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 F1 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.