• Mycobiology
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.388-395
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• 2018

Radionuclides were deposited at forest areas in eastern parts of Japan following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant incident in March 2011. Ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi have important effects on radiocaesium dynamics in forest ecosystems. We examined the effect of colonization by the EM fungus Astraeus hygrometricus on the uptake of cesium (Cs) and potassium (K) by Pinus densiflora seedlings. Pine seedlings exhibited enhanced growth after the EM formation due to the colonization by A. hygrometricus. Additionally, the shoot Cs concentration increased after the EM formation when Cs was not added to the medium. This suggests that A. hygrometricus might be able to solubilize Cs fixed to soil particles. Moreover, the shoot K concentration increased significantly after the EM formation when Cs was added. However, there were no significant differences in the root K concentration between EM and non-EM seedlings. These results suggest that different mechanisms control the transfer of Cs and K from the root to the shoot of pine seedlings.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.417-430
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• 1996

This study was conducted to investigate the developmental process of plant community during the secondary succession and the dynamics of soil properties in the burned and unburned areas of Mt. Ch’oly-san. Owing to the forest fire occurred on April, 1989, the red pine(Pinus densiflora) forest and its floor vegetation were burned down. The floristic composition of burned and unburned areas were composed of 53 and 49 species of vascular plants, respectively. The dominant species based on SDR4 of the burned sites were lespedeza cyrtobotrya (89.62), Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens (62.50), and Carex humilis (58.73), Quercus serrata (43.33). In contrast, Pinus densiflora (83.56), Lespedeza cyrtobotrya (55.57), Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens (51.88) and Carex humilis (50.41) were dominant in the unburned area. The biological spectra showed the $H-D_1-R_5-e$ type in both the burned and unburned areas. The indices of similarity ($CC_S$) between the two areas were 0.74. Degree of succession (DS) was 604 in the burned area and 802 in the unburned area. From these facts, it is assumed that the succession is rapidly progressing because of the recovery of vegetation. The species diversity ($\={H}$) and evenness index(C) in the burned and unburned areas were 0.15 and 0.18, respectively. Red pine tree did not resprout after scorch by the forest fire, but Lespedeza, Quercus, Rhododendron, Albizzia, and Zanthoxylum resprouted from the roots and trunks after the forest fire. It seems that these species are the fire-resistant species. Soil properties such as soil pH, content of organic matter, available phosphous, total nitrogen, tatal carbon, exchangeable potssium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium increased due to forest fire. These results suggest the intensity of forest fire in the study area was relatively weak. Monthly changes of soil properties were of little significance except for some cases.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.238-246
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• 2003

This study evaluated forest vegetation structure according to elevation in Mt. Sokri and Odae. The dominance of Pinus densiflora, Quercus variabilis, Quercus serrata, Prunus serrulata var. spontanea was apparent at elevations below 500 m. Quercus mongolica, Fraxinus sieboldiana, Acer pseudo-sieboldianum and Symplocos chinensis for. pilosa were conspicuous above 800 m. Significant P. densiflora, Rhus trichocarpa, Lindera obtusiloba and P. serrulata var. spontanea populations appeared below 700 m elevation in Mt. Odae. Q. mongolica, F. sieboldiana, A. pseudo-sieboldianum, Tilia amuresis, Abies holophylla, Carpinus cordata, Betula costata, Kalopanax pintus and Pinus koraiensis were conspicuous at elevations 1000 m and above. P. densiflora, Q. monoglica, Q. serata, R. trichocarpa and L. obtusiloba populations were significant at elevations below 700 m. Q. mongolica, F. sieboldiana, A. pseudo-sieboldianum, T. amurensis, A. holophylla, C. cordata appeared at elevations above 1000 m.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.102 no.3
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• pp.355-364
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• 2013

This study was conducted to investigate the population structure and dynamics of the Picea jezoensis stands which are located in Mt. Gyebangsan and surveyed from March to October 2012. Results showed that the diameter class distribution of P. jezoensis presented a reverse J-shaped distribution pattern with 32 trees less than 10 cm DBH, 20 trees in 10~30 cm DBH, and 11 trees more than 30 cm DBH. It showed seedlings and saplings of P. jezoensis seem to prefer areas with more sun light or with open upper layer. It was also observed that P. jezoensis preferes areas with organic soils and abundant water such as areas around stumps. Also, occurrences of P. jezoensis stands were analyzed through annual mean radial growth of the trees. And the results showed that the growth naturally or artificially occurred approximately on the years 1854, 1915, 1918, 1993 and 2002 years. Most of the gap-makers were classified as standing dead type with 23 individuals (45.1%).

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.762-771
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• 2017

Predicting the amount and distribution of moisture content within wood allows calculating the various mechanical dynamics of the wood as well as determining the drying time. For boxed-heart wood with a large cross-section, since it is difficult to measure the moisture content of the interior, it is necessary to predict the moisture content distribution. This study predicted the moisture movement in boxed-heart red pine timber, during high temperature drying, by using the three-dimensional finite difference method for the efficient drying process. During drying for 72 h, the predicted and actual moisture content of the tested wood tended to decrease at a similar rate. In contrast, the actual moisture content at 196 and 240 h was lower than predicted because surface checking of the wood occurred from 72 h and excessive water emission was unexpectedly occurred from the checked and splitted surface.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.101 no.3
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• pp.333-343
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• 2012

In-stream large wood (LW) has a critical impact on the geomorphic characteristics relevant to ecosystem management and disaster prevention, yet relatively little is known about variations in its dynamics and subsequent export on the watershed-scale perspective in Korea. Here we review variations in the dynamics and subsequent export of LW as a function of stream size, which is appropriate for Korean mountain streams. In upstream channels with narrow bankfull widths and low stream discharges, a massive amount of LW, resulting from forest dynamics and hillslope processes, may persist for several decades on valley floor. These pieces, however, are eventually transported during infrequent debris flows from small tributaries, as well as peak hydrology in main-stem channels. During the transport, these pieces suffer fragmentation caused by frictions with boulders, and stream bank and bed. Although infrequent, these events can be dominant processes in the export of significant amounts of LW from upstream channel networks. In downstream channels with wide bankfull widths and high stream discharges, LW is dominantly recruited by forest dynamics and bank erosion only at locations where the channel is adjacent to mature riparian forests. With the LW pieces that are supplied from the upstream, these pieces are continuously transported downstream during rainfall events. This leads to further fragmentation of the LW pieces, which increases their transportability. With decreasing stream-bed slope, these floated LW pieces, however, can be stored and form logjams at various depositional sites, which were developed by interaction between channel forms and floodplains. These pieces may decay for decades and be subsequently transported as particulate or dissolved organic materials, resulting in the limitation of LW fluvial export from the systems. However, in Korea, such depositional sites were developed in the extremely limited streams with a large dimension and no flood history for decades, and thus it does not be expected that the reduction of LW export amount, which can be caused by the long-term storage. Our review presents a generalized view of LW processing and is relevant to ecosystem management and disaster prevention for Korean mountain streams.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.219-235
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• 2016

Forest tree diversity inventory and its periodical monitoring are important to understand changes in tree population structure and to provide information useful for biodiversity conservation and reserve management. In a long-term forest dynamics program in Indian tropical dry evergreen forest, this communication deals with tree diversity changes at decadal interval. The initial inventory of tree diversity was carried out in 2003, in four tropical dry evergreen forest sites - (much disturbed sites Shanmuganathapuram - SP and Araiyapatti - AP and moderately disturbed sites - Karisakkadu - KR and Maramadakki - MM) on the Coromandel Coast of peninsular India, by establishing four 1ha permanent plots, one in each site. In 2013, the four plots were re-inventoried for tree diversity (${\geq}10cm\;gbh$) changes which yielded 56 species from 46 genera and 26 families. The studied forest sites are threatened by disturbance due to multiple reasons; cutting of trees inside of the forest, grazing by goats, construction of temple approach road, and some aspects cultural attachment of local people like constructing new, additional strctures of temple by denuding a portion of forest etc.. Tree species richness over a decade increased by four species in site SP, two species in site AP, and one species in site KR, but decreased by one species in site MM. Tree density decreased drastically by 480 (28.92%) and 102 (12.63%) stems $ha^{-1}$ respectively in sites SP and AP, but moderately increased by 82 (12.09%) stems $ha^{-1}$ in site KR and 26 (3.46%) stems $ha^{-1}$ in site MM. Tree basal area declined in site KR from $21.6m^2$ to $20.26m^2ha^{-1}$ and in site SP from 21.1 to $20.38m^2ha^{-1}$, but increased from $19.1m^2$ to $19.43m^2$ and from 15.5 to $18.63m^2ha^{-1}$ in sites AP and MM respectively. Three tree species (Allophylus serratus, Maytenus emarginata and Ehretia pubescens) were lost out of the 57 species recorded in 2003, and two species (Jatropha gossypiifolia and Streblus asper) were new additions in ten years. The long-term forest monitoring data will be valuable to understand forest dynamics and for conservation and management of this and similar tropical forests.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.97 no.2
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• pp.181-186
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• 2008

Even small changes in phosphorus concentrations in stream water could cause eutrophication because of very low level of phosphorus concentrations in natural waters. I investigated the impact of strip cut and clear cut on phosphorus concentrations in stream water at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest and investigated stream water phosphorus concentrations as a function of flow rate and season (as well as cutting history). Mean phosphate concentrations in the control (undisturbed forest) increased $1.9{\mu}g\;L^{-1}\;to\;2.6{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$, while strip cut treatment increased phosphate concentrations in stream water $2.2{\mu}g\;L^{-1}\;to\;3.7{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ during the same period. There was no significant effect of clear cut treatment on phosphate concentrations in stream water. No relationships were found between discharge rate and phosphate concentrations, but the magnitude of fluctuation were increased during two decades in undisturbed forest: $1-5{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ from 1963 to 1975 and $1-12{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ from 1983 to 1995. Based on this study, forest harvests with buffer zone will not make a problem by imported phosphate to cause eutrophication in natural water.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.98 no.5
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• pp.593-601
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• 2009

Forest disturbances including forest fire, insect pests and diseases, landslides, and forest conversion from 1976 to 2005 were investigated to trace the changes of major forest disturbance agents and their characteristics over time in accordance with changes in natural and social environment in South Korea. While the damaged area by insect pests and diseases continuously decreased for the past 30 years, damaged areas by forest fire and landslide were fluctuating through years. The interval of large forest fires has become shorter with increased tree volume. The precipitation between January and April were significantly correlated with large fire occurrences as Pearson's correlation coefficient -0.400 (P=0.029). The composition of major insect pests and diseases damaging Korean forests has been changed continuously, and become more diversified. While damages by pine caterpillar (Dendrolimus spectabilis) and pine needle gall midge (Thecodiplosis japonensis) decreased, damage by introduced pests has been more serious recently. The change of precipitation pattern that brought more localized heavy rain or powerful typhoon resulted in the recent increase in landslide areas. The major land uses to induce forest conversion have been changed, reflecting the changes in industrial structure in South Korea as agriculture and mining in 1970s, mining and golf ranges classified in pasture in 1980s, and road and housing construction in 1990s and 2000s. Changes in forest disturbance patterns in South Korea show that a country's industrial development is jointly working with global warming on forest stand dynamics. Altering energy structure and land use pattern induced by industrial development accumulates forest volume and reforms microenvironments on forest floor, interacting with climate change, inducing shorter interval of large forest fire and changes in major species composition of forest insect pests and diseases.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.113 no.3
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• pp.308-318
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• 2024

Forest fuel management plays a crucial role in the proper management of frequent and large-scale forest fires worldwide. This study evaluated the impact of fuel management on reducing forest fire risk by through surface fire behavior through laboratory experiments and simulations using the Wildland Fire Dynamics Simulator. For Pinus densiflora litter, fuel conditions were established based on field surveys in Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do, focusing on control, 20% thinning, and 40% thinning sites. Results indicated that visible flame height, vertical temperature distribution, and maximum heat release rate tended to decrease with higher thinning intensity, implying a lower forest fire risk. Overall, the WFDS simulations produced higher values compared to the laboratory experiments, but the trends were similar. The results of this study can serve as fundamental data for evaluating forest fire risk based on thinning intensity and establishing a research foundation for fire prevention.