Juvenile sprouting ability of the endangered maple, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acer pycnanthum</Emphasis>

Japanese red maple, Acer pycnanthum, is an endangered species having a limited distribution of central Honshu, Japan. Sprouting is an important part of its natural history, and many remnant populations contain high number of multiple-stem clones. However, knowledge of sprout formation and growth is lacking, which has hampered understanding of the reestablishment process after major disturbance. My research objectives were to characterize the formation and growth of basal sprouts in the juvenile stage and determine the effects of light intensity and stump diameter on these characteristics. Twenty sprouting clones were investigated at a natural site in Nagano Prefecture during a four-year period after cutting. Japanese red maple exhibited abundant and vigorous sprouting from the root collar of cut trees. Many sprouts arose immediately after cutting. Average number of sprouts per stump was 12.2. Number of sprouts per stump was negatively correlated with relative light intensity. The two dominant sprouts (sprouts 1 and 2) of each clone were selected to analyze their growth. The average extension growth of sprout 1 (i.e., the tallest and most vigorous) was 173.3 cm at the end of first growing season. At the end of fourth growing season, average height and diameter at breast height (dbh) of sprout 1 were 377 and 2.1 cm, respectively. Relative light intensity and stump diameter significantly and positively affected D²H (diameter at breast height squared × height) of sprout 1. Because the growth rate of sprouts is much faster than that of seedlings, regeneration by sprouting is more significant than seedling regeneration to maintain populations after disturbances.