• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.2
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• pp.248-257
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• 2014

The objectives of this study were to identify the root plate dimension of wind-uprooted trees and to analyze the relationship among wind direction, aboveground and belowground properties of the trees. The root plates of 77 Japanese larches (Larix kaempferi) and 24 Korean pines (Pinus koraiensis), which were uprooted by a typhoon in 2012, in the Taehwa Experimental Forest of Seoul National University, Korea, were investigated. The results showed the root plate shape could be assumed to be an oval or a circle in above view, and half an ellipse in side view, respectively. Also, the number and surface area of individual roots in root plates were greater in uprooting direction than in non-uprooting direction. The results of correlation analyses between aboveground and belowground properties indicated DBH had more significant correlation with belowground properties than tree height. Finally, simple linear relationships were derived for significantly correlated tree aboveground and belowground properties.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.227-234
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• 2005

From published data of mature forests worldwide, Raich and Nadelhoffer suggested that total belowground carbon allocation (TBCA) could be estimated from the difference between annual rates of soil respiration and aboveground litterfall. Here we analyze new measurements of IRGA-based soil respiration and litterfall of natural mature oak forests dominated by Quercus mongolica in Korea. Rates of in situ soil respiration and aboveground litter production are highly and positively correlated. Our results disagree with the Raich and Nadelhoffer model far world forests. A regression analysis of the data from Q. mongolica forests produced the following relationship: annual soil respiration : 141 + 2.08 ${\times}$ annual litterfall. The least squares regression line has a more gentle slope (2.08) than the slope (2.92) described by Raich and Nedelhoffer for mature forests worldwide. The regression slope of our study indicates that, on average, soil respiration is about two times the aboveground litterfall-C, which further implies that TBCA is similar with annual aboveground litterfall-C at natural Q. mongolica forests in Korea. The non-zero Y-intercept (141) of the regression indicates that TBCA may be greater than litterfall-C where litterfall rate are relativery low. Over a gradient of litterfall-C ranging from 200-370 g C $m^{-2}yr^{-l}$, TBCA increased from 350-530 g C $m^{-2}yr^{-l}$.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.57-66
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• 2001

The floating islands have been constructed for the water quality improvement and the biodiversity conservation in an disturbed aquatic ecosystem. We made floating islands consisted of a special float and substrates of coconut fibers implanted with four emergent macrophytes such as Phragmites australis, Zizania latifolia, Iris pseudoacorus, Typha angustifolia. Vegetation structure and plant growth were compared between on the floating islands and on ground in order to select suitable plants for the construction of floating islands. Emergent-macrophytic vegetation on the floating islands showed lower coverages and higher plant biodiversity due to natural introduction of various hydrophytes and hygrophytes. Shoot density was increased on floating islands except for Zizania latifolia. From the point of coverage and density of plants, Phragmites australis and Iris pseudoacorus were suitable for floating islands. Total biomass of emergent macrophytes was decreased on the floating islands. The belowground/aboveground biomass ratio of floating islands was higher than that of the ground. Out of planted macrophytes, Iris pseudoacorus with a high belowground/aboveground biomass ratio could be evaluated a suitable plant for the floating islands because a plenty of its root is profitable to adapt with the nutrient-limited environment of floating islands.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.453-460
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• 2020

Bolboschoenus planiculmis is an important prey species for winter migratory birds in the Nakdong River Estuary region, but its population has declined in the last decade due to a physio-chemical shift. To identify the growth and development characteristics of B. planiculmis, we carried out an experimental survey on the aboveground and belowground sections of B. planiculmis specimens in the Eulsuk tidal flat from April to September 2019. We divided the belowground area into two groups: a vegetation group in which B. planiculmis exists and a non-vegetation group in which B. planiculmis does not exist and measured the rate of tubers. We observed a 45% appearance frequency in the vegetation group and only a 5% frequency in the non-vegetation group, indicating that there were no supplies for plant growth. The mean density, length, and biomass of B. planiculmis aboveground were 166.90±149.62 n m^-2, 44.39±5.45 cm, and 67.63±54.46 g DW m^-2, respectively, which was approximately half of those obtained from the study in the Eulsuk tidal flat in 2002. Tuber number was the highest in the 15~25 cm deep layer(41.50%). The mean number of total tubers belowground was related to different sediment conditions(FS: flat surface, DS: disturbed surface) 251.75±16.86 n pot^-1 for FS and 171.00±25.18 n pot^-1 for DS, which was significantly different(total tubers: p<0.005). The mean biomass of B. planiculmis above-ground was 21.11±1.60 g DW pot^-1 for FS and 15.41±1.38 g DW pot^-1 for DS, which was significantly different(p<0.05). This research provides primary materials for the restoration of the Nakdong River Estuary, wintering sites for migratory birds, and protection of B. planiculmis.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.94 no.3 s.160
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• pp.161-167
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• 2005

Above and belowground biomass for Phyllostachys pubescens was determined in Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do. Regression analyses of dry weights of culms, foliages, and twigs versus diameter at breast height were used to calculate regression equations of the form of log Y = a + blogX. Total aboveground biomass for Phyllostachys pubescens was 69.7 ton/ha and rhizomes and roots biomass were 13.7 ton/ha and 7.5 ton/ha, respectively. Culms account for about 60% of total aboveground biomass. The aboveground biomass of each component was decreased in the order of culms>foliages>twigs. As diameter at breast height grew thicker, the proportion of culms to total aboveground biomass increased. The proportion of dry weight of culms to green weight gradually increased with height in a bamboo tree and ages. Nutrients (kg/ha) of litter layer were distributed as follows: N(45.1), Ca(17.3), K(6.1), Mg(3.6), P(3.5) and Na(0.7). Nitrogen and K were given much weight in total nutrients of rhizomes and roots. These results will be useful in measuring carbon stock and drawing up management plan to increase it for Phyllostachys pubescens stand.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.567-579
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• 2011

Scirpus planiculmis is one of the most dominant species found in the Nakdong River estuary. In order to understand the recent changes in S. planiculmis and the environmental characteristics of the estuary, from 2005 to 2010, an analysis of the density, total dry biomass, tuber biomass, and distribution pattern of S. planiculmis as well as an analysis of the temperature, salinity, precipitation, barrage discharge, and soil texture of the estuary were conducted. In 2006, the density ranged from 10.1 to $87.6no./m^2$, but in 2009, it ranged from 0.4 to $2.2no./m^2$ in 2009 and drastic reductions were observed throughout the sampled areas in the Nakdong river estuary. In 2010, S. planiculmis was observed on the tidal flats of Myungji and Mangummerydeung, at a density of $18.3{\pm}7.7no./m^2$ and $17.5{\pm}20.7no./m^2$, respectively. Hence, S. planiculmis is considered to be in a recovery phase. The aboveground/belowground ratio reduced from $4.54{\pm}0.70$ in 2005 to $1.91{\pm}0.35$ in 2009, clearly showing a large decrease in the biomass amount of the aboveground than of the belowground. Tubers were distributed in the soil, with only 36.0% at the 0~15 cm depth but 64.0% at the 15~30 cm depth. Apparently, tubers were more likely to be found at 15~30 cm below the soil in the Nakdong River estuary. A drastic reduction in the S. planiculmis biomass in 2009 is possibly due to the high salinity in S. planiculmis habitats.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.259-267
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• 2012

Biomass changes, net primary production and transfer dynamics of dry matter in four subtropical humid montane grasslands at Ebbenadu, Korakundah, Thiashola and Wenlockdown in Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR), the Western Ghats, India, were investigated. Despite the early report of a higher density and dominance of $C_4$ species over $C_3$ species in these grasslands, no functional study of matter production had previously been carried out. Therefore, in order to determine the roles played by these two groups of species, the present study was attempted. The study revealed that the dry matter and net primary production contributed by $C_4$ species were much greater than those of its $C_3$ counterpart in all the grasslands. The turnover rate of aboveground dry matter for both $C_3$ and $C_4$ species was generally rapid, whereas it was slow for belowground parts, and litter components of $C_3$ and $C_4$ species together. In all grasslands, generally about 60% and 10% of the input were channeled to aboveground and belowground parts, respectively, by the $C_4$ species, whereas the $C_3$ species transferred only about 22% and 8% of dry matter to aboveground and belowground parts, respectively. The total disappearance of dry matter was 2.73, 2.10, 3.19, and $1.96\;g\;m^{-2}\;day^{-1}$ in Ebbenadu, Korakundah, Thiashola and Wenlockdown grasslands, which was 48.83%, 44.30%, 54.81%, and 41.09% of the total input, respectively, in these grasslands. This resulted in a considerable surplus dry matter production in all the grasslands studied. This balance sheet of dry matter in community function indicates that all the four studied grasslands were supporting the existing wild animals adequately in terms of pasture supply. The study further revealed that the stronger establishment of $C_4$ species rather than their $C_3$ counterparts, in terms of higher density and dominance, has driven them to play major roles in matter dynamics and system transfer functions in all the four grasslands studied. This fact evidenced that pasture from $C_4$ species for wild animals was determined to be higher in comparison to that of $C_3$ species.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.177-184
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• 2014

This study was conducted to develop allometric equations and to determine the stem density and biomass expansion factor (BEF) for the estimation of the aboveground and belowground biomass of Cryptomeria japonica in Jeju Island, Korea. A total of 18 trees were harvested from the 40-year-old C. japonica stands in Hannam experimental forest, Jeju Island. The mean biomass of the C. japonica was $50.4Mg\;ha^{-1}$ in stem wood, $23.1Mg\;ha^{-1}$ in root, $9.6Mg\;ha^{-1}$ in branch, $4.6Mg\;ha^{-1}$ in needle and $4.3Mg\;ha^{-1}$ in stem bark. The diameter at breast height (DBH) was selected as independent variable for the development of allometric equations. To evaluate the performance of these equations, coefficient of determination ($R^2$) and root mean square error (RMSE) were used and results of the evaluation showed that $R^2$ ranged from 71% (root biomass equation) to 96% (aboveground biomass equation) and the RMSE ranged from 0.10 (aboveground biomass equation) to 0.33 (root biomass equation). The mean stem density of C. japonica was $0.37g\;cm^{-3}$ and the mean aboveground BEF was $1.28g\;g^{-1}$. Furthermore, the ratio of the root biomass to aboveground biomass was 0.32.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.597-601
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• 2010

Quercus dentata (Thunb. ex Murray) is a major tree found in dry habitats such as limestone areas of Korea. In order to characterize the ecological traits of Q. dentata, we treated Q. dentata saplings under four gradient levels of major environment factors such as light, soil moisture and nutrients for 5 months in a glass house. We then measured and analyzed growth differences among them. Regarding light, aboveground, belowground and plant biomass were highest at a high gradient and lowest at a low one. The root/shoot ratio was highest at the highest light gradient. Regarding moisture, no measured items were significantly affected by the moisture gradient. Regarding nutrients, aboveground, belowground and plant biomass were the highest at a slightly high gradient and the lowest at a gradient lower or higher than this. The root/shoot ratio was not significantly affected by the nutrient gradient. From these results, it was shown that the growth of Q. dentata was more affected by light and nutrients in the environment than moisture.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.425-436
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• 2015

The carbon cycle came into the spotlight due to the climate change and forests are well-known for their capacity to store carbon amongst other terrestrial ecosystems. The annual organic carbon of litter production, forest floor litter layer, soil, aboveground and belowground part of plant, standing biomass, net primary production, uptake of organic carbon, soil respiration, etc. were measured in Mt. Worak in order to understand the production and carbon budget of Quercus serrata forest that are widely spread in the central and southern part of the Korean Peninsula. The total amount of organic carbon of Q. serrata forest during the study period (2010-2013) was 130.745 ton C ha^-1. The aboveground part of plant, belowground part of plant, forest floor litter layer, and organic carbon in soil was 50.041, 12.510, 4.075, and 64.119 ton C ha^-1, respectively. The total average of carbon fixation in plants from photosynthesis was 4.935 ton C ha^-1 yr^-1 and organic carbon released from soil respiration to microbial respiration was 3.972 ton C ha^-1 yr^-1. As a result, the net ecosystem production of Q. serrata forest estimated from carbon fixation and soil respiration was 0.963 ton C ha^-1 yr^-1. Therefore, it seems that Q. serrata forest can act as a sink that absorbs carbon from the atmosphere. The carbon uptake of Q. serrata forest was highest in stem of the plant and the research site had young forest which had many trees with small diameter at breast height (DBH). Consequentially, it seems that active matter production and vigorous carbon dioxide assimilation occurred in Q. serrata forest and these results have proven to be effective for Q. serrata forest to play a role as carbon storage and NEP.