Korean Pine Plantation Research Articles

Preservation of broadleaf species in Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) plantations affects soil properties, carbon storage, biomass allocation, and available nitrogen storage

We analyzed forest floor mass, soil properties, soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, soil available nitrogen (NO3–-N and NH4+-N) (SAN) storage, litter production and decomposition, tree biomass, and the growth rate of Korean pine ( Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc.) to determine the impacts of keeping broadleaf species in the Korean pine plantation on Korean pine growth and identify the interactions of plants and soil. Forest biomass and litter production were significantly higher in the broadleaf mixed Korean pine plantation (KBP) than in the pure Korean pine plantation (KP). Broadleaf species redistributed carbon from forest floor to mineral soil via its fast litter decomposition rate with the result of a smaller forest floor mass and a greater SOC storage in KBP than in KP. KBP had significantly higher SOC and SAN storages, SOC and SAN concentrations, and pH, and lower soil bulk density than KP. Such differences can be largely explained by the input of broadleaf litter into KBP. The Korean pine in KBP had a greater growth rate and allocated a smaller proportion of biomass below ground, indicating that the broadleaf species influenced the Korean pine growth and biomass allocation pattern by changing soil properties. There was a positive feedback among litter N release rate, SAN storage, and plant growth rates.

Foliar decomposition in a broadleaf-mixed Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. Et Zucc) plantation forest: the impact of initial litter quality and the decomposition of three kinds of organic matter fraction on mass loss and nutrient release rates

Foliar litter decomposition of nine species in broadleaf-mixed Korean pine plantation forests, northeast China was assessed over a 34-month field experiment using litterbag method. Litter mass loss generally followed a sequential decomposition of water-soluble fraction (WSF), acid-soluble fraction (ASF), and acid-insoluble fraction (AIF). WSF decomposition contributed most of litter mass loss in the first 6 months, while ASF accounted for most of litter mass loss thereafter. There existed significant autocorrelations among the initial litter quality indices. Initial N, K, Ca, AIF, AIF/N, ASF/N, and WSF/N were significantly related to the percent remaining of litter mass, N, P, Ca, and Mg in both month 12 and month 34. No litter quality can significantly predict the percent remaining of AIF and K. N and P were immobilized by all litters, but Ca, Mg, and K exhibited minor or no immobilization phase. N was the most limiting element in this forest based on the results of correlation analysis and nutrient elements release dynamics. The relationships between WSF, ASF, and AIF loss and N or P release rate fitted the polynomial regression. The decomposition of WSF and ASF were faster than N and P were mineralized during the study. AIF loss rate relative to N and P loss varied greatly among species, with high-N litter showing slower AIF decomposition rates than N and P. The loss rates of WSF and ASF were in proportion to that of K, Ca, and Mg, while AIF decomposed slower than K, Ca, and Mg. This suggested that the decomposition of WSF and ASF caused the net release of K, Ca, and Mg.

Partitioning soil respiration of temperate forest ecosystems in northeastern China

Abstract Quantifying soil respiration components and their relations to environmental controls are essential to estimate both local and regional carbon (C) budgets of forest ecosystems. In this study, we used the trenching-plot and infrared gas exchange analyzer approaches to determine heterotrophic ( R H ) and autotrophic respiration ( R A ) in the soil surface CO 2 flux for six major temperate forest ecosystems in northeastern China. The ecosystems were: Mongolian oak forest (dominated by Quercus mongolica), aspen-birch forest (dominated by Populous davidiana and Betula platyphylla), mixed wood forest (composed of P. davidiana, B. platyphylla, Fraxinus mandshurica, Tilia amurensis, Acer amono, etc.), hardwood forest (dominated by F. mandshurica, Juglans mandshurica, and Phellodendron amurense), Korean pine ( Pinus koraiensis), and Dahurian larch ( Larix gmelinii) plantations, representing the typical secondary forest ecosystems in this region. Our specific objectives were to: (1) quantify R H and its relationship with the environmental factors of the forest ecosystems, (2) characterize seasonal dynamics in the contribution of root respiration to total soil surface CO 2 flux ( RC), and (3) compare annual CO 2 fluxes from R H and R A among the six forest ecosystems. Soil temperature, water content, and their interactions significantly affected R H in the ecosystems and accounted for 46.5%–78.8% variations in R H . However, the environmental controlling factors of R H varied with ecosystem types: soil temperature in hardwood and Dahurian larch forest ecosystems, soil temperature, and water content in the others. The RC for hardwood, poplar-birch, mixed wood, Mongolian oak, Korean pine, and Dahurian larch forest ecosystems varied between 32.40%–51.44%, 39.72%–46.65%, 17.94%–47.74%, 34.31%–37.36%, 33.78%–37.02%, and 14.39%–35.75%, respectively. The annual CO 2 fluxes from R H were significantly greater than those from R A for all the ecosystems, ranging from 337–540 g C·m −2·a −1 and 88‐331 gC·m −2·a −1 for R H and R A , respectively. The annual CO 2 fluxes from R H and R A differed significantly among the six forest ecosystems.

EFFECTS OF SOIL TEMPERATURE AND MOISTURE ON SOIL SURFACE CO<inf>2</inf> FLUX OF FORESTS IN NORTHEASTERN CHINA

Forest ecosystems in northeastern China play an important role in both local and national carbon budgets because of their large area extent and huge amount of carbon storage. The spatial and temporal changes in soil surface CO_2 flux (R_S), the major CO_2 source to the atmosphere from terrestrial ecosystems, directly influence the local and regional carbon budgets. However, few data on R_S were available for this region. In this study, we used an infrared gas exchange analyzer (LI_COR 6400) to measure the R_S and related biophysical factors, and examined soil temperature and moisture effects on soil respiration for six secondary temperate forest ecosystem types: Mongolian oak (dominated by Quercus mongolica), poplar_birch (dominated by Populus davidiana and Betula platyphylla), mixed_wood (no dominant tree species), hard_wood forests (dominated by Fraxinus mandshurica, Juglans mandshurica and Phellodendron amurense), Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) and Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii) plantations. Our specific objectives were to: 1) compare the soil temperature, soil moisture, R_S, and Q_ 10 (temperature coefficient) of the six forest types; 2) quantify the seasonality of R_S and related environmental factors; and 3) determine the environmental factors affecting the R_S, and construct models of R_S against the related environmental factors. Soil temperature, soil moisture and their interactions significantly (p 0.01) influenced the R_S, but their effects depended on forest type and soil depth. These factors could explain 67.5%-90.6% of the variations in the R_S data. During the growing season, the soil temperature at 10 cm depth in the different forest types did not differ significantly but soil moisture did. The R_S for the oak, pine, larch, hardwood, mixed_wood, and poplar_birch stands varied from 1.89-5.23, 1.09-4.66, 0.95-3.52, 1.13-5.97, 1.05-6.58, and 1.11-5.76 μmol CO_2·m~ -2 ·s~ -1 , respectively; the Q_ 10 values for those stands were 2.32, 2.76, 2.57, 2.94, 3.55 and 3.54, correspondingly. The seasonality of R_S was driven mainly by soil temperature and moisture, and was roughly consistent with that of soil temperature. The broad_leaved forests had a higher soil respiration rate than those of coniferous forests probably because of a more suitable soil thermal and moisture regimes and other biological factors. The temperature sensitivity coefficient of soil respiration (Q_ 10 ) showed a convex_type curve along a soil moisture gradient. The Q_ 10 tended to increase when soil moisture increased from 30.19 to 40.7, and then declined probably because the extremely high soil moisture content in the hardwood forest may impede activities of soil microbes and plant roots, and thus decrease decomposition rates and soil CO_2 emission. Our study strongly recommended that estimation of soil surface CO_2 flux from forest ecosystems should consider the comprehensive effects of both soil temperature and moisture on soil respiration so as to reduce uncertainties of ecosystem carbon budget studies in this region.

Study on species diversity of rust fungus in five forest types

The species diversities of rust fungus in five forest types was investigated and discussed according to the methods of fungi taxonomy and forestry ecology in Maorshan area. The results show the species diversity index of rust fungus is the highest in the mixed forest type, mendium in Birch-poplar forest, Larch plantation and Korean pine plantation, and the lowest in Oak forest. The results also show that the vegetation succession can cause the fungus population succession.

The influence of heterogeneous habitats on the germination ofAcanthopanax senticosus seeds and the dynamics of its seed pool

Differences in germination ofA. Senticosus, an important shrub under the Korean Pine broad-leavd forest and its secondary forest in heterogeneous habitats and the dynamics of its seed pool have been studied by observations in location. The results showed that transformation rates from seeds to seedlings were in the following order: 16.8% in Larch plantations, 4.1% in Mongolian oak forests, 2.7% in Birch forests, 1.8% in Korean Pine plantations, and 0.5% in hard wood forests. The life-span of seeds was determined to be four years in the simulating seed pool under Larch plantations. The percentage of the seedling output was, 14.5% in the 2nd year, 10.1% in the 3rd year, and 1.8% in the 4th year. Other types of the seed output were those: decayed 33.1%, senescent, 22.3%, predated by mice 14.1%, which was variable due to the variation in the number of mouse, and only 1.17% were eaten by insects and ofher soil animals.

Study on the tree growth, architecture and stand structure of Korean pine plantation

The artificial pure and mixed Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) forests were investigated at Dailing Forestry Bureau in Xiaoxing’an mountains from 1990 to 1992. Depending on the distance between the samplings of Korean pine and their neighbor trees, the neighbor tree height, the size of neighbor tree canopy, and dimension of neighbor tree. The forest structure was classified into three types: (l)Growth of a tree in the light (open); (2) Growth of a tree in the canopy gap (Gap); (3)Growth of a tree under broad-leaved tree canopy. The frequency, height, and age of stem divergence of Korean pine tree were investigated by sampling trees. The temporal and spatial model of the tree growth was applied on basis of the height of stem divergence, ratio of height and DBH, and character of tree stem. The morphology and growth character of Korean pine trees during different development stage were forecasted.

Study on the site of Korean pine plantation on the Maoer Mountain

The site classification and site quality evaluation were studied in Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) plantations on the Maoer Mountain. All the Korean pine plantation were classified into 3 site classes including 13 site types, based on the three key site factors of soil type, humus horizon depth and aspect, which affect the growth of Korean pine tree. Multiple regression equation related to site factors and dominant tree height was developed by using the Numeral Model I for site quality evaluation of Korean pine plantation. A table of site quality evaluation was made on the basis of the table of forest site type and the dominant tree height predicting equation of Korean pine plantation.

Energy distribution and biological productivity in Korean pine plantation

This investigation was carried out with the 28-year-old korean Pine plantation in Maoershan Area of Heilongjiang Province. The paper revealed the character of energy distribution in korean Pine plantation. The total solar radiations reaching the canopy were discussed respectively and the change pattern of radiation in the forest were analyzed in detail. The solar radiation received by canopy counts up to 2580. 64 MJ/m2 in growth season, of which. direct solar radiation is 1508. 52 MJ/m2 and scattered radiation 1072. 12 MJ/m2. The radiation energy reaching the forest land surface through the canopy is 277. 25MJ/m2, with a transmissivity of about 10. 74%. The net production formed by photosynthesis of forest is 16. 89 MJ/m2 and the net radiation reception by the ecosystem comes to 1091.88 MJ/m2 during growth seasons, therefore the utilization efficiency of solar radiation energy derived from the net radiation taken as basis is 1.55% in the korean pine plantation.

Comparative analysis on the litter in Korean pine Mongolian scots pine and dahurian larch plantations (I) Amount and fluctuation of litter fall

Investigations were made in korean pine, mongolian scots pine and dahurian larch plantations in Laoshan Plantation Experiment Station of Maoershan Experiment Forest Farm of Northeast Forestry University. Data are tabulated on the amount and seasonal and annual fluctuations of fractional composition of the litter (conifer needles, branches, cones, bark scales, broad leaves) in the three plantations. The accounts of conifer needle branch and bark scale litter are as follows: korean pine: 71.16%, 6.23% and 7.32%; mongolian scots pine: 43.65%, 18.52 % and 32.12%; dahurian larch: 90.30%, 7.83% and 1.85%. There are certain broadleaf litter in dahurian larch and mongolian scots pine plantations (account for 7.61% and 8.92% respectively). The litter wither and fall concent ratively in autumn in dahurian larch plantation and scattered all year long in korean pine and mongolian scots pine plantations. Along with the increase of stand age, the absolute amount of litter tend to increase, the relative amount of main fractional compositions (conifer needle, branch and bark scale) in korean pine and mongolian Scots pine plantations maintain stead, whereas in dahurian larch plantation, the relative amount of conifer needle is decreased gradually and the relative amount of other fractional compositions are increased gradually.

A study on the relation between soil and needle content of nutrient elements in the Korean pine plantation

Through the content analysis of nutrient elements in the soil and in the needle at the different site classes and periods of growth ofP. koraiensis, and in a single growing season, some conclusions can be drawn below: Most of the soil nutrient elements were higher at the good sites than at the poor ones in an annual average concentration of them, i.e., site class 1 > site class 2> site class 3. And forP. koraiensis tree at every site class, the nutrient elements in their needles did the same. However, each of the elements in the soil or in the need was seldom at the same level of concentration on the good or on the poor site during different periods of growth. There are no an inevitable relationship between the contents of the soil nutrient elements and the needle’s. And whether these elements are high or low within a tree body may depend on the physiogical requirement of the tree, but not on their contents in the environment. Some nutrient elements required forP. koraiensis varied with growth periods during a whole growing season. N, P and K, for example, were greatly needed only at the fast growth period, while Ca at the initial growth period; and on the contrary, Ca was needed less at the fast growth period. In intensive forest management, therefore, fertilizers with N, P and K should much be applied at the fast growth period, while fertilizer with Ca at the initial growth period to meet requirements of growth ofP. koraiensis trees.