The Optimal Collecting Time and Methods of Utilization of Forest Topsoil as Revegetation Materials of Slopes

비탈면 녹화용(綠化用) 재료(材料)로서 산림(山林) 표층토(表層土)의 적정(滴定) 채취시기(採取時期) 및 이용방법(利用方法)

This study was conducted to determine the optimal collecting time and methods of utilization of forest topsoil as a seed-bank source for revegetation materials of slopes. From April to November of 1998, nursery seedbeds in the greenhouse of Seoul National University were seeded with mixtures of forest topsoil and seeds. The nursery seedbeds were treated to evaluate the effect of depths of forest topsoil and seeding amounts. Seasonal experiments with $3{\times}3$ factorial design were conducted in April, June and August. More than 40 seedlings/$m^2$ were observed as the naturally-emerged species in the plot, treated with the top-layer forest soil within the depth of 10cm. However, it was found, as seeding more seeds, the number of appearance of the naturally-emerged species reduced because of the heavy competition between the seeded and the naturally-emerged. According to the results of this research, it is recommended that seeding amount should be no more than 1,000 seeds/$m^2$ to avoid the severe competition. Also it was observed that the forest topsoil collected in spring(April) is better than that collected in summer. The more species of the naturally-emerged were found in the forest topsoil collected in spring. Forest-topsoil-mixed-materials as a seed-bank source could significantly increase the plant diversity and productivity. Effective use of forest topsoil as a seed-bank source may become a valuable tool in future restoration of disturbed slopes for promoting plant community diversity and recycling of spoiled-soils from the slopes.