Changes in Chlorophyll Contents and Photosynthetic Characteristics of Hardwood Species According to Artificial Shade Treatment

To study the chlorophyll contents and photosynthetic characteristics of 4 tree species of deciduous hardwoods; Betula platyphylla var. japonica, Zelkova serrata, Acer mono and Prunus sargentii were treated in 3 stages of shading; the full sun treatment, the medium shade treatment with 30% of transmittance comparing to full sun, the intense shade treatment with 8% of transmittance and their changes in chlorophyll contents and photosynthetic characteristics were examined and analyzed. Most hardwoods showed differences in the total chlorophyll contents in the order of May < September < July, however, that in Prunus sargentii increased progressively along with the lapse of time. Concerning the degree of shading, total chlorophyll contents increased in proportion to the level of shading. Betula platyphylla var. japonica and Prunus sargentii showed more than 2-3 times difference between the full sun treatment and the intense shade treatment. The changes in photosynthetic characteristics, the range of the light saturation point of the trees was $1,000{\sim}1,100{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ in May, before the shading was applied, and the intensity was shown in the order of Betula platyphylla var. japonica > Zelkova serrata > Acer mono > Prunus sargentii. The photosynthetic rate was $6.4{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}{\sim}27.1{\mu}mol{\cdot}CO_2{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ in the order of Betula platyphylla var. japonica > Prunus sargentii > Acer mono > Zelkova serrata that there were differences between species. Concerning the changes in light saturation point in each growth period after shading treatment, the light saturation point in the full sun treatment was found in the range of $560{\sim}1,100{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ and the level of intensity was shown in the order of May > July > September. The light saturation point decreased as the level of shading intensified and the level of changes in light compensation point in the full sun treatment for Betula platyphylla var. japonica and Prunus sargentii was shown in the range of $2.9{\sim}27.1{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ in the order of May > July > September, however, for Zelkova serrata and Acer mono was shown in the range of $3.9{\sim}11.7{\mu}mol{\cdot}CO_2{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ in the order of July > May > September that there were differences between species.