• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.329-343
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• 2016

The present study was conducted on ridge tops of moist temperate Oak forests in Garhwal Himalaya to assess the plant diversity, regeneration, biomass production and carbon assimilation in different Oak forests. For this purpose, three Oak forest types viz., (a) Quercus leucotrichophora or Banj Oak (FT1; between 1,428-2,578 m asl), (b) Quercus floribunda or Moru Oak (FT2; between 2,430-2,697 m asl) and (c) Quercus semecarpifolia or Kharsu Oak (FT3; between 2,418-3,540 m asl) were selected on different ridge tops in Bhagirathi catchment area of Garhwal Himalaya. A total of 91 plant species including 23 trees (8 gymnosperms and 15 angiosperms), 21 shrubs and 47 herbs species belonging to 46 families were recorded from all the ridge top Oak forests. The highest mean tree density ($607{\pm}33.60trees\;ha^{-1}$) was observed in Q. floribunda forest with lower mean total basal cover (TBC) value ($48.02{\pm}3.67m^2ha^{-1}$), whereas highest TBC value ($80.16{\pm}3.30m^2ha^{-1}$) was recorded for Q. semecarpifolia forest, with lowest mean stem density ($594{\pm}23.43stems\;ha^{-1}$). The total biomass density (TBD) across three Oak forests ranged between $497.32{\pm}83.70$ (FT1) and $663.16{\pm}93.85t\;ha^{-1}$ (FT3), while the total carbon density (TCD) values ranged between $228.75{\pm}22.27$ (FT1) and $304.31{\pm}18.12t\;ha^{-1}$ (FT3). Most of the tree species were found with good regeneration (GR) status (average 45%) in all the forest types whereas, few species were found not regenerating (NR) (average 17%) however, few new recruitments were also recorded. ANOVA (Post-Hoc Tukey's test at 5% significance level) indicated significant forest-wise differences in TBC, TBD and TCD (in tree layer); family and evenness (in shrub layer only) values, while insignificant differences were noticed in density values of tree, seedling and herb layer.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.152-162
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• 2024

Background: Plant species of the alpine treeline ecotone are highly sensitive to climate change and may adjust their population dynamics, and functional traits in response to changing climate. This study examined regeneration patterns and leaf traits variations in an important treeline ecotone element Rhododendron campanulatum along the elevation gradient in western Nepal to assess its potential adaptive responses to climate change. The distribution range of R. campanulatum (3,400-3,800 m above sea level [a.s.l.]) was divided into five horizontal bands, each with a 100 m elevational range. Eight plots (10 m × 10 m) were sampled in each band, resulting into a total of 40 plots. In each plot, all R. campanulatum individuals and co-occurring tree species were counted. From each elevation, R. campanulatum leaf samples were collected to determine leaf dimensions, leaf density, specific leaf area (SLA), and stomatal density (SD). Results: The density-diameter curve indicated that R. campanulatum was regenerating well, with enhanced regeneration at higher elevation (3,800 m a.s.l.) than at lower. Tree canopy cover appeared to be the major determinant of R. campanulatum regeneration, as indicated by a higher number of seedlings in treeless stands. With increasing elevation, the leaf length, width, SLA, and stomata length decreased but leaf thickness and SD increased. Conclusions: Overall, a higher regeneration and lower SLA with the high SD in the leaves at the upper limit of the species distribution suggested that R. campanulatum is well adapted at its upper distribution range with the possibility of upslope range shift as temperature increases.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.159-172
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• 2019

Madhupur National Park (MNP) is one of the last remaining patches of old-growth natural Sal forest left in Bangladesh where the forest is tropical moist deciduous type. A study was revealed to assess the tree species diversity and composition in this area. For determining tree species the study was conducted through extensive random quadrat survey methods with $20m{\times}20m$ sized plots. Results of the study indicated that there were 139 tree species belonging to 100 genera and 40 families. The quadrat survey assessed the basal area, stem density, diversity indices and importance value index of the tree species having ${\geq}5cm$ D.B.H (Diameter at Brest Height). The basal area and stem density of the tree species were $20.689{\pm}1.08m^2/ha$ and $1412.93{\pm}64.27stem\;ha^{-1}$ while, diversity indices, i.e. Shannon-Wiener's diversity, Simpson's evenness, Margalef's species richness and Pielou's dominance indices indicated poor diversity in comparison to that of other PAs (Protected Areas) in South-Eastern region of Bangladesh. The structural composition based on height and D.B.H through reverse-J shaped curve indicated higher regeneration and recruitment but removal of trees of large growth classes. Sal (Shorea robusta) was the most dominant tree species that accounts 75% of the total tree individuals in the natural forest patches. However, some associates of Sal, i.e. Bhutum (Hymenodictyon orixensis), Gadila (Careya arborea), and Kusum (Schleichera oleosa) etc. were seemed to be rare in MNP.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.97 no.6
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• pp.597-604
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• 2008

Recognizing the necessity of the development of ecologically sound silvicultural system for the mature Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis), this study was carried out to examine the invasion and growth of understory vegetation after partial cutting. In 1997, the age class VII Korean pine forest in the Experimental Forest of Kangwon National University was opened up about 50% by modified shelterwood cutting with site preparation to induce succeeding regenerations. After 10 years, plenty of hardwood have come to the stand, forming understory vegetation. The abundance and composition of understory vegetation was periodically investigated in the ten $10m{\times}10m$ permanent sample plots, estimating importance values, species diversity index and the distribution of diameter and height of the understory vegetation. Encouraged by canopy opening, the coverage of understory reached perfect closure, composed of 22 tree species and 20 shrub species in 2007. Morus bombycis occupied 29.6% of the total importance value and Cornus controversa was 17.0%, followed by Styrax obassia, Quercus aliena, Quercus mongolica, Acer mono, and Pinus koraiensis. In the year of 2000 the species diversity was highest as 2.547 with 26 tree species and deceasing thereafter, showing 2.220 with 22 tree species in 2007. As understory layer was thickly covered and got grow bigger, some shade intolerant species were disappeared, lowering species diversity. In 2007 the biggest tree was a Quercus aliena with 11.3 cm of DBH and the tallest tree was a Cornus controversa with 9.8m of height. The frequency distribution of number of trees by diameter and height classes formed the inverted-J-shaped curve, supposed to be typical uneven-aged stand.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.196-196
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• 1982

There is a heavy stocked wood volume in the forest of Kang-Won Province compared with the other forests of Korean Provinces. It mainly, however, consists of non-productive and inferior hardwoods and shrubs which grows naturally. -This naturally grown hardwood forest should be cut and reforested with more economical confierous and diciduous tree species by artificial and natural regeneration under the positive government support. This study was carried out to survey the reasonable and economical utilization measures on harvesting wood products when existing hardwood forest should be cut primarily. This is the rust report on the resources and the classification of tree species by the uses of wood growing in the hardwood forest of Kang-Won Province. According to the investigation, 321 hardwood species are growing in this forest, and 141 species of them are extremely not suitable for wood production. The usable species as fuel wood was 180, and these are able to classify into the 22 groups by the uses of wood.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2004

Forestry sector has witnessed some unprecedented events in the recent past both in terms of galloping biotechnological developments and heated environmental debates over risks associated with release of transgenic trees. Improvements in the in vitro propagation techniques has made it possible to develop tissue culture based plant regeneration protocols just for about any tree species. And with the inclusion of every new species within the realms of tissue culture technology, it becomes a candidate for genetic improvement through recombinant DNA technology, the so called genetic engineering. Poplars and their hybrids serve as the model tree species on which most of the genetic transformation work as been carried out. A lot of work has also gone in genetic transformation of fruit trees and trees of horticultural interests. Trees have been successfully transformed for traits ranging from reduction of length of juvenile phase to alteration of tree architecture to altering wood quality by lignin and cellulose modification. More-over trees have been genetically engineered successfully to combat various types of insect pests and pathogens causing diseases. But all these developments have ignited controversies over the possible benefits and risks associated with transgenic plantations by various environmental agencies and activists. Solutions to most of these concerns can be found out with more intensive prioritized research.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.292-303
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• 2021

Studies that relate the structure of tropical regrowth vegetation to soil properties are generally lacking in the literature. This study proposes three indices for assessing the structural regeneration of secondary forests. They are: (1) the tree diameter class, (2) the plant life form and (3) the woody/herbaceous plants ratio indices. They were applied to assess the regeneration status of forest regrowth vegetation (aged 1-10 years), derived savanna regrowth vegetation in south western Nigeria, and to secondary forests in different stages of succession in Columbia and Venezuela, Bolivia, Mexico in South and Central America and semi-arid savanna in Ethiopia and seasonal deciduous forest successional stages in India. In all the cases, the indices increased with increasing age of regrowth vegetation and hence, with increasing structural complexity of regenerating vegetation. The tree diameter class index increased from 32.1% in a 9-year secondary forest to 69.0% in an 80-year-old secondary forest in Columbia and Venezuela and from 0.4% in a 1-year fallow to 20.9% in 10-year regrowth vegetation in southwestern Nigeria. In semi-arid savanna in northern Ethiopia, the woody/herbaceous plants ratio index increased from 18.1% in a 5-year protected grazing enclosure to 75.1% in 15-year protected enclosure, relative to the status of 20-year enclosure. The indices generally had correlations of 0.6-0.90 with species richness and Simpson's/Margalef's species diversity, implying that they are appropriate measures of ecosystem development over time. The proposed indices also had strong and positive correlations with soil organic carbon and nutrients. They are therefore, significant indicators of fertility status.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.176-182
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• 2009

We surveyed the total 30 sites in Gilgol, Nae Sorak for the patterns of the natural regeneration of the korean fir in connection with the characteristic of the stand. The natural regeneration in a forestrical meaning is not found in natural forest but mainly in the anthropogenically already disturbed area. It may be inferred from this fact that the anthropogenic disturbance can give more better condition for a natural regeneration. The regeneration phase in the natural forest is not so distinctive as the artificial forest, and shows itself transiently. And it may be also said that a shift in generation is only a part of the change of the stand phase. The concept of the natural regeneration will lose its meaning, in so far as the patch dynamic determines the phase of the stand, and the main tree species are shade-tolerant abies.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.96-109
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• 2024

Background: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government initiated the Billion Tree Tsunami Afforestation Project including regeneration and afforestation approaches. An effort was made to assess the distribution characteristics of afforested species under present and future climatic scenarios using ecological niche modelling. For sustainable forest management, landscape ecology can play a significant role. A significant change in the potential distribution of tree species is expected globally with changing climate. Ecological niche modeling provides the valuable information about the current and future distribution of species that can play crucial role in deciding the potential sites for afforestation which can be used by government institutes for afforestation programs. In this context, the potential distribution of 8 tree species, Cedrus deodara, Dalbergia sissoo, Juglans regia, Pinus wallichiana, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Senegalia modesta, Populus ciliata, and Vachellia nilotica was modeled. Results: Maxent species distribution model was used to predict current and future distribution of tree species using bioclimatic variables along with soil type and elevation. Future climate scenarios, shared socio-economic pathways (SSP)2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 were considered for the years 2041-2060 and 2081-2100. The model predicted high risk of decreasing potential distribution under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 climate change scenarios for years 2041-2060 and 2081-2100, respectively. Recent afforestation conservation sites of these 8 tree species do not fall within their predicted potential habitat for SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 climate scenarios. Conclusions: Each tree species responded independently in terms of its potential habitat to future climatic conditions. Cedrus deodara and P. ciliata are predicted to migrate to higher altitude towards north in present and future climate scenarios. Habitat of D. sissoo, P. wallichiana, J. regia, and V. nilotica is practiced to be declined in future climate scenarios. Eucalyptus camaldulensis is expected to be expanded its suitability area in future with eastward shift. Senegalia modesta habitat increased in the middle of the century but decreased afterwards in later half of the century. The changing and shifting forests create challenges for sustainable landscapes. Therefore, the study is an attempt to provide management tools for monitoring the climate change-driven shifting of forest landscapes.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.129-134
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• 2001

Winter bud explants from 15 individual angelica tree (Aralia elata) were cultured in vitro to find out optimal conditions for somatic embryo induction as well as plant regeneration. Calli are induced and grown on MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/L 2,4-D for 4 weeks and subcultured on a half-strength MS medium without phytohormones to induce somatic embryos. Inter-simple sequence repeat (I-SSR) markers were analyzed with total DNAs extracted from the trees. Genotype effects on somatic embryo induction were examined by cluster analysis. Callus induction rate varied from 58.5 to 100% among the genotypes. Somatic embryo induction rate also greatly varied from 0 to 100% among the genotypes. There was a significant difference in somatic embryo induction rate even among the individual trees that showed close genetic relationships each other. This suggested that somatic embryo induction rate in Aralia elata be influenced by a few major specific genes rather than whole genomic similarity among individual trees. Four individuals of Ulneong-7, Cheju-1, Shingu and China, which are recalcitrant to somatic embryo induction, turned out to have a close genetic relationship, suggesting that both physiological and genetic factors affect somatic embryo induction. The results suggest that genotype selection be the most important factor to achieve an efficient propagation, although cultural optimization through medium and explant manipulation may also play crucial roles in somatic embryogensis as well as plant regeneration of these species.