• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.375-387
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• 2024

This study investigated the ecological characteristics of Fraxinus chiisanensis Nakai, one of the endemic and rare plant species in Korea, based on its distribution status, characteristics of the growth environment, and species composition. A vegetation survey that analyzed the correlation between species distribution patterns and environmental variables, along with the traits of the emergent plant species, was performed according to the explanation of environmental growth conditions and phytosociological method for the location where F. chiisanensis is found. A total of 19 dominant locations and 9 non-dominant locations of F. chiisanensis were observed in 28 study sites in 12 regions, and a total of 155 taxa were observed. According to the vegetation climate of Korea, the growth environment of the study site where F. chiisanensis is located is characterized as cold and is primarily situated within the northern temperate deciduous broadleaf forest zone. The average elevation was 859m above sea level, with an average rock exposure of 60.4%, soil exposure of 24.7%, and an average slope of 18.7°. The taxa belonging to the top P-NCD(Percentage of Net Contribution Degree) among the emergent species were mostly designated as the taxa emerging in valley vegetation. The correlation analysis of environmental variables revealed that altitude had the strongest correlation, with rock exposure showing the second highest correlation. The ongoing dynamics of the F. chiisanensis forest are anticipated to persist due to the high P-NCD values exhibited by the F. chiisanensis within the shrub and herbaceous layers among the taxa associated with tree species. Most F. chiisanensis habitats are currently situated within protected regions such as national parks, provincial parks, and county parks, where there are relatively minimal human-induced disturbances. However, there is potential for damage in areas not designated as protected, such as forest tending operation sites or new hiking trails. Concerns about declining habitat quality have prompted suggestions for management strategies such as establishing Forest Genetic Resource Reserves in these locations. In addition, follow-up and further research should be conducted to identify possible sites for distribution and establish candidate conservation areas based on various environmental conditions of F. chiisanensis.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.9-22
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• 1994

The vegetational and environmental history of Korea during the Holocene period has reconstructed by the use of folral, palaeoclimatogical, archaeological data and written records. From 10,000 to 6,700 yeat B.P. in mid-eastern Korea, deciduous broadieaved trees gradually increased trees, notably at c.8,000 years B.P. From 6,700 to 4,500 years B.P., the vegetation remained dominated by Quercus and pinus(Diploxylon). Vegetational informations suggest the postglacial hypsithermal from c.8,000 to 4,500 years b.p. After 4,500 until 1,400 years B.P., the admixture of cryophilous trees in midland and thermophilous trees in south seems to imply the latitudinal divisions of vegetation and climate. The presence of cultivated rice pollen as well as non-arboreal pollen and spores indicates an increased rate of deforestation. From 1,400 years B.P., there was a sharp decrease in the representation of temperate trees, but the presence of the cryophilous genera Abies and pinus (Haploxylon) is noticea-ble and might be related to the occurrence of Little Ice Age. Fossil pollen diagram from western Korea and eastern Korea since 6,250 and 10,000 yeats B.P., respectively have enabled to compare vegetational dis-tribution patterns and changes in the Holocene period. In western Korea, Alnus- dominated vegetation continued from 6,250 to 1,500 years B.P., but pinus took over Alnus from 1,500 years B.P. In eastern Korea, however, Quercus and pinus dominated from 10,000 to 2,000 years B.P., but pinus be-came predominant from 2,000 years B.P. On a time- spatial basis, different vegetational distribution pattern can be recognised between western and east-ern Korea. The use of seven historical records which is unique to Korea also enabled to reconstruct the distributional pattern and temporal change of vegetation from 1425 to 1928.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.71-79
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• 2010

The influence of fines of the frost susceptibility of subgrade soils were established by laboratory freezing system test simulating closely the thermal conditions in the field. During the winter season, the climate is heavily influenced by the cold and dry continental high pressure. Because of siberian air mass, the temperature of January is $-6{\sim}-7^{\circ}C$ on average. This chilly weather generate the frost heaving by freezing the moisture of soil and damage potential of the road structure. In the freezing soil, the ice lenses increase the freeze portion of soil by absorbing the ground water with capillary action. However, the capillary characteristics differ from the sort of soil on the state of freezing condition. In the current design codes for anti-freezing layer, the thickness of anti freezing layer is calculated by freezing depth against the temperature condition. Therefore, they have a tendency of over-design and uniform thickness without the considerations of thermal stability, bearing capacity and frost susceptibility of materials. So, it is essential for studying the appropriateness and bearing capacity besides the seasonal and mechanical properties of pavement materials to take a appropriate and reasonable design of the road structure. In this Paper, the evaluation of frost susceptibility was conducted by means of the mechanical property test and laboratory freezing system apparatus. The temperature, heaving amount, heaving pressure and unfrozen water contents of soil samples, the subgrade soils of highway construction site, were measured to determine the frost susceptibility.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.235-246
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• 2011

Sea level fluctuations during the Holocene reconstructed by the results of age dating, microfossils researches and sedimentary facies from coastal alluvial plains contain the valuable informations on climatic changes. The sea level during 'maximum phase of transgression' during 6,000~5,000 yr BP was slightly higher than the present by approximately 0.8~1.0 m and the summer temperature conditions seemed to be higher than those of the present by 2~3℃ in the Central Europe when the period of 'Climatic Optimum' might be dominant. The sea level in Korean Peninsula was assumed by 0.8~1.0 m higher at that time compared to the present and climate seemed to be warmer. At 2,000~1,800 yr BP in Korean Peninsula, the sea level reached the higher stand than the present by approximately 1.1~1.3 m and the climatic conditions might be warm similar to the period of 'Climatic Optimum'. Although the temperature in the Central Europe during the period of 'Subboreal' was about 2~3℃ cooler, it is supposed that the sea level in Korean Peninsula was relatively higher than the present. The sea level at 2,300 yr BP might be similar to that of the present, which was the lowest level since the mid-Holocene. From the fact, climatic environment during the cold period might not be reflected exactly in the sea level.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.168-177
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• 2007

By using DEM and digital actual vegetation map with MGE GIS software program, topographic features (altitude, slope, latitude, etc.) quantitatively were analysed and their data integrated as the index of climatic conditions (WI, CI, air temperature, etc.) in South Korea. Warmth Index (WI) decreases $5.27^{\circ}C{\cdot}month$ with latitudinal $1^{\circ} degree, and $3.41^{\circ}C{\cdot}month$ with attitudinal 100 m increase. The relationship between CI and WI values is expressed as a linear regression, $WI=116.01+0.96{\times}CI,\;R^2=0.996$. The distributional peaks of different plant communities along Warmth Index gradient showed the sequence of Abies nephrolepis, Taxus cuspidata, Abies koreana, Quercus mongolica, Carpinus laxiflora, Q. dentata, C. tschonoskii, Q. serrate, Pinus densiflora, Q. aliena, Q. variabilis, Q. acutissima, P. thunbergii, Q. acute, Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii, Camellia japonica, Machilus thunbergii community from lower to higher values. The Quercus mongolica forest occurred frequently on E-NW and SE slope aspect within WI $70{\sim}80^{\circ}C{\cdot}month$ optimal range at mesic sites, NW and SE slope than xeric sites S and SW slope. The Q. serrata forest showed the most distributional frequency in NW and W slope aspect within WI $90{\sim}100^{\circ}C{\cdot}month$ range, Q. variabilis and Q. acutissima forest showed the high frequency of distribution in SE slope in WI $95{\sim}100^{\circ}C{\cdot}month$ range. By the slope gradient analysis, five groups were found: 1. Abies nephrolepis, Machilus thunbergii, 2. Taxus cuspidata, Abies koreana, Quercus mongolica, Q. dentata, Q. serrata, Q. variabilis, Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii 3. Pinus densiflora, Q. aliena, Q. acutissima, P. thunbergii, Q. acuta 4. Carpinus laxiflora, Camellia japonica 5. C. tschonoskii from steep slope to gentle slope sequence.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.41-51
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• 1999

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of local climatic conditions on the annual increment of Korean white pine planted in Gapyung and Yaungdong. For this, stand variables such as mean DBH, mean height, basal area per hectare, and volume per hectare by stand age were measured and summarized for each locality. Based on these statistics, annual increments for 8 years from stand age 10 to 18 were calculated for each of stand variables. A topoclimatological technique which makes use of empirical relationships between the topography and the weather in study sites was applied to produce normal estimates of monthly mean, maximum, minimum temperatures, relative humidity, precipitation, and hours of sunshine. Then, the yearly climatic variables from 1990 to 1997 for each study site were derived from the spatial interpolation procedures based on inverse- distance weighting of the observed deviation from the climatic normals at the nearest 11 standard weather stations. From these estimates, 17 weather variables such as warmth index, coldness index, index of aridity etc., which affect the tree growth, were computed on yearly base for each locality. The deviations of measured annual increments from the expected annual increments for 8 years based on yield table of Korean white pine were then correlated with and regressed on the yearly weather variables to examine effects of local climatic conditions on the growth. Gapyung area provides better conditions for the growth of Korean white pine in the early stage than Youngdong area. This indicates that the conditions such as low temperature, high relative humidity, and large amount of precipitation provide favor environment for the early growth of Korean white pine. A ccording to the correlation and regression an analysis using local climatic conditions and annual increments, the growth pattern of Gapyung area corresponds to this tendency. However, it was found that the relationship between annual increments and local climatic conditions in Youngdong area shows different tendency from Gapyung. These results mean that the yearly growth pattern could not sufficiently be explained by climatic conditions with high variance in yearly weather variables. In addition, the poor growth in Youngdong area might not only be affected by climatic conditions, but also by other environmental factors such as site quality.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.88 no.1
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• pp.73-85
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• 1999

This study was conducted to reveal the characteristics of the early growth by locality for Korean white pine planted in Gapyung and Kwangju, Kyunggi-Do and Youngdong, Choongchungbuk-Do. The effects of local climatic conditions as one of environmental factors on the growth were also analyzed. For this, several stand variables such as number of trees survived, mean DBH, mean height, basal area per hectare, and volume per hectare by stand age were measured and summarized for each locality. Based on these statistics, periodic annual increments for 8 years from stand age 10 to 18 were calculated for each of stand variables. A topoclimatological technique, for the estimation of local climatic conditions, which makes use of empirical relationships between the topography and the weather in study areas was applied to produce reasonable estimates of monthly mean, maximum, minimum temperatures, relative humidity, precipitation, and hours of sunshine over remote land area where routine observations are rare. From these monthly estimates, 17 weather variables such as warmth index, coldness index, index of aridity etc. which affect the tree growth, were computed for each locality. The periodic annual increments were then correlated with and regressed on the weather variables to examine effects of local weather conditions on the growth. Gapyung area provided the best conditions for the growth of Korean white pine in the early stage and Kwangju area ranked second. On the other hand, the growth pattern in Youngdong ranked last overall as expected. It is also found that the local growth patterns of Korean white pine in juvenile stage were affected by typical weather conditions. The conditions such as low temperature, high relative humidity, and large amount of precipitation provide favorable environment for the growth of Korean white pine. Especially, the diameter growth, basal area growth, and volume growth are mainly influenced by the amount of precipitation. However, it is proved that the height growth is affected by both the precipitation and temperature.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 1983

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the ecophysiological habitat of natural Sorbus commixta forest at Mt. Seorak. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The Sorbus commixta trees mainly distributed from 900m to 1,500m altitude. In there, the warm index(WI) was about 42$3.2{\times}10^3$ to $9.2{\times}10^3$, cation exchange capacity(CEC) was 13.7 to 19.5mg/100g, N content 0.21 to 0.39%, $P_2O_5$ content was 22.6 to 38.7ppm, and pH value was 5.6 to 5.8 respectively. 4. The upper crown trees in Sorbus commixta communities were Abies nephrolepis, Taxus cuspidata, Betula platyphylla var. japonica, Quercus${\times}$grosseserrata, Acer mono, Prunus sargentii, Carpinus cordata, Tilia amurensis, and the under crown trees were Rhododendron brachycarpum, Acer pseudo-sieboldianum, Thuja olientalis, Corylus heterohpylla, Philadelphus schrenckii, Rhododendron schlippenbachii, Rhododendron mucronulatum, and Magnolia sieboldii. 5. The stand densities were 1,156 trees/ha at 1,160m and 3,600 trees/ha at 1,300m respectively. The coverages by the DBH basal area were 0.37 at 1,160m and 0.31 at 1,300m respectively, and the vegetation coverages by the crown projection area were 2.04 at 1,160m and 1.61 at 1,300m respectively. 6. The light extinction coefficient(k) in Beer-Lambert's law, showed the distance, F(z), from top canopy to aboveground, was 0.17. 7. The water relations parameters of Sorbus commixta shoot were obtained by the pressure chamber technique. The osmotic pressure, ${\pi}_o$, at maximum turgor was -16.2 bar, and VAT pressure was 14.5bar. The osmotic pressure, ${\pi}_p$, at incipient plasmolysis was -19.4bar. The relative water contents at incipient plasmolysis were 83.1% ($v_p/v_o$) and 87.1%($v_p/w_s$;$w_s$, total water at maximum turgor). 8. The bulk modulus of elasticity(E) of shoot was about 69.6. The total symplasmic water to total water in shoot was 67.7%, and the apoplastic water to total water was 32.3%.