• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.16-25
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• 2020

Background: To investigate radiological effects on biota, it is necessary to assess radiation dose for flora and fauna living in a terrestrial ecosystem. This paper presents a dynamic model to assess radioactivity concentration and radiation dose of terrestrial flora and fauna after a nuclear accident. Materials and Methods: Litter, organic soil, mineral soil, trees, wild crops, herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores are considered the major components of a terrestrial ecosystem. The model considers the physicochemical and biological processes of interception, weathering, decomposition of litter, percolation, root uptake, leaching, radioactive decay, and biological loss of animals. The predictive capability of the model was investigated by comparison of its predictions with field data for biota measured in the Fukushima forest area after the Fukushima nuclear accident. Results and Discussion: The predicted radioactive cesium inventories for trees agreed well with those for evergreens and deciduous trees sampled in the Fukushima area. The predicted temporal radioactivity concentrations for animals were within the range of the measured radioactivity concentrations of deer, wild boars, and black bears. The radiation dose for the animals were, for the whole simulation time, estimated to be much smaller than the lower limit (0.1 mGy·d^-1) of the derived consideration reference level given by the International Commission on Radiological Protection for terrestrial flora and fauna. This suggested that the radiation effect of the accident on the biota in the Fukushima forest would be insignificant. Conclusion: The present dynamic model can be used effectively to investigate the radiological risk to terrestrial ecosystems following a nuclear accident.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.447-454
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• 2023

This study was conducted to analyze the effects of stand density on fire fuel (FF) changes in a Chamaecyparis obtusa forest. The study site was located in Mt. Munsu in Jeollabuk-do and consisted of a control, 30% thinning treatment(LT), and 50% thinning treatment(HT). Three-year-old seedlings were planted at a density of 3,000trees ha^-1 in 1976, and thinning was carried out in 2000. FF production was measured every 2 months by installing 3 circular litter traps 1.2m above the ground. Litter bags containing 5g of each leaf and branch were made and buried in the organic layer to investigate the FF decomposition rate. The decay constant was calculated after 18 months. FF accumulation was measured by collecting dry-weight organic matter from each plot using a square frame (0.09 m²) in September 2018. The FF production in LT and HT was significantly lower than that of the control(P<0.001). The leaf decay constant for HT was significantly lower than that of the control (P<0.05). The FF accumulation in HT was significantly lower than that of the control (P<0.01), but LT was not significantly different from the control. The results of this study showed that thinning decreased FF production.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.51-58
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• 1986

The decay rates of organic matter were investigated and the leaching rates were determined from the concentration distribution of N,P,K, Ca and Na in the soil profile at Pinus rigida stand on Mt. Gwan-ak and at Pseudosasa japonica stand on Odong-do. In order to determine the leaching rates θo/W wazs substituted with KL in Towner's equation. Decay rates were 0.191 at Pinus stand on Mt. Gwan-ak and 0.234 at Pseudosasa stan don Odong-do. Concentration distributions of N,P, K and Na in soil profiles were corresponed with Towner's model curve. Leaching rates determined from concentration distributions were 0.086, 0.079, 0.041, 0.029, 0.096 on Mt. Gwan-ak and 0.080, 0.056, 0.051, 0.008, 0.028 on Odong-do. The soil of Pseudosasa stand showed on the whole lower leaching rates than that of Pinus stand. The soil of Pseudosasa stand showing higher decay rate and lower leaching rates contained more concentration of each nutrient than that of Pinus stand.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 1969

In this experiment, the litters of each five species of neadle-leaf trees and broad-leaf trees were laid on each pot soils, which had same soil conditions, is the green house and the sil fertility of each pots were determined after four years. Chemical properties among each pot soils under litters of needle-laef trees showed remarkable different values in the pH, base exchange capacity, total exchangeable base, base saturation, organic matter, available phosphorus, exchangeable potassium and calcium, and that of broad-leaf trees showed respectively significant difference. The content of chemical components, such as total exchangeable base, organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus and exchanbeable potassium, between pot soils under litters of the needle-leaf trees and the broad-leaf trees were significant at the 0.01 and 0.05 levels of the statistical probability. The fertility of soil under the influence of decayed fallen leaves is the highest value in the posts of broad-leaves and next to the pots of needle-leaves and the control pots the lowest. The pH value of the soil with various kinds of fallen leaves showed little difference among themselves, but it especially approached in the broad leaves plots gradually to neutral and hte non-treated plot showed acidity. Lespedeza bicolar and Castanea crenata are supposed to contribute to the fertility of soil. Pinus rigida showed excellent exchanged properties of soi. The leaves of Robinia pseudoacacia and Pinus koraiensis did not contribute much to the promotion of fertility of soil.

• The Korean Journal of Soil Zoology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 1996

This research was carried out to investigate soil mictoarthropods fauna in Namsan and Kwangreung which were considered to receive different degreeds of environmental pressures. In basic environmental data, Namsan where under rather accelerated acidification by air contamination and acidic rain showed low pH, tardy decomposition and turnover rate. Population density of soil microarthropods was high in Kwangreung 17,169.8/\ulcorner\ulcorner(coniferous forests), 17,892.6/$\textrm{m}^2$(deciduous forests) than in Namsan, 12,143.8/$\textrm{m}^2$ (coniferous forests), 14,216$\textrm{m}^2$(deciduous forests). Biomass of soil microarthropods was 2,020.219mg/$\textrm{m}^2$ at coniferous forests and 4,270.172mg/$\textrm{m}^2$ at deciduous forests in Namsan, and 3,287.326mg/$\textrm{m}^2$ at coniferous forests and 4326.1mg/$\textrm{m}^2$ at deciduous forests in Kwangreung. Population density constantly showed high in spring, and seasonal fluctuations were correlated with seasonal precipitation. As far as vertical distribution is concerned, population density was concentrated in litter layer as 70% while 30% are in soil layer and also decreased with increasing depth.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.98 no.6
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• pp.791-798
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• 2009

The role of forest and soil carbon under global climate change is getting important as a carbon sink and it is necessary to research on applicable forest models as well as in the field for a study of these dynamics. On this study, historical annual litter dataset as a major input data for the forest soil carbon model, Yasso was established using a dendrochronological reconstruction method, and the soil carbon dynamics of a Pinus densiflora forest in Gwangneung, Korea was simulated using Yasso. The amount of litter (needle, branch, stem and fine root) production, which was estimated using the dendrochronological method, has increased continuously from 1971 to 2006. Furthermore, there was no significant error between estimated and measured values of litter production (needle and branch) in 2006. The average of simulated soil carbon stock up to 30 cm depth was $46.30{\pm}4.28tCha^{-1}$, which accounted for 53% of carbon stock in trees of the forest, and had no significant difference and error with measured soil carbon stock. Under the climate change trend in Korea according to IPCC A1B scenario, it was estimated that the simulated soil carbon stock in the region would increase continuously from 1971 to 2041 and then decreased until 2100. Compared to the result of the scenario that there is no climate change, the soil carbon stock could be decreased up to 7.58% at 2100. It was inferred the dendrochronological reconstruction method and simulation of Yasso model are useful to estimate soil carbon dynamics of the natural P. densiflora forest. Follow-up researches, such as improvement of the dendrochronological method and Yasso model and their application and validation in various environment, are needed to produce more reliable results.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.87 no.2
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• pp.270-275
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• 1998

The management of pine-mushroom forest means the environmental control for fairy ring of Tricholoma matsutake. Thus, the management demands intensive study for keeping healthy condition of the fairy ring, and that for the measurement of active portion of the soil ecosystem. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of T. matsutake fungus on the soil physicochemical properties and dehydrogenase activity by dividing the fairy ring into 3 regions such as 'zone of decayed mycorrhizae', 'zone of physiologically active mycorrhizae', and 'in front of fairy ring'. The passing of T. matsutake did not result in significant changes in canon contents of soils, but available phosphorus, carbon, and nitrogen contents were different between the soils of active mycorrhizal zone and that in front of fairy ring. The dehydrogenase activity around the fairy ring of T. matsutake was quite lower than that in general forest soils, which indicated that the fairy ring of T. matsutake was built up in the relatively immature soils which contain little organic matter. Thus, the dehydrogenase activity of soil was thought to be used as an index for the management of pine-mushroom forest with considering that the management practically means the environmental control for keeping good conditions for the development of fairy ring of T. matsutake. Especially, the dehydrogenase activity measurement can be recommended as a tool for time-decision of litter removal by floor raking since the activity is a good index of litter decomposition.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.204-210
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• 1982

Comparative study of the biomass productioin and the cyclings of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium was carried out on the east and the northwest facing slope in the montane grassland of Mt. Soback. The maximum productin during the growing season in the east and the northwest slope were 1, 150g/m2.yr, and 755g/m2.yr. in the August, respectively. The positive correlation was appearent between biomass production and A-layer depth of the soil and the correlation coefficient (r=.964) was very significant at 1% level. In the above ground materials, the nutrients contents were high at the early of the growing season but decreased gradually. In roots, however, there are no significant trend throughout the growing season. Total amounts of minerals uptaken by plants during the growing season in the east and the northwest site were 18.20 and 10.66g/m2.yr for N, 0.06 and 0.03g/m2.yr for P, 0.23 and 0.11g/m2.yr for K, respectively. the minerals returned to the soil by litter decomposition and roots decay in the east and the northwest site were 16.19 and 9.62g/m2.yr for N, 0.046 and 0.021g/m2.yr for P, 0.211 and 0.099g/m2.yr for K, respectively. The turnover the rate (absorbed/returned) of the nutrients in the east and the northwest site were 1.13 and 1.14 for N, 1.30 and 1.43 for P, 1.09 and 1.11 for K, and the absorption rates of minerals were 0.39 and 0.29% for N, 3.16 and 1.88% for P, 0.91 and 0.57% for K, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.215-226
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• 2022

This study aims to investigate the soil environment characteristics of the Abies koreana community, which is currently showing a continuous decline in its size, in order to provide fundamental data for the management and creation of a conservation plan for the Abies koreana communities at the Korean national parks of Sobaeksan, Deogyusan, and Jirisan. Soil depth investigations were conducted at depths deeper than 40 cm into the B horizon at most study sites, except for the Dwaejipyeongjeon and Byeoksoryeong sites. The soil water content exceeded 30% on average, and these soils showed low bulk density levels. The soil texture was found to be the loamy or silty loam type at most study sites. It was also found in a chemical characteristic assessment that the soil samples contained more than 10% organic matter at most study sites. The cation exchange capacity (C.E.C.) and total N concentration levels were also high at most study sites. However, the soil showed low exchangeable K⁺, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺ levels at most study sites. Finally, the pH values were 4.90, 4.53, and 4.60 at soil depths of 10 cm at the Sobaeksan, Deogyusan and Jirisan sites, respectively, outcomes that are notably lower than the average levels in soil from Korean forests according to the literature. This appears to be due to the cold and wet climate of these subalpine regions given the reduced leaf-litter decomposition rate and accumulation of organic acids.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.164-170
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• 2005

The amounts and nutrient compositions in precipitation, throughfall, stemflow and soil solution of natural deciduous forests (Quercus variabilis and Q. mongolica) were examined in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. The proportion to gross precipitation was $85\%$ for throughfall, $2-6\%$ for stem flow, $53-54\%$ for Ao horizon soil solution, $23-30\%$ for A horizon soil solution, and $11-14\%$$ for B horizon soil solution, respectively. pH and K concentration increased in throughfall and only K concentration increased in stemflow. Canopy leaching appeared to influence these changes. pH, and Ca and Mg concentrations increased significantly in the Ao horizon soil solution, and Ca concentration was higher in the B horizon than in the A horizon. However, there were no significant differences in pH and other nutrient concentrations between A and B horizons. Litter decomposition and leaching from Ao horizon might explain the changes. K, Mg and Cl concentrations in throughfall and soil solution decreased with precipitation. Nutrient contents increased in the transports from precipitation, through throughfall, to Ao horizon soil solution, while they decreased in the transport from A to B horizon soil solution. Stemflow contained less than $10\%$ of total (throughfall plus stemflow) nutrient contents.