• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.1-14
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• 2019

With a view to developing a database of death years of Korean firs (Abies koreana) at Yeongsil in Mt. Halla and investigating their abrupt inter-annual growth reduction tree-ring analysis was employed. To this end, 10 living trees (YSL) were selected to establish a master chronology and 20 dead trees were used to date their dead years. To investigate the difference in death years by death types, 10 trees, which remained standing (YSSD) out of the 20 dead trees were selected. The rest 10 dead trees were already fallen (YSFD). Two increment cores per tree at breast height were extracted in contour direction using an increment borer. A 106-year master chronology (1911-2016) was successfully established from the 10 YSLs. Through cross-dating between individual YSSD time series and the master chronology, it was verified that 1 YSSD was dead in summer 1978, 1 YSSD between autumn 1999 and spring 2000, 2 YSSDs in summer 2007, 1 YSSD in summer 2010, 1 YSSD in summer 2012, and 1 YSSD in summer 2013. The youngest tree rings of 2 YSSDs having no bark were in 1977 and 2002. For the YSFDs, it was verified that 1 YSFD was dead between autumn 1997 and spring 1998, 1 YSFD between autumn 2001 and spring 2002, 2 YSFDs between autumn 2009 and spring 2010, 1 YSFD in summer 2010, and 2 YSFDs between autumn 2012 and spring 2013, while the youngest tree rings of 2 YSFDs having no bark were in 1989 and 2004. To note, the death years of two trees, one from each death type (YSSD and YSFD), could not be verified due to poor cross-dating with the master chronology. The inter-annual growth reductions of YSSD and YSFD occurred more frequently and intensively than YSL. Typically, the YSFD showed the most frequent and intensive inter-annual growth reduction. On comparing the inter-annual growth reductions with the corresponding records of typhoons however we could not find any reliable relationship. Finally, from prior reports and results of the current study it can be concluded that the death and abrupt growth reduction of korean fir at Yeongsil in Mt. Halla are not caused by only a certain environmental factor but various factors.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.109-116
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• 2022

This study identified Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora) and exotic pines (Pinus resinosa, Pinus sylvestris) with a similar anatomical structure using a dendro-anatomical method that applied dendrochronology, tracheid length, and uniseriate ray cell size. Korean red pine samples were collected from 13 national parks, while exotic pine samples were secured from two wood importers. Tracheid length was measured by distinguishing earlywood from latewood, and uniseriate ray height and cell number were determined. As the exotic pine tree-ring chronology was consistent with the foreign standard tree-ring chronology and displayed high statistical significance, the country and region where the pine samples had been felled and the exact felling date were confirmed. According to the results, which compared tracheid length and uniseriate ray size, no difference was observed between the Korean red and Russian pines. However, the tracheid length of the Russian pines turned out to be slightly longer than the length of the Korean red pine. Additional research securing a larger number of exotic pines (P.resinosa, P.sylvestris) is required to yield more accurate results in the future.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.281-288
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• 2001

The relationships between the growths of Abies koreana W. and climatic factors were analyzed by the use of tree-ring analysis at the subalpine belt of Mt. Halla National Park. The four cores were extracted from each 21 trees at north-facing slope (1,900m a.s.1.). The site chronology was established on the periods from 1912 to 1999. The growth of A. koreana was very poor, in particular in the years of 1982, 1988 and 1996. Simple correlation was employed to analyze the relationship between the growth of A. koreana and climatic factors. The result of simple correlation indicates that the growth of A. koreana represent positive correlations both with the mean temperatures of April and previous November, and the precipitation of previous December and January. The presence of large number of frost-damaged scars in the individual trees of A. koreana implies that local freezing temperature conditions at Mt. Halla have occurred in 1964, 1965 and 1966. The correlations between the fir chronology SOI(Southern Oscillation Index) of previous January, February and November were significantly positive. The growth ratio of A. koreana demonstrates that this species is sensitive to seasonal variations. As the winter temperature rises, the growth ratio of A. koreana decreases, on the other hand, the increase of autumn temperature accelerates the growth ratio of A. koreana. The growth decline of A. koreana was observed from 51 cores out of the 54 cores, and the overall growth declines have initiated at 1978, 1982 and 1988. Distinct growth decline of A. koreana in the range of 70% is noticed at 34 cores out of the 51 cores. The decline of, A. koreana growth appears to be related to the winter temperature which has increased since mid-1970s.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2000

To analyze the relationship between climatic factors (monthly temperatures and precipitations) and the radial growths or Pinus densiflora with different topographical settings in Worak National Park, Korea, 20 stands were chosen and 10 trees were selected from each stand. After crossdating, each ring-width series was double detrended (standardized) by fitting first a negative exponential or straight regression line and secondly a 60-year cubic spline. The growth patterns coud be categorized by four groups using cluster analysis. Cluster Ⅰ stand has north aspect, but others have south or southwest aspects. Cluster Ⅰ (one), cluster Ⅱ (ten), and cluster Ⅲ (two) stands are located in lower. elevation (305∼580 m), however, cluster Ⅳ (seven) stands are located in higher elevation, mostly in 560～870 m. Cluster Ⅱ and Ⅲ stands are located at similar elevation with the same aspect, however, cluster Ⅱ stands are located on more rocky and stiff slope with shallow soil depth. The response functions were used to examine the difference in the relationships between climatic factors and tree growths among the 4 cluster chronologies. The climatic factors are not limiting the growth in the cluster Ⅰ stand as highly as in other cluster plots because of rather mesic conditions in the north slope. The precipitation in the spring appears to be the main limiting factor in the cluster Ⅱ stands. The topographical characteristics of the sites of cluster Ⅱ, shallow soil depths on the rocky slope in the south aspect at lower elevation, may enhance the sensitivity of growth to moisture stress. In cluster Ⅲ and cluster Ⅳ, winter and spring temperature prior to the growth become more important than for cluster Ⅱ. This pattern is com-mon for Pinus densiflora trees growing in higher. elevation (equation omitted 800 m) in South Korea. It nay be re-lated with preconditioning effects of temperature as the temperature decreases with increasing elevation (cluster Ⅳ) or in the valley (cluster Ⅲ). The results obtained by tree-ring analysis were digitalized by GIS and spatio-temporal information on tree-ring data and topographic setting were analyzed and displayed simultaneously. The results of this study can be used to predict the future change of Pinus densiflora ecosystem to climate change expected in central Korea.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.274-281
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• 2005

The climate of the Uisong Area is wet in the heat of summer and cold and dry in winter, The climate is highly consistent. The typical forest soil of the Uisong Area has an acidity of pH 4.5-5.6. The thickness of soil A layers is thin to an average of 10-20 cm and is a typical brown forest soil type. The growth characteristic of this climate and soil environment is as follows. In the case of Larix leptolepis, it takes 5-9 years to reach 6 cm diameter, The annual growth rate falls off greatly at an age of 17-19 years. The change of annual rings is more apparent on the north slopes compared with the east and northeast slopes. Pinus rigida takes 7-9 years to reach a 6 cm diameter. Annual growth rates of Pinus rigida fall greatly when age reaches 19 years. The change of annual ring growth of Pinus rigida was most apparent in the west and northeast slopes compared with the south and east slopes. In the case of Pinus koraiensis, the change of the annual ring width according to the characteristics of the slope is not important. Pinus koraiensis takes 6 yearsto reach the 6cm diameter, and annual growth rate fell off at age 19 years. In the case of Quercus acutissima, the growth of the valley trees is more stable than for trees grown at the mountain base. Annual growth rate of Quercus autissima fell off 19 years after planting. Ring growth of Robinia pseudo-acasia on northeast slopes appears much like that on northwest slopes. In conclusion, the main silviculture species reaches a 6 cm diameter in 5-9 years of growth, and the annual growth rate begins to fall between years 13 and 19 in the Uisong Area.