Environmental preferences of major woody species in a Quercus serrata secondary forest in the suburb of Nara City

The present study aimed to understand the microenvironmental preferences of major woody species in a Quercus serrata secondary forest in the suburb of Nara City, Japan. A study plot (8,100 m2) was established in this forest of variable slope gradients (2.6°∼ 47.0°) and convex indices (－5.0 m ∼ 4.9 m) . All trees in the plot with a diameter at a breast height ≥1 cm were investigated for relationships between the appearance of each tree species and microtopographic conditions and soil properties. Clethra barbinervis and Eurya japonica tended to occupy steep slopes, whereas Deutzia crenata tended to occupy gentle slopes. Lyonia ovalifolia var. elliptica and Ilex pedunculosa were preferentially located on convex ground, whereas Callicarpa japonica and D. crenata were preferentially found on concave ground. The surface soil (0 ∼ 5 cm) in regions occupied by D. crenata and C. japonica exhibited significantly higher pH and exchangeable potassium, available phosphorus, and moisture contents than soils occupied by the other woody species. In contrast, the values of these soil properties of the habitats occupied by I. pedunculosa and the moisture content of the habitats occupied by L. ovalifolia var. elliptica and Rhododendron macrosepalum were significantly lower than those of the other species. These results suggest that the spatial distribution of major woody species in the sub-urban Q. serrata secondary forest is influenced by the preferences of tree species for specific microtopographic conditions and soil properties.