Management, production and stand structure of managed Moso bamboo forests in China: A case study in Yixing city, Jiangsu Province

The objective of this research is to clarify the present situation of management and stand structure of Moso bamboo forests in China by questionnaire survey with 56 management entities and stand structure investigation in managed bamboo forests in Yixing City, Jiangsu. Our results revealed the existence of extensive management for the purpose of harvesting both bamboo culms and shoots, and the differences of management operations and stand structure of bamboo forests between management entities. The stand structure of managed bamboo forests were revealed: 4,348 culm/ ha as mean density, 9.6 cm as culm diameter, 30.38 m2/ha as stand basal area, and the culm stand was close to regular distribution. Moreover, the relationship between the stand indices showed some trends: as spatial density increase, the mean DBH and percentage of new culm continuously decreases inversely and the culm stand gets closer to random or clustered distribution. In addition to the aging of the management entities, and rising of labor cost may cause the negligent of management particularly in the bamboo grove that are remote from the woodland path. When we formulate sustainable bamboo forest resource management and utilization,it is considered to be necessary to understand the different characteristics among bamboo forest management entities, and the relationship between management and stand structure. © 2020 Nihon Ringakkai. All rights reserved.