Regeneration of beech ( Fagus crenata ) after the simultaneous death of undergrowing dwarf bamboo ( Sasa kurilensis )

Seedling recruitment and survivorship of beech ( Fagus crenata ) were studied with special reference to the simultaneous death of undergrowing bamboo ( Sasa kurilensis ). The survival rate of beech seedlings on the floor where Sasa had withered was much higher than that on the floor where Sasa survived. Damping off caused the largest mortality among beech seedlings. However, the allocation pattern of matter to different parts of the seedlings indicated that their survival was greatly affected by production economy. The dense cover of dwarf bamboo prevented the establishment of beech seedling banks on the forest floor. The interval between the times when simultaneous death of Sasa occur and the length of its recovery period are thus important factors controlling the dynamics of beech forests in Japan.