• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.1
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• pp.147-151
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• 2014

This study was conducted to clarify the characteristics of amphibian and reptile (herpetofauna) populations in a coniferous plantation and a deciduous forest from July to September 2013 in national forest, Hongcheon, Gangwon province, Korea. Coverage of understory, mid-story and overstory were more developed in a deciduous forest. We used line transect sampling method on a total of 4 transect lines, 2 lines in each forest type. Fifty two individuals of 4 amphibian species and 11 individuals of 3 reptile species were recorded. Mean observed number of herpetofauna species, individuals and species diversity index (H') were not significantly different between coniferous plantation and deciduous forest. This result related to ecological characteristics of herpetofauna. Habitats of herpetofauna were influenced on not only vertical structure of forests, but also climatic variables, thermoregulation and prey availability. The long-term monitoring and research on habitat preference and seasonal ecological traits of herpetofauna would be needed for conservation and management of herpetofauna in forest areas.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.90 no.6
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• pp.756-766
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• 2001

A phytosociological study on the community structure was carried out in the evergreen broad-leaved forests around Baegunbong area in Wando from June to August, 2000. A total of 31 plots, the size of which was $10m{\times}30m$, were set up in the study area. Cluster analysis for the total 54 tree species appearing in the 31 plots, showed that forest community cloud be classified into 5 groups, such as : Quercus acuta community, Quercus acuta-Camellia japonica community, Quercus acuta-Deciduous broad-leaved tree species community, Quercus acuta-Evergreen Deciduous broad-leaved tree species community, Quereus acuta-Carpinus tschonoskii community. The species of high appearance frequency ratio in 31 plots were Quercus acuta, Camellia japonica, Styrax japonica, Eurya japonica, Ligustrum japonicum, Cinnamomum japonicum, Sapium japonicum and Acer psuedo-sieboldianum. Dominant tree species were covered with Quercus acuta, Styrax japonica, Prunus sargentii, Carpinus laxiflora and Quercus serrata, and Quercus acuta, Camellia japonica, Eurya japonica, Ligustrum japonicum, Cinnamomum japonicum and Sapium japonicum at sub-canopy. The forest vegetation in the surveyed area except the summit of Baegunbong will be proceeding with Quercus acuta community. The species diversity of Quercus acuta community, Quercus acuta-Camellia japonica community, Quercus acuta-Deciduous broad-leaved tree species community, Quercus acuta-Evergreen Deciduous broad-leaved tree species community, and Quercus acuta-Carpinus tschonoskii community were 0.687, 0.866, 0.933, 0.966, and 1.018, respectively. The species diversity of Quercus acuta community was rather low.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.189-200
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• 2014

The tropical wet evergreen, tropical semi evergreen and moist deciduous forest types are projected to be impacted by climate change. In the Western Ghats region, a biodiversity hotspot, evergreen forests including semi evergreen account for 30% of the forest area and according to climate change impact model projections, nearly a third of these forest types are likely to undergo vegetation type change. Similarly, tropical moist deciduous forests which account for about 28% of the forest area are likely to experience change in about 20% of the area. Thus climate change could adversely impact forest biodiversity and product flow to the forest dependent households and communities in Uttara Kannada district of the Western Ghats. This study analyses the distribution of non-timber forest product yielding tree species through a network of twelve 1-ha permanent plots established in the district. Further, the extent of dependence of communities on forests is ascertained through questionnaire surveys. On an average 21% and 28% of the tree species in evergreen and deciduous forest types, respectively are, non-timber forest product yielding tree species, indicating potential high levels of supply of products to communities. Community dependence on non-timber forest products is significant, and it contributes to Rs. 1199 and Rs. 3561/household in the evergreen and deciduous zones, respectively. Given that the bulk of the forest grids in Uttara Kannada district are projected to undergo change, bulk of the species which provide multiple forest products are projected to experience die back and even mortality. Incorporation of climate change projections and impacts in forest planning and management is necessary to enable forest ecosystems to enhance resilience.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2010

The present study was conducted to quantify wood and leaf litter decomposition and nutrient release of a dominant tree species, Tectona grandis Linn. F. in a tropical dry deciduous forest of Rajasthan, Western India. The mean relative decomposition rate was maximum in the wet summer and minimum during dry summer. Rainfall and its associated variables exhibited greater control over litter decomposition than temperature. The concentrations of N and P increased in decomposing litter with increasing retrieval days. Mass loss was negatively correlated with N and P concentrations. The monthly weight loss was significantly correlated (P < 0.05) with soil moisture and rainfall in both wood and leaf litter. Tectona grandis was found to be most suitable tree species for plantation programmes in dry tropical regions as it has high litter deposition and decomposition rates and thus it has advantages in degraded soil restoration and sustainable land management.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.523-538
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• 2011

This study analyzes the changes in the surface area of each forest cover, based on temperature data analysis and satellite imagery as the basic methods for the impact assessment of climate change on regional units. Furthermore, future changes in the forest cover are predicted using the double exponential smoothing method. The results of the study have shown an overall increase in annual mean temperature in the studied region since 1990, and an especially increased rate in winter and autumn compared to other seasons. The multi-temporal analysis of the changes in the forest cover using satellite images showed a large decrease of coniferous forests, and a continual increase in deciduous forests and mixed forests. Such changes are attributed to the increase in annual mean temperature of the studied regions. The analysis of changes in the surface area of each forest cover using the statistical data displayed similar tendencies as that of the forest cover categorizing results from the satellite images. Accordingly, rapid changes in forest cover following the increase of temperature in the studied regions could be expected. The results of the study of the forest cover surface using the double exponential smoothing method predict a continual decrease in coniferous forests until 2050. On the contrary, deciduous forests and mixed forests are predicted to show continually increasing tendencies. Deciduous forests have been predicted to increase the most in the future. With these results, the data on forest cover can be usefully applied as the main index for climate change. Further qualitative results are expected to be deduced from these data in the future, compared to the analyses of the relationship between tree species of forest and climate factors.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.94 no.6
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• pp.488-495
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• 2005

This study was conducted to understand the influences of forest structure on throughfall, stemflow and interception loss. The study plots included the natural old-growth deciduous, Pinus koraiensis and Abies holophylla forests in Gwangneung and the rehabilitated young mixed forest in Yangju, Gyeonggido. The Pinus koraiensis and Abies hotophylla had been planted in 1976. The rehabilitated young mixed forest had been established to control erosion in 1974. Total and net rainfall were monitored from March, 2003 to October, 2004. Tipping bucket rain gauge recorded total rainfall. Throughfall and stemflow were measured by custom-made tipping bucket and CR10X data logger at each $10m{\times}10m$ plots at intervals of 30 minutes. Interception loss in the Pinus koraiensis plot were most as 37.2% of total rainfall and least as 22.6% in the rehabilitated young mixed forest. Stemflow in the rehabilitated young mixed forest was 10.7% of total rainfall and stemflow in the Pinus koraiensis plot was 2.4%. The average throughfall ratio ranged from 66% to 77% depending on the canopy coverage. The relationship of stemflow and total rainfall represented in a linear regression equation though the variation of data was large. The ratio of stemflow-conversion was 2% of total rainfall in the Pinus koraiensis plot and 12% in the rehabilitated young mixed forest, respectively. The stem storage of the natural old-growth deciduous was the largest of 0.21 mm whereas that of the Pinus koraiensis plot was the least of 0.003 mm. A deciduous forest produced stemflow more than a coniferous forest due to a smooth bark and steeply angled branches. Interception loss of all study plots increased linearly as total rainfall increased. The distribution of interception loss data related in total rainfall became wider in a deciduous forest than a coniferous. It resulted from seasonality of leaf area index in a deciduous forest. As considered above results, it was confirmed that there were great differences of throughfall, stemflow and interception loss depending on forest stand structures. The simulation model for predicting interception loss must have parameters such as forest stand characteristics and LAI in order to describe the influence of forest structure on interception loss.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.507-517
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• 2010

Long-term monitoring was conducted to identify the runoff characteristics of non-point source according to the three forest types (deciduous forest, coniferous forest and mixed forest) in this study. Rainfall events of each deciduous forest, coniferous forest, and mixed forest were 10, 8, 12, respectively. Average runoff depth and coefficients of each forest type were founded to be coniferous forest and were followed by others in turns : deciduous forest, and mixed forest because various conditions (i.e., rainfall property, Antecedent Precipitation Index (API), soil property, slope, and forest management) could change runoff characteristics. In the analysis of the first flush phenomenon, it showed that SS and T-P were sensitive for the first flush phenomenon. The first flush phenomenon of them were showed differently by rainfall intensity, rainfall duration, and amount of rainfall. The research results indicated that range of the Event Mean Concentration (EMC) values in deciduous forest were 0.8~2.4 mg/L for $BOD_5$, 2.0~13.4 mg/L for $COD_{Mn}$, 1.3~2.9 mg/L for DOC, 1.150~3.913 mg/L for T-N, 0.010~0.350 mg/L for T-P and 3.1~291.8 mg/L for SS and in coniferous forest were 0.8~2.2 mg/L for $BOD_5$, 1.9~3.6 mg/L for $COD_{Mn}$, 1.0~2.0 mg/L for DOC, 1.025~2.957 mg/L for T-N, 0.002~0.084 mg/L for T-P and 0.8~5.4 mg/L for SS. Also, range of the EMC values in mixed forest were 1.3~2.3 mg/L for $BOD_5$, 2.4~4.8 mg/L for $COD_{Mn}$, 1.1~2.1 mg/L for DOC, 0.385~2.703 mg/L for T-N, 0.016~0.080 mg/L for T-P and 2.3~30.0 mg/L for SS.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.12
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• pp.328-335
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• 2017

Background: Some researchers have attempted to evaluate the ecological function of various additional services, away from the main point of view on the timber production of Korean forests. However, basic data, evaluation models, or studies on the absorption of air pollutants related to major plant communities in Korea are very rare. Therefore, we evaluated the functional value of the forest ecosystem in Gongju-city. Plantation manual for air purification, supplied from the Ministry of Environment in Japan, was referred to process and method for assessment of air pollutant absorption. Results: Gross primary production was calculated about average 18.2 t/ha/year. It was a relatively low value in forests mixed with deciduous broad and evergreen coniferous compared to pure coniferous forest. Net primary production was the highest value in deciduous coniferous and was the lowest value in mixed forest with deciduous broad and evergreen broad. And the mean sequestration amount of each air pollutant per unit area per year assessed from gross primary production and concentration of gas was the highest with 75.81 kg/ha/year in $O_3$ and was 16.87 and 6.04 kg/ha/year in $NO_2$ and $SO_2$, respectively. In addition, total amounts of $CO_2$ absorption and $O_2$ production were 716,045 t $CO_2$/year and 520,760 t $O_2$/year in all forest vegetation in Gongju-city. Conclusions: In this study, we evaluated the absorption ability of air pollutant in 2014 on forest in Gongju-city area. Gongju-city has the broad mountain area about 70.3%, and area of deciduous broad leaves forest was established the broadest with 47.4% of genus Quercus. Pg was calculated about average 18.2 t/ha/year. The mean sequestration amount of each air pollutant per unit area per year assessed from Pg and $C_{gas}$ was the highest with 75.81 kg/ha/year in $O_3$ and were 16.87 and 6.04 kg/ha/year in $NO_2$ and $SO_2$, respectively. Absorption rates of $O_3$, $NO_2$, and $SO_2$ were the highest in evergreen coniferous forest about $14.87kgO_3/ha/year$, $3.30kgNO_2/ha/year$, $1.18kgSO_2/ha/year$, and the lowest were $5.95kgO_3/ha/year$, $1.32kgNO_2/ha/year$, and $0.47kgSO_2/ha/year$ in deciduous broad forest. In conclusion, it was evaluated that Japanese model is suitable for estimating air pollutants in Japan to Korean vegetation. However, in Korea, there is a very limited basic data needed to assess the ability of forests to absorption of air pollutants. In this study, the accuracy of a calculated value is not high because the basic data of trees with similar life form are used in evaluation.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.191-203
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• 2006

To understand the effect of forest fragmentation on forest-dwelling birds, it is more effective to analyze on the selected specialists than on the whole bird community. We investigated the edge preference of forest-dwelling birds to discriminate habitat specialist species in the interior and on the edge of temperate deciduous forests in central Korea. Point count and line transect census were conducted at Gwangneung forest from February to October. Our result shows that there was no consistent tendency in abundance of birds between in the interior and on the edge because of the different landscape characteristics and the high proportion of habitat generalists. Five habitat specialists in 73 bird species were identified by the differences in both population densities; three forest interior and two forest edge specialists. Asian Stubtail Warblers (Urosphena squameiceps), Pale Thrushes (Turdus pallidus) and Coal Tits (Parus ater) were included in the forest interior group, but Black-billed Magpies (Pica pica) and Black-naped Orioles (Oriolus chinensis) were classified as the forest edge group. We suppose that a selective monitoring on patterns and changes in spatial use of these five habitat specialists is needed to estimate the effects of forest fragmentation in temperate deciduous forests. And, moreover, systematic monitoring methods for field survey should be established based on the point count method and line transect census to ensure the equality of data.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.96 no.1
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• pp.107-114
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• 2007

Establishments of the seedlings inside the natural forest from adjacent artificial forests would be an important factor in forest stand dynamics. This study was conducted to see the invasion of Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) seedlings which is not native in this region, into the natural deciduous broad-leaved forest in Gwangneung, Korea. There is no mother tree at the I ha study site while the number of naturally regenerated P. koraiensis seedlings was 345 trees and 56% of them were clumped with more than two seedlings at each point. Applying the image segmentation method to IKONOS satellite image of January, 2003, the distance from the center of 1 ha study site to the nearest mother tree and plantation of Korean pine were 200 m and 270 m, respectively. The average height and root-collar diameter of the seedlings were 34 em and 7 mm, respectively and the age of 207 seedlings (60%) were below 5 years old. Most abundant range of soil moisture gradient and LAl (leaf area index) were from 16 to 20% and those of LAI were from 3.1 to 3.5. To understand the dynamics and seed dispersal pattern of Korean pine in the Gwangneung natural deciduous broad-leaved forests, additional studies not only long-term monitoring of growth and mortality of naturally regenerated Korean pine seedlings but also application of stable isotope analysis and molecular genetic techniques was recommended.