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Abstract: We investigated factors affecting the distribution of naturally regenerated broad-leaved trees in a 140-year-old Cryptomeria japonica plantation. We used path analysis to examine the relationship among microtopography, the biomass of planted trees, and the biomasses of canopy and subcanopy trees of broad-leaved species. The study plot was divided into three topographic types (ridge, slope, and valley), and we discuss how the different topographic types are affected. For all topographic types, the biomass of canopy trees of broad-leaved species decreased with convexity. For slope and valley topographies, the biomass of subcanopy trees of broad-leaved species also decreased with convexity. For ridge topography, the biomass of subcanopy trees of broad-leaved species increased with the biomass of planted trees, and decreased with the biomass of canopy trees of broad-leaved species. These results suggest the effects of microtopography on the biomass of subcanopy trees were much larger than the effects of canopy trees for slope and valley topographies, while the effects of microtopography were smaller for ridge topography.

AbstractWe measured the aboveground biomass, biomass increment and litterfall production of a 140-year-old, abandoned Cryptomeria japonicaplantation in order to infer the effects of topography on biomass production. The plantation was unsuccessful and the naturally regenerated broad-leaved trees contributed 93.4% (374.2 Mg ha−1) of the total aboveground biomass (400.2 Mg ha−1). Comparing between different slope positions, aboveground biomass decreased downslope corresponding to the decrease in broad-leaved tree biomass. The biomass of C. japonicadid not vary with slope position. Biomass increment and litterfall production of the broad-leaved trees also decreased downslope. However, litterfall production per unit biomass and aboveground net primary production per unit biomass increased downslope. Results of a path analysis showed that biomass increment of C. japonicadecreased with increasing topographical convexity, whereas biomass and litterfall production of broad-leaved tree increased. Litterfall production of broad-leaved tree decreased with increasing biomass of C. japonica, suggesting that, despite their small biomass, the presence of residual C. japonicamay have negative effects on the distribution and productivity of the broad-leaved trees. Our results indicated that total aboveground biomass of the study site was comparable to that of old-growth C. japonicaplantations. We inferred that the variation in aboveground biomass of the broad-leaved trees was largely determined by the topography, while their productivity was affected by interactions with planted C. japonica.

AbstractWe investigated factors affecting the distribution of naturally regenerated broad-leaved trees in a 140-year-old Cryptomeria japonicaplantation. We used path analysis to examine the relationship among microtopography, the biomass of planted trees, and the biomasses of canopy and subcanopy trees of broad-leaved species. The study plot was divided into three topographic types (ridge, slope, and valley), and we discuss how the different topographic types are affected. For all topographic types, the biomass of canopy trees of broad-leaved species decreased with convexity. For slope and valley topographies, the biomass of subcanopy trees of broad-leaved species also decreased with convexity. For ridge topography, the biomass of subcanopy trees of broad-leaved species increased with the biomass of planted trees, and decreased with the biomass of canopy trees of broad-leaved species. These results suggest the effects of microtopography on the biomass of subcanopy trees were much larger than the effects of canopy trees for slope and valley topographies, while the effects of microtopography were smaller for ridge topography.

Of all plant materials used to cover the roofs of traditional Japanese buildings, Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) bark, hiwada, has the longest service life and has been used from ancient times. However, wood and bark properties after hiwadaharvest have not been evaluated in detail. We studied whether decortication for hiwadaproduction in winter affected xylem and phloem formation. Decorticated trees still preserved all inner bark and part of the outer bark, and both decorticated and control trees had similar annual ring structures at all stem heights in the xylem and phloem. In both xylem and inner bark, no significant difference in ring width at any stem height was found between annual rings before and after decortication. Thus, this study revealed that the decortication of bark for hiwadaproduction does not affect the formation of xylem and the inner and outer bark if decortication is carried out by highly skilled workers in winter.