• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.87-89
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• 2003

Although a forest damage of large area due to air pollution has not yet been found in Korea, declines of Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc.), the most common coniferous species, have been locally reported. To evaluate the effect of air pollution and acid deposition on the forests, SO$_2$ concentration, acid load, soil pH and tree decline were monitored for 13 years from 1988 to 2001 in Namsan, Doowang and Gyebangsan with the gradient of air pollution. During the study period, annual mean SO$_2$ concentration in Namsan, Doowang and Gyebangsan were 14 ppb, 13 ppb and 6 ppb, respectively. Annual mean acid loads in Namsan and Doowang were three to four times more than that in Gyebangsan. As respected, forest surface soils in Namsan and Doowang were acidified to pH 4.1 and 4.3, whereas that in Gyebangsan showed normal value as pH 5.4. On the other hand, decline degrees of Korean red pines in Namsan and Doowang in both 1996 and 2001 were higher than those in Gyebangsan. It is reasonable that the severer tree declines in Namsan and Doowang could be closely related with the higher air pollution, acid load, and the effects (possibly Ca deficit and Al toxicity) of soil acidification.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.10-20
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• 2024

The study investigated species diversity, relative abundance, and decline of flying insects and plants within a fragmented forest in the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Ondo State, Nigeria. It is known that habitat fragmentation can reduce biodiversity. Thus, it is important to perform comprehensive assessments to understand implications of the habitat fragmentation for flora and fauna. Species richness and abundance of flying insects and plants across fragmented forest patches were quantified using field surveys and taxonomic identification. This study revealed shifts in species diversity, with fragmented areas exhibiting reduced biodiversity compared to contiguous forest ecosystems. Flying insects crucial for ecosystem functioning and pollination services demonstrated decreased species richness and relative abundance within fragmented habitats. This decline was attributed to habitat loss, altered microclimates, and limited movement pathways known to hinder insect dispersal. Similarly, plant species richness and abundance showed decline in fragmented forest due to disrupted mutualistic interactions with pollinators, altered nutrient cycling, and increased competition among plant species. This study underscores the importance of maintaining intact forest habitats to sustain healthy ecosystems and preserve biodiversity. Effective conservation strategies should focus on habitat connectivity, reforestation efforts, and protection of essential ecological corridors to mitigate effects of fragmentation. In conclusion, this investigation provides empirical evidence for effects of habitat fragmentation on flying insects and plants in a forest ecosystem in FUTA Akure, Nigeria. Findings emphasize an urgency of adopting conservation measures to safeguard these invaluable components of biodiversity and ecosystem stability in the face of ongoing habitat loss and fragmentation.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.81-89
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• 2008

The numerical simulation of wind and ozone ($O_3$) transport in mountainous regions was performed with a computational fluid dynamics technique. A dry deposition model for $O_3$ was designed to estimate $O_3$ deposition in complex terrain, and the qualitative validity of the predicted $O_3$ concentration field was confirmed by comparison with observed data collected with passive samplers. The simulation revealed that wind velocity increases around ridge lines and peaks of mountains. The areas with strong wind corresponded well with the sites of tree decline at high altitudes, suggesting that it is an important factor in the localization of tree/forest decline. On the other hand, there is no direct relationship between forest decline and $O_3$ concentration. The $O_3$ concentration, however, tends to increase as wind velocity becomes higher, thus the $O_3$ concentration itself may be a potential secondary factor in the localized decline phenomena. While the diffusion flux of $O_3$ is not related to localized tree decline, the pattern of advection flux is related to those of high wind velocity and localized tree decline. These results suggest that strong wind with large advection flux of $O_3$ may play a key role in the promotion of tree/forest decline at high mountain ridges and peaks.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.383-387
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• 2005

In order to clarify the causal of free decline, which observed around the industrial complex, we analyzed pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and cation in rainfall and throughfall cations concentration in the air in tree areas, suburban and rural area. pH of both rainfall and throughfall was lower in the industrial area than the suburban and rural areas. Among the abiotic and biotic factors analyzed in this study, relations between decline degree of Pinus thunbergii and ingredients of rainfall, pH and $Ca^{2+}$ showed negative and positive correlations, respectively.

• Dementia and Neurocognitive Disorders
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.44-53
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• 2024

Background and purpose: The anti-aging standard forest healing program (ASFHP), which uses forest therapy, was reported to be effective in improving psychological, physical, and cognitive functions. However, there are several challenges to directly visiting the forest. This study aimed to investigate the impact of multi-session ASFHP with forest visit on the mental and physical health of the older people with visits to forest facilities and compared them with those of the same program conducted indoors. Methods: Individuals aged over 70 years with concerns about cognitive decline were recruited at dementia relief centers and divided into control and experimental groups. A total of 33 people were administered ASFHP under the supervision of a forest therapy instructor. The control group stayed indoors, while the experimental group visited a forest healing center and repeated the program 20 weeks. Results: The multiple-session ASFHP positively affected cognitive impairment screening test (CIST) total scores (p=0.002), memory (p=0.014), Korean version of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status total scores (p<0.001), immediate recall (p=0.001), visuospatial/construction (p<0.001), language (p<0.001), forest healing standard questionnaire total scores (p=0.002), and cognitive function (p=0.019), regardless of location. The forest visits during the ASFHP showed positive effects on orientation (p=0.035), delayed recall (p=0.042), emotional stability (p=0.032), physical activity (p=0.005), and health (p=0.022). The CIST scores of the memory domain were the strongest indicator of the multiple-session ASFHP effects. Conclusions: The 20-week multi-session ASFHP with forest visit showed effects on cognitive improvement and physical and emotional stability compared to indoor education.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.107-117
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• 2021

Background and objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of a forest healing program in terms of depression, neuropsychological and physiological benefits for the elderly. Methods: For this purpose, we developed a forest therapy program for the elderly who are vulnerable to dementia and conducted a total of 11 sessions of forest therapy activities in a forest once a week. We measured the changes in depression, resting-state Electroencephalography(EEG) and heart rate variability (HRV) before and after the program. There were 60 subjects aged over 65 yesrs old. 30 subjects participated in the forest therapy program, and the other were in the control group. The Geriatric Depression Scale was used to measure the level of depression, neuroNicle FX2 (Laxtha, Korea) was used to measure the resting-state EEG, and photoplethymogram (ubpulse T1, Laxtha, Korea) was used to measure the HRV. Results: The results showed that the depression index of the experimental group improved with statistical significance after the program (experiment group = 3.267 decrease of the mean). In the EEG measurement, the alpha-peak frequency at rest (experimental group = 0.227 Hz increase of the mean) was improved (mean increase = 0.23 in the experimental group, p < .05). The high frequency of HRV, which represents the parasympathetic nerve activity of the body's autonomous response, was also significantly improved (mean increase = 0.396 in the experimental group, p < .05). Conclusion: The results suggest that the forest therapy program can reduce the cognitive, psychological and physical risk factors of dementia for the elderly at risk of cognitive decline. Therefore, forest therapy activities may be suitable for the prevention of dementia in the elderly.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.258-271
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• 2009

Various environmental parameters change and ecological succession often lead to decline of Pinus densiflora forest in Seoul. Due to decline of it, we proposed the ecological management for conserving and improving from decrease of its dominant area on there. We analysed the P. densiflora forest's classification and suggested its ecological management that based on relation to competition between dominant species in the upper tree layer, the presence of competitive species in shrub layer and vegetation management standard. The Pinus densiflora forest types has been classified 6 types by ecological characteristics. The results from categorized its types are following as; 1) Pinus densiflora pure forest type; edaphic climax Pinus densiflora forest(26.1%), Pinus densiflora pure forest(21.5%). 2) the forest of Pinus densiflora and other species that compete with each other type; Pinus densiflora-Quercus mongolica forest(28.0%), Pinus densiflora-Pinus rigida forest(13.1%), Pinus densiflora-Quercus acutissima(4.2%). We conclude that the results in these kind of 4 types; Pinus densiflora pure forest type where possible to maintain the forest by edaphic climax, human trampling damage, vegetation management(e.x. remove the competition species, shrub layers management etc.) are mainly need to negative management. Whereas, the others 4 types; Pinus densiflora and other species(Quercus variabilis, foreign species, naturalized species etc.) that compete with each other types are need to positive management such as manage the same niche competition species, shrub layers management, remove the foreign species, naturalized species etc.. In these kinds of ecological management are very necessary to maintain Pinus densiflora forest.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Biology Conference
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• 2005.12a
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• pp.132-133
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• 2005

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.47-56
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• 2020

Decline of pine forests happens in Korea due to various disturbances such as insect pests, forest fires and extreme climate, which may further continue with ongoing climate change. For conserving and reestablishing pine forests, understanding climate-induced future shifts of pine tree distribution is a critical concern. This study predicts future geographical distribution of Pinus densiflora, using Maximum Entropy Model (MaxEnt). Input data of the model are locations of pine tree stands and their environmental variables such as climate were prepared for the model inputs. Alternative future projections for P. densiflora distribution were conducted with RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 climate change scenarios. As results, the future distribution of P. densiflora steadily decreased under both scenarios. In the case of RCP 8.5, the areal reductions amounted to 11.1% and 18.7% in 2050s and 2070s, respectively. In 2070s, P. densiflora mainly remained in Kangwon and Gyeongsang Provinces. Changes in temperature seasonality and warming winter temperature contributed primarily for the decline of P. densiflora., in which altitude also exerted a critical role in determining its future distribution geographic vulnerability. The results of this study highlighted the temporal and spatial contexts of P. densiflora decline in Korea that provides useful ecological information for developing sound management practices of pine forests.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.300-306
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• 2013

Based on the guiding ideology of "Close-to-nature forestry", the soil chemical properties of Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) plantation forest which was early done by canopy gap control were analyzed of Liangshui nature reserve in northeastern China. The results indicated that the nurture of forestry crevice diaphanous tended to improve the soil nutrient contents and significant differences of soil nutrients existed among different levels of soil for the same forest type of Korean pine. At 0< $H{\leq}20$ cm layer, the content of available nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, total nitrogen and total phosphorus in artificial pure Korean pine forest are 640.28 $mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$, 7.54 $mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$, 275.91 $mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$, 1.114% and 0.075%, they all higher than the other kinds of forests and for average 1.1 times, 1.4 times, 1.3 times, 1.6 times and 1.2 times. From the layer of $0<H{\leq}20$ cm to 20 cm < $H{\leq}40$ cm, soil nutrient indicators showed various degrees of decreasing in which organic matter had the greatest decline, decreasing by 170.64% while PH had the lowest decline, decreasing by 4.66%.