The data file contains 240 rows × 126 columns.

Forest stands and plot setup:

Study area:
24 forest stands identified (12 larch, 12 oak) in the southern portion of the fenced area.
Replicate stands:
Each stand paired with a replicate within 300 m on opposite sides of the fence; stands without replicates within this distance were excluded.
Plot establishment:
Total plots: 10 circular plots per stand = in total 240 plots (120 inside, 120 outside the fence).
Plot size:
Each plot covers 10 m², centered on a larch or oak tree.
Plot layout:
Plots were placed at least 10 m from other canopy trees (>30 cm DBH) to avoid influences from species other than larch and oak.

Data collection:

Dwarf bamboo:
Average height measured from five random points per plot.
Understory vascular plants:
All species, including trees and shrubs <1.3 m tall, recorded.
Species cover:
Measured using a modified Braun-Blanquet cover class system with seven cover categories.

Braun -Blanquet scale Cover range (%) Used in calculations (%)
r <0.1
+ 0.1 – 1
1 1 – 5
2 5 – 25
3 25 – 50
4 50 – 75
5 75 – 100
*For dwarf bamboo, which was very abundant, 100% cover was used for category 5. This did not affect the calculations.

Taxonomic groupings:

Grouped species:
Dwarf bamboos: Sasa spp. (S. kurilensis, S. nipponica, S. palmata, Sasamorpha borealis).
Graminoids: Carex, Juncus, Luzula, Poaceae.
Non-flowering specimens: Rosa, Rubus, Viola (excluding Viola tokubuchiana var. tokubuchiana which was registered separately).
Maple seedlings: Acer spp. (excluding A. rufinerve which was registered separately).
Birch seedlings: Betula (B. platyphylla var. japonica, B. ermanii).
Euonymus species: E. alatus, E. macropterus, E. sieboldianus (excluding vine E. fortunei).

Nomenclature:
Follows Wamei checklist version 1.10 (Yamanouchi 2022) https://gbif.jp/activities/checklist/wamei_checklist_110/ Show less..

Data contains personal data

Language

English

Method and outcome

Time period(s) investigated

2022-06-01 – 2022-10-31

Data format / data structure

Numeric

Text

Species and taxons

Tracheophyta

Data collection

Mode of collection: Field observation
Description of the mode of collection: Plot inventory in forest stands inside and outside a 900 ha deer exclusion. The cover of all vascular plant species were registered in 10 m2 plots surrounding trees of either Quercus crispula or Larix kaempferi. In the same plot, dwarf bamboo height was also measured. Tree influence index was calculated for each plot by measuring the diameter, distance and cardinal direction of trees within a radius of 7 meters (when less than 4 trees, the radius was extended to 10 meters) from the plot centre.
Time period(s) for data collection: 2022-06-01 – 2022-10-31

Geographic coverage

Geographic spread

Geographic location: Japan

Geographic description: Japan, Honshu, Tochigi, Nikko National Park

Administrative information

Responsible department/unit

Utsunomiya University

Commissioning organisation

Utsunomiya University

Funding

Funding agency: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
Funding agency's reference number: PE20742
Project name on the application: The impact from sika deer browsing on bryophyte and lichen diversity
Funding information: FY2020 JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship for Research in Japan (Short-term) to conduct research in Japan for a period of 12 months.

Topic and keywords

Research area

Botany (Standard för svensk indelning av forskningsämnen 2011)

Ecology (Standard för svensk indelning av forskningsämnen 2011)

Forest science (Standard för svensk indelning av forskningsämnen 2011)

Fish and wildlife management (Standard för svensk indelning av forskningsämnen 2011)

Environmental sciences related to agriculture and land-use (Standard för svensk indelning av forskningsämnen 2011)

Biota (INSPIRE topic categories)

Keywords

Forest composition/vegetation structure, Species competition, Temperate deciduous forest, Temperate coniferous forest, Deer/moose, Forest ecology, Mountain forest, Forest conservation, Forest ecosystem, Temperate forest, Forest biodiversity, Temperate forest, Vascular plants, Competitive exclusion, Vascular plant species abundance, Forest restoration, Coniferous forest, Forest ecosystem, Species diversity, Montane forest, Oak forest, Forest conservation, Forest inventory, Species interactions, Forest ecology, Forest floor, Forest dynamics, Forest structure, Forest cover, Plant species composition, Vascular plant species, Forest regeneration, Vascular plant species coverage, Habitats and biotopes, Land use, Protected sites, Soil, Species distribution, Forest damage, Forest protection, Forest regeneration, Forest vegetation, Game management, Cervidae, Forest ecology, Coniferous forests, Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, Nature conservation, Game fences, Vascular plants, Forest conservation, Deer, Japan

Publications

Petersson, L., Salk, C., Jensen, D., Thor, G. and Ohkubo, T. (2024) Long-term deer exclusion releases dwarf bamboo, reducing vascular plant diversity. [Submitted to Applied Vegetation Science in May 2024]

If you have published anything based on these data, please notify us with a reference to your publication(s). If you are responsible for the catalogue entry, you can update the metadata/data description in DORIS.