Biomass and nutrient concentrations of fine roots in a Korean pine plantation and a sawtooth oak stand

Abstract

Fine root (<2 mm in diameter) biomass and nutrient concentrations were examined by a sequential core method at a soil depth of the top 15 cm in a Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) plantation and a sawtooth oak (Quercus acutissima) stand in the Forest Practice Research Center, Gyeonggi-do, Korea. Live and dead fine root biomass showed a seasonal variation in pine and oak stands. Live fine root biomass generally decreased in the late growing season (September–November) with a seasonal peak in the early growing season (April–June), while dead fine root biomass in both stands showed high values in summer (July or August). Mean fine root (live, dead, total) biomass (g m−2) during the study period was higher for the Korean pine (142, 266, 408) than for the sawtooth oak stands (124, 193, 317). Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations of live fine roots were little changed during the growing season, while other nutrient concentrations showed seasonal fluctuations during the study period. Nutrient concentrations were generally higher in the Korean pine than in the sawtooth roots except for calcium and phosphorus concentrations. The results indicate that fine roots could be attributed to below-ground nutrient cycling by the difference of biomass and nutrient concentrations induced from each stand type.