• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.196-206
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• 2020

Background: The Himalayan forests are of great importance to sustain the nature and community resource demands. These forests are facing pressures both from anthropogenic activities and ongoing global climatic changes. Poor natural regeneration has been considered a major problem in mountainous forests. To understand the population structure and regeneration status of Larix (Larix griffithiana and Larix himalaica), we conducted systematic vegetation surveys in three high-altitude valleys namely Ghunsa (Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, KCA), Langtang (Langtang National Park, LNP), and Tsum (Manaslu Conservation Area, MCA) in Nepal Himalaya. The average values of diameter at breast height (DBH), height, and sapling height were compared for three sites and two species using Kruskal-Wallis test. Population structure was assessed in terms of proportion of seedlings, saplings, and trees. Regeneration was analyzed using graphical representation of frequencies of seedlings, saplings, and trees in histograms. Results: The results showed that the population structure of Larix in terms of the proportion of seedling, sapling, and tree varied greatly in the three study areas. KCA had the highest record of seedling, sapling, and tree compared to other two sites. Seedlings were the least among three forms and many plots were without seedlings. We found no seedling in MCA study plots. The plot level average DBH variation among sites was significant (Kruskal-Wallis χ² = 7.813, df = 2, p = 0.02) as was between species (Kruskal-Wallis χ² = 5.9829, df = 1, p = 0.014). Similarly, the variation in average tree height was significant (Kruskal-Wallis χ² = 134.23, df = 2, p < 0.001) among sites as well as between species (Kruskal-Wallis χ² = 128.01, df = 1, p < 0.001). All the sites showed reverse J-shaped curve but more pronounced for KCA and MCA. In comparing the two species, Larix griffithiana has clear reverse J-shaped diameter distribution but not Larix himalaica. Conclusion: The varied responses of Larix manifested through regeneration status from spatially distinct areas show that regeneration limitations might be more pronounced in the future. In all the three studied valleys, regeneration of Larix is found to be problematic and specifically for Larix griffithiana in MCA and Larix himalaica in LNP. To address the issues of disturbances, especially serious in LNP, management interventions are recommended to sustain the unique Himalayan endemic conifer.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.13-22
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• 2017

The age of the Sorori old fluvial deposits is assumed as old as Last Interglacial(MIS 5) when appying the thalassostatic terrace formation in mid- to downstream Keum river basin, while the young fluvial deposits are interpreted to be formed since the post-LGM(last glacial maximum), including both the Bølling-Allerød (B/A) Interstadial(12,700~14,700 cal-yrBP), and the Younger Dryas Stadial(11,700~12,900 cal-yrBP). The wild rice seed like Oryza rufipogon found in the middle organic muds of the young fluvial deposits dated after about 15,000 cal-yrsBP, when the transition from the subalpine conifer forest to the deciduous broad-leaved forest was conspicuously evidenced in the upper part of OC-2 palynofloral zone of the in Cheonju Sorori site, In particular the OC-2 palynofloral zone ranging towards the upper part of middle organic muds(peaty muds) is interpreted to be formed in the B/A Interstadial. It is regarded that Cheongju Sorori rice seeds are associated with warm palynological evidences and backswamp insects during the Lastest Glacial, showing appearance of relatively warm climate similar to the present.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.109 no.2
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• pp.115-123
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• 2020

The vertical distribution of vegetation can be classified according to the altitudinal gradient and the distribution of species along this gradient. The purpose of this study was to analyze the vegetation structure, species composition, dimensional density, and change according to altitude. These data illustrate the distribution of coniferous forest by altitude. By order of importance, the vegetation structure of this mixed forest consisted of Abies nephrolepis (12.2), Pinus koraiensis (10.86), and Acer komarovii (8.11). As a result of species composition according to the altitude, A. nephrolepis and Maianthemum bifolium increased in importance with increasing altitude. Tripterygium regelii emerged between 1,400 m and 1,600 m, which indicates that forest gaps were frequent at that elevation. The species diversity index was the highest from 1,400-1,500 m and coincided with the presence of forest gaps. The changes in A. nephrolepis of evergreen conifers increased significantly from 402 ± 5.4 ha.^-1 to 528 ± 11.6 ha.^-1 for two years, and decreased from 57 ± 1.3 ha.^-1 to 56 ± 1.6 ha.^-1 for P. koraiensis. The density of A. nephrolepis and P. koraiensis seedlings significantly increased at 1,500-1,600 m. The results of this study can be used as a basis to identify the mast seeding year with the increase or decrease of seedlings. In addition to documenting the evergreen conifer population of the Seorak Mountain, these results can be built upon for future monitoring of seedlings mortality.