• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.563-573
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• 1996

Macroinvertebrate contribution to the leaf litter breakdown of Carpinus cordata was estimated at headwater streams at Mt. Jumbong (38°03'N, 128°25'E) during spring and winter spring by using two types of litter bag. Coarse-mesh bags with 10 g of leaf letter were placed in a 1st-order stream in April (the spring experiment) and December 1995 (the winter-spring experiment). Fine-mesh bags with 5 g of leaf letter were placed in a nearby 3ed-order steam. The breakdown of Carpinus in coarse-mesh bags was rapid, and, in terms of season, leaf litter processed rapidly during spring. daily mass loss rates of leaf litter (-k±1 SE) were highest for coarse-mesh bags in the spring experiment (-0.0429±0.0048), followed by coarse-mesh bags in the winter-spring (-0.0146±0.0014), fine-mesh bags in the spring (-0.0078±0.0004), fine-mesh bags in the winter-spring experiment (-0.0054±0.0005). Macroinvertebrate contribution to the litter breakdown was estimated by the difference of % leaf letter remaining between coarse -mesh bage and fine-mesh bags. Although shredders were more abundant during the winter-spring, their contribution was greater during the spring (50%) than the winter-spring (22∼33%). This result appeared to be due to the change in the chemical composition of leaf letter during processing, and to the seasonal growth patterns of major shredder taxa.

• The Korean Journal of Soil Zoology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.83-91
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• 1997

One year study with litter bags(mesh size - 0.4mm, 0.8mm, 1.7mm and 5.0mm) was carried out to investigate the soil invertebrate community in the process of leaf decomposition in Namsan and Kwangreung deciduous forests, which were considered to be under different degrees of environmental selective pressure. Soil animals collected from litter bags were classified into the class of order or higher taxa. Acari and Collembola were major groups: Acari and Collembola were about 60% and 30% of total soil animals in their numbers, respectively. Among minor groups, Dipteria, Araneae, Diplopoda, Coleoptera and Chilopoda were comparatively dominant. In Namsan forest which was considered to be under higher environmental selective pressure than Kwangreung, the densities of Acari and Collembola were somewhat higher than in Kwangreung, although there was no statistically significant difference between two sites. The densities of Chilopoda, Enchytraeidae and Nematoda were much higher in Namsan than in Kwangreung but Diplopoda and Symphyla were much more in Kwangreung. It was expected that those groups could be used as bioindicators. The densities of Acari and Collembola were very low until March and then showed the peak in May. But they decreased slowly until November. There was no significant difference among the mesh sized of litter bags in the densities of Acari and Collembola but other groups of soil invertebrates seemed to be prevented from immigrating into the litter bag of mesh size 0.4mm. Decomposition rate of litter in the litter bag was low in early stage of decomposition. The % residual mass over initial mass at 8 months after litter bag introduction in the field was over 80%. Thereafter, % residual mass decreased more fast and was about 60% at 1 year after bag introduction. There was little evidence for the effects of soil invertebrates upon the litter decomposition in the period of this study. And there was no significant difference between Namsan and Kwangreung or among mesh sizes of litter bags in the decomposition rate.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2001

Leaf Litter processing rate of Quercus mongolica was compared with that of Carpinus cordata in a first-order stream draining Mt. Jumbong in Inje-Gun, Kangwon Province. Daily processing rate (-k . day$^{-1}$ ) of Q. mongolica leaf litter in mesh bags was 0.00503, about one-third of that of C. cordata leaf litter. Forty five macroinvertebrate taxa were collected from litter bags; 39 taxi from C. cordate and 38 taxa from Q. mongolica litter bags. Nemoura tau, a precopteran shredder, was the most abundant taxon in both leaf species, and the second was the non-predatory chironomids. In terms of biomass, Gammarus, an amphipodan shredder, was the largest. and followed by Cincticostella castanea, an ephemeropteran gatherers. The biomass of most insect taxa decreased during April to June, while that of non-insect taxa greatly increased during the same time period. Gammarus was the most important shredder talon to the leaf litter breakdown in the experimental stream and appeared to prefer C. cordata to Q. nongolica leaf litter. N. tau, in spite of its abundance, seemed to have a limited effect on the leaf litter processing . Since other shredders were minor compared with these two taxa, leaf litter processing in this stream appeared to largely depend on the feeding ecology of Gammarus.

• The Korean Journal of Soil Zoology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.75-80
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• 1999

Two years-study with litter bag (mesh size : 0.4 mm, 1.7 m) was carried out from Nov., 1996 to Sept., 1998 to investigate the soil microarthropod community in the process of needle leaf secomposition of Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) forest in Namsan and Kwangreung, where were supposed to be under different environmental selective pressures. Soil arthropoda collected from litter bags were sorted into suborders or higher taxa. Acari and Collembola were dominant groups, which were 61-68% and 27-35% of total soil arthropod in their numbers, respectively. Among Acari, Oribatida was major group, and Gamasida and Actinedida were minor groups. Abundance of Acari was a little higher in Kwangreng than in Namsan. But there was not significant difference between the arthropod community structure of Namsan and Kwangreng forest. And the different mesh sizes (0.4 mm and 1.7 mm) of litter bags could not make significantly different community structures in the litter bags. One taxon showed different pattern of population dynalics from another. But Oribatida, Gamasida and Collembola showed peak density in July, 1997. All taxa showed lower population densities in cold season i.e. Nov., Jan. and March. There was not significant difference in decomposition rate between Namsan and Kwangreng forest, and between mesh sizes of litter bags. % residual mass of needle leaf was about 40% at 22 months after litter fall.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.313-319
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• 2003

Dry weight loss and nutrient release from leaf litter for six tree species were studied using litter bag methods. The litter bags were incubated for f6 months on the forest floor in temperate deciduous forest in Mt. Cheonma, located at the middle part of Korean Peninsula. The changes in nutrient content and the rate of dry weight loss in leaf litter varied with litter types. The litter of Pinus densiflora showed the lowest rate of mass loss (k=0.33), nitrogen concentration (0.89%) and ash concentration (2.50%), while showed the highest C/N ratio (63.40). On the other hand, the litter of Acer pseudo-sieboldianum showed the fastest rate of mass loss (k=0.82), the highest nitrogen concentration (1.11%), and the lowest C/N ratio (49.40). During the decomposition, nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium in the leaf litters showed relatively slow decreasing pattern compared to other elements (carbon, potassium, magnesium, manganese and sodium), but potassium and sodium decreased at early stage of the decomposition for all leaf litters. Differences in annual decomposition rates of litter among species were consistent with the particular chemical characteristics of their leaf litters. The initial concentration of nitrogen was positively correlated with litter decomposition rate for six species, while litter decomposition rate of six species was negatively correlated with C:N ratio of initial leaf litters.

• 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 Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.80 no.3
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• pp.303-310
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• 1991

Seasonal patterns of decomposition and nutrient release from the needle litter were examined using litter-bags in coastal Pinus thunbergii forests in nothern Kyushu, Japan. Dry matter losses from decomposing needle litter were smillar in all standsover a experimental period. Mass loss in dry weight is lost rapidly during the first year, and thereafter the rate of loss slows. Litter lost approximately 40% of initial mass in 1 yr. The predicted decay constant, k values ranged from 0.5 to 0.6 Decomposition half-times($t_{0.50}$) ranged from 1.1 to 1.4 year. In the decomposing needle litter, the concentrations of N and P generally increased with time while the concentration of K decreased. A decrease in absolute amount was noted for K during decomposition while in an increase was found for N. The order of mobility of elements was K>P>N. Mineralization phase of N had not appeared during the experiment.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.64-72
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• 2007

This study investigated the types, forms, and origination of litter found along one hiking course in Moaksan Provincial Park, 'Jungin-ri Course'(entrance-ridge-valley-peak). In addition, a survey was conducted to understand hikers' litter control awareness in order to determine possible backcountry litter control measures. The following are the results of this study: 1. For the litter Sequency investigation, 199 recyclable pieces of litter were found on the mid-slope(61.6%), 89 by the entrance(27.6%), 19 in the valley(5.9%) and 16 on the peak(4.9%). A total of 323 pieces of litter were found. Paper materials were the most common, followed by plastic containers such as PET bottles and yogurt containers. Of particular interest, 288 papers and cans were found on the mid-slope(46.9%). By the entrance, more plastics and bottles were found. 2. There were 614 pieces of flammable litter collected and only 19 pieces of non-flammable. Most of the flammable litter, including snack pacts, plastic bags, processed lumber, cigarette butts, tissues, cigarette boxes, and fabric was found on the mid-slope. 3. Very little food waste was found throughout the whole site proving that the policy prohibiting hikers from cooking and eating at the designated sites has been effective. However, food waste is difficult to find because it naturally decays with time. 4. $X^2$-test was used to find different types of litter and their verified origination frequency. It was found that recyclable litter, and food waste took about 1%. In addition, recyclable litter, especially bottles, was found relatively frequently by the entrance. Flammable litter was found most often at the peak. 5. The questionnaire results showed that 48.2% of the respondents "shorten their hiking journey and purchase food outside the entrance" and 29.6% said that they "bring a packed meal from home". Only 8.2% said that they "cook something when an appropriate location is found". At the Jungin-ri course, a few hikers brought their own food to eat or cook, but most hikers purchased something to eat onsite. 6. The results of the question about having experience littering while hiking showed that 19.3% litter and 79.2% do not. Those that responded "yes" gave various reasons for littering. 63.6% claimed, "there are no designated trash containers". 15.9% said they litter subconsciously. Finally, 3.2% insist that they litter "because food naturally decomposes". 7. As a result of the overall satisfaction according to the Likert scale and the analysis with an average of 14 variables, it was found that the average "toxic litter control convenience" was 2.41 with very low satisfaction. Thus, the results indicate the importance of providing appropriate back country litter control facilities.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.87-93
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• 2003

Litterfall and litter decomposition represent a major contribution to the carbon and nutrient inputs in a forest ecosystem. We measured litterfall quantity and nutrient dynamics in decomposing litter for two years at the Kwangneung broadleaf natural forest (DK site) in Korea. Litterfall was collected in circular littertraps (collecting area : 0.25 $m^2$) and mass loss rates and nutrient release patterns in decomposing litter were estimated using the litterbag technique employing 30 cm ${\times}$ 30 cm nylon bags with 1.5 mm mesh size. Total annual litterfall was 5,627 kg/ha/yr and leaf litter accounted for 61 % of the litterfall. The leaf litter quantity was highest in Quercus serrata, fallowed by Carpinus laxiflora and C. cordata, etc., which are dominant tree species in the site. Mass loss from decomposing leaf litter was more rapid in C. laxiflora and C. cordata than in Q. serrata litter. About 77% of C. laxiflora and 84% of C. cordata litter disappeared, while about 48% in Q. serrata litter lost over two years. Lower mass loss rates of Q. serrata litter may be attributed to the difference of substrate quality such as lower nutrient concentrations compared with the other litter types. Nutrient concentrations (N, P, Mg) of three litter types except for potassium (K) increased compared with initial nutrient concentrations of litter over the study period. Compared with Q. serrata litter, nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) in C. laxiflora and C. cordata litter were released rapidly. The results suggest that litter mass loss and nutrient dynamic processes among tree species vary considerably in the same site conditions.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.4 no.1_2
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• pp.38-51
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• 1981

The present investigation was estimated the effect of temperature, precipitatiion, and time on the decomposition of litters with litter bags of Pinus densiffora and Quercus mongolica at Gure where elevation in 50m, and at Nogodan where elevation in 1300m on Mt. Jiri. As the above results, decomposition model was proposed to relation of the environmental conditions. And was investigated the production and decomposition of litters from the stands of various forest communities in Kwangneung, Mt. Jiri and Mt. Halla. The results are as follows; The models for the decay of organic carbon (C) was as follows: $C=Coe^{-Kt}$ (limiting factor;time) $C=Coe^{-K'te}$ (limiting factor;tempedrature) $C=Coe^{-KnP}$ (limiting factor:precipitation) As observed in litter bag method, the decomposition rate of litter in Pinus densiflora was slower than that of Quercus mongolica. The higher elevation, the slower decomposition rate. The decomposition of litters at Gure where elevation in 50m was equally influenced by temperature and precipitation. But at Nogodan where elevation in 1300m was much inflenced by precipitation. The decay constant of litters was larger in hardwood forest than in coniferous forest. In the same species, the more elevatiion, the less decomposition constant. The time required for the decay of 50%, 95^, 99% of the accumulated litters in the forest floor were faster in hardwood forest than in coniferous forest. In the same species, the higher elevatiion, the longer time required.