Abstract
BackgroundIn order to investigate organic carbon distribution, carbon budget, and cycling of the subalpine forest, we studied biomass, organic carbon distribution, litter production, forest floor litter, accumulated soil organic carbon, and soil respiration in Taxus cuspidata forest in Halla National Park from February 2012 to November 2013. Biomass was calculated by using allometric equation and the value was converted to CO2 stocks.ResultsThe amount of plant organic carbon was 13.60 ton C ha−1year−1 in 2012 and 14.29 ton C ha−1year−1 in 2013. And average organic carbon introduced to forest floor through litter production was 0.71 ton C ha−1year−1. Organic carbon distributed in forest floor litter layer was 0.73 ton C ha−1year−1 on average and accumulated organic carbon in soil was 51.13 ton C ha−1year−1 on average. In 2012, Amount of released CO2 from soil to atmosphere was 10.93 ton CO2 ha−1year−1.ConclusionsThe net ecosystem production based on the difference between net primary production of organic carbon and soil respiration was −1.74 ton C ha−1yr−1 releasing more carbon than it absorbed.
Highlights
In order to investigate organic carbon distribution, carbon budget, and cycling of the subalpine forest, we studied biomass, organic carbon distribution, litter production, forest floor litter, accumulated soil organic carbon, and soil respiration in Taxus cuspidata forest in Halla National Park from February 2012 to November 2013
Organic carbon distribution per organ was in descending order of stem, root and branch, leaf
It seems that organic carbon distribution is relatively low compared to other tall trees because organic carbon of woody plants are mostly stored in the stem
Summary
In order to investigate organic carbon distribution, carbon budget, and cycling of the subalpine forest, we studied biomass, organic carbon distribution, litter production, forest floor litter, accumulated soil organic carbon, and soil respiration in Taxus cuspidata forest in Halla National Park from February 2012 to November 2013. Average organic carbon introduced to forest floor through litter production was 0.71 ton C ha−1year−1. Organic carbon distributed in forest floor litter layer was 0.73 ton C ha−1year−1 on average and accumulated organic carbon in soil was 51.13 ton C ha−1year−1 on average. According to the observational data from six observation stations (in Seoul, Incheon, Gangneung, Daegu, Mokpo, and Busan) between 1912 and 2009, the annual mean temperature has risen by 1.7 °C in that time. This figure was more than double the increase in global average temperature which was 0.74 °C (Korea Meteorological Administration 2009; IPCC 2007)
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