• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.351-361
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• 2010

The primary purposes for using fire are to enhance marsh vegetation to support waterfowl, and to manage invasive plant species. The study was conducted for two consecutive years in 2004 and 2005, investigating the effects of prescribed fire regimes on vegetation biomass in tidal brackish marsh areas of the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge located on the eastern shore of Maryland, USA, that are under relatively similar environmental conditions. Four different burn regimes (i.e., annual burn, 3-5 year burn, 7-10 year burn, and no burn) were applied in the study. Above- and below-ground vegetation biomass samples as affected by the different burn regimes were harvested in each year for five plant species native to the marsh; Distichlis spicata, Spartina alterniflora, Schoenoplectus americanus, Spartina cynosuroides and Spartina patens. No significant difference was found either in total above-ground biomass or in above-ground biomass by species between burn regimes in 2004. However, more total above-ground biomass was produced in annual burn regime in 2005 than in the other burn regimes. There were no consistent effects of burning on vegetative biomass production by species, but it seemed D. spicata was somewhat benefited by prescribed burning for its biomass production. Moreover, the stem density for D. spicata under annual burn regime was significantly higher than that in the other burn regimes, showing some positive effects of burning on vegetation. The below-ground biomass was significantly greater in 2004 than in 2005, yet with no significant difference between burn regimes in either year. A longer-term monitoring is strongly recommended.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.96-104
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• 2023

The successful restoration program requires a comprehensive understanding of variables influencing seedling efficiency. Below-ground is hypothesized to have a major impact on seedling performance of species when planted in agriculture, and degraded areas with different types of mulching. This study investigated on Sg. Terla Forest Reserve in Cameron Highlands Pahang, Malaysia. In this study randomized complete block design (RCBD) was used. The excavation method was applied to study the root system development, above, and below ground biomass distributions under different types of mulching: coconut mulching (CM), oil palm mulching (OM), plastic mulching (PM) and control (CK). The root diameter, main root length, lateral root length, root coiling, and root direction toward to sun were recorded. The results in this study indicate that mulching had significant effect on root diameter, main root length, and root distributions among treatments while for lateral root length, root: shoot ratio, dry biomass distributions, and above and below ground biomass did not showed significant effect among treatments. The highest values for root diameter, lateral root length, main root length, root distributions, dry biomass distributions and above and below ground biomass were showed in CM treatments. However 75% of root coiling was observed in seedlings between treatments.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.90 no.3
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• pp.338-345
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• 2001

This study was conducted to elucidate the relationship between the root structure and the crown structure of Norway spruce(Picea abies [L.] Karst), and thereafter to obtain the regression equation for the estimation of relative root and needle biomass using the tree height and diameter at breast height(DBH) without measurement of root and needle biomass. The study site was Barbis stands of Harz region located in central part of Germany. Five dominant and three co-dominant trees of 30 to 40 year-old Norway spruce were selected and tree height, diameter at breast height, clear bole length, weight of total needle and branch, cross section and sapwood area at breast height for biomass of above ground part and also the length of root, the number of root, the weight of root, the cross section area of root etc. by dividing the horizontal and vertical roots for below ground part of tree were measured. The significantly correlation was shown between the biomass of most of variables of above ground parts and those of below ground parts. For the diameter of breast height to the weight of total root, regression equation was Y = 3.56X - 45.94 and decision coefficient was 0.96 showing highly correlation. The weight of total branches and needles, and the tree height etc. of above ground parts showed highly positive relationship with below ground biomass. The results obtained from this study can be used to the estimating of biomass of below ground using variables of above ground such as DBH in the 30 to 40 year-old Norway spruce stands.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.100 no.1
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• pp.42-51
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• 2011

This study was conducted to analyze correlation of above- and below-ground biomass and to drive regression equation suitable for estimating standing tree biomass between natural and planted stands of Pinus densiflora for. erecta of one age-class in Gangwon province, Republic of Korea. Total 40 trees, 10 from the naturally regenerated and 10 from the planted stands in each of two studied sites, were uprooted to measure height, diameter at root color (DRC), and the dry weights of stem, branches, and needles. The length, weight, and volume of the main and horizontal roots were also measured. Most of the above-ground traits except height were highly correlated with most of the other above-ground traits and the below-ground traits except the length of roots (p < 0.05). Especially, the DRC, which is measured easily on the standing tree, was highly correlated with most of the traits in all studied stands (p < 0.01). Thus, the DRC would be the most desirable trait to estimate not only above-ground biomass but also below-ground biomass. However, height was not a good variable to estimate standing tree biomass of Pinus densiflora for. erecta of one age-class in Gangwon province because it was not correlated with most of other traits. Regression equations derived from the current study could be used effectively as a basic data for estimating above-ground and below-ground biomass using DRC.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.96 no.2
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• pp.138-144
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• 2007

This study was undertaken to compare the biomass of Abies koreana growing at two sites. A $10{\times}10m$ plot was established in each site of a natural stand in Mt. Jiri and a plantation in Gyeongsan nursery. Five trees of A. koreana were randomly selected in each site. The following traits were investigated from each tree : height, basal diameter, age, weight of stem, branches, and needles as above-ground traits and weight of total roots, horizontal roots, and vertical roots as below-ground traits. In Gyeongsan nursery, age of sample trees was negatively correlated with both height and weight of total stem, while height was highly correlated with weight of horizontal roots. There was high correlation between the basal diameter and weight of total stem, and between the basal diameter and weight of roots. In Mt. Jiri stand, most of the above-ground traits except age were significantly correlated with the below-ground traits. The linear regression equation between the cross section area of base (X) and the weight of total stem (Y) in Gyeongsan nursery was Y=12.66X-12.92, and correlation was significant ($R^2=0.89$). The linear regression equation between the cross section area of base(X) and the weight of total branches (Y) in Mt. Jiri stand was Y=25.51X+6.00, and correlation was highly significant ($R^2=1.0$).

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.127-137
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• 2022

This study examined the growth pattern and environmental factors affecting the growth of the halophyte, Suaeda japonica, which is prevalent on tidal flats in the west coast of Korea in order to calculate annual carbon production. Quantitative sampling was conducted every month for three years from 2018 to 2020 on salt marshes located on the southern coast of Ganghwa Island. In terms of annual density affected by the germination rate at first period, especially when air temperature for winter time was constantly below 0℃ for long periods of time, germination decreased and precipitation in summer also exerted an influence. In terms of annual growth with regard to length, the part below the ground grew rapidly in the beginning after budding, while the part above ground grew at a relatively steady rate at all times. With regard to biomass, the part below the ground also increased from April in a manner similar to length growth, but decreased drastically from September with leaves falling off and water loss occurring. The part above ground showed a rapid increase from the beginning of the rainy season. Size-frequency distribution revealed broader patterns after the rainy season as individual growth varied, but from September, it stopped at all year. High growth rates were recorded in the initial phase of growth after budding and growth was rapid, but growth declined in summer when biomass increased. The annual mean production based on growth rate was calculated at 352 gDWt/m²/yr, and the highest production was 519 gDWt/m²/yr in 2018, but it has decreased since 2019. Annual carbon production was at calculated 143.41 gC/m²/yr for Suaeda japonica in the vicinity of the southern coast of Ganghwa Island.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.227-232
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• 2001

The biomass structure for three major components viz., the dominant grass, Chrysopogon zeylanicus Thw., the 'other grasses' and the'remaining species'and dry matter dynamics for total community were studied over a period of one year in an annual fire influenced subtropical humid grassland community in Western Ghats, India. The biomass of aboveground, belowground and litter compartments were high as in other humid grasslands and generally have positive correlation with rainfall, rainy days and relative humidity with the exception of litter parts. The above and belowground net primary productions (4,561 and 722 g/㎡, respectively) were also higher and were comparable with other humid tropical grasslands. The turnover of organic matter was rapid, Of the total input of 14.47 g/㎡ into the system, about 86.3% was allocated to above ground parts and 13.7% to below ground parts. The total disappearance was 2.56 g/㎡ and it was accounted to be 17.68% of the total output. The net surplus of dry matter (82.32%) in the post fire community indicates that the grassland was maintained in a seral stage. Hence it is suggested that prescribed burning may keep this ecosystem in a highly productive and seral stage.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.12-23
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• 2018

Quantitative information on biomass and available nutrients are essential for developing sustainable forest management strategies to regulate atmospheric carbon. An attempt was made at Chilapatta Reserve Forest in Duars region of West Bengal to quantify its above and below ground carbon along with available "N", "P" and "K" in the soil. Stratified random nested quadrats were marked for soil, biomass and litter sampling. Indirect or non-destructive procedures were employed for biomass estimation. The amount of these available nutrients and organic carbon quantified in soil indicates that the forest soil is high in organic carbon and available "K" and medium in phosphorus and nitrogen. The biomass, soil carbon and total carbon (soil C＋C in plant biomass) in the forest was 1,995.98, 75.83 and $973.65Mg\;ha^{-1}$. More than 90% of the carbon accumulated in the forest was contributed by the trees. The annual litter production of the forest was $5.37Mg\;ha^{-1}$. Carbon accumulation is intricately linked with site quality factors. The estimated biomass of $1,995.98Mg{\cdot}ha^{-1}$ clearly indicates this. The site quality factor i.e. tropical moist deciduous with optimum availability of soil nutrients, heavy precipitation, high mean monthly relative humidity and optimum temperature range supported luxuriant growth which was realized as higher biomass accumulation and hence higher carbon accumulated.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.1143-1153
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• 2016

Plant biomass, photosystem II (PSII) photochemical activity, photosynthetic function, and zinc (Zn) accumulation were investigated in a sorghum-sudangrass hybrid (Sorghum bicolor ${\times}$ S. sudanense) exposed to various Zn concentrations to determine the elimination capacity of Zn from soils. Plant growth and biomass of the sorghum-sudangrass hybrid decreased with increasing Zn concentration. Symptoms of Zn toxicity, i.e., withering and discoloration of old leaves, were found at Zn concentrations over 800 ppm. PSII photochemical activity, as indicated by the values of $F_v/F_m$ and $F_v/F_o$, decreased significantly three days after exposure to Zn concentrations of 800 ppm or more. Photosynthetic $CO_2$ fixation rate (A) was high between Zn concentrations of 100-200 ppm ($22.5{\mu}mol$ $CO_2{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$), but it declined as Zn concentration increased. At Zn concentrations of 800 and 1600 ppm, A was 14.1 and $1.8{\mu}mol$ $CO_2{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$, respectively. The patterns of stomatal conductance ($g_s$), transpiration rate (E), and water use efficiency (WUE) were all similar to that of photosynthetic $CO_2$ fixation rate, except for dark respiration ($R_d$), which showed an opposite pattern. Zn was accumulated in both above- and below-ground parts of plants, but was more in the below-ground parts. Magnesium (Mg) and iron (Fe) concentrations were significantly low in the leaves of plants, and symptoms of Mg or Fe deficiency, such as a decrease in the SPAD value, were found when plants were treated with Zn concentrations above 800 ppm. These results suggest that the sorghum-sudangrass hybrid is able to accumulate Zn to high level in plant body and eliminate it with its rapid growth and high biomass yield.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.250-258
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• 2022

Background: To assess the carbon sequestration capacity and net ecosystem productivity (NEP) of Quercus glauca forests, we analyzed the net primary productivity (NPP), carbon storage, and carbon emission of soil in a Q. glauca forest on Jeju Island (South Korea) from 2016 to 2018. Results: The average carbon stock in the above- and below-ground plant biomass was 223.7 Mg C ha^-1, while the average amount of organic carbon fixed by photosynthesis was 9.8 Mg C ha^-1 yr^-1, and the average NPP was 9.6 Mg C ha^-1 yr^-1. Stems and branches contributed to the majority of the above- and below-ground standing biomass and NPP. The average heterotrophic carbon emission from the soil was 8.7 Mg C ha^-1 yr^-1, while the average NEP was 1.1 Mg C ha^-1 yr^-1. Although the carbon stock, carbon absorption, and soil respiration values were higher than those reported in other oak forests in the world, the NEP was similar or lower. Conclusions: These results indicator that Q. glauca forests perform the role of a large carbon sink through the CO₂ absorption in the plants in terms of carbon balance. And it is judged to be helpful as data for assessment of carbon storage and flux in the forests and mitigation of elevated CO₂ in the atmosphere.