• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.571-578
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• 2013

This study generated regression models through a direct harvesting method to estimate carbon storage and uptake by Pinus densiflora and Pinus koraiensis, the major evergreen tree species in urban landscape, and established essential information to quantify carbon reduction by urban trees. Open-grown landscape tree individuals for each species were sampled reflecting various diameter sizes at a given interval. The study measured biomass for each part including the roots of sample trees to compute the total carbon storage per tree. Annual carbon uptake per tree was quantified by analyzing radial growth rates of stem samples at breast height. The study then derived a regression model easily applicable in estimating carbon storage and uptake per tree for the two species by using diameter at breast height (DBH) as an independent variable. All the regression models showed high fitness with $r^2$ values of higher than 0.98. While carbon storage and uptake by young trees tended to be greater for P. densiflora than for P. koraiensis in the same diameter sizes, those by mature trees with DBH sizes of larger than 20 cm showed results to the contrary due to a difference in growth rates. A tree of P. densiflora and P. koraiensis with DBH of 25 cm stored 115.6 kg and 130.0 kg of carbon, respectively, and annually sequestered 9.4 kg and 14.6 kg. The study has broken new grounds to overcome limitations of the past studies which quantified carbon reduction of the study species by substituting, due to a difficulty in direct cutting and root digging of landscape trees, coefficients from forest trees such as biomass expansion factors, ratios of below ground/above ground biomass, and diameter growth rates.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.13-21
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• 2014

This study generated regression models to quantify storage and annual uptake of carbon from five native landscape tree species through a direct harvesting method, and established essential information to estimate carbon reduction effects from urban greenspaces. Tree species for the study included the Chionanthus retusus, Prunus armeniaca, Abies holophylla, Cornus officinalis, and Taxus cuspidata, which are usually planted in cities of middle Korea, but for which no information on carbon reduction is available. Ten tree individuals for each species were sampled reflecting various stem diameter sizes at a given interval. The study measured biomass for each part including the roots of sample trees to compute total carbon storage per tree. The annual carbon uptake per tree was quantified by analyzing the radial growth rates of stem samples at breast height or ground level. Regression models were developed using diameter at breast height (dbh) or ground level (dg) as an independent variable to easily estimate storage and annual uptake of carbon per tree for each species. All the regression models showed high fitness with $r^2$ values of 0.92~0.99. Storage and annual uptake of carbon from a tree with dbh of 10 cm were greatest with C. retusus (20.0 kg and 5.9 kg/yr, respectively), followed by P. armeniaca (17.5 kg and 4.5 kg/yr) and A. holophylla (13.2kg and 1.8 kg/yr) in order. A C. officinalis tree and T. cuspidata tree with dg of 10 cm stored 9.3 and 6.3 kg of carbon and annually sequestered 3.2 and 0.6 kg, respectively. The above-mentioned carbon storage equaled the amount of carbon emitted from gasoline consumption of about 23~35 L for C. retusus, P. armeniaca, and A. holophylla, and 11~16 L for C. officinalis and T. cuspidata. A tree with the diameter size of 10 cm annually offset carbon emissions from gasoline use of about 6~10 L for C. retusus, P. armeniaca, and C. officinalis, and 1~3 L for A. holophylla and T. cuspidata. The study breaks new ground to easily quantify biomass and carbon reduction for the tree species by overcoming difficulties in direct cutting and root digging of urban landscape trees.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.160-168
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• 2012

This study generated regression models to estimate the carbon storage and uptake from the urban deciduous landscape trees through a direct harvesting method, and established essential information to quantify carbon reduction from urban greenspace. Tree species for the study included Acer palmatum, Zelkova serrata, Prunus yedoensis, and Ginkgo biloba, which are usually planted as urban landscape trees. Tree individuals for each species were sampled reflecting various diameter sizes at a given interval. The study measured biomass for each part including the roots of sample trees to compute the total carbon storage per tree. Annual carbon uptake per tree was quantified by analyzing radial growth rates of stem samples at breast height. The study then derived a regression model easily applicable in estimating carbon storage and uptake per tree for the 4 species by using diameter at breast height(dbh) as an independent variable. All the regression models showed high fitness with $r^2$ values of 0.94~0.99. Carbon storage and uptake per tree and their differences between diameter classes increased as the diameter sizes got larger. The carbon storage and uptake tended to be greatest with Zelkova serrata in the same diameter sizes, followed by Prunus yedoensis and Ginkgo biloba in order. A Zelkova serrata tree with 15cm in dbh stored about 54kg of carbon and annually sequestered 7 kg, based on a regression model for the species. The study has broken new grounds to overcome limitations of the past studies which substituted, due to a difficulty in direct cutting and root digging of urban landscape trees, coefficients from the forest trees such as biomass expansion factors, ratios of below ground/above ground biomass, and diameter growth rates. Study results can be useful as a tool or skill to evaluate carbon reduction by landscape trees in urban greenspace projects of the government.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.31-38
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• 2019

This study quantified, through a direct harvesting method, storage and annual uptake of carbon from open-grown trees for three landscape tree species frequently planted in the southern region of Korea, and developed quantitative models to easily estimate the carbon reduction by tree growth for each species. The tree species for the study included Camellia japonica, Lagerstroemia indica, and Quercus myrsinaefolia, for which no information on carbon storage and uptake was available. Ten tree individuals for each species (a total of 30 individuals) were sampled considering various stem diameter sizes at given intervals. The study measured biomass for each part of the sample trees to quantify the total carbon storage per tree. Annual carbon uptake per tree was computed by analyzing the radial growth rates of the stem samples at breast height or ground level. Quantitative models were developed using stem diameter as an independent variable to easily calculate storage and annual uptake of carbon per tree for study species. All the quantitative models showed high fitness with $r^2$ values of 0.94-0.98. The storage and annual uptake of carbon from a Q. myrsinaefolia tree with dbh of 10 cm were 24.0 kg and 4.5 kg/yr, respectively. A C. japonica tree and L. indica tree with dg of 10 cm stored 11.2 kg and 8.1 kg of carbon and annually sequestered 2.6 kg and 1.2 kg, respectively. The above-mentioned carbon storage equaled the amount of carbon emitted from the gasoline consumption of about 42 L for Q. myrsinaefolia, 20 L for C. japonica, and 14 L for L. indica. A tree with the diameter size of 10 cm annually offset carbon emissions from gasoline use of approximately 8 L for Q. myrsinaefolia, 5 L for C. japonica, and 2 L for L. indica. The study pioneers in quantifying biomass and carbon reduction for the landscape tree species in the southern region despite difficulties in direct cutting and root digging of the planted trees.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.64-72
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• 2014

This study quantified the storage and annual uptake of carbon by apple trees in orchards as a production-type greenspace, and computed the annual carbon emissions from apple cultivation. Tree individuals in the study orchards were sampled to include the range of stem diameter sizes. The study measured biomass for each part including the roots of sample trees through a direct harvesting method to compute total carbon storage per tree. Annual carbon uptake per tree was quantified by analyzing the radial growth rates of stem samples at ground level. Annual carbon emissions from management practices such as pruning, mowing, irrigation, fertilization, and use of pesticides and fungicides were estimated based on maintenance data, interviews with managers, and actual measurements. Regression models were developed using stem diameter at ground level (D) as an independent variable to easily estimate storage and annual uptake of the carbon. Storage and annual uptake of carbon per tree increased as D sizes got larger. Apple trees with D sizes of 10 and 15 cm stored 9.1 and 21.0 kg of carbon and annually sequestered 1.0 and 1.6 kg, respectively. Storage and annual uptake of carbon per unit area in study orchards were 3.81 t/ha and 0.42 t/ha/yr, respectively, and annual carbon emissions were 1.30 t/ha/yr. Thus, the carbon emissions were about 3 times greater than the annual carbon uptake. The study identified management practices to reduce the carbon footprint of production-type greenspace, including efficient uses of water, pesticides, fungicides, and fertilizers. It breaks new ground by including measured biomass of roots and a detailed inventory of carbon emissions.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.97-104
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• 2017

Greenspace enlargement through proper landscape planting is essential to creating a low carbon society. This study analyzed changes in stem diameter growth rates(DGR), ratios of below ground/above ground biomass(B/A), and carbon sequestration by age of major landscape tree species. Landscape trees for study were 11 species and 112 individuals planted in middle region of Korea. The DGR and B/A were analyzed based on data measured through a direct harvesting method including root digging. The carbon sequestration by tree age was estimated applying the derived regression models. The annual DGR at breast height of trees over 30 years averaged 0.72 cm/yr for deciduous species and 0.83 cm/yr for evergreen species. The B/A of the trees over 30 years averaged 0.23 for evergreen species and 0.40 for deciduous species, about 1.7 times higher than evergreen species. The B/A by age in this study did not correspond to the existing result that it decreased as tree ages became older. Of the study tree species, cumulative carbon sequestration over 25 years was greatest with Zelkova serrata(198.3 kg), followed by Prunus yedoensis(121.7 kg), Pinus koraiensis(117.5 kg), and Pinus densiflora (77.4 kg) in that order. The cumulative carbon sequestration by Z. serrata offset about 5% of carbon emissions per capita from household electricity use for the same period. The growth rates and carbon sequestration for landscape trees were much greater than those for forest trees even for the same species. Based on these results, landscape planting and management strategies were explored to improve carbon sequestration, including tree species selection, planting density, and growth ground improvement. This study breaks new ground in discovering changes in growth and carbon sequestration by age of landscape trees and is expected to be useful in establishing urban greenspaces towards a low carbon society.