• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.105 no.1
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• pp.132-138
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• 2016

The objectives of this study were to infer the parameters of forest stand growth functions of STEMS for Cryptomeria japonica stands of Jeju Hannam Experimental Forest, Korea Forest Research Institute, and to investigate the effects of thinning regimes on the patterns of stand growth and carbon absorption. The forest stand growth functions for the potential diameter growth, modifier, crown ratio and mortality are the major ones composing the independent-tree/distance-free forest stand growth simulator, STEMS. The parameters were inferred using the sets of growth data obtained from stem analyses of 39 trees, chosen from 13 sample plots of the forest stands. The effects of thinning regimes on the patterns of stand growth and carbon absorption were investigated by simulating the stand growth patterns of the case study stand with 3 different thinning regimes: no-thinning, early thinning with low intensity and late thinning with high intensity using the simulator. According to the results of the analyses, the different thinning regimes cause significant effects on the growth patterns of average DBH, average height, diameter distribution and stand volume as well as the amount of carbon absorptions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.96 no.6
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• pp.742-749
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• 2007

The objective of this study was to develop thinning effect analysis model (TEAM) using individual-tree distance-independent growth model of Pinus koraiensis Stands. The TEAM was designed to analyze thinning effects associated with such thinning prescriptions as the number, timing, intensity, and method of thinnings. To testing TEAM application, stand growth effects were compared with seven scenarios according to thinning prescription plan. In the results, it was possible to estimate the number of trees, height, volume with diameter (DBH) class of individual trees, and average diameter growth, height growth, the number of trees and volume growth per ha of stands. The result of sensitivity analysis on one Pinus koraiensis stand, it was not sure to expect the much more volume at the rotation age by stand density control applying thinning prescription. In the case of thinning, total yield volume has much more $40{\sim}75m^3$ per ha, within 5 cm in average diameter growth and within 1 m in average height growth than thats of non-thinning over increasing stand age. TEAM, as decision making support system, can be used for selecting the thinning prescription trial and determining one of some thinning prescription plan in different site specific stand environments.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.298-310
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• 2020

Fuel management can play enormous role in fire management in tropical dry forests. However, unlike the temperate forests, knowledge on implications of different fuel management methods in tropical forests is often inadequate. In this study, the implications of prescribed burning and hand thinning treatments on implementation cost, fuel loading and post-treatment fire behaviour were tested and compared in degraded forests and teak plantations in two forest reserves of different levels of dryness in Ghana. The study found that prescribed burning was less expensive (62.02 US Dollars ha-1) than hand thinning (95.37 US Dollars ha-1). The study also indicated that the two fuel management methods were able to reduce fuel loading in degraded forests and teak plantations. However, prescribed burning was more effective in reducing fuel loading than hand thinning. While the relative change of fuel reduction was 13% higher in prescribed burning than the hand thinning in degraded forest, it was 41% higher in prescribed burning than hand thinning in teak plantations. The fire behaviour of post-treatment experimental fire was also lower in prescribed burning than the hand thinning and control plots. Fuel management, therefore, has a great potential in fire management in degraded forests and teak plantations in Ghana.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.104 no.4
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• pp.527-535
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• 2015

With results from previous Korean studies on forest thinning, we conducted a meta-analysis on the effect of thinning on diameter at breast height (DBH) growth and carbon (C) stocks (tree, litter layer, coarse woody debris (CWD), and soils) in Korean forests. Thinning increased the DBH growth and the C stocks in soils by 39.2% and 12.8%, respectively, while it decreased the C stocks in tree by 30.9%. In contrast, thinning had no significant effect on the C stocks in litter layer and CWD. The DBH growth and the C stocks in tree showed significant correlations with thinning intensity and recovery time. The C stocks in litter layer correlated with recovery time while those in CWD and soils did not show significant correlation neither with thinning intensity nor with recovery time. Regression models of the DBH growth and the C stocks in tree were developed to quantify the effect of thinning intensity and recovery time. An integration of the regression model of the tree C stock into forest carbon models is expected to be essential to quantify the effect of thinning on the C stocks in litter layer, CWD, and soils. We also suggested expansion of study species, long-term and frequent monitoring, and investigation on understory vegetation in order to elucidate changes in Korean forests following thinning practices.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.629-638
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• 2021

Background and objective: This study was conducted to develop diameter growth models for thinned Quercus glauca Thunb. (QGT) stands to inform production goals for treatment and provide the information necessary for the systematic management of this stands. Methods: This study was conducted on QGT stands, of which initial thinning was completed in 2013 to develop a treatment system. To analyze the tree growth and trait response for each thinning treatment, forestry surveys were conducted in 2014 and 2021, and a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was executed. In addition, non-linear least squares regression of the PROC NLIN procedure was used to develop an optimal diameter growth model. Results: Based on growth and trait analyses, the height and height-to-diameter (H/D) ratio were not different according to treatment plot (p > .05). For the diameter of basal height (DBH), the heavy thinning (HT) treatment plot was significantly larger than the control plot (p < .05). As a result of the development of diameter growth models by treatment plot, the mean squared error (MSE) of the Gompertz polymorphic equation (control: 2.2381, light thinning: 0.8478, and heavy thinning: 0.8679) was the lowest in all treatment plots, and the Shapiro-Wilk statistic was found to follow a normal distribution (p > .95), so it was selected as an equation fit for the diameter growth model. Conclusion: The findings of this study provide basic data for the systematic management of Quercus glauca Thunb. stands. It is necessary to construct permanent sample plots (PSP) that consider stand status, location conditions, and climatic environments.

• 한국방재학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.02a
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• pp.719-722
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• 2008

Forest management is done to keep ecological health of forest and to enhancement of its function. Nowadays, the abnormal climate and heavy rain happen frequently. Therefore, there are opinions that the thinning slash allowed in the mountain is flowed in rivers, which can influence in flood damage. This study, we grasp moving characteristics of thinning slash through field survey and achieved basic study about the effect of thinning slash on the discharge capacity of rivers and stream structure.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.195-202
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• 2023

In this study, we sought to compare and evaluate the accuracy and predictive performance of machine learning algorithms for estimating the growth of individual Larix kaempferi trees in Gangwon Province, Korea. We employed linear regression, random forest, XGBoost, and LightGBM algorithms to predict tree growth using monitoring data organized based on different thinning intensities. Furthermore, we compared and evaluated the goodness-of-fit of these models using metrics such as the coefficient of determination (R²), mean absolute error (MAE), and root mean square error (RMSE). The results revealed that XGBoost provided the highest goodness-of-fit, with an R² value of 0.62 across all thinning intensities, while also yielding the lowest values for MAE and RMSE, thereby indicating the best model fit. When predicting the growth volume of individual trees after 3 years using the XGBoost model, the agreement was exceptionally high, reaching approximately 97% for all stand sites in accordance with the different thinning intensities. Notably, in non-thinned plots, the predicted volumes were approximately 2.1 m³ lower than the actual volumes; however, the agreement remained highly accurate at approximately 99.5%. These findings will contribute to the development of growth prediction models for individual trees using machine learning algorithms.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.101 no.2
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• pp.266-278
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• 2012

The objective of this study was developing dynamic stand growth model to predict diameter at breast height (DBH) growth by thinning intensity and cycle for major tree species of South Korea. The yield table, one of static stand growth models, constructed by Korea Forest Service was employed to prepare dynamic stand growth models for 8 tree species. In the process of model development, the thinning type was designated to thinning from below and equations for predicting the DBH change after thinning by different intensities was generated. In addition, stand density (N/ha), age and site index were adopted as explanatory variables for DBH prediction model. Thereafter, using the model, DBH growth under various silvicuture through integrating such equations considering thinning intensities, and cycles. The dynamic stand growth model of DBH developed in this study can provide understanding of effectiveness in forest growth and growing stock when thinning practice is performed in forest. Furthermore, results of this study is also applicable to quantitatively assess the carbon storage sequestration capability.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.104 no.4
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• pp.536-542
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• 2015

This study was examined for the growth response of tree diameter and volume to thinning treatments from different thinning intensities using three long-term thinning trials for Japanese Evergreen Oak (Quercus acuta Thunb.) stands in Wando island, Korea. After thinning in 1999, annual tree growth of diameter and volume was highest in heavy thinned stands for individual tree and this growth pattern of thinning response showed similar tendency to the individual tree growth response in light thinned stands. By increasing diameter growth, the value of H/D ratio (HDR) as an indicator of stem form was properly decreased and improved up to 80%. Although there is significant growth response of basal area in both heavily and lightly thinned stands, the growth potential both of heavily and lightly thinned stands in total stand volume is not likely to reach at the level of unthinned stands because of basal area growth loss associated with both light and heavy thinnings.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.495-501
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• 2006

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of thinning on soil properties and seed productivity in the 25-year-old Cryptomeria japonica and 30-year-old Chamaecyparis obtusa seed orchards in which thinning had been performed 4 years prior to the study. To this end, soil properties, cone and seed characteristics, seed production (kg/ha), and nutrient contents in seeds and cones were studied by 4 different thinning intensities (0, 20, 40, and 60%). Soil properties were not significantly different between the two orchards. Meanwhile, electric conductivity, total nitrogen, and $K^+$ concentration in the soil of C. obtusa seed orchard were significantly different among 4 different thinning intensities (p<0.05), while only $Ca^{2+}$ concentration in the C. japonica seed orchard was different (p<0.05). In the C. obtusa seed orchard, cone productivity increased with the increase of thinning intensities (p<0.05), whereas that in the C. japonica seed orchard did not show any significant differences. Both of the two seed orchards showed a tendency that seeds become bigger and heavier with the increase of thinning intensities, but any significant differences were not found. Seed production (kg/ha) in the C. obtusa seed orchard significantly increased with the increase of thinning intensities, while that of the C. japonica seed orchard decreased. Nutrient contents in seeds and cones did not show any significant differences among different thinning intensities in both of the two seed orchards.