0023-6152

AA00697606

1798140

査読無

0023-6152

AA00697606

In order to evaluate the natural forest regeneration potential of the forest understory, light environment, plant species and diversity, plant coverage and biomass and their interrelationships were examined. The clear–cut, mid–forest, and forest edge sections in the understory of an artificial larch forest in Korea were targeted. The light condition (canopy openness, relative photosynthetic photon flux density) of the clear– cut and forest edge sections was higher and the plant biomass and the plant coverage rate were larger than those in the mid–forest section, however, only a few pioneer and/or sun plant species were dominant in the former sections, resulting in a low plant diversity in the section. The plant coverage rate was smaller but the number of herbaceous species was larger in the mid–forest section than in the other sections, because of the larger number of shade tolerant species in the mid–forest section. For regenerating the natural forest, the plant biomass of native tree species should be increased in the understory without lowering of the plant diversity. The mid–forest section has a better potential for the regeneration. In the section, the regeneration can be attained by improving the light condition through a gradual thinning.