• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.11
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• pp.302-309
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• 2017

Background: Large-scale land-use change is being caused by various socioeconomic problems. Land-use change is necessarily accompanied by changes in the regional carbon balance in terrestrial ecosystems and affects climate change. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the correlation between environmental factors altered by land-use change and the carbon balance. To address this issue, we studied the characteristics of soil carbon flux and soil moisture content related to rainfall events in mountain pastures converted from deciduous forest in Korea. Results: The average soil moisture contents (SMC) during the study period were 23.1% in the soil respiration (SR) plot and 25.2% in the heterotrophic respiration (HR) plot. The average SMC was increased to 2.1 and 1.1% in the SR and HR plots after rainfall events, respectively. In addition, saturated water content was 29.36% in this grassland. The soil water content was saturated under the consistent rainfall of more than $5mm\;h^{-1}$ rather than short-term heavy rainfall event. The average SR was increased to 28.4% after a rainfall event, but the average HR was decreased to 70. 1%. The correlation between soil carbon flux rates and rainfall was lower than other environmental factors. The correlation between SMC and soil carbon flux rates was low. However, HR exhibited a tendency to be decreased when SMC was 24.5%. In addition, the correlation between soil temperature and respiration rate was significant. Conclusions: In a mountain pasture ecosystem, rainfall induced the important change of soil moisture content related to respiration in soil. SR and HR were very sensitive to change of SMC in soil surface layer about 0-10-cm depth. SR was increased by elevation of SMC due to a rainfall event, and the result was assumed from maintaining moderate soil moisture content for respiration in microorganism and plant root. However, HR was decreased in long-time saturated condition of soil moisture content. Root has obviously contributed to high respiration in heavy rainfall, but it was affected to quick depression in respiration under low rainfall. The difference of SMC due to rainfall event was causative of a highly fluctuated soil respiration rate in the same soil temperature condition. Therefore, rainfall factor or SMC are to be considered in predicting the soil carbon flux of grassland ecosystems for future climate change.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.250-257
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• 2020

It is difficult for farmers to select new crops for cultivation to increase income. So we conducted land suitability assessment of grapes with soil and climate information related to crop growth. At first, land suitabilities for grapes were classified into three categories (most suitable, suitable, low productive & not suitable areas) according to soil and climate conditions, respectively. In details, land suitability with respect to soil was assessed by soil morphological and physical properties including soil texture, drainage class, available soil depth, slope and gravel content, whereas one in accordance with climate was evaluated by average annual temperature, temperature during the growing season, temperature during maturation, the lowest temperature, chilling requirement and precipitation during the growing season. Secondly, we combined both soil and climate classification results using a most-limiting characteristic method. Maps showing the suitable land for grapes cultivation were drawn. The results indicate that the most suitable area of cultivation for grapes in south Korea was 3.43% and suitable (possible) area was 10.61%. This study may help to preserve land and increase the productivity through providing valuable information regarding where more suitable areas for grapes are located.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.46-52
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• 2010

The temperature of root zone was known as an important factor for the growth of crops and reduction of energy in greenhouse. The purpose of this study was to design the apposite inflow of calories per the unit area by comparison of temperature in the warmed and non-warmed soil. The energy needed for soil warming about pipe length showed the change of temperature on inflow and outflow as $2^{\circ}C{\sim}3^{\circ}C$(average $2.5^{\circ}C$). Therefore, the inflow per the unit hour was 3,450, 57,5 kcal/$h{\cdot}m^2$ on soil heating respectively. The non-warmed soil temperature in greenhouse made a difference by depth and it was partially affected inner temperature under 15 cm, but it was not above 15 cm. The soil temperature would be raised over $5^{\circ}C$ than non-warmed soil to increase effect of soil warming. Therefore, the inflow per the unit area that should be provided was about 100 kcal/$h{\cdot}m^2$.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.20-29
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• 2018

Background: For various reasons such as agricultural and economical purposes, land-use changes are rapidly increasing not only in Korea but also in the world, leading to shifts in the characteristics of local carbon cycle. Therefore, in order to understand the large-scale ecosystem carbon cycle, it is necessary first to understand vegetation on this local scale. As a result, it is essential to comprehend change of the carbon balance attributed by the land-use changes. In this study, we attempt to understand accumulated soil carbon (ASC) and soil respiration (Rs) related to carbon cycle in two ecosystems, artificially turned forest into pastureland from forest and a native deciduous temperate forest, resulted from different land-use in the same area. Results: Rs were shown typical seasonal changes in the alpine pastureland (AP) and temperate deciduous forest (TDF). The annual average Rs was $160.5mg\;CO_2\;m^{-2}h^{-1}$ in the AP, but it was $405.1mg\;CO_2\;m^{-2}h^{-1}$ in the TDF, indicating that the Rs in the AP was lower about 54% than that in the TDF. Also, ASC in the AP was $124.49Mg\;C\;ha^{-1}$ from litter layer to 30-cm soil depth. The ASC was about $88.9Mg\;C\;ha^{-1}$, and it was 71.5% of that of the AP. The temperature factors in the AP was high about $4^{\circ}C$ on average compared to the TDF. In AP, it was observed high amount of sunlight entering near the soil surface which is related to high soil temperature is due to low canopy structure. This tendency is due to the smaller emission of organic carbon that is accumulated in the soil, which means a higher ASC in the AP compared to the TDF. Conclusions: The artificial transformation of natural ecosystems into different ecosystems is proceeding widely in the world as well as Korea. The change in land-use type is caused to make the different characteristics of carbon cycle and storage in same region. For evaluating and predicting the carbon cycle in the vegetation modified by the human activity, it is necessary to understand the carbon cycle and storage characteristics of natural ecosystems and converted ecosystems. In this study, we studied the characteristics of ecosystem carbon cycle using different forms in the same region. The land-use changes from a TDF to AP leads to changes in dominant vegetation. Removal of canopy increased light and temperature conditions and slightly decreased SMC during the growing season. Also, land-use change led to an increase of ASC and decrease of Rs in AP. In terms of ecosystem carbon sequestration, AP showed a greater amount of carbon stored in the soil due to sustained supply of above-ground liters and lower degradation rate (soil respiration) than TDF in the high mountains. This shows that TDF and AP do not have much difference in terms of storage and circulation of carbon because the amount of carbon in the forest biomass is stored in the soil in the AP.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.375-381
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• 2014

Soil moisture is an essential satellite-driven variable for understanding hydrologic, pedologic and geomorphic processes. The European Space Agency (ESA) has endorsed soil moisture as one of Climate Change Initiates (CCI) and had merged multi-satellites over 30 years. The $0.25^{\circ}$ coarse resolution soil moisture satellite data showed correlations with variables of a water stress index, Temperature-Vegetation Dryness Index (TVDI), from a stepwise regression analysis. The ancillary data from TVDI, Land Surface Temperature (LST) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from MODIS were inputted to a multi-regression analysis for estimating the surface soil moisture. The estimated soil moisture was validated with in-situ soil moisture data from April, 2012 to March, 2013 at Andong observation sites in South Korea. The soil moisture estimated using satellite-based LST and NDVI showed a good agreement with the observed ground data that this approach is plausible to define spatial distribution of surface soil moisture.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.253-257
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• 2018

Climate models forecast more frequent and a longer period of drought events which may impact forest soil carbon dynamics, thereby altering the soil respiration (SR) rate. We examine the simulated drought effects on soil $CO_2$ effluxes from soil surface partitioning heterotrophic and autotrophic soil respiration sources. Three replicates of drought plots ($6{\times}6m$) were constructed with the same size of three control plots. We examined the relation between $CO_2$ and soil temperature and soil moisture, each being measured at a soil depth of 15 cm. We also compared which factor affected $CO_2$ efflux more under drought conditions. Total SR, autotrophic respiration (AR) and heterotrophic respiration (HR) were positively correlated with soil temperature (p < 0.05), and the relationships were stronger in roof plots than in control plots. Total SR, AR, and HR were negatively correlated only in roof plots, and the only HR showed a significant correlation (p < 0.05, r = -0.59). Soil respiration rates were more influenced by soil temperature than by soil moisture, and this relationship was more evident under drought conditions.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.511-514
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• 2012

Polyethylene mulches have been used for weed control in vegetable production in Korea. One of the additional benefits associated with polyethylene mulches is soil warming. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of colored mulches on soil temperature change and Chinese cabbage yield. Mulch treatments were green (GV), black (BV), transparent (TV), and non-mulched (NM) soil. The highest soil-warming effect occurred under green mulch, and the lowest effect was found under black mulch. Daily mean values of soil temperature (10 cm depth) under GV were $2^{\circ}C$ higher than in NM soil. At midday (16:00), mean soil temperature was higher by $3.9^{\circ}C$ in GV, $3.1^{\circ}C$ in BV, and $2.1^{\circ}C$ in TV as compared to NM soil. At night (20:00-06:00), there was no significant difference in soil temperature among the treatments of different colored mulch, but soils in the mulch treatments were $2.4^{\circ}C$ higher as compared to NM soil. As compared with NM, the yield of Chinese cabbage under GV, BV, and TV were higher by 6.0, 26.0, and 12.0%, respectively.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.77-93
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• 2013

Global warming accelerates both carbon (C) input through increased forest productivity and heterotrophic C emission in forest soils, and a future trend in soil C dynamics is uncertain. In this study, the Korean forest soil carbon model (KFSC model) was applied to 1,467,458 ha of Pinus densiflora forests in Korea to predict future C dynamics under RCP 8.5 climate change scenario (RCP scenario). Korea was divided into 16 administrative regions, and P. densiflora forests in each region were classified into six classes by their stand ages : 1 to 10 (I), 11 to 20 (II), 21 to 30 (III), 31 to 40 (IV), 41 to 50 (V), and 51 to 80-year-old (VI+). The forest of each stand age class in a region was treated as a simulation unit, then future net primary production (NPP), soil respiration (SR) and forest soil C stock of each simulation unit were predicted from the 2012 to 2100 under RCP scenario and constant temperature scenario (CT scenario). As a result, NPP decreased in the initial stage of simulation then increased while SR increased in the initial stage of simulation then decreased in both scenarios. The mean NPP and SR under RCP scenario was 20.2% and 20.0% higher than that under CT scenario, respectively. When the initial age class was I, IV, V or VI+, predicted soil C stock under CT scenario was higher than that under RCP scenario, however, the countertrend was observed when the initial age class was II or III. Also, forests having a lower site index showed a lower soil C stock. It suggested that the impact of temperature on NPP was higher when the forests grow faster. Soil C stock under RCP scenario decreased at the end of simulation, and it might be derived from exponentially increased SR under the higher temperature condition. Thus, the difference in soil C stock under two scenarios will be much larger in the further future.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.811-820
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• 2023

This study investigated the protective effects of shade nets on Abies koreana seedlings subjected to high temperature and luminosity stress, which are pertinent for plant survival in climate change scenarios. This study, conducted at Konkuk University, compared the growth, survival, and soil conditions of 3-year-old specimens across natural, greenhouse, and shaded settingsfrom July to September 2022. Our findings demonstrated that shade nets significantly enhanced seedling survival by moderating soil temperature and moisture. This is particularly evident in high-temperature conditions, where shade nets mitigate stress on seedlings and safeguard them from excessive sunlight exposure. Proper net installation height and location are crucial for optimal temperature and humidity control, suggesting broader applicability for various species and offering strategies to combat the ecological impacts of climate change.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.35-42
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• 2015

This is conducted to observe underground temperature and to analyze its change affected by climate condition and soil infiltration in the mountainous area, Yesan region, Chungcheong-namdo province. Additionally, underground temperature change is also simulated using air temperature and soil thermal properties with a numerical model. Soil temperature monitoring data acquired from each depth, 20 cm, 50 cm, and 100 cm, indicates that the data within 50 cm in depth shows peak-shaped big fluctuation directly affected by air temperature and it at 100 cm has open-shaped small fluctuation. Underground temperature variation, a difference between high and low values, during monitoring period is weakly proportional to hydraulic conductivity of the sediment and it is assumed that water plays a part in delivering air temperature in soil. The underground temperature estimated by a numerical model is very similar to the observed data with an average value of 0.99 cross-correlation coefficient. From the result of this study, the aquifer unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of the soil and the groundwater recharge is likely to be able to estimate with underground temperature profile calculated using a numerical model.