• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.505-516
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• 2009

The effects of wood species, particle size of wood flours and coupling treatment on the mechanical properties of wood plastic composites (WPC) are investigated in this study. Chemical components of wood flour from 3 different wood species were analyzed by the chemical analysis. Wood flours of 40~60 mesh and 80~100 mesh were manufactured from Larix (Larix kaempferi Lamb.), Quercus (Quercus accutisima Carr.), and Maackia (Maackia amuresis Rupr. et Maxim). The wood flours were reinforced into polypropylene (PP) by melt compounding and injection molding, then tensile, flexural, and impact strength properties were analyzed. The order of alpha-cellulose content in wood is Quercus (43.6%), Maackia (41.3%) and Larix (36.2%). The order of lignin content in wood is Larix (31.6%), Maackia (24.7%), and Quercus accutisima (24.4%). The content of extractives in wood is in the order of Larix (8.5%), Maackia (4.4%), and Quercus accutisima (3.9%). As the content of alpha-cellulose increases and the lignin and extractives decreases, tensile and flexural strengths of the WPC increase. At the same loading level of wood flours, the smaller particle size (80~100 mesh) of wood flours showed highly improved tensile and flexural strengths, compared to the larger one (40~60 mesh). The impact strength of the WPC was not significantly affected by the wood species, but the wood flours of larger particle size showed better impact strengths. The addition of maleated polypropylene (MAPP) provided the highly improved tensile, flexural and impact strengths. Morphological analysis shows improved interfacial bonding with MAPP treatment for the composites.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.90 no.6
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• pp.699-706
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• 2001

This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of basic oxygen furnace (BOF) slag as soil conditioner in a nursery and two natural forests. The BOF slag was applied at rates of 0, 4, 8, and 12 t/ha for seedbed nursery of three tree species-Pinus densiflora, Larix leptolepis and Amorpha fruticosa; and 0, 10, 20, and 40 t/ha for Pinus densiflora natural forests located at two sites. In case of the nursery study, the significant increase in soil pH and contents of Ca, Mg, $SiO_2$, Fe and Mn was noticed after six months of the BOF slag application. Dry weight of Pinus densiflora seedlings with BOF slag treatments was lower compared with that of control. There were no significant differences among treatments in dry weight of Larix leptolepis seedlings. Dry weight of Amorpha fruticosa seedlings, which are deciduous species and grow rapidly at seedling stage, increased significantly and T/R ratio decreased as BOF slag rate increased. The differences of effects of BOF slag application on the seedlings of tree species may be attributed to the differences of optimum pH range of the species. In Pinus densiflora natural forests, there were no significant differences in soil pH and contents of $SiO_2$, Fe and Mn among the treatments, but these values became higher as BOF slag rate increased. Contents of Ca in soil became significantly higher as BOF slag rate increased. There were no significant differences among treatments in net production of mature Pinus densiflora trees, but BOF slag rate of 10ton/ha showed the highest net production. Young Pinus densiflora trees at the plots of BOF slag rate of 10 t/ha showed significantly higher root collar diameter growth rate and twig net production than those of other treatments. It may be given as a conclusion that BOF slag application in nursery and forest soil increased soil pH and contents of Ca, $SiO_2$, Fe and Mn in soil and they showed the ability of BOF slag to be used as a soil conditioner in strongly acid soil.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.384-395
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• 2018

This study was carried out to investigate the environment factors including community structure and soil characteristics in the wild habitats of Cephalotaxus koreana, and offers the basic information for habitats conservation and restoration. Most of the wild habitats were located at altitudes between 148~835 m with inclinations ranged as $12{\sim}32^{\circ}$. The average soil pH was 4.7~5.9, soil organic matter was 5.72~15.99%, cation exchange capacity was $14.1{\sim}19.9cmolc/kg^{-1}$ and exchangeable $K^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$ was 0.25~0.48 cmolc/kg, 0.79~6.68 cmolc/kg, 0.31~1.73 cmolc/kg, respectively. The dominant species of tree layer were found to be dominated by Quercus dentata in Jekbo-san (C1), Acer pictum in Bogae-san (C2), Acer pseudosieboldianum in Geumwon-san (C3), Q. serrata in Jiri-san (C4), Zelkova serrata in Baegun-san (C5), and Q. acutissima in Duryun-san (C6). The Species diversity (H') was 0.854~1.234, evenness (J') was 0.654~0.993, and dominance (D) was found to be 0.067~0.346. Correlation coefficients analysis based on environmental factors, community structure and value of species diversity shows that growth of Cephalotaxus koreana is correlated with species diversity and evenness. This result show that Cephalotaxus koreana habitats located in mature stands.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.110 no.3
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• pp.341-354
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• 2021

A large part of Gapyeong is occupied by Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) and Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi) plantations. Abies holophylla stands are scattered throughout Gapyeong, but little information on their distribution is available. This study explored the potential of succession from planted species to native A. holophylla in plantations. Trees were inventoried and regeneration of A. holoplhylla and stand management history were examined in Korean pine, Japanese larch, and A. holophylla-dominated stands. The importance percentage of A. holophylla was the highest among species with a range of 36.1% to 79.1% in all stands and the density of A. holophylla in understory (DBH <2 cm or <1.3 m height) ranged from 50 to 5,820 trees ha^-1. Non-metric multidimensional scaling classified stands into four types, AN, AP, AM, and P. The AN type showed a reverse J-shape DBH distribution, which was similar to that in natural A. holophylla stands. Both AP and AM types included Korean pine plantations with A. holophylla seed trees within stands. For AP, A. holophylla competed with planted species in overstory and deciduous broadleaved species in understory. The AM type was once thinned from below, thus stem density in the mid DBH classes was lower than upper or lower DBH classes. The P type consisted of plantations without A. holophylla seed trees. However, understory regeneration of A. holophylla was abundant through seed supply from A. holophylla in adjacent stands. Plantations with A. holophylla seed trees within or in adjacent stands showed vigorous natural regeneration of A. holophylla, highlighting the potential for succession from planted species to native A. holophylla in the Gapyeong area. Further studies can help develop techniques to restore plantations to native species-dominated natural stands using ecological succession.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.686-697
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• 2018

Due to the advance in remote sensing technology, it has become easier to more frequently obtain high resolution imagery to detect delicate changes in an extensive area, particularly including forest which is not readily sub-classified. Time-series analysis on high resolution images requires to collect extensive amount of ground truth data. In this study, the potential of land coverage mapas ground truth data was tested in classifying high-resolution imagery. The study site was Wonju-si at Gangwon-do, South Korea, having a mix of urban and natural areas. KOMPSAT-3A imagery taken on March 2015 and land coverage map published in 2017 were used as source data. Two pixel-based classification algorithms, Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Random Forest (RF), were selected for the analysis. Forest only classification was compared with that of the whole study area except wetland. Confusion matrixes from the classification presented that overall accuracies for both the targets were higher in RF algorithm than in SVM. While the overall accuracy in the forest only analysis by RF algorithm was higher by 18.3% than SVM, in the case of the whole region analysis, the difference was relatively smaller by 5.5%. For the SVM algorithm, adding the Majority analysis process indicated a marginal improvement of about 1% than the normal SVM analysis. It was found that the RF algorithm was more effective to identify the broad-leaved forest within the forest, but for the other classes the SVM algorithm was more effective. As the two pixel-based classification algorithms were tested here, it is expected that future classification will improve the overall accuracy and the reliability by introducing a time-series analysis and an object-based algorithm. It is considered that this approach will contribute to improving a large-scale land planning by providing an effective land classification method on higher spatial and temporal scales.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.37
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• pp.327-348
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• 2004

In this study, after analyzing several local climate characteristics of South Korea, I validated distribution, invasion, foraging, underground activities, attack season as ecological characteristics and also temperature, relative humidity, and tree species as preference characteristics of Korean termites (Reticulitermes speratus kyushuensis Morimoto). Especially, southern part of the Korean peninsula is a suitable area for inhabitation and motion of termites holding same ecological characteristic like R. speratus kyushuensis. Busan is a neighboring district at field distribution north limiting temperature of Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki and Chuncheon is a passing area through the Korean Peninsula of field distribution north limiting temperature of Reticulitermes speratus Kolbe. The termite attack of wood devices was about 34.5% for 3 years in the forest of Jongmyo. Although the attack rate of termite increased each year, the detection rate decreased and the missing rate was high by degrees. I confirmed a foraging habits which is a part of termite colony was a role of continuous decomposition and another was a role of new food hunt as experimental results. The foraging termites were found under ground at Jongmyo in Seoul from April to November in the 2001 and the most active period was on July and August. The termite invasion rate of bait station increased in every monitoring. Through the increasing attack rate of bait station during 2nd monitoring (November, 2000) and 3rd monitoring(March, 2001), I confirmed that termites moved into the deep underground in winter, and were working continuously to forage. R. speratus kyushuensis inhabiting at the Korean Peninsula is a species which has food consumption rate with higher temperature. The termite revealed the greatest amount of food(filter paper) at $30^{\circ}C$(90% RH), but showed increasing death rate at over $32^{\circ}C$. Also, survival rate of this termite was 97% at 84% RH($30^{\circ}C$), but killed 100% at 52% RH($30^{\circ}C$) and 70% RH($30^{\circ}C$). For wood feeding, this was observed the preference in a pine tree(Pinus densiflora) above all others. Survival of termites was high(87%) at a pine tree, but low(13.5%) at a paulownia tree(Paulownia coreana). In this study, I presented the biological characteristic of termite(R. speratus kyushuensis Morimoto) and confirmed the deterioration degree of termite on wooden cultural heritage in Korea. Depending on climate and soil temperature, each area in the southern part of the Korea Peninsula, has some different active period and different distribution of R. speratus kyushensis. With these results, I expect that this report helps to prepare the integrated pest management(IPM) of the termite on wooden cultural heritage in Korea, and it may help to reduce the economical loss from termite damage in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.422-439
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• 2019

The rear edge population is considered to have low genetic diversity and high risk of extinction according to a highly isolated distribution. However, the rear edge population is observed to have persisted for an extended period despite the low genetic diversity. As such, it is necessary to understand the ecological process involved in the persistence of the population. Viola mirabilis L. in Korea is considered the rear edge population from the perspective of the worldwide distribution. We surveyed the distribution range of V. mirabilis, which shows the isolated distribution in the central area of Korea, to find out the factors of its persistence. Next, we investigated and accessed the vegetational pattern of habitats, soil environment, phenology, self-compatibility, population structure, and extinction risk factors observed in the distribution area. V. mirabilis was distributed in the understory of the deciduous forest, planted forest of the deciduous conifer and deciduous broad-leaved trees, shrubland, and grassland in the limestone area. We also observed the re-establishment of seedlings in the population, and most of them showed a stable population structure. For chasmogamous flowers, the visit by pollinators has a significantly positive relationship with the production of fruits. However, we found that the production of the cleistogamous flowers was more numerous in all studied populations and that only the cleistogamous flowers were produced despite a more substantial plant size in some populations. The plant size was more related to the production of the cleistogamous flowers than that of the chasmogamous flowers. Accordingly, the cleistogamous flowers significantly contributed to seedling recruitment in the population. We found that the production of the chasmogamous flowers and the cleistogamous flowers did not have a correlation with the factors of the soil analysis except for phosphoric acid. V. mirabilis showed the self-incompatibility characteristics most likely due to the production capability of the cleistogamous flowers. Potential extinction risk factors observed in the distribution area was included the development of limestone mine, the expansion of agricultural fields, and the construction of houses. Although V. mirabilis showed an isolated distribution in the limestone area in the Korean peninsula, it showed a diverse distribution in a wide habitat environment ranging from the grassland to the understory of the trees with relatively low canopy closure rate. Moreover, we concluded that the persistence of the population was possible if we can maintain the current state of multiple populations and stable population structure.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.110 no.2
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• pp.198-209
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• 2021

This study evaluated the effects of the dimensional characteristics of containers on the nitrogen status of Quercus serrata, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, and Zelkova serrata in the container nursery stage. Seedlings were grown using 16 container types [four growing densities (100, 144, 196, and 256 seedlings/m²) × four cavity volumes (220, 300, 380, and 460 cm³/cavity)]. Two-way ANOVA was performed to test the differences in nitrogen concentration and seedling content among container types. Additionally, we performed multiple regression analyses to correlate container dimensions and nitrogen content. Container types had a strong influence on nitrogen concentration and the content of the seedling species, with a significant interaction effect between growing density and cavity volume. Cavity volumes were positively correlated with the nitrogen content of the three seedling species, whereas growing density negatively affected those of F. rhynchophylla. Further, nutrient vector analysis revealed that the seedling nutrient loading capacities of the three species, such as efficiency and accumulation, were altered because of the different fertilization effects by container types. The optimal ranges of container dimension by each tree species, obtained multiple regression analysis with nitrogen content, were found to be approximately 180-210 seedlings/m² and 410-460 cm³/cavity for Q. serrata, 100-120 seedlings/m² and 350-420 cm³/cavity for F. rhynchophylla, and 190-220 seedlings/m² and 380-430 cm³/cavity for Z. serrata. This study suggests that an adequate type of container will improve seedling quality with higher nutrient loading capacity production in nursery stages and increase seedling growth in plantation stages.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.578-586
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the change of spatial distribution of Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora Siebold & Zucc.) in Hallasan National Park by surveying the distribution and crown density and analyzing by the elevation, slope, orientation, and regional habitat in 2006 and 2015. The total area of the Korean red pine forest was 1,259.9 ha in 2015, which increased by 51.4 ha, or 4.1%, compared to 1,208.5 ha in 2006. For the past 10 years, the area of sparse density with crown density of 11% to 40% of Korean red pine increased by 59.8 ha, the area of moderate density with crown density of 41% to 70% increased by 59.0 ha, and the area of dense density with 71% or more crown density increased by 67.3 ha. In terms of the altitude above sea level, the Korean red pine forest area between 1,010 m and 1,400 m was the largest at 1,003.0 ha or 79.6% of the total area in 2015. The area between 1,100 m and 1,300 m increased, and the area of dense density decreased significantly while the areas of moderate density and sparse density increase. There was no notable change according to the land slope, and the area increased from 2006 regardless of the slope. By direction, 56.4% were distributed in the southwest and southeast directions centered on the south-facing slope with the increase of 27.8 ha over the 10 years while the northwest and northeast directions centered on the north-facing slope decreased by 7.6 ha. Regarding the distribution change of the Korean red pine forest by the region, the Yeongsil area showed an increase of 25.5 ha, or 49.6% of the total area increase, in 2006 while the Ibseog-oreum area including the right side on the Sanbeoleum mountain valley increased by 20.4 ha. The distribution in the Gaemideung area that includes Jogeundeule increased by 7.4 ha while that of Sogbat in Sungpanak Trail decreased by 1.9 ha. This study analyzed the changes in the distribution area and crown density of the Korean red pine forest according to the altitude, slope, direction, and regional habitat in Hallasan National Park. The expansion of Korean red pine forest distribution was limited to the areas where the grass and the shrub was the dominating vegetation structure, or the forest gap was created by the disturbance. On the other hand, the distribution area of the Korean red pine forest surrounded by deciduous broad-leaved forests or mixed vegetation structure is considered to result from the change in density more than the area due to competition with deciduous broad-leaved trees.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.109 no.4
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• pp.492-503
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• 2020

This study was conducted to analyze stem decay in Quercus mongolica and Quercus variabilis in Korea. To ensure even allocation, a total of 5,005 sample trees (2,504 Q. mongolica and 2,501 Q. variabilis) were cut and collected in five regions and 27 subregions. The trees were then examined for stump decay and assigned to four classes based on the degree of scar, tissue decay and decolorization, splitting, and tree hollowing. The results show that the decay rate of Q. mongolica was 66.1%, at least twice as high as that of Q. variabilis, which was rated at 35% (χ2 = 631.15, p < 0.001). The comparison among regions indicated that the highest ratio of Q. mongolica occurs in the Central Regional Forest Service zone (76.5%), followed by the Northern zone (74.8%) and Eastern zone (65.7%). In contrast, the greatest proportion of Q. variabilis is found in the Northern Regional Forest Service zone (38.6%), followed by the Southern (32.9%) and Eastern (37.8%) zones. A statistically significant difference was seen among the five zones (p < 0.05, p < 0.001). There was also a clear tendency for the proportions for the two species to increase with a rise in the DBH. With respect to age, however, a statistically significant difference was found (p < 0.01, p < 0.05) only in Q. mongolica, whose rate increased with the increase in age. Our results show that as the DBH and age increases, the conditions of tissue decay and decolorization are manifested in Q. mongolica, whereas scars are common in Q. variabilis.