• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2013

Annual ring formation is considered a source of information to investigate the effects of environmental changes caused by temperature, air pollution, and acid rain on tree growth. A comparative investigation of annual ring growth of Cryptomeria japonica in relation to environmental changes was conducted at two sites in southern Korea (Haenam and Jangseong). Three wood disks from each site were collected from stems at breast height and annual ring growth was analyzed. Annual ring area at two sites increased over time (p > 0.05). Tree ring growth rate in Jangseong was higher than that in Haenam. Annual ring area increment in Jangseong was more strongly correlated with environmental variables than that in Haenam; annual ring growth increased with increasing temperature (p < 0.01) and a positive effect of $NO_2$ concentration on annual ring area (p < 0.05) could be attributed to nitrogen deposition in Jangseong. The correlation of annual ring growth increased with decreasing $SO_2$ and $CO_2$ concentrations (p < 0.01) in Jangseong. Variation in annual growth rings in Jangseong could be associated with temperature changes and N deposition. In Haenam, annual ring growth was correlated with $SO_2$ concentration (p < 0.01), and there was a negative relationship between precipitation pH and annual ring area (p < 0.01) which may reflect changes in nutrient cycles due to the acid rain. Therefore, the combined effects of increased $CO_2$, N deposition, and temperature on tree ring growth in Jangseong may be linked to soil acidification in this forest ecosystem. The interactions between air pollution ($SO_2$) and precipitation pH in Haenam may affect tree growth and may change nutrient cycles in this site. These results suggested that annual tree ring growth in Jangseong was more correlated with environmental variables than that in Haenam. However, the further growth of C. japonica forest at two sites is at risk from the long-term effects of acid deposition from fossil fuel combustion.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.109-113
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• 2009

Tree-ring width analysis has been used to assess the effects of air pollution on tree growth around industrial complexes. Our study was conducted to elucidate the effect of air pollutants on annual ring growth in black pines (Pinus thunbergii) of age 41$\sim$48 years around Ulsan Metropolitan City. The growth data were analyzed by multiple regression and the results are as follows: 1. The annual ring increment of black pines increased with tree age until age 40 years and then decreased gradually after age 40 years. 2. The increment of annual ring width of black pines was affected more by precipitation and evapotranspiration than air temperature. An annual ring decline appeared in the years 1968$\sim$1983, when annual ring indices below zero were observed. Decreased annual ring growth during this period may have been due to air pollution. 3. The heavy metal with the strongest effect on annual ring growth of black pines in the experimental stand was lead (Pb). The concentration of lead in the stand was estimated as over 6 ppm. 4. The technique of tree-ring width analysis may be useful for estimation of the extent of pollution in forest areas near industrial complexes.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.1-6
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to analyze annual tree ring growth characteristics for major tree species distributed in Chungbuk province. A total of 800 sample trees from 56 permanent sampling plots measured by the 5th Korean National Forest Inventory Program in 2007 was used for the calculation of annual growth rates. According to the results of this study, the species of Robinia pseudoacacia(2.30mm/yr) showed the best annual tree ring growth rates and the others are Quercus serrata(2.27mm/yr)>Prunus sargentii(1.98mm/yr)> and Larix leptolepis(1.98mm/yr) in order. Most of the major tree species in Chungbuk province, as tree age and stand density increased, annual tree ring growth rates tended to decreased. This information could be very useful for forest managers to understand annual tree ring growth characteristics in Chungbuk province.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.105 no.1
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• pp.122-131
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• 2016

This study was conducted to analyze the effect of climatic variables on tree-ring growth of Larix leptolepis distributed in Korea by dendroclimatological method. For this, annual tree-ring growth data of Larix leptolepis collected by the $5^{th}$ National Forest Inventory were first organized to analyze yearly growth patterns of the species. To explain the relationship between tree-ring growth of Larix leptolepis and climatic variables, monthly temperature and precipitation data from 1950 to 2010 were compared with tree-ring growth data for each county. When tree-ring growth data were analyzed through cluster analysis based on similarity of climatic conditions, six clusters were identified. In addition, index chronology of Larix leptolepis for each cluster was produced through cross-dating and standardization procedures. The adequacy of index chronologies was tested using basic statistics such as mean sensitivity, auto correlation, signal to noise ratio, and expressed population signal of annual tree-ring growth. Response function analysis was finally conducted to reveal the relationship between tree-ring growth and climatic variables for each cluster. The results of this study are expected to provide valuable information necessary for estimating local growth characteristics of Larix leptolepis and for predicting changes in tree growth patterns caused by climate change.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.93-101
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• 2015

This study was conducted to analyze the relationship between tree-ring growth of Quercus acutissima and climatic variables by dendroclimatological method. Annual tree-ring growth data of Quercus acutissima collected by the $5^{th}$ National Forest Inventory (NFI5) were organized to analyze the spatial distribution of the species growth pattern. To explain the relationship between tree-ring growth of Quercus acutissima and climatic variables, monthly temperature and precipitation data from 1950 to 2010 were compared with tree-ring growth data for each county. When tree-ring growth data were analyzed through cluster analysis based on similarity of climatic conditions, four clusters were identified. In addition, index chronology of Quercus acutissima for each cluster was produced through cross-dating and standardization procedures. The adequacy of index chronologies was tested using basic statistics such as mean sensitivity, auto correlation, signal to noise ratio, and expressed population signal of annual tree-ring growth. Response function analysis was conducted to reveal the relationship between tree-ring growth and climatic variables for each cluster. The results of this study are expected to provide valuable information necessary for estimating local growth characteristics of Quercus acutissima and for predicting changes in tree growth patterns caused by climate change.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.229-233
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• 2011

BACKGROUND: Soil acidification, which is known to be one of the reasons of forest decline, is associated with decreases in exchangeable Ca and increases in Al concentration, leading to low Ca/Al ratio in soil solution. As tree rings are datable archives of environmental changes, Ca/Al ratios of annual growth ring may show decreasing pattern in accordance with the progress of soil acidification. This study was conducted to investigate Ca/Al pattern of Pinus densiflora tree ring in an attempt to test its usefulness as an indicator of historical soil acidification. METHODS AND RESULTS: Three P. densiflora tree disks were collected from P. densiflora forests in Jeonnam province, and soil samples (0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm in depth) were also collected from the tree locations. Soils were analyzed for pH and exchangeable Ca and Al concentrations, and Ca/Al was calculated. Annual growth rings formed between 1969 and 2007 were separated and analyzed for Ca/Al. Soil Ca/Al was positively (P<0.01) correlated with soil pH, suggesting that soil acidification decreased Ca while increasing Al availability, lowering Ca/Al in soil solution. The Ca/Al of tree rings also showed a decreasing pattern from 18.2 to 5.5 during the period, and this seemed to reflect historical acidification of the soils. CONCLUSION(s): The relationship between soil pH and Ca/Al and the decreasing pattern of Ca/Al of tree ring suggest that Ca/Al of tree ring needs to be considered as a proxy of the progress of soil acidification in P. densiflora forest in southern Korea.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.89 no.2
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• pp.232-240
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• 2000

Correlation between Songyi(Tricholoma matsutake, pine mushroom, matsutake) production and the annual pine tree growth in Korea was analyzed with 18 years data of the mushroom production in Sangju area and the annual ring-growth of pine trees at Mt Sogni in the area. The two parameters were not significantly related to each other(r=0.408). A possible reason of this low relationship is that September and October climate affected annual Songyi production through mushroom primordial formation, continued growth of the primordia, while May and June climate did the annual tree-ring growth. Songyi production at Mt. Wolak in Chungcheongbukdo peaked while the minimum daily air temperature ranged about $7^{\circ}C$ to $13^{\circ}C$ during the first week of October in 1999. These show that Songyi production variation is not a simple trend depending on the energy the pine trees have accumulated. Rather, controlling soil moisture and air temperature during Songyi fruiting season can be a significant management option for improving the mushroom production.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.305-312
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to compare the relative growth of annual ring width of red pine(Pinus densiflora), black pine(Pinus thunbergii) and pitch pine(Pinus rigida) by means of multiple regression method according to Graybill hypothesis. The obtained results are as follows. 1. The changes of rainfall have affected to tree growth during the periods of 1975 through 1978. 2. Among these pine trees, red pine was mostly influenced by environmental factors. 3. The growth of annual ring width was sensitively responded to the changes of rainfall and air temperature. 4. Among the heavy metals analyzed, the concentrations(ppm) of Lead(Pb) and Copper(Cu) were negatively effected on the growth of annual ring width of pine trees. 5. The analytical technique of annual ring width may be useful for estimation of the pollution in forest areas near industrial complexes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.36-45
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• 2010

To analyze the relationship between climatic factors (monthly mean temperature and total precipitation) and tree-ring growths of Quercus mongolica Fischer (Mongolian oak) with different topographic sites in Mt. Worak, more than 10 trees were selected from each of seven stands. Two cores from each tree were measured for ring width. After crossdating, each ring-width series was double standardized by fitting first a negative exponential or straight regression line and secondly a 60-year cubic spline. Seven stands were categorized in two groups using cluster analysis for tree-ring index patterns. Cluster I (four stands) was located in higher elevation (550-812 m) with aspects of east, west and northwest, and cluster II (three stands) was located in rather lower election (330-628 m) with aspects of north and northwest. The aspects of two clusters were not significantly different. Response-function analysis showed a significant positive response to March precipitation for both clusters. It indicates that moisture supply during early spring season is important to radial growth because the cambial growths of ring-porous species, such as Mongolian oak, start before leaf growth. Cluster II showed a positive response to the precipitation of middle and late growing season, too.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.105 no.3
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• pp.351-359
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• 2016

This study was conducted to analyze the effect of climate change on the tree-ring growth of Pinus koraiensis in Korea. Annual tree-ring growth data of P. koraiensis collected by the $5^{th}$ National Forest Inventory were first organized to analyze yearly growth patterns of the species. When tree-ring growth data were analyzed through cluster analysis based on similarity of climatic conditions, five clusters were identified. Yearly growing degree days and standard precipitation index based on daily mean temperature and precipitation data from 1951 to 2010 were calculated by cluster. Using the information, yearly temperature effect index(TEI) and precipitation effect index(PEI) by cluster were estimated to analyze the effect of climatic conditions on the growth of the species. Tree-ring growth estimation equations by cluster were developed by using the product of yearly TEI and PEI as independent variable. The tree-ring growth estimation equations were applied to the climate change scenarios of RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 for predicting the changes in tree-ring growth by cluster of P. koraiensis from 2011 to 2100. The results of this study are expected to provide valuable information necessary for estimating local growth characteristics of P. koraiensis and for predicting changes in tree-ring growth patterns caused by climate change.