Resistance of Larches to Bark Stripping by Sika Deer in Hokkaido, Northern Japan

Resistance of the Japanese larch ( Larix kaempferi ) (Lk), the Kurile larch ( L. gmelinii var. japonica ) (Lg), and their F 1 hybrid (Lg × Lk) to bark stripping by sika deer ( Cervus nippon yesoensis ) were studied in a forest in Hokkaido by cafeteria tests. Several sets of logs prepared from Lk, Lg, and Lg × Lk were fed to the deer. The stripped areas of logs significantly differed between the Lk/Lg set and the Lk/Lg × Lk set ( P ≪ 0.05). The resistances of Lg and Lg × Lk to bark stripping was stronger than Lk. This result was similar to those of previous studies on gray-sided voles and mountain hares in Hokkaido.