Abstract
Most of the common and dominant tree species in gaps of a climax Japanese beech (Fagus crenata) forest have large seedling banks on the forest floor. These seedlings were classified into “true seedlings” and “seedling sprouts”, each of which was further classified into two and three subtypes, respectively. Each species had a characteristic seedling form spectrum. The seedling bank of beech was composed almost solely of true seedlings, whereas, seedling sprouts predominated in the seedling banks of lower tree species such as Prunus grayana Maxim. and some species of Acer. The age structures suggested that seedling sprouts had longer life spans and had been recruited more constantly than true seedlings. The habit of sprouting and creeping seemed to enable seedlings of these species to persist for long periods, thus increasing their chance for eventual success in canopy gaps.
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Nomenclature follows J. Ohwi, 1975. Flora of Japan, Shibundo, Tokyo (in Japanese).
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Hara, M. Analysis of seedling banks of a climax beech forest: ecological importance of seedling sprouts. Vegetatio 71, 67–74 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00044819
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00044819