Occurring changes and distribution of bear bark stripping in an artificial young forest stand of the University Forest in Chichibu [Japan]
2010
Fukuda, N., Tokyo Univ. (Japan)
In the University Forest in Chichibu, bark stripping by bears has even been observed in artificial forest stands younger than 20 years old. In this study I investigated the occurrence, distribution and width of damage of bear bark stripped trees in a 19 years old Japanese cypress stand in the '29 i 4' compartment. 9.9% of 6752 cypress trees were stripped, of which 6.7% were estimated to have been damaged in 2006. This was around the average for stands in the University Forest in Chichibu. In a 0.79ha area, I surveyed the location and dbh of the trees. I sectioned the area with 5m x 5m squares and analyzed the distribution and dbh patterns. Bear bark stripped trees were distributed randomly. The average dbh of bear bark stripped trees was greater than the dbh of undamaged trees, but the difference was not significant. The degree of bear bark stripping was positively related to the average dbh of damaged trees. I found trees with greater diameters were likely attacked by bears, but I thought the attacked trees were distributed randomly and the average dbh was not significantly greater, because the trees were young and there was less difference among the trees in this forest compartment.
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