Abstract
To understand the dynamics of radial growth of trees and micro-climate at a site of Korean fir (Abies koreana Wilson) forest on high-altitude area of Mt. Hallasan National Park, Jeju Island, Korea, high precision dendrometers were installed on the stems of Korean fir trees, and the sensors for measuring micro-climate of the forest at 10 minutes interval were also installed at the forest. Data from the sensors were sent to nodes, collected to a gateway wireless, and transmitted to a data server using mobile phone communication system. By analyzing the radial growth data for the trees during the growing season in 2016, we can estimate that the radial growth of Korean fir trees initiated in late April to early May and ceased in late August to early September, which indicates that period for the radial growth was about 4 months in 2016. It is interesting to observe that the daily ambient temperature and the daily soil temperature at the depth of 20 cm coincided with the values of about 10 °C when the radial growth of the trees initiated in 2016. When the radial growth ceased, the values of the ambient temperature went down below about 15 °C and 16 °C, respectively. While the ambient temperature and the soil temperature are evaluated to be the good indicators for the initiation and the cessation of radial growth, it becomes clear that radii of tree stems showed diurnal growth patterns affected by diurnal change of ambient temperature. In addition, the wetting and drying of the surface of the tree stems affected by precipitation became the additional factors that affect the expansion and shrinkage of the tree stems at the forest site. While it is interesting to note that the interrelationships among the micro-climatic factors at the forest site were well explained through this study, it should be recognized that the precision monitoring made possible with the application of high resolution sensors in the measurement of the radial increment combined with the observation of 10 minutes interval with aids of information and communication technology in the ecosystem observation.
Highlights
It becomes clear that global warming affects various aspects of ecosystems as well as the society in this era of the Anthropocene (MEA 2005; Zalasiewicz et al 2010, Steffen et al 2011, Future Earth 2013, 2019, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2014, 2018)
It is interesting to note from the observation of data sensed from the precision dendrometer that the radii of tree stems of the Korean fir began to increase from early spring due to the physical expansion of the tree stems caused by the increase of temperature since
Hallasan National Park, Jeju Island, Korea, high-precision dendrometers were installed on the stems of Korean fir trees and the environmental sensors measuring micro-climate at the forest site at 10 minutes interval were installed to interpret the affecting nature of the factors to the radial growth of trees
Summary
It becomes clear that global warming affects various aspects of ecosystems as well as the society in this era of the Anthropocene (MEA 2005; Zalasiewicz et al 2010, Steffen et al 2011, Future Earth 2013, 2019, IPCC 2014, 2018). Tree growth is the end result of division, expansion, differentiation, and morphogenesis of cells. This sequential development, which requires a balanced supply of carbohydrates, water, minerals, and hormonal growth regulators in meristemic regions, is subject to complex interactions among various environmental factors. Radial growth is the secondary growth of trees that is being affected by the micro-climatic factors, which are changing continuously at forests. In Korea, as it was not much studied on the dynamics of the radial growth of trees, it is needed for the scientists to understand better the dynamics as well as the affecting nature of the micro-climate to the growth of trees
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