To understand the adaptive significance of resprouting ability, the size dependency of resprouting ability after stem clipping for 24 deciduous trees at Ogawa Forest Reserve was formulated and correlated to functional traits and life history traits.

All studied species resprout as juveniles, but many trees lost resprouting ability after attaining a particular size. The ontogenetic changes in resprouting ability for each species were described with three parameters, Initial sprouting ability (R_sap), Size of maximum sprouting (R_max), and Increasing rate of sprouting ability. R_sap was negatively correlated with maximum basal area and specific force to punch leaf, and positively with size distribution index (SDI); higher SDI indicates disturbance dependent. Species with relatively large R_max had higher SDI than species with relatively small R_max.

These results suggest that disturbance dependent trees have high resprouting ability as juveniles and keep resprouting ability until adults, and they may adapt to infrequent fire. Disturbance independent trees, in contrast, resprout only as juveniles, indicating resprouting as adults is less important. Shrubs had high resprouting ability throughout life, and frequent stem alternation may be adaptation to frequently disturbed site.