Seedling establishment of five evergreen tree species in relation to topography, sika deer (Cervus nippon yakushimae) and soil surface environments

• Published in: Journal of plant research 2008-11, Vol.121 (6), p.537-546
• Main Authors: Tsujino, R.(Kyoto Univ., Otsu (Japan). Center for Ecological Research), Yumoto, T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biomedical and Life Sciences; BOSQUE DE FRONDOSAS SIEMPREVERDE; BROADLEAVED EVERGREEN FORESTS; CERVUS NIPPON; Cleyera; Deer; Deer - physiology; Ecosystem; EMERGENCE; EMERGENCIA; Evergreen trees; Feeding Behavior; Forestry; FORET FEUILLUE SEMPERVIRENTE; Herbivory; JAPAN; JAPON; LEVEE; Life Sciences; Litsea; Myrsine; Plant Biochemistry; Plant Ecology; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Plant species; PLANTULAS; PLANTULE; Population Dynamics; POTENCIAL HIDRICO DEL SUELO; POTENTIEL HYDRIQUE DU SOL; Regular Paper; Schefflera; SEEDLINGS; Seedlings - growth & development; Seeds; Soil - analysis; Soil surfaces; SOIL WATER POTENTIAL; Soils; Spatial analysis; Survival; Syzygium; TOPOGRAFIA; TOPOGRAPHIE; TOPOGRAPHY; Trees; Trees - growth & development
• ISSN: 0918-9440; 1618-0860
• DOI: 10.1007/s10265-008-0184-6

We investigated the seedling survival of five evergreen tree species over 3 years inside and outside deer-exclusion fences in a warm temperate evergreen broadleaved forest on Yakushima Island, Japan. Seedling survival was examined in relation to topography, herbivory by sika deer, and the soil surface environment (i.e., soil surface wetness, light conditions, slope inclination, and soil disturbance). The study species included Myrsine seguinii Lev., Syzygium buxifolium Hook. et Arn. (Group A: species distributed on the upper slope of the study site), Litsea accuminata (B1.) Kurata, Schefflera octophylla (Lour.) Harms (Group B: species distributed on the lower slope), and Cleyera japonica Thunb. p.p. emend. Sieb. et Zucc. (Group C: species distributed on both slopes). The soil surface environment on the upper slope was drier, lighter, and more easily disturbed than the lower slope. Generalized linear model analyses indicated that seedling survival in fenced and unfenced quadrats was greater on the upper slope than on the lower slope for Group A and B species but not for Group C species. A micro-spatial scale analysis revealed that seedling survival was correlated with soil wetness, ground light conditions, and soil disturbance but not slope inclination. These results indicate that seedling survival was correlated with topography, sika deer herbivory, and the micro-spatial scale environment. Topography-related differences in seedling survival appear to adequately reflect the observed adult plant distributions for Group A and C species but not for Group B species.