• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2014

This study was conducted to investigate the changes understory vegetation composition (shrub and herb layers) in Mt. Gyebang as a northern-temperate deciduous broadleaf forest. Tracheophytes were 146 taxa, consisting 56 families, 93 genera, 124 species, 17 varieties, 3 forma, 2 sub-species and 1 unknown taxa in research subject area. As species area curve analysis, herbaceous layer and shrub species have been decreased over time. As a result of Mantel-test, basal area of upper layer affects to understory vegetation change (p<0.0001). Mean importance value was dominated Lindera obtusiloba (21.585%), Rhododendron schlippenbachii (19.774%) in the shrub layer, identified Sasa borealis (14.082%) and Lindera obtusiloba (7.921%) in the herb layer. According to NMS analysis of shrub layer, Species characterized by strong correlation have been reduced as time goes by. And it reports different species as an increasing in basal area of the upper layer. Herb layer plots of the NMS analysis, Rhododendron schlippenbachii and Rhododendron mucronulatum consistently were affected in shrub layer. In consequence of MRPP-test for changes in vegetation composition, It was analyzed that there are no significant differences for vegetation composition changes on shrub layer in 5-10 years. As a changes of vegetation composition on herb layer were analyzed significantly, composition change of herb layer species was larger than shrub layer species in understory vegetation.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 1997

Species composition and the amount of nutrients absorbed by regenerating plants on a pine forest in the immediate postfire year were compared with those in an unburned pine forest in Kosung, Kangwon Province. Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum, Cyperus amuricus, Lespedeza biolor, Quercus serrata, Lysimachia clethroides were the most abundant species in burned area. In unburned area. Quercus mongolica, Rhododendron mucronulatum, Carex humilis, Rhododendron schlippenbachii, Spodiopogon sibiricus were the most abundant species. Standing biomass of understory vegetation in burned and unburned area was 170.2 g $D.W/m^2$ and 171.3g $D.W/m^2$, respectively. Nutrient concentrations of plants in burned area, especially for phosphorus and potassium, were higher than those in unburned area. The amounts of nutrients absorbed by understory plants in burned and unburned area were 37.4 and 33.6 kg/ha for N, 0.36 and 0.19 kg/ha for P, 30.6 and 18.8 kg/ha for K, 8.5 and 7.8 kg/ha Ca, 5.2 and 5.7 kg/ha for Mg, respectively. This suggests that regenerating vegetation can hold the significant amount of nutrients, although there may be considerable losses of nutrients from ecosystem after fire.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.207-211
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• 2008

We investigated the leaf demography of a temperate woody liana, Akebia trifoliata, in a temperate forest in Japan, Akebia is semi-evergreen: some leaves are shed before winter, while others remain through the winter. Previous studies of semi-evergreen species found that variation in leaf life span was caused by variation in the timing of leaf emergence, Leaves that appeared just before winter over-wintered, while leaves appearing earlier were shed, However, it is unclear whether leaves of the same cohort (i.e., leaves that appear at the same time within a single site) show variation in life span under the effect of strong seasonality. To separate variation in life span among the leaves in each cohort from variation among cohorts, we propose a new method - the single leaf diagram, which shows the emergence and death of each leaf. Using single leaf diagrams, our study revealed that Akebia leaves within a cohort showed substantial variation in life span, with some over-wintering and some not. In addition, leaves on small ramets in the understory showed great variation in life span, while leaves on large ramets, which typically reach higher positions in the forest canopy, have shorter lives, As a result, small ramets were semi-evergreen, whereas large ramets were deciduous, The longer lives of leaves on small ramets can be interpreted as a shade-adaptive strategy in understory plants.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.116-124
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• 2013

Differences in rates and patterns of nitrogen cycling have been correlated with nitrogen stable isotope measurements in forest ecosystems of tropical and temperate regions, but limited similar work has been conducted in sub-tropical forests. This study investigated patterns in stable N isotopic composition in a subtropical forest in Taiwan by sampling three soil profiles and overstory and understory foliage. Soil ${\delta}^{15}N$ in the forest floor ranged from -1.8 to -1.8‰. Mineral soils had higher ${\delta}^{15}N$ (4.1 to 6.0‰). Foliage ${\delta}^{15}N$ in overstory trees ranged from -6.6 to -2.0‰, and understory foliage ${\delta}^{15}N$ ranged from -5.0 to -1.2‰. There was a weak correlation between foliar % N and ${\delta}^{15}N$ ($r^2=0.214$). Compared to results from similar surveys in tropical and temperate forests, foliar ${\delta}^{15}N$ values were generally lower. These results help highlight the need for improved knowledge regarding the relationships between patterns in N stable isotopes and processes affecting rates of N cycling, especially as related to wider scale patterns in forest ecosystems within the east-Asia region.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.223-236
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• 2021

This study aims to provide basic data for the systematic conservation and efficient management of forest ecosystems by analyzing changes in understory vegetation of temperate broad-leaved deciduous forests. One-hectare permanent survey plot, consisting of 100 subplots sized 10 × 10 meters, was installed in Gwangneung forest in Pocheon, Gyeonggi-do in 2003. The state of stands and the understory vegetation in the permanent survey plot were examined at a 5-year interval from 2003 to 2018. The vascular plants found in the survey area were 56 families, 128 genera, 176 species, 18 variants, 4 varieties, and 1 subspecies, for a total of 199 taxa. The number of species in both the shrub layer and the herbaceous layer showed a tendency to decrease with time. The MRPP-tests showed a significantly differing species composition of the shrub layer in all years except 2008-2013, whereas significant differences were found in all years concerning the herbaceous layer. As for the average importance value, Euonymus oxyphyllus (18.23%), Acer pseudosieboldianum (16.48%), and Callicarpa japonica (13.85%) were dominant in the shrub layer, while Ainsliaea acerifolia (23.41%), Disporum smilacinum (9.45%), and Oplismenus undulatifolius (5.62%) were dominant in the herbaceous layer. In the shrub layer, the richness of Smilax china, Lonicera subsessilis, and Philadelphus schrenkii was high when the basal area and the stand density of an upper layer were high. By contrast, smaller basal area and stand density were associated with the richness of Acer pseudosieboldianum, Deutzia glabrata, Morus bombycis, and Cornus kousa. Furthermore, it was found out that the impact of the basal area and the stand density on the herbaceous layer decreased over time, while the herb layer's species composition was greatly affected by cover degrees of Euonymus oxyphyllus and Acer pseudosieboldianum in the shrub layer. In conclusion, the number of species in the understory vegetation in Gwangneung forest is continuously decreasing, thus implying that species diversity, basal area, and stand density of an upper layer can influence the species composition in understory vegetation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.107 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2018

This study was performed to discover the comparison of the understory species composition and the growth velocity of the regeneration seedlings in Pinus densiflora forests being managed by the seed-tree method from 2008 year. The investigation site located in Bonghwa, Gyeongsangbuk-do province was established by eighteen quadrats such as six control ones, six slope ones and 6 concave ones, in which we carried out the vegetation survey and measured annual height growth of each seedlings. As a result of vegetation analysis, the understory vegetation of the seed-tree forest area was mainly composed of shrub plants such as Lespedeza bicolor, Zanthoxylum schinifolium, Securinega suffruticosa, Lespedeza maximowiczii and Stephanandra incisa, herb plants such as Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens, Carex humilis var. nana, Spodiopogon sibiricus and Artemisia keiskeana, and vine plants such as Pueraria lobata, Smilax sieboldii, Dioscorea batatas, Actinidia arguta, Vitis amurensis and Rubus crataegifolius. Especially, the vine plants were relatively more imported to the concave site than the control site and the slope site. As a result of measurement of growth velocity, the seedlings of the Pinus densiflora appeared to be 3,175 trees/ha for the non-suppressed trees and 7,842 trees/ha for the suppressed trees. In cases of the concave site, individuals of seedlings were much lower than those on the slope site, probably due to the competition effects of vine plants. Consideringly, silvicultural practices for clearing the vine plants should be inevitably accompanied. Also, the growth velocity of the suppressed and non-suppressed trees has been constantly increasing, those of the non-suppressed trees much higher than the suppressed trees. This represents that the seedlings grow rapidly after the suppressed period with competition to the surrounding plants. Therefore, specific practices such as blush control and vine clear should be carried out at the beginning stage of regeneration in the seed-tree stand.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.785-790
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• 2015

As an alternative to large-scale clear cutting silviculture, strip clear cutting (SC) is being considered as a system compatible with ecological conservation and forest regeneration. In South Korea, application and effectiveness of SCC in varying forest types were rarely found. In this study, under the subject of strip clear cutting lands of pinus densiflora forest at Samcheok, Gangwon-do Province, the developmental aspect of low vegetation prior to and after deforestation and the correlation between environmental factor and pine regeneration were analyzed. The cover rate of understory vegetation was appeared to be increased after deforestation and rapidly increased two years after deforestation, and it was evaluated to be affected by vigorous tree species and photophilic species. From the perspective of relative importance value, Quercus mongolica, Artemisia keiskeana, and Rubus crataegifolius that influence the cover rate showed the inclination of continuous growth. The diversity of species showed increment inclination as well due to introduction and settlement of early transient species. As a result of analyzing the correlation between vegetation and environmental factor and generation of pine tree size, the soil exposure rate, intensity of light, and canopy openness showed positive relationship, and the understory vegetation cover and woody debris cover rate showed negative relationship.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.131-136
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• 2001

Comparisons of understory vegetation between the burned and the unburned area, and effects of fire on seed germination of Melica onoei, which increased importance value in burned area, were investigated in the black pine forest. The number of plant species in burned and unburned area was 38 and 20, respectively. Melica onoei, indigofera kirilowii, Lespedeza bicolor Miscanthus sinensis were the most abundant species in burned area. A number of seedlings and sprouts of these species were found in burned area. Standing biomass of understory vegetation in burned and unburned area was 88.7g/㎡ and 299.8g/㎡, respectively, in the immediate postfire year. However, standing biomass in burned area increased to 537.2g/㎡ and relative standing biomass of Melica onoei was the highest with a value of 25.7% in the second year Seed germination of Melica onoei in control(C), dark (D), leaf (L), leaf extract (E) treatment was 92.5%, 86.0%, 45.5% and 39.0%, respectively. However, seed germination in L+E and D+L+E treatment was 10.5% and 4.0%, respectively. It is assumed that higher importance value of M. onoei in the postfire vegetation in this study area might be due to the removal of allelopathic inhibitors and the improvement of light condition after fire.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.81-95
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• 2012

This study was intended for Fagus engleriana stand in Is. Ulleung where the disturbance of vegetation has been caused by the exploitation and the increase of tourists. For the effective conservation and management on this issue, this study was conducted provide basic data. The sixteen study sites ($20{\times}20m$) were installed in the dominant Fagus engleriana stand and the base environment and vegetation were investigated. The Fagus engleriana stand was classified into two groups, The Fagus engleriana stand was classified into two groups, community A is Fagus engleriana-Sorbus amurensis and community B is Fagus engleriana-Acer pictum subsp. Mono by cluster analysis and community A were nothing signigicant by indicator species analysis. Community B were Eight species (Tsuga sieboldii, Camellia japonica, Dystaenia takesimana ect.) significant by indicator species analysis. The diameter class of 16cm to 25cm was 53.7% in population structure of Fagus engleriana, which was the highest and showed inverse J-distribution. Species diversity index (H') of investigated woody layer group ranged from 0.99 to 2.05 and that of under layer group ranged from 1.75~2.59. According to Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMS) analysis, the woody layer was divided into community A developed in the region having relatively high sand content at high altitudes and community B formed at the place having relatively high clay content at low altitudes. Then this classification was significant through Multi-Response Permutation Procedures (MRPP) analysis. The distribution of understory vegetation through Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) was induced by the silt content and cover degree of vegetation layer.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.108 no.1
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• pp.127-132
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• 2019

This study aimed to investigate the differences in habitat environment and characteristics of small rodent populations with time elapse after thinning in Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi) plantations, Mt. Janggun, Gyeongbuk Province, South Korea. We found that there were significant differences in habitat environment, number of tree, shrub stems, coverage of overstory, midstory, rock and number of coarse woody debris (CWD) between thinned and unthinned forest stands. We captured four small rodent species. Total number of captured small rodent were higher in thinned stands. Male-to-female ratio of Apodemus agrarius, and A. peninsulae were both the highest in forest stand 3 year after thinning. The differences in number of captured and sex ratio of small rodents might be related to habitat environment between thinned and unthinned stands. Thus, thinning can provide good habitat for small rodents by developing understory vegetation and increasing CWD in Japanese larch plantations. These results suggest that forest management through maintenance of CWD and induction of midstory and understory vegetation after thinning is necessary to maintain small rodents diversity.