Mass dynamics of coarse woody debris in an old-growth deciduous forest of Gwangneung, Korea

Abstract

We investigated the mass dynamics of coarse woody debris (CWD) in an old-growth deciduous forest dominated by Quercus serrata, Carpinus laxiflora, and C. cordata in a 1 ha permanent plot of the Gwangneung Experiment Forest, Korea, from 2002 through 2010. CWD mass varied from 16.8 to 34.2 Mg ha−1, and the ratio of CWD mass to stand biomass varied from 0.06 to 0.13. The mean CWD mass input and loss rates were 4.81 Mg ha−1 yr−1 and 2.28 Mg ha−1 yr−1, respectively. A large heterogeneity of CWD mass, as represented by the spatial coefficient of variation (127.2%) and annual coefficient of variation (178.5%), might be inherent in the old-growth temperate forest, which consisted of large biomass trees. The decay rate constant, as estimated from the wood density change, was 0.049yr−1. However, the large variation of annual CWD mass input could cause the overestimation of decay rate constant (0.167 yr−1) as calculated from the ratio of CWD mass input to CWD mass. According to the CWD decay class classification, class II (72.8%) comprised the majority of CWD mass. The proportion of CWD mass to total CWD mass was 57.5% for Q. serrata, 25.0% for C. laxiflora, and 10.4% for C. cordata, respectively, and corresponded to the proportion of stem biomass to total stem biomass. These data support the stability of the current status in this old-growth deciduous forest as representing the climax stage. Due to the relatively short-term measurement of CWD mass compared with the whole life span of CWD, additional long-term studies with various approaches are required to enhance the knowledge of CWD mass dynamics in this forest.