Effect of consecutive shoot-cutting for 3 years on saplings’ sprouting regeneration ability of six deciduous oak species in Korea

Background The sprouts of oak species play an important role in maintaining the oak community in a disturbed environment. In this study, we cut 1-year-old oak in three times during the 3 years and measured the sprout responses to know sprouting ability of six deciduous oaks in Korea. Results Oak sprouts have appeared in spring and fall, and some of the sprouts had lifespan as short as a month. As the number of cutting increases, sprout number of Quercus acutissima increased whereas the other oak species decreased or died. The average number of sprouts over the 3 years was from 1.4 (Quercus mongolica) to 2.2 (Q. acutissima) per individual. Quercus serrata died after the second cutting, and Quercus dentata died after the third cutting. So, the two species have the lowest sprouting ability among six oak species. The sprouts grew actively during fall and slowly in summer. The sprout length during the 3 years was in the following descending order: Q. acutissima, Quercus aliena, Q. dentata, and Q. mongolica. Sprout of Q. acutissima and Q. aliena generated steadily over the 3 years, and sprout of Quercus variabilis and Q. mongolica was changed by year. After the 3 years, the number of sprouts increased only in Q. acutissima but sprout number of the other five oak species decreased. The sprout length of Q. acutissima, Q. aliena, and Q. variabilis increased, but sprout length of the other three oak species decreased. The average survival rate of saplings over the 3 years was in the following descending order: Q. acutissima, Q. aliena, Q. variabilis, and Q. mongolica. Conclusions As a result, the sprouting ability of Q. acutissima was the highest. Such level of sprouting ability may be the evidence of how Q. acutissima community exists as a dominant species in a disturbed environment in lowlands of Korea peninsula.