• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.566-573
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• 2014

Decay rate and nutrient dynamics during leaf litter decomposition of deciduous broad leaf Quercus mongolica and evergreen needle leaf Pinus densiflora were investigated for 69 months from December 2005 to September 2011 in Mt. Worak National Park as a part of National Long-Term Ecological Research Program in Korea. Percent remaining weight of Q. mongolica and P. densiflora leaf litter after 69 months elapsed was $35.4{\pm}2.3%$ and $16.1{\pm}1.3%$, respectively. Decomposition of P. densiflora leaf litter was significantly faster than that of Q. mongolica leaf litter. Decay constant (k) of Q. mongolica and P. densiflora leaf litter after 69 months elapsed was 5.97 and 10.50, respectively. Initial C/N and C/P ratio of Q. mongolica leaf litter was 43.1 and 543.9 respectively. After 69 months elapsed, C/N and C/P ratio of decomposing Q. mongolica leaf litter decreased to 8.7 and 141.2, respectively. Initial C/N and C/P ratio of P. densiflora leaf litter was 151.2 and 391.4, respectively. After 69 months elapsed, C/N and C/P ratio of decomposing P. densiflora leaf litter decreased to 22.9. and 136.5. respectively. Initial concentration of N, P, K, Ca and Mg in leaf litter was 9.30, 0.23, 2.36, 3.14, 1.11 mg/g in Q. mongolica, and 3.02, 0.09, 1.00, 3.84, 0.62 mg/g in P. densiflora, respectively. Initial concentration of N and P in Q. mongolica leaf litter was significantly higher than those in P. densiflora. After 69 months elapsed, remaining N, P, K, Ca and Mg in decomposing leaf litter were 73.8, 60.9, 17.2, 20.3, 35.1 % in Q. mongolica, and 69.5, 75.3, 12.3, 10.9, 10.8 % in P. densiflora, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.43-52
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• 2017

This study was fulfilled to verify the durations of cambial activity and analyze the associations of degree days and precipitation with the initiation of cambial activity and intra-annual wood formation for Pinus koraiensis and Chamaecyparis pisifera planted at Mt. Worak, respectively, by monitoring of their intra-annual cambial activities. And more, the reason was also analyzed why the DBH of Chamaecyparis pisifera known as planted in the same year could be classified as two groups (CPL: ${\phi}30cm$, CPS: ${\phi}15cm$). The intra-annual cambial activity was monitored using mini-cores (${\phi}2mm$) and they were collected in 2-week interval between April and October. However, between April and May and between middle September and October expected as the initiation and cessation of the cambial activity, respectively, it was fulfilled in 1-week interval. The average number of tree rings for PK (30) was less than CPS (37) and CPL (38), whereas the average ring width of PK (4.12 mm) was wider than CPS (1.84 mm) and CPL (3.97 mm). In the comparison of ring widths between CPL and CPS, CPL was 2.13 mm wider than CPS, however, excepting CPS 1 (0.83 mm), the average ring widths of CPS 2 (2.42 mm) and CPS 3 (2.73 mm) in the last 3 years were close to the average of CPL (2.71 mm). The initiation of cambial activity for PK was between 1 and 21 April, which was 1 week earlier than CPL and CPS (excepting CPS 1) and the cessation was between 1 and 22 September. The longest growing season therefore was 157.3 days (${\pm}3.3$) and it was longer than CPL ($145.7{\pm}6.6days$) and CPS ($148.0{\pm}15.1days$). In CP groups there were wide variations for the cessation of cambial activity and also there were the meaningful linear relationship between the growing seasons and the ring widths (r = 0.69, p < 0.064). The cambial activity in PK was initiated when degree days were between 99 and 134 and in CPS (excepting PCS 1) and CPL between 134 and 200. Excepting CPS 3, the false ring was observed in all samples collected on 21 July when drought stress was high due to low precipitation from June to the beginning of July.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.561-570
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• 2013

Organic carbon distribution and carbon budget of a Pinus densiflora forest in the Songgye valley of Mt. Worak National Park were investigated. Carbon in above and below ground standing biomass, litter layer, and soil organic carbon were measured from May 2011 through April 2012. For the estimation of carbon budget, soil respiration was measured. The amount of carbon allocated to above and below ground biomass was 52.25 and 14.52 ton C $ha^{-1}$. Amount of organic carbon in annual litterfall was 4.71 ton C $ha^{-1}$. Amount of organic carbon within 50cm soil depth was 58.56 ton C $ha^{-1}$ 50cm-$depth^{-1}$. Total amount of organic carbon in this Pinus densiflora forest was estimated to 130.04 ton C $ha^{-1}$. Amount of organic carbon in tree layer, shrub and herb layer was 4.12, 0.10 and 0.04 ton C $ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$ and total amount of organic carbon was 4.26 ton C $ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$. Amount of organic carbon returned to the forest via litterfall was 1.62 ton C $ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$. The amount of carbon evolved through soil respiration was 6.25 ton C $ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$. The amount of carbon evolved through microbial respiration and root respiration was 3.19 and 3.06 ton C $ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$. The amount of organic carbon absorbed from the atmosphere of this Pinus densiflora forest was 1.07 ton C $ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$ when it was estimated from the difference between Net Primary Production and microbial respiration.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2000

To analyze the relationship between climatic factors (monthly temperatures and precipitations) and the radial growths or Pinus densiflora with different topographical settings in Worak National Park, Korea, 20 stands were chosen and 10 trees were selected from each stand. After crossdating, each ring-width series was double detrended (standardized) by fitting first a negative exponential or straight regression line and secondly a 60-year cubic spline. The growth patterns coud be categorized by four groups using cluster analysis. Cluster Ⅰ stand has north aspect, but others have south or southwest aspects. Cluster Ⅰ (one), cluster Ⅱ (ten), and cluster Ⅲ (two) stands are located in lower. elevation (305∼580 m), however, cluster Ⅳ (seven) stands are located in higher elevation, mostly in 560～870 m. Cluster Ⅱ and Ⅲ stands are located at similar elevation with the same aspect, however, cluster Ⅱ stands are located on more rocky and stiff slope with shallow soil depth. The response functions were used to examine the difference in the relationships between climatic factors and tree growths among the 4 cluster chronologies. The climatic factors are not limiting the growth in the cluster Ⅰ stand as highly as in other cluster plots because of rather mesic conditions in the north slope. The precipitation in the spring appears to be the main limiting factor in the cluster Ⅱ stands. The topographical characteristics of the sites of cluster Ⅱ, shallow soil depths on the rocky slope in the south aspect at lower elevation, may enhance the sensitivity of growth to moisture stress. In cluster Ⅲ and cluster Ⅳ, winter and spring temperature prior to the growth become more important than for cluster Ⅱ. This pattern is com-mon for Pinus densiflora trees growing in higher. elevation (equation omitted 800 m) in South Korea. It nay be re-lated with preconditioning effects of temperature as the temperature decreases with increasing elevation (cluster Ⅳ) or in the valley (cluster Ⅲ). The results obtained by tree-ring analysis were digitalized by GIS and spatio-temporal information on tree-ring data and topographic setting were analyzed and displayed simultaneously. The results of this study can be used to predict the future change of Pinus densiflora ecosystem to climate change expected in central Korea.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.105 no.3
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• pp.309-314
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• 2016

A locally adapted plant population under harsh environmental changes might survive for a long generation through maintaining proper level of genetic diversity. When it happens losing the genetic diversity too much fast, the population could be declining and probably become extinct. An isolated small population of Populus davidiana was investigated to study out the genetic diversity and the fine-scale spatial genetic structure. The estimated number of adult trees in the population of Mt. Worak, South Korea, was 350 in the total area of $14,000m^2$. The number of adults in a study plot ($70m{\times}70m$) was 123. The average age was 16-year-old and a 32-year-old tree was the oldest. The distribution of individuals was slightly aggregated in the plot. Sixty-one among the 123 individuals were randomly sampled to estimate genetic variation using AFLP markers. One hundred fifty-one (77%) of total 196 amplicons were polymorphic from six AFLP primer combinations. The average number of loci per primer combination was 32.7 (S.D.=7.2). Expected heterozygosity ($H_e$) and Shannon's diversity index (S.I.) were 0.154 and 0.254, respectively. These values were extremely lower than those of other P. davidiana populations in South Korea. Genetic patchiness was showed within 21 meters by spatial autocorrelation analysis and the isolated small size of population might be mainly attributed to the formation of such small patch size.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2000

The pattern of gap regeneration and vegetational changes were carried out in gaps with different ages and in an intact forest in a Quercus mongolica (mongolian oak) stand located at Munsubong of Mt. Worak. In the early stage of gap formation, Lespedeza maximowiczii, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, Tripterygium regelii, Quercus mongolica, and Stephanadra incisa were dominants in shrub layers. The numbers of shrubs with smaller diameters at ground surface were abundant in the early stage of gap formation. On the other hand, as gap age increased, the number of individuals of Quercus mongolica and Fraxinus rhynchophylla forming tall tree layer decreased. However the diameter at ground surface of Quercus mongolica and Fraxinus rhynchophylla increased. There were few young Quercus mongolica, but those over 130 years old appeared in mature Quercus mongolica stands. The last regeneration episode ended about 130 years ago and the new one started 40 years ago in this study site. Considering the presence of Quercus mongolica below 40 years old in gap and the absence of Quercus mongolica from 40 to 130 years old in closed stand, it is concluded that Quercus mongilica forest is maintained by discontinued regeneration.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2018

The litter production, the nutrient concentration of each component of litterfall, and the amounts of nutrient into the forest floor via litterfall were assessed for 5 years from January 2009 through December 2013 in a Pinus densiflora forest in Mt. Worak National Park. The average amounts of leaf litter, branch and bark, reproductive organs(flowers and cones), and miscellaneous categories for 5 years were $1.940{\pm}0.21$, $0.505{\pm}0.15$, $0.259{\pm}0.09$, and $0.737{\pm}0.14t\;ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$, respectively. The average percentage of leaf litter, branch and bark, reproductive organs and miscellaneous categories for 5 years were 56.4, 14.7, 7.5, and 21.4%, respectively. The amounts of total litterfall in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 were 2.810, 3.796, 3.268, 3.284, and $4.045ton\;ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$, respectively. The average amounts of litterfall for 5 years were $3.441{\pm}0.4ton\;ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$. The average amounts of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg returned to the forest floor via litterfall for 5 years in this Pinus densiflora forest were $22.73{\pm}4.92$, $1.05{\pm}0.42$, $4.26{\pm}1.69$, $8.48{\pm}4.62$, and $2.42{\pm}1.01kg\;ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$, respectively.