침엽수인공림에서 임분 성장 및 간벌이 장기 물수지에 미치는 영향

Abstract

Long-term annual water balances are analyzed for two forest catchments located in Gwangneung covered with forests of different types and ages. The water balance trends of the two catchments from 1982 to 2009 are compared to identify the effect of forest growth and thinning on the water balance in a planted coniferous forest catchment. According to the averaged annual precipitation and runoff for the four designated periods from 1982 to 2009, the water balance of the old natural broad-leaved forest catchment (GB) remained relatively unchanged. In contrast, the young planted coniferous forest catchment (GC) showed significant changes in the water balance due to the forest growing and thinning. The results showed that the catchment runoff decreases with increasing tree age whereas the forest thinning results in an increase in catchment runoff. The mean annual runoff from the catchment GC after thinning increased by 1.7 times, compared with the mean annual runoff before forest thinning. The mean annual runoff from the catchment GB was very stable throughout the period. However, such an effect of forest thinning appeared to last only for about 10 year-period, after which the water yield increment in the catchment GC disappeared. It indicates that the proper forest management should be reconsidered at the interval of 10 years to effectively reduce water loss and increase water yield in the planted coniferous forest.