Effects of habitat selection of wood mice on the diversity of canopy tree species in mixed forests.

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Aim of this study is to clarify the effects of the habitat selection of wood mice, tree seed and seedling predator, on the species diversity of canopy trees in mixed forests. Three working hypothesizes were inspected.1:In the mixed forest, because of heterogeneity of light intensity on the forest floor, which determined by the canopy structure and tree species, herbaceous vegetation coverage of under growth was changed by the openness of canopy layer and constructs the habitats of wood mice that comprise the various patches2:Wood mice(Apodemus speciosus and A. argenteus) habitat selection was changed seasonally, but selects the dense herbaceous patch both in mature beech (Fagus crenata) forests and a sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) plantation.3:As wood mice activity of the open site was low than that of the close site, wood mice seed predation presser was changed depend on the crown structure not on the seed density.Mixed forests had variety of species composition and stand structure. Wood mice species composition, population density and activity were changed by the stand structure, especially by the herbaceous structure. From the these results, it will be possible to change the forest regeneration process through the control the presser of seed and seedling predation by wood mice to intensive management for herbaceous vegetation structure. And in consequence intensive management of canopy layer may result in the bio-diversity management in forested ecosystems.