Changbai Mountain Area Research Articles

Long-term protection effects of national reserve to forest vegetation in 4 decades: biodiversity change analysis of major forest types in Changbai Mountain Nature Reserve, China

The Changbai Mountain Nature Reserve (CNR) was established in 1960 to protect the virgin Korean pine mixed hardwood forest, a typical temperate forest of northeast China. We conducted systematic studies of vascular diversity patterns on the north slope of the CNR mountainside forests (800-1700 m a.s.l.) in 1963 and 2006 respectively. The aim of this comparison is to assess the long-term effects of the protection on plant biodiversity of CNR during the interval 43 years. The research was carried out in three types of forests: mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forest (MCBF), mixed coniferous forest (MCF), and sub-alpine coniferous forest (SCF), characterized by different dominant species. The alpha diversity indicted by species richness and the Shannon-Wiener index were found different in the same elevations and forest types during the 43-year interval. The floral composition and the diversity of vascular species were generally similar along altitudinal gradients before and after the 43-year interval, but some substantial changes were evident with the altitude gradient. In the tree layers, the dominant species in 2006 were similar to those of 1963, though diversity declined with altitude. The indices in the three forest types did not differ significantly between 1963 and 2006, and these values even increased in the MCBF and MCF from 1963 to 2006. However, originally dominant species, P. koraiensis for example, tended to decline, while the proportion of broad-leaved trees increased, and the species turnover in the succession layers trended to shift to higher altitudes. The diversity pattern of the under canopy fluctuated along the altitudinal gradient due to micro-environmental variations. Comparison of the alpha diversity in the three forests shows that the diversity of the shrub and herb layer decreased with time. During the process of survey, we also found some rare and medicinal species disappeared. Analysis indicates that the changes of the diversity pattern in this region are caused by both nature and human factors. Meteorological records revealed that climate has changed significantly in the past 43 years. We also found the most severe human disturbance to the CNR forests in the process of another field survey that is the exploitation of herb medicines and Korean pine nuts. We hope this research would give some guidance to the future reserve management in Changbai Mountain area.

Late Holocene vegetation changes and human impact in the Changbai Mountains area, Northeast China

Pollen analytical data from Jinchuan site in the Changbai Mountains, located within the mixed temperate broadleaved forest zone of Northeast China, were used for the reconstruction of vegetation changes and dynamics of human habitation activities in the last 6000 cal. years in the periphery to the Chinese civilization areas of former Manchuria. The beginning of the present type of vegetation dominated by mixed forests with the characteristic tree species Korean pine ( Pinus koraiensis Siebold & Zuccarini) was dated to 3100 cal. BC. Expansion of Korean pine occurred in two steps. The second phase of enhanced expansion of pine along with other coniferous taxa of higher altitudes such as Abies and Picea was dated to around 70 AD. The pattern of Late Holocene spread of coniferous elements ( P. koraiensis, Picea, Abies) and retreat of deciduous oaks was associated with phases of climatic cooling and presumably changes in effective precipitation. The oldest record of habitation processes identified in pollen assemblages from Jinchuan was dated to around 140 AD. The buckwheat ( Fagopyrum esculentum) cultivation was documented since the first half of the 9th century AD. The 18th century immigration of the Chinese population of Han ethnicity was reflected in the fossil archive, due to economic activities of the settlers connected with exploitation of forest resources through cutting of pine trees, protection of walnut stands, and cultivation of Hordeum/ Triticum cereals.

Anatomy structure and analysis of branches and leaves of Tilia amurensis in different altitude in Changbai mountain areas

With the traditional paraffin section method,observed by optical election microscope,the anatomy structures of branches and leaves of Tilia amurensis in different altitude in Changbai Mountain was compared and analyzed.The results indicate: the growth of Tilia amurensis was normal from 600 to 1100m;the anatomy structures of annual,biennial,branches and leaves of Tilia amurensis presents a definite changes;orderliness according to the changes of altitude;the effect on the different structures of anatomy branches and leaves by altitude is different; the most suitable altitude height for the growing of Tilia amurensis in Changbai mountain was from 700 to 900 m according to observed synthetically.

Predicting dynamics of soil organic carbon mineralization with a double exponential model in different forest belts of China

The dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) was analyzed by using laboratory incubation and double exponential model that mineralizable SOC was separated into active carbon pools and slow carbon pools in forest soils derived from Changbai and Qilian Mountain areas. By analyzing and fitting the CO2 evolved rates with SOC mineralization, the results showed that active carbon pools accounted for 1.0% to 8.5% of SOC with an average of mean resistant times (MRTs) for 24 days, and slow carbon pools accounted for 91% to 99% of SOC with an average of MRTs for 179 years. The sizes and MRTs of slow carbon pools showed that SOC in Qilian Mountain sites was more difficult to decompose than that in Changbai Mountain sites. By analyzing the effects of temperature, soil clay content and elevation on Soc mineralization, results indicated that mineralization of SOC was directly related to temperature and that content of accumulated SOC and size of slow carbon pools from Changbai Mountain and Qilian Mountain sites increased linearly with increasing clay content, respectively, which showed temperature and clay content could make greater effect on mineralization of SOC.

Simulating forest ecosystem response to climate warming incorporating spatial effects in north‐eastern China

AbstractAim Predictions of ecosystem responses to climate warming are often made using gap models, which are among the most effective tools for assessing the effects of climate change on forest composition and structure. Gap models do not generally account for broad‐scale effects such as the spatial configuration of the simulated forest ecosystems, disturbance, and seed dispersal, which extend beyond the simulation plots and are important under changing climates. In this study we incorporate the broad‐scale spatial effects (spatial configurations of the simulated forest ecosystems, seed dispersal and fire disturbance) in simulating forest responses to climate warming. We chose the Changbai Natural Reserve in China as our study area. Our aim is to reveal the spatial effects in simulating forest responses to climate warming and make new predictions by incorporating these effects in the Changbai Natural Reserve.Location Changbai Natural Reserve, north‐eastern China.Method We used a coupled modelling approach that links a gap model with a spatially explicit landscape model. In our approach, the responses (establishment) of individual species to climate warming are simulated using a gap model (linkages) that has been utilized previously for making predictions in this region; and the spatial effects are simulated using a landscape model (LANDIS) that incorporates spatial configurations of the simulated forest ecosystems, seed dispersal and fire disturbance. We used the recent predictions of the Canadian Global Coupled Model (CGCM2) for the Changbai Mountain area (4.6 °C average annual temperature increase and little precipitation change). For the area encompassed by the simulation, we examined four major ecosystems distributed continuously from low to high elevations along the northern slope: hardwood forest, mixed Korean pine hardwood forest, spruce‐fir forest, and sub‐alpine forest.Results The dominant effects of climate warming were evident on forest ecosystems in the low and high elevation areas, but not in the mid‐elevation areas. This suggests that the forest ecosystems near the southern and northern ranges of their distributions will have the strongest response to climate warming. In the mid‐elevation areas, environmental controls exerted the dominant influence on the dynamics of these forests (e.g. spruce‐fir) and their resilience to climate warming was suggested by the fact that the fluctuations of species trajectories for these forests under the warming scenario paralleled those under the current climate scenario.Main conclusions With the spatial effects incorporated, the disappearance of tree species in this region due to the climate warming would not be expected within the 300‐year period covered by the simulation. Neither Korean pine nor spruce‐fir was completely replaced by broadleaf species during the simulation period. Even for the sub‐alpine forest, mountain birch did not become extinct under the climate warming scenario, although its occurrence was greatly reduced. However, the decreasing trends characterizing Korean pine, spruce, and fir indicate that in simulations beyond 300 years these species could eventually be replaced by broadleaf tree species. A complete forest transition would take much longer than the time periods predicted by the gap models.

An integrated method for estimating compensations for environmental services of forests

The values of non-marketable forest products have largely been ignored, which made the conservation of the natural resources increasingly more economically difficult. Based on the previous studies, compensation subsidy for the values of non-marketable forest products was computed with a method of compensation coefficient that combines the Engel Coefficient and Logistic Curve. The method was applied in Changbai Mountain area. The total value of the compensation subsidy in 1999 was supposed to 637.93 Yuan·hm−2, of which 70% would be paid directly to the local stakeholders and is much higher than the compensation subsidy previously computed (75Yuan·hm−2·year−1). It is currently impossible for the central government to bear all the costs and investment of natural forest protection. A practical solution is that the local government should invest in forest and put the compensation subsidy into the current revenue.

FORESTAR:

Past monoculture forestry in China has contributed to countrywide ecological disasters and economic difficulties in forestry regions. China抯 new forestry programs, Natural Forest Conservation Program and Returning Farmlands to Forests Program, provide opportunities for ecosystem management of mountain forests in China. A decision support system, FORESTAR, has been developed for better managing and protecting natural forests in Changbai Mountain area. It uses GIS-based forest inventory data at a scale of forestry bureau. The first version contains two sub-modules: forest operation and forest restoration. Under each sub-module, users can compare several decision options and make optimal choices. It can help field foresters, forest managers, and policy makers make multi-objective and consistent decisions in planning forest management at hierarchical administrative scales.

Forest cutting and regeneration methodology on Changbai Mountain

This paper discussed the characteristics of degenerated forest ecosystems in Changbai Mountain area, which include over-harvest natural forest, typical secondary forest, derived forest, and artificial forest. Forest cutting and regeneration methods that were historically used, in the region were summarized. They include diameter-class selective cutting, clearcutting, upbringing selective cutting, and selective cutting. We proposed cutting methods for the broad-leaved Korean pine mixed forest., spruce-fir forest, and larch forest. The measures for restoring the original mixed forest ecosystems were recommended.

Seed dispersal pattern and germination test ofRhodiola sachalinensis

The survey of seed dispersal ofRhodiola sachalinensis was carried out in Changbai Mountain in 1997. It was discovered that the dispersal of seed is not equal in all directions, but concentrates in the East and North to the cluster.Rh. sachalinensis seeds for germination test were collected from Changbai Mountains area (Antu County, Jilin Province) and Dahailin Migrating Conservation Base (Dahailing Forestry Bureau, Heilongjiang Province). The seeds were treated with 2% KNO3 for 10h and 0.02% GA3 for 5h immediately after the collection. The germinating rate (85.33%) of the seeds from Dahailin was obviously higher than that (72.66%) from Changbai Mountains. After being stored at 0–5°C for 10 months, the seeds were treated again with the same concentration of hormone mentioned above for germination test. The experimental results showed that there was almost no difference in germinating rate between newly collected seeds and 10-month storage seeds, which indicated that low-temperature storage can extend the life of seeds, and that the germinating rate increases with increasing of hormone concentration.

Application of GIS in Ecological Land Type (ELT) mapping—A case in Changbai Mountain area

This paper depicted the physiographic landscape features and natural vegetation situation of study area (the eastern Jilin Province), and expatiates the definition, basic characters and its development of Ecological Land Classification (ELC). Based on the combination of relief map, satellite photography for study area and vegetation inventory data of 480 sample sites, a 5-class and a 15-class ecological land type map was concluded according to 4 important factors including slope, aspect, vegetation and elevation. Ecological Classification System (ECS) is a method to identify, characterize, and map ecosystems. The Ecological Land Type (ELT) was examined and applied initially in eastern Jilin Province.

Check list of water beetles recorded from Changbai Mountain area

The water beetles recorded from Changbai Mountain are listed. Amphizoa sinica Yu & Stork and Ametor scabrosus (Horn) are distributed only in Changbai Mountain area. The habitat of water beetles in each locality is described.

A succession and silviculture model for the broad-leaved Korean pine forests of Changbai Mountain Area

A succession and silviculture model (ZELIG.CBA) for broad-leaved Korean pine forest of Changbai Moutain Area was developed based on the framework of ZELIG model and characteristics of Broad-leaved Korean pine forests of Changbai area. ZELIG.CBA model consists four sub-models: growth model simulating annual increment of individual tree in forest, regeneration model simulating annual establishment of different tree species, mortality model simulating annual agerelated and stress-related morality; and silviculture model simulating the forest response to different silviculture scenario. The validation of the ZELIG.CBA showed that the accuracy of the model for the forest growth was more than 95%. The succession from clear cutting site simulating showed that the ZELIG.CBA model was stable for long term simulation. And selective cutting experiment showed that the optimal scenario for broad-leaved Korean pine forests was removal volume 30% combining with 30a rotation.

Rates and patterns of landscape change between 1972 and 1988 in the Changbai Mountain area of China and North Korea

Satellite imagery was used to quantify rates and patterns of landscape change between 1972 and 1988 in the Changbai Mountain Reserve and its adjacent areas in the People’s Republic of China and North Korea. The 190,000 ha Reserve was established as an International Biosphere Reserve by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1979. It is the most important natural landscape remaining in China’s temperate/boreal climate. The images used in this research cover a total area of 967,847 ha, about three-fourths of which is in China. Imagery from 1972 and 1988 was classified into 2 broad cover types (forest and non-forest). Overall, forests covered 84.4% of the study area in 1972 and 74.5% in 1988. Changes in forest cover within the Reserve were minimal. The loss of forest cover outside the Reserve appears to be strongly associated with timber harvesting at lower elevations. Landscape patterns in 1988 were more complex, more irregular, and more fragmented than in 1972. This is one of the few studies to assess landscape changes across two countries. The rates and patterns of forest-cover loss were different in China and North Korea. In North Korea, extensive cutting appears to have occurred prior to 1972 and this has continued through 1988 while in China, most cutting appears to have occurred since 1972.

Forest cover types derived from Landsat Thematic Mapper imagery for Changbai Mountain area of China

The distributions of various forest cover types on Changbai Mountain of northeastern China were examined by interpreting Landsat Thematic Mapper satellite data. The area studied consists of the Changbai Nature Reserve plus an 8 km wide buffer zone. The dominant forest cover types were mixed Korean pine (Pinuskoraiensis Sieb. & Zucc.) hardwood forest below 1100 m above sea level (asl) and evergreen coniferous forest between 1100 and 1650 m asl. These two forest cover types accounted for about 70% of the area inside the reserve, and 50% of the area outside the reserve. Other forest cover types included aspen (Populusdavidiana Dode) –white birch (Betulaplatyphylla Sukachev) forest, hardwood forest, larch (Larixolgensis A. Henry) forest, sparse forest land, and mountain birch (Betulaermanii Cham.) forest. Above the forest line (1950 m asl), a zone of tundra was distributed on the top of Changbai Mountain. The mountain birch forest was located between tundra and the evergreen forest. Human-altered areas, including forest clearcuts and urban areas, accounted for only 10% of the whole study area. More than 90% (in area) of the human-altered areas was found in the zone surrounding the reserve. To better protect the old-growth forest ecosystems inside and outside Changbai Nature Reserve, conservation planning for the reserve and forest management for the surrounding area need to be modified.