-harvest growing conditions.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments and suggestions. We also thank the staff of the Nakagawa Experimental Forest and the members of the Laboratory of Forest Management, Hokkaido University, for their combined efforts in maintaining the long-term monitoring. We thank Keiichi Aoyama and Akane Harada for their assistance with the fieldwork. We also extend our thanks to the members of the Laboratory of Forest Ecosystem Management, Hokkaido University. This research was partially funded by Grants in Aid for Scientific Research (nos. 18201008 and 19208013) from the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture, Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forest Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita 9-jo, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8589, Japan

    Hisashi Miya & Futoshi Nakamura

  2. Uryu Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Moshiri, Horokanai, Hokkaido, 074-0741, Japan

    Toshiya Yoshida

  3. Shikoku Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 2-915 Asakuranishimachi, Kochi, 780-8077, Japan

    Mahoko Noguchi

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  1. Hisashi Miya
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  2. Toshiya Yoshida
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  3. Mahoko Noguchi
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  4. Futoshi Nakamura
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Correspondence to Hisashi Miya.

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Miya, H., Yoshida, T., Noguchi, M. et al. Individual growing conditions that affect diameter increment of tree saplings after selection harvesting in a mixed forest in northern Japan. J For Res 14, 302–310 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-009-0136-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-009-0136-6

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