A comparison of regeneration inside and outside a deer-proof fence built in a gap formed because of mass mortality of oak trees

Abstract

Conditions of regeneration in gaps formed because of mass mortality of oak trees were compared inside and outside a deer-proof fence to clarify how sika deer (Cervus nippon) affect the regeneration. Fourteen species, including Zanthoxylum ailanthoides, Mallotus japonicus, Quercus glauca, and Padus grayana, regenerated and reached a height of≥ - 1.3m inside the fence. Conversely, only two species-Triadica sebifera and Symplocos prunifolia-that were little consumed by deer regenerated to a height of≥ - 1.3m outside the fence. Among the saplings that grew to heights of <1.3m, 34 species, including Rubus microphyllus and Carpinus tschonoskii, were found inside the fence, whereas seven species were found outside; all saplings outside the fence were <10cm tall. New seedlings and sprouts were also found outside the fence. These results suggested that only a small number of specific species might regenerate under the pressure of deer foraging after the mass mortality of oak trees.