• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.205-211
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• 2018

Fungal endophytes are defined as fungi inhabiting plant tissues, causing no apparent disease. As the agricultural and ecological importance of endophytes has increased, many studies have been performed on various aspects, ranging from basic identification, taxonomy, and evolution to secondary metabolites with potential for human use. In the Korean Peninsula, conifers are the most commonly found evergreen trees, with approximately 30 to 60 reported taxa. Studies on the effect of conifer-associated endophytes on the host plants are required for the preservation and conservation of coniferous forests which decline by climate change and deforestation. This review summarizes the diversity of endophytic fungi in coniferous trees of Korea and their relationship with host plants.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.208-218
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• 1991

To compare the resistance of landscape trees by acid rain, simulated acid rain was treated on the seeds of 6 coniferous species (Pinus densiflora, Pinus thunbergii, Pinus koraiensis, Taxus cuspidata, Cedrus deodara, Thuja occidentalis) and 6 broad-leafed species (Ligustrum obtusifolium, Acer Buergerianum, Acer Ginnala, Styrax obassia, Cornus Kousa, Magnolia obovata). The experimental design of randomized block arrangement with three replications was implemented in the experimental field of Yesan National Agri-Tech Junior College. The seeds of 12 tree species were planted on the nursery soil in the early spring of 1991. The regime of artificial acid rain, in terms of spray frequency per monthly and spray amount at year records. Simulated acid rain (pH 2.0, pH 4.0, pH 5.6 as control) containing sulfuric and nitric acid in the ratio of 3:2 (chemical equivalant basis) diluted ground water, were treated on the experimental plants under condition of cutting off the natural precipitation with vinyl tunnel, during the growing season (April 8 to August 31) in 1991. Seedling establishment, seedling growth and nutrient contents in needles and leaves were measured and compared among the treatment. The results were summerized as follows; 1. In general, coniferous species were more resistant than broad-leafed species in the resistant comparisons of landscape trees by simulated acid rain. But there were resistant tree species to acid rain among the broad-leafed species. 2. Among 6 coniferous species used in this experiment, Pinus densiflora, Pinus koraiensis, Taxus cuspidata, Cedrus deodara and Pinus thunbergii revealed the resistant tree species to acid rain. But Thuja occidentalis was very susceptible to acid rain, because of no germination in pH 2.0 treatment plot of acid rain. 3. Among 6 broad-leafed species used in this study, Magnolia obovata, Styrax obassia and Ligustrum obtusifolium showed relative resistant tree species to acid rain. But Acer Buergerianum, Acer Ginnala and Cornus Kousa were very susceptible to acid rain, because of no germination in pH 2.0 plot of acid rain treatment.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.401-414
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• 2017

Vegetation and landscape characteristics at the three highest summits of Republic of Korea, i.e. Seoraksan, Jirisan and Hallasan, are analyzed on the basis of species composition, physiognomy, vegetation distribution and structure of alpine plants, along with landform, geology, soil and habitat conditions. Dominant high mountain plants at three alpine and subalpine belts contain deciduous broadleaved shrub, Rhododendron mucronulatum var. ciliatum (31.6%), and evergreen coniferous small tree, Pinus pumila (26.3%) at Seoraksan, deciduous broadleaved tree, Betula ermanii (35.3%), evergreen coniferous tree, Picea jezoensis (23.5%) at Jirisan, and evergreen coniferous tree, Abies koreana (22.6%), deciduous broadleaved shrub, Rhododendron mucronulatum var. ciliatum, and Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii (19.4%) at Hallasan, respectively. Presence of diverse landscapes at the peak of Seoraksan, such as shrubland, grassland, dry land along with rocky areas, and open land may be the result of hostile local climate and geology. High proportion of grassland and wetland at the top of Jirisan may related to gneiss-based gentle topography and well developed soil deposits, which are beneficial to keep the moisture content high. Occurrence of grassland, shrubland, dry land, conifer vegetation, and rocky area at the summit of Hallasan may due to higher elevation, unique local climate, as well as volcanic origin geology and soil substrates. Presences of diverse boreal plant species with various physiognomy at alpine and subalpine belts, and wide range of landscapes, including rocky, grassland, shrubland, wetland, and conifer woodland, provide decisive clues to understand the natural history of Korea, and can be employed as an relevant environmental indicator of biodiversity and ecosystem stability.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.97-102
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• 2009

This study was carried out to evaluate litterfall dynamics in three adjacent coniferous tree plantations (larch: Larix leptolepis; red pine: Pinus densiflora; rigitaeda pine: P. rigitaeda) planted in the same year (1963), and growing under similar environmental conditions in the Sambong Exhibition Forests, Hamyang-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do. Litter was collected monthly between July 2006 and June 2008. Needle, broad leaf and total litter inputs followed a similar monthly pattern in the three coniferous plantations. The amounts of needles, flowers, and miscellaneous litter were significantly lower in the larch than in the two pine plantations, while branch litter was significantly higher in the larch than in the two pine plantations. Average total litterfall for two years was significantly higher for the pine (5,475 kg $ha^{-1}\;yr^{-1}$ for red pine and 5,290 kg $ha^{-1}\;yr^{-1}$ for rigitaeda pine) plantations than for the larch (3,953 kg $ha^{-1}\;yr^{-1}$ plantation. Needle litter comprised about 73.1% of total litterfall for the rigitaeda pine, 70.8% for the red pine and 62.9% for the larch plantations. Our results demonstrate that litterfall inputs can be affected by tree species.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.126-135
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• 2018

Wood decay fungi were collected in 47 different locations in eight provinces of South Korea from 2011 to 2013. One thousand and five hundreds three fruiting bodies of wood-decay fungi were collected, identified, and classified into 2 phyla, 7 classes, 19 orders, 56 families, 159 genera and 365 species. The most dominant genus and species found were Trametes and T. versicolor. The highest species diversity was found in broad-leaved forest (273 species), and was also found at elevations of 500-1,000 m (227 species). A total of 333 species were collected from broad-leaved trees, 87 species from coniferous trees, and 55 species were collected from both forest types. Gymnopilus liquiritiae was the most dominant species in coniferous trees, while T. versicolor, which was mostly collected from tree trunks below 500 m in elevation, was dominant in broad-leaved trees. Results from the quantitative cluster analysis of wood decay fungi showed that the highest species diversity index was 1.80 in the mixed forests, while the highest similarity among forest types was shown between the broad-leaved and mixed forests.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.217-224
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to clarify the effects of the conversion of the forest management type from a natural deciduous broad-leaved forest to an artificial evergreen coniferous forest based on organic matter dynamics. We investigated the amounts and carbon contents of the forest floor and the litterfall, soil chemical characteristics and cellulose decomposition rates in the natural deciduous broad-leaved forest and adjacent artificial evergreen coniferous forest. In the artificial evergreen coniferous forest were planted Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) on the upper slope and Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) on the lower slope. The soil carbon and nitrogen contents, CEC and microbial activity had decreased due to the conversion of the forest management type from a natural deciduous broad-leaved forest to an artificial Japanese cypress forest, and were almost the same for the conversion to a Japanese cedar forest. Under the same conditions, it is considered that the soil fertility was different by planting specific tree species because the organic matter dynamics were changed by them.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.95 no.2
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• pp.209-215
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• 2006

We investigated antioxidant capacity in leaves of 14 coniferous trees under field conditions. We focused on understanding the species characteristics on antioxidant systems and screening the coniferous tree species with the best antioxidant systems using their characteristics. The antioxidant capacity of 14 coniferous trees was divided into three groups. First group was Thuja orientalis and Chamaecyparis obtusa and those species had the highest content of ${\beta}$-carotene and xanthophyll. Second group, C. obtusa and Juniperus chinensis, used antioxidant enzymes to mitigate stress. C. obtusa represented high activity at superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), and peroxidase (POD), and J. chinensis exhibited high activity at SOD, POD, catalase (CAT). Third group employed antioxidant such as ascorbic acid and ${\alpha}$-tocopherol. The antioxidant content of T. orientalis was the highest while that of Pinus parviflora and C. obtusa were the lowest. Few species belonged in three groups simultaneously, and most species belonged in at least one or two groups. In summary, we proposed that C. obtusa and T. orientalis had the highest antioxidant capacity while P. parviflora and P. desiflora for. multicalus had the lowest antioxidant capacity.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.465-476
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• 2016

This study was conducted to elucidate the ecological characteristics of sub-alpine coniferous forest on Banyabong, Mt. Jiri. Soil pH was 4.20. The contents of organic matter, total N, available P and CEC were 14.15%, 0.43%, 10.1 ppm and $17.17cmol^+/kg$, respectively. Sub-alpine coniferous forest had a relatively soil moisture content with 22.9%. According to the results of importance value analysis, Picea jezoensis (42.7) and Abies koreana (34.0) for tree layer, Rhododendron schlippenbachii (25.5) for subtree layer and Tripterygium regelii (18.4) and Rhododendron mucronulatum (16.6) for shrub layer were high, respectively. Shannon's diversity ranged from 0.3560 to 1.050. Evenness and dominance ranged from 0.398 to 0.733 and 0.267 to 0.601, respectively. A. koreana population had a reverse J-shaped DBH distribution, while P. jezoensis population had a normal DBH distribution. Height growth according to DBH of A. koreana was higher than that of P. jezoensis, which indicate than A. koreana have more effective water use efficiency than P. jezoensis. Annual mean tree ring growth of P. jezoensis and A. koreana showed up 1.792, 1.652, 1.389 mm/yr and 2.081, 1.921, 1.576 mm/yr for small, middle and large diameter tree, respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.65-68
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• 1999

In December-January of 1996-1997 and 1997-1998, information was gathered about vertical distribution of foraging sites of tits in 34 flocks in coniferous and deciduous forests. There was a significant effect of forest type on the distribution of foraging sites of each species. Habitat was classified into 5 height layers vertically: ground, bushes (usually＜1.5 m, up to 3 m), tree layer 1 (up to 1/3 of tree height), tree layer 2 (1/3-2/3 tree height). and tree layer 3 (＞2/3 tree height). There were differences among species: great tit (Parus major) foraged mostly on the ground, coal tit (P. ater) and long-tailed tit (Acrocephalus caudatus) - on the highest tree layer, marsh tit (P. palustris) was often seen on bushes, and varied tit (P. varius) - in tree layer 2. Smaller species used upper and outer parts of trees. suggesting that, like in most other similar studies. larger dominant species prevented smaller species from using inner parts of trees.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.97 no.1
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• pp.83-87
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• 2008

This study was conducted to clarify the use of artificial nest boxes of tits in coniferous and deciduous forests from March to June 2006 and 2007. Tree species richness, tree species diversity and total basal area were higher in deciduous forest than in coniferous forest. Except the bush-ground layer (<1 m), the other vertical layers were more developed in deciduous forest. Varied tit Parus varius, marsh tit P. palustris, coal tit P. ater and major tit P. major used the artificial nest boxes in this study. Number of breeding pairs of tits were higher in deciduous than in coniferous forest. Clutch size, brood size and breeding success of coal tits were higher in coniferous forest. Brood size and breeding success of major tits were higher in deciduous forest. Characteristics of habitat and niche partition would be influenced on tits' use of artificial nest boxes. The more detailed researches on artificial nest boxes would be needed for management and conservation of birds.