• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.98 no.2
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• pp.189-196
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• 2009

This study was conducted to evaluate spatial distribution pattern and spatial association of crowns (${\geq}10m$ of height) and saplings (<10 m of height and ${\geq}2cm$ of DBH) for four major tree species (Pinus koraiensis, Abies nephrolepis, Acer mono, and Tilia amurensis) in the mixed broadleaved-Korean pine forest of Xiaoxing'an Mts. Vegetation data were collected in the 9 ha permanent sample plot, and the analysis adopted the point pattern analysis method. Main results are as follows; 1) crowns and saplings of major species showed clumped distribution pattern in small scale, became random distribution as the scale was increased. 2) Saplings of Pinus koraiensis performed poor regeneration under the crowns of Pinus koraiensis and Abies nephrolepis; Saplings of Abies nephrolepis did good regeneration under the crowns of Pinus koraiensis and Abies nephrolepis; and crowns of Acer mono and Tilia amurensis had little effect on the distribution of saplings of Pinus koraiensis and Abies nephrolepis. Saplings of Acer mono and Tilia amurensis made good regeneration under the crowns of Pinus koraiensis and Tilia amurensis; and the crowns of Acer mono and Abies nephrolepis had little effect on the distribution of saplings of Acer mono.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.95 no.5
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• pp.621-627
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• 2006

This study was conducted to understand the pattern and characteristics of seed rain in the broadleaved-Korean pine mixed forest. We established 287 $0.5m^2$ circular seed traps and collected and identified fallen seeds in the traps every two weeks in $150m{\times}150m$ sample plot of the permanent nine hectare of experimental plot in 2005. The overall average density of seed rain was $864.2/m^2$. The seeds of Betula costata Betula costata had the highest number of fallen seeds as $676.0/m^2$ (78.2%), followed by Abies nephrolepis as $57.5/m^2$, B. platyphylla as $37.9/m^2$, Tilia amurensis as $32.2/m^2$, Acer ukurunduense as $17.0/m^2$, A. tegmentosum $14.8/m^2$, and so on. Pinus koraiensis was recorded only $2.5/m^2$ of fallen seeds mainly owing of Korean pine had low rate of purity due to the animal and microbiological predation. Most of seed dispersal have started from the middle to late August and come to an end on the middle of November. The peak time of seed dispersal varied depending on the species. The rate of pure seed by dispersal time varied according to the species, thereupon the aspect of predation and the rate of blasted seed which had influence on the rate of purity also varied according to the species. The density of Korean pine seed rain in the forest gap was significantly different at $P{\leq}0.05$ from in the closed canopy. But the other species had no difference among canopy coverage.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.94 no.5 s.162
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• pp.321-329
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• 2005

Based on the data representing four typical Korean pine forest types, the age structure, DBH distribution, species composition, and forking rule were systemically analyzed for old-growth Korean pine forest in Liangshui Nature Reserve, northeast China. The age structure of Korean pine trees was strongly uneven-aged with one dominated peak following normal distribution, and age of trees varied from 100 to 180 years within a stand. The DBH and height differences in same age class (20 years) varied from 28 cm~64 cm and 5 to 20 m, respectively. Many conifer and hard wood species, such as spruce, fir, costata birch, basswood, oak, and elm, were mixed with dominated trees of Korean pine. The canopy of the old-growth Korean pine forest can be divided into two layers, and differences of mean age and height between Layer I and Layer II were ranged 80~150 years and 7~13 m, respectively. The Weibull function was used to model the diameter distribution and performed well to describe size-class distribution either with a single peak in over-story canopy and inverse J-shape in under-story canopy for old-growth Korean pine stands. The forking height of Korean pine trees ranged from 16m to 24 m (mean 19.4 m) and tree age about 120 to 160 years old. The results will provide a scientific basis to protect and recover the ecosystem of natural old-growth Korean pine and also provide the model in management of Korean pine plantation.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.325-330
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• 2007

Recognizing the ecological importance of forest gap formation for forest community structure, we examined the differences in species diversity between forest gaps and closed canopy areas for trees and shrubs in three developmental stages (seedling, sapling I, and sapling II) in a typical mixed broadleaved-Korean pine forest. We randomly placed 100 sample plots ($2{\times}2m$ for seedling and sapling I, and $5{\times}5m$ for sapling II) in forest gap and closed canopy areas of a 9 ha permanent sample plot for vegetation surveys of plants of each developmental stage in each habitat type. Even though the formation of forest gaps encouraged the occurrence of gap-dependent species and increased overall species diversity, there were no significant differences in species richness among the three developmental stages for both tree and shrub species (p>0.05). Comparing the two types of sites, statistical tests revealed no difference in species richness for trees, but highly significant differences (p<0.01) between forest types for shrubs for seedlings and sapling I, but not sapling II. Analysis of variance test indicated that there were no significant differences in species diversity among the three developmental stages of tree species (p>0.05) for both Simpson and Shannon indices. The variance for shrub seedlings was significantly different between forest gaps and closed canopy areas, but not for sapling I and sapling II. The analysis showed that the species diversity in forest gaps was significantly different from that of closed canopy areas for seedling and sapling I (p<0.01), but not for sapling II (p>0.05).

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.97 no.2
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• pp.165-170
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• 2008

Litterfall has been recognized an important part of the forest ecosystem production, playing a major pathway in energy flow and nutrient cycling through the ecosystem. This study was carried out to examine the quantity and components, temporal variation, and spatial heterogeneity of the litterfall in the mixed broadleaved-Korean pine forest. The data were collected from the 9ha permanent experimental plot, of which on the center area, i.e. $150m{\times}150m$, the total number of 319 circular litterfall traps with the size of $0.5m^2$ were established to collect falling litterfall. The results showed that the annual amount of litterfall was totalized 3,033.7 kg/ha, occupying broad-leaves of 39.3%, conifer-leaves of 29.5%, others of 18.5%, branches of 10.4%, and seeds of 2.3%. The peak point of the litterfall production was made at the end of September, proportionating 32.2% of total amount. The analysis of semivariogram revealed the existence of high spatial heterogeneity, calculated the scale of spatial heterogeneity ranged from 11.6 m to 29.1 m. The result of proportion (C/[Co+C]) showed that spatial heterogeneity of autocorrelation in total spatial heterogeneity were from 97.0% to 100%. The relatively heavy branches and others had significant differences in litterfall production between the areas of canopy gap and closed canopy in the 95% probability level, but the other components did not show statistical differences.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.96 no.2
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• pp.227-234
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• 2007

The forest canopy gap has been well known as a substantial process of forest cyclic regeneration and important role in stand structure, dynamics, and biodiversity of the forest ecosystem. Based on 3,600 $5m{\times}5m$ square grids in a 9ha permanent experimental plot, the study was conducted to evaluate the regeneration pattern of woody species by developmental stage {seedlings (<1 m of height), saplingI (>1 m of height, <2 cm of DBH), and saplingII (2 cm$<200m^2$), $201-400m^2$, $400-600m^2$, $601-800m^2$, and $>800m^2$) in the mixed broadleaved-Korean pine forest. The results indicated that the regenerating trees of Populus ussuriensis occurred only in the canopy gap area, considered to be a typical gap-dependent species. The regeneration of Ulmus japonica, Ulmus laciniata, and Maackia amurensis could be generally satisfied with the gap size of $201-600m^2$, Betula costata and Prunus padus with gap size of $401-800m^2$, Picea koraiensis with gap size of $201-800m^2$, Fraxinus mandshurica and Syringa reticulata var. mandshurica with smaller than $800m^2$, respectively. Acer ukurunduense and Acer tegmentosum were likely to have no problem with the gap size to make gap regeneration. Acer mono and Tilia amurensis looked more capable of regenerating in the closed canopy disregarding the upper crown condition. The regeneration of Pinus koraiensis and Abies nephrolepis had no trouble under the canopy condition in less than $800m^2$of gap size. The density of regenerating shrubs was rather high, especially under the closed canopy, considered to be associated with great amount of regeneration production in such shade tolerant species as Lonicera maackii, Corylus mandshurica, Euonymus pauciflorus, and Philadelphus schrenkii under the closed canopy. Pearson correlation coefficient was computed to compare the similarity among non-gap area and five gap size classes by developmental stages for trees and shrubs. The similarity coefficients among closed canopy and the gap size classes were mostly significantly correlated to each other with a few exceptions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.96 no.6
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• pp.730-736
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• 2007

The heterogeneity of forest environment plays an important role in the structure and dynamics of tree population, the composition of forest community, and the maintenance of species diversity. Based upon the research data of the nine hectare permanent plot in the typical mixed broadleaved-Korean pine forest, this study was conducted to analyze the characteristics of spatial pattern of Acer tegmentosum population for seedlings, saplings, and living and dead trees so as to evaluate the effect of micro-topography on spatial pattern of the species. The results noted that A. tegmentosum preferred to gentle slopes. There was no difference in density of seedlings by the variation of aspect, but the density of saplings, and living and dead trees was high on the western and southeastern slopes. Living trees of A. tegmentosum showed the clumped pattern for all scales within 150 m and highest at the scale of 30 m. Dead stems of the species indicated the clumped pattern within 111 m, highest at the scale of 72 m, and random pattern beyond the scale of 111 m (P < 0.01 ). The similarity of occurrence by developmental stages of A. tegmentosum showed that seedlings vs. saplings, saplings vs. living trees, and living trees vs. dead stems had highly positive correlation to each other, respectively (P < 0.01 ), indicating that the occurrence of previous developmental stages was positively correlated to following stages.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.126-142
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• 2020

Background: Most of the Pinus densiflora forests, occupying the largest area, have been restored in South Korea since the 1970s. As young pioneer forests, the succession process is under way. Since the forests are distributed nationwide and are vulnerable to disturbances, the process may differ depending on the geography and/or site conditions. Therefore, we reviewed the direction, the seral communities, and the late-successional species of progressive and disturbance-driven succession nationwide in the cool-temperate zone through meta-analysis and empirical observations. Main text: As a result of a meta-analysis of the direct succession and vertical structure, we found that the P. densiflora forest is in a directionally progressive succession, changing to the broadleaved forest after forming a mixed forest with its overwhelming successor, Quercus species (particularly Q. mongolica and Q. serrata). In dry stands in a relative sense, the Quercus species was favored occupying over 80% of the abundance of the succeeding species. Therefore, in dry stands, it is presumed that Quercus-dominated stage would last for a long time due to the current dominance and long life span, and eventually, it settles as Quercus-broadleaved forest with a site change. Contrary to this, it is presumed that in mesic stands where Quercus species do not occur or have low abundance, the late-successional broadleaved species settle early to form a co-dominant forest with multiple species. Due to geographical limits, the species composition of the two late-successional forests is different. Disturbances such as insect pests and fire retrogressed vulnerable P. densiflora forest for a while. However, it was mostly restored to the Quercus forest and is expected to be incorporated in the pathway of the dry stand. Conclusions: We revealed the succession process of P. densiflora forests according to geography and moisture and found that stand moisture had a decisive effect on the species and abundance of the successor. Although the P. densiflora forest is undergoing structural changes, the forest is still young; so within a few decades, physiognomy is not likely to change. Therefore, the decrease in the forest area may be due to other causes such as disturbances and forest conversion rather than due to succession.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.90 no.5
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• pp.650-662
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• 2001

The growth and yield models for five different kinds of natural forest types were systemically developed in the natural Broadleaved-Korean pine Forests in Northeast China. The data were collected from 359 temporary plots and 58 permanent plots with area ranged from 0.06 ha to 1.0 ha, ranging in stand age from 43 to 364 years. The Site Class Index (SCI) was introduced to evaluate site quality and the Crown Competition Factor (CCF) was selected as a measure of stand density for the mixed natural forest. The Chapman-Richards function was adopted to develop SCI equation and height-diameter curve. The Schumacher growth function was selected as base model to develop the DBH, basal area, and stand volume growth models by using re-parameterized method. In modeling mean DBH and basal area growth, it was found that the asymptotic parameter A of Schumacher function was exponentially related to site quality (SCI) and stand density (CCF). The rate parameter k was related to stand density and it was independent of SCI. Several validation measures for predicted stand variables were evaluated in the growth and yield models using independent data sets. The results indicated that relative mean errors (RME) in predicted stand attributes were less than ${\pm}5%$ and the estimated precision values of the stand variables were all greater than 95%.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2010

Holocene vegetation and climate changes were assumed on the basis of pollen records from Wonpyeong Trench II-3 of the Osong archaeological site, Cheongju, Chungbuk Province, Korea. An organic matter beared in coarse sediments appeared to be low throughout the succession. Although an occurrence of pollen grains is not high, some dominant and principal taxa may indicate vegetation changes response to climate changes in central inland area of the Korean Peninsula. The age determination can be estimated with indirect way by comparing with previous age-controlled pollen studies. It is assumed that the former last glacial conifer forests had been changed into open mixed conifers and deciduous broadleaved forest during the early Holocene period. Warmer and more humid climate conditions, during the mid-Holocene, might have allowed the hardwoods including deciduous- and evergreen-broadleaved trees, and warm-preferring pine tree to flourish. Subsequently, the former forests were replaced by mixed of conifer and deciduous broadleaved forest owing to deterioration of climate conditions during the late Holocene. Human activity is also detected by agricultural indicators, such as buckwheat and large pollen grains comparable to corn, in upper most pollen profile. During this time, the forests in studied area were primarily affected by human disturbance rather than natural environment.