• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.287-294
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• 2004

Pits and mounds created by windthrow have significant impacts on forest ecosystem. In order to establish initial data base, 80 pits and mounds were sampled and surveyed in 5 fir forests in Nae-Sorak Mountain. Characteristics and forms were surveyed and frequency of tree species appearance were surveyed as well. 4.9％ of surveyed area (0.4 ha) was pits and mounds in El and E2 areas except old areas where survey was done by estimation. E3 area showed the highest proportion, 11.7％ of 0.1 ha of sampling area.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.99 no.5
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• pp.720-725
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• 2010

On the basis of vegetation data in the 9.12 ha (380 m ${\times}$ 240 m) permanent sample plot of the spruce-fir valley forest in Liangshui National Reserve of Xiaoxing'an Mountains, the study was conducted to evaluate spatial distribution pattern and spatial association by using point pattern analysis for living and dead trees of Larix gmelini by DBH size class. The number of L. gmelini were counted as 59 living stems/ha (6.42 $m^2$/ha of basal area) and 34 dead stems/ha (2.86 $m^2$/ha of basal area). The distributional curve of diameter class exhibited bimodal shape. The analysis of spatial distribution patterns of all living larch stems noted the clumped distribution on the whole. The size of larch aggregates of dead stems was decreased as diameter class was increased. The distribution of dead stems became gradually randomized with decreased clumped size as the scale increased. Living stems and dead stems of the larch had positive spatial association at most of scales, illustrating that the occurrence of mortality of the larch tree was closely related to the distribution pattern of living larch trees.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.345-352
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• 2011

We investigated 12 plots using Herles' diversity of structure feature calculation method, which is based on the Shannon-Weaver-Index for estimation of species diversity. This study sought to facilitate a more systematic understanding of the structure of the forest stands in the Korean fir natural forest in Naeseorak. Although the change in the forest structure is dependent on the change in phase, factors of the natural forest were confirmed by associating individual structure features. As shown in the results of diversity of structure features, the diversity of the structure of the fir tree natural forest in Naeseorak was relatively low. The association between species diversity and overall factors (diversity) related with the change in the structure was found to be weak. The association between the number of trees and the diversity of forest structure stands was moderate, showing that the higher the number of trees, the less diverse the forest structure is. In most of the investigated plots, stem volume and volume of dead tree were associated with the height of natural regeneration, but these were not associated with other factors. Height of natural regeneration was found to be correlated to stand density, crown area and crown class, whereas tree height and BHD did not have any association with other factors. Overall, the results of the investigation are helpful in understanding the change in the structure of Korean fir natural forest. Further investigation with more plots is required.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.415-424
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• 1994

Community structure, size and age distribution of tree species of the subalpine Korean fir (Abies koreana) forest at the elevation of 1, 400~1, 700m were strudied in the north-west side of Chonwangbong Peak (1915m) in Mt. Chiri for the purpose of better understanding of the population dynamics of Abies koreana. Eight 20m X 20m permanent quadrats were established in 1991, and trees $\geq$ 2.5cm DBH for all species were marked with numbered aluminum tag, and saplings of Korean fir and Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) were also tagged with aluminum sheet. These two conifer species comprised more than 60% of the total density and total basal area of the community. Quercus mongolica and Acer pseudo-sieboldianum were subdominats. Oridination study showed that cool temperate species such as Sorbus commixta, Betula costata, Acer tschonoskii and Acer ukurunduense occurred in close association with Abies koreana and Pinus koraiensis. Major tree species, especially Abies koreana and Pinus koraiensis, were well represented in samller size classes, indicating that they were regenerating well. Age distributuion of the Abies koreana and Pinus koraiensis showed that the former has longer physiological longevity than the latter, and that establishment were episodic and varied with sites, which implies the importance of the role of natural and artificial disturbances in this Abies kireana forest.

• 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 the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.1-14
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• 2019

With a view to developing a database of death years of Korean firs (Abies koreana) at Yeongsil in Mt. Halla and investigating their abrupt inter-annual growth reduction tree-ring analysis was employed. To this end, 10 living trees (YSL) were selected to establish a master chronology and 20 dead trees were used to date their dead years. To investigate the difference in death years by death types, 10 trees, which remained standing (YSSD) out of the 20 dead trees were selected. The rest 10 dead trees were already fallen (YSFD). Two increment cores per tree at breast height were extracted in contour direction using an increment borer. A 106-year master chronology (1911-2016) was successfully established from the 10 YSLs. Through cross-dating between individual YSSD time series and the master chronology, it was verified that 1 YSSD was dead in summer 1978, 1 YSSD between autumn 1999 and spring 2000, 2 YSSDs in summer 2007, 1 YSSD in summer 2010, 1 YSSD in summer 2012, and 1 YSSD in summer 2013. The youngest tree rings of 2 YSSDs having no bark were in 1977 and 2002. For the YSFDs, it was verified that 1 YSFD was dead between autumn 1997 and spring 1998, 1 YSFD between autumn 2001 and spring 2002, 2 YSFDs between autumn 2009 and spring 2010, 1 YSFD in summer 2010, and 2 YSFDs between autumn 2012 and spring 2013, while the youngest tree rings of 2 YSFDs having no bark were in 1989 and 2004. To note, the death years of two trees, one from each death type (YSSD and YSFD), could not be verified due to poor cross-dating with the master chronology. The inter-annual growth reductions of YSSD and YSFD occurred more frequently and intensively than YSL. Typically, the YSFD showed the most frequent and intensive inter-annual growth reduction. On comparing the inter-annual growth reductions with the corresponding records of typhoons however we could not find any reliable relationship. Finally, from prior reports and results of the current study it can be concluded that the death and abrupt growth reduction of korean fir at Yeongsil in Mt. Halla are not caused by only a certain environmental factor but various factors.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 1999

The relationships between climate (monthly precipitation and temperatures) and tree-ring growth of Korean fir (Abies koreana) growing at subalpine (1,600∼l,700m) zone on the south slope, Joong-Bong and the north slope, Changgun-Bong in the Cheonwang-bong area in Chiri mountains in the southern Korea were analyzed. Two cores from each of 10∼12 trees were extracted. The relationship between tree-ring(standardized) chronologies and climate was analyzed by the response-function method. Climate variables could explain 45.9∼53.8% of total variance in the chronologies. The precipitation response function of Korean fir were similar at both sites in overall ; positive for March∼May and August, and negative for February and July. The south-slope fir of Joong-Bong possessed higher negative temperature response function for February and August than north-slope one. The positive response function for April temperature was significant for both sites. In contrary to other subalpine species (e.g., Pinus koraiensis and Taxus cuspidata) in South Korea, whose growths are positively correlated with temperature in most seasons, the growths of Korean fir trees in Mt. Chiri appeared to be mainly limited by the moisture regime of spring prior to the cambial growth and early growing season.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-28
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• 2019

This study analyzed the density and mortality rate of Korean fir at 9 sites where individuals of Korean firs were marked into the live and dead trees with coordinates on orthorectified aerial images by digital photogrammetric system. As a result of the analysis, Korean fir in each site showed considerable heterogeneity in density and mortality rate depending on the location within site. This make it possible to assume that death of Korean fir can occur by specific factors that vary depending on the location. Based on the analyzed densities and mortality rates of Korea fir, we investigated the correlation between topographic factors such as altitude, terrain slope, drainage network, solar radiation, aspect and the death of Korean fir. The density of Korean fir increases with altitude, and the mortality rate also increases. A negative correlation is found between the terrain slope and the mortality rate, and the mortality rate is higher in the gentle slope where the drainage network is less developed. In addition, it is recognized that depending on the aspect, the mortality rate varies greatly, and the mean solar radiation is higher in live Korean fir-dominant area than in dead Korean fir-dominant area. Overall, the mortality rate of Korean fir in Mt. Halla area is relatively higher in areas with relatively low terrain slope and low solar radiation. Considering the results of previous studies that the terrain slope has a strong negative correlation with soil moisture and the relationship between solar radiation and evaporation, these results lead us to infer that excess soil moisture is the cause of Korean fir mortality. These inferences are supported by a series of climate change phenomena such as precipitation increase, evaporation decrease, and reduced sunshine duration in the Korean peninsula including Jeju Island, increase in mortality rate along with increased precipitation according to the elevation of Mt. Halla and the vegetation change in the mountain. It is expected that the spatial patterns in the density and mortality rate of Korean fir, which are controlled by topography such as altitude, slope, aspect, solar radiation, drainage network, can be used as spatial variables in future numerical modeling studies on the death or decline of Korean fir. In addition, the method of forest distribution survey using the orthorectified aerial images can be widely used as a numerical monitoring technique in long - term vegetation change research.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.96 no.1
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• pp.14-20
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• 2007

In order to examine the differences in antioxidant enzyme activities which represent defence mechanism to stressful environments, and soil properties between healthy and declining (or unhealthy) trees, we selected three sites, Witseorum, Youngsil and Sungpanak (Jindallebat). Antioxidant enzymes including Ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and Glutathione Reductase (GR), forest soil properties including soil texture, soil pH, organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphate, cation exchange capacity, exchangeable cation content and nutrient contents in leaves of Abies koreana (Korean fir) trees were analyzed. There were no significant differences between healthy and declining trees in GR activity. However, seasonal difference in antioxidant enzyme activity was observed. GR activity was lower in June and August than that of September. Soil chemical and physical properties of each site showed a tendency that organic content, total nitrogen content, available phosphorus, cation exchange capacity and cation content were lower at the site of declining trees than the site of healthy trees.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.90 no.4
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• pp.565-572
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• 2001

The spatial genetic structure of Needle fir(Abies holophylla Max.) seedlings on forest gap within a Needle fir forest at Mt. Odae in Korea was analyzed on the basis of ISSR(inter-simple sequence repeats) marker analysis. The gap size was $1,500m^2(50m{\times}30m)$, and we sampled 416 one- or two-year-old seedlings by 2m intervals. Some trees at the upper crown layer except Needle firs and all trees at the middle and lower crown layers were removed, and Needle firs at the upper crown layer showed very weak growth strength or to be withering to death. The results of spatial autocorrelation using 31 polymorphic ISSR markers revealed that it was genetically homogeneous within spatial distance of 15.6m and the randomness of genetic distribution was from 15.6m to 31.2m. The genetic patch size of seedlings in forest gap might be restricted by the density of mother trees, making allow for the average height of adult Needle firs, the seed dispersal area, and the average distance between adults. For the directionality of seedling distribution, we investigated the variography using 'genetic configuration' which was the value of configuration in Multidimensional Scaling by genetic distance. In directional variogram, the increment of spatial distance from East to West direction was inversely proportional to genetic homogeneity. We presumed that this anisotrophy of seedling distribution at this forest gap resulted from the directionality of seed dispersal rather than the difference of fecundity between mother trees or the microhabitat variation, taking the evenness of forest floor condition, a vast seed production and the random distribution of seedlings at the studied site into consideration.