Pinus Koraiensis Research Articles

Effects of pressure and temperature on wood impregnation – Focusing on larch (Larix kaempferi) and Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis)

The primary purpose of this study was to delineate the most significant factors in the wood impregnation process. For this, the authors prepared larch (Larix kaempferi) and Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) wood and used alkaline copper quaternary as an impregnation solution. The chamber temperature was adjusted to 25, 50, and 80 °C, and the pressure was adjusted to 100, 200, and 300 psi. The impregnation process was maintained for up to 90 min. Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the effects of temperature, time, and pressure in terms of amount of solution impregnated during the process. Factors affecting the amount of solution impregnated were as follows: the effect of pressure was greater than that of time, which was greater than that of temperature. Therefore, pressure was the most critical factor in the wood impregnation process.

Assessment of the Pinus koraiensis cone essential oil on methane production and microbial abundance using in vitro evaluation system

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of Pinus koraiensis cone essential oil (PEO) on in vitro fermentation, methane (CH4) production and microbiota quantification in three different in vitro experiments. First, the main active compounds present in PEO were identified and quantified. Subsequently, the in vitro fermentation characteristics and CH4 production after PEO supplementation (0.20 g/L) at different ratios of forage-to-concentrate (F:C, 100:0, 70:30, 50:50, 30:70, and 0:100; Experiment 1) were evaluated. At a F:C ratios of 50:50, control (CON) and PEO supplementation led to similar total volatile fatty acid concentrations, while CH4 production (13.7%) significantly reduced. Based on this result, we determined that 50:50 F:C ratio can serve as an appropriate diet ratio to evaluate dose-response PEO supplementation. The effects of three levels of PEO supplementation (0.20, 0.50, and 1.0 g/L) on CH4 production, fermentation, and microbiota were then determined in vitro (Experiment 2). Methane production decreased (P < 0.001) with increasing PEO supplementation, with a reduction of up to 65% at 1.0 g/L levels at 24 h of incubation compared with that in the CON. However, PEO supplementation exhibited adverse effects (P < 0.05) on the abundance of most ciliate protozoa, fungi, and fibrolytic bacteria, including Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus albus, and Ruminococcus flavefaciens. In contrast, the abundance of CH4-producing archaea (total methanogens and Methanobrevibacter sp. AbM4) was greater (P < 0.05) than that in the CON. Furthermore, the effects of PEO supplementation using in vitro continuous culture system for a total of 16 d (including 7 d for adaptation and 9 d for fermentation; Experiment 3) were examined. Methane production was reduced (P < 0.001) (47.1%) upon PEO supplementation compared with that in the CON. Similar to Experiment 2, in vitro fermentation and microbiota were affected (P < 0.05) in response to PEO supplementation. In all three experiments, butyrate was greater (P < 0.001) under PEO supplementation than that in the CON. In addition, butyrate-producing bacteria (Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus) were less sensitive to PEO and contributed to the increased butyrate in the continuous cultures. However, all three in vitro results showed that reduction in CH4 production was accompanied by decreased fermentation parameters. These results suggest that although PEO supplementation can reduce CH4 production, it can alter in vitro fermentation and microbiota, such that the supplementation of a great concentrations of PEO may not be beneficial to ruminants.

Soil water content and nitrogen differentially correlate with multidimensional leaf traits of two temperate broadleaf species

The variation and correlation of leaf economics and vein traits are crucial for predicting plant ecological strategies under different environmental changes. However, correlations between these two suites of traits and abiotic factors such as soil water and nitrogen content remain ambiguous. We measured leaf economics and vein traits as well as soil water and nitrogen content for two different shade-tolerant species (Betula platyphylla and Acer mono) in four mixed broadleaved-Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) forests along a latitudinal gradient in Northeast China. We found that leaf economics traits and vein traits were decoupled in shade-intolerant species, Betula platphylla, but significantly coupled in a shade-tolerant species, A. mono. We found stronger correlations among leaf traits in the shade tolerant species than in the shade intolerant species. Furthermore, leaf economic traits were positively correlated with the soil water gradient for both species, whereas vein traits were positively correlated with soil water gradient for the shade intolerant species but negatively correlated in the shade tolerant species. Although economic traits were positively correlated with soil nitrogen gradient in shade intolerant species but not correlated in shade tolerant species, vein traits were negatively correlated with soil nitrogen gradient in shade tolerant species but not correlated in shade intolerant species. Our study provides evidence for distinct correlations between leaf economics and vein traits and local abiotic factors of species differing in light demands. We recommend that the ecological significance of shade tolerance be considered for species when evaluating ecosystem functions and predicting plant responses to environmental changes.

Korean and Siberian pine: Review of chemical composition and pharmacological profile

Background: Pinus sibirica and Pinus koraiensis are belonging to the same subsection Strobus, within the Pinaceae family. The most abundant classes of bioactive compounds isolated from them are terpenes, phenols and fatty acids. Different forms of the abovementioned plants have been used in folk medicine for the prevention and treatment of many diseases. Pinus sibirica has been used to cure rheumatism, arthritis as well as to treat infections, fungal diseases and wounds. It is also considered to exhibit a hypolipidemic, anti-allergic and antiseptic properties. Similarly, Pinus koraiensis is used tradidionaly to treat cough, infections, wounds and rheumatism. Furthermore, essential oil from Korean pine has antitumor, anti-ageing, and sedative effects. Objective: Our aim was to compile literature data regarding chemical composition and pharmacological effects of different preparations from Pinus sibirica and Pinus koraiensis plants, covering from pre-clinical data to upcoming clinical studies. Method: Articles were collected by searching databases: Medline/PubMed, SCOPUS, Embase, and Web of Science. There was no limitation for year of publication and search was not limited only on articles in English language. Results: Given the literature reports, both Siberian and Korean pines, rich in terpenes and phenols, are mainly used in investigations where they expressed antitumor, hepatoprotective or appetite suppressant properties. Conclusion: This review provided compilation of available data about chemical composition, biological profile and therapeutic usage of Pinus sibirica and Pinus koraiensis. Numerous ingredients found in those plants have great potential for examination of numerous pharmacological effects which can lead to production of innovative therapeutic agent.

Loss of soil carbon and nitrogen indicates climate change-induced alterations in a temperate forest ecosystem

Climate warming is expected to influence terrestrial biogeochemical cycles by modifying the quality and quantity of plant litter input to soils. Although a growing number of studies recognize the importance of plant litter input in influencing the loss of soil organic matter (SOM) through a phenomenon called the priming effect (PE), the exact mechanisms behind PE are not well known. Importantly, most PE research is based on short term pot experiments in which fresh organic matter (FOM) input is represented by a single addition of compounds of unnaturally simple chemical composition. Furthermore, only a few studies exist in which the PE was explored in terms of organic C (SOC) and total N content in the soil. Here, we report results of a 3-year long litter manipulation study conducted under natural conditions in a broadleaved Korean pine forest in N-E China. We show that the extra supply (twice the normal input) of aboveground tree litter composing of conifer needles, leaves and small twigs was associated not only with slightly decreased SOC (by 5%) but especially that of soil total N (STN) (by 15%) content in the top soil (0–5 cm depth). In contrast, removal of litter resulted in an increased (ca. 15%) amount of both SOC and STN during the study when compared to control soils receiving natural litter input. Despite the enhanced leaf litter decomposition rate in the treatment receiving extra litter, the changes in SOC and STN were related neither to soil microbial biomass nor to community composition. The amount of N lost (40.0 g m−2) in the soil due to litter addition was ca. three times the amount of N added (12.3 g m−2) via the litter, while the amount of C lost (238 g m−2) was about one third of that added (940 g m−2), suggesting that soil N in our research site is more prone to the PE than soil C. As we did not manipulate belowground FOM input, our results suggest that input of aboveground litter rather than that by roots explained the PE in our study. Results of our long-term study conducted under natural conditions in undisturbed forest soils highlight the large potential of recalcitrant, aboveground litter to affect the PE, which should not go unnoticed when predicting the role of forest soils under conditions (such as climate warming) when these soils act as C sinks.

Water Retention Capacity of Leaf Litter According to Field Lysimetry

The water retention capacity of forest leaf litter was estimated through lysimeter measurements under field conditions. Six lysimeters were placed in Pinus koraiensis and Quercus acutissima forests and filled with the surrounding leaf litter to represent the effects of litter type on the water retention capacity. Two years of measurements for rainfall and litter weight have been conducted in all lysimeters at 30 min intervals. Field measurements showed that P. koraiensis litter stored more water during rainfall periods than did Q. acutissima litter. As a result, immediately after the cessation of rainfall, 1.82 mm and 3.00 mm of water were retained per unit mass of Q. acutissima and P. koraiensis litter, respectively. Following rainfall, after the gravitational flow had entirely drained, the remaining water adhered to the litter was estimated to be 1.66 ± 1.72 mm and 2.72 ± 2.82 mm per unit mass per rainfall event for Q. acutissima and P. koraiensis litter, respectively. During the study period, approximately 83.7% of incident rainfall drained into the uppermost soil layer below the Q. acutissima litter, whereas 84.5% of rainfall percolated through the P. koraiensis litter. The moisture depletion curves indicated that 50% of the water retained in the Q. acutissima and P. koraiensis litter was lost via evaporation within 27 h and 90 h after the cessation of rainfall, respectively. This study demonstrated the water retention storage of leaf litter and its contribution to the water balance over floor litter according to litter and rainfall characteristics. The results also proved that lysimetry is a reliable method to quantify the variation of litter moisture under natural conditions.

Correction: Effects of climate and competition on crown width: a case of Korean pine plantations

Correction: Effects of climate and competition on crown width: a case of Korean pine plantations

A class of natural pinus koraiensis population system with time delay and diffusion term

In this paper, we consider the long-term sustainability of the northeast Korean pine. We propose a class of natural Korean pine population system with time delay and diffusion term. First, by analyzing the roots distribution of the characteristic equation, we study the stability of the model system with diffusion terms and prove the occurrence of Hopf bifurcation. Second, we introduce lactation time delay into a population model with a diffusion term, based on stability theory of ordinary differential equation, norm form methods and center manifold theorem, the stability of bifurcating periodic solutions and the relevant formula for the direction of Hopf bifurcation are given. Finally, some numerical simulations are given.

Evaluating the Legacy Effects of the Historical Predatory Seed Harvesting on the Species Composition and Structure of the Mixed Korean Pine and Broadleaf Forest from a Landscape Perspective

Adequate seed provenance is an important guarantee for the restoration of the mixed Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) and broadleaf forest (MKPBF). However, the commercial harvest exclusion in natural forests has led to a sharp decline in economic income from timber. Given the economic value of Korean pine seeds, predatory seed harvesting (PSH) has become increasingly serious in the past 20 years and has significantly reduced the seed and seedling bank, which might seriously threaten the restoration and sustainable management of the MKPBF. How the historical PSH has affected the future of the MKPBF is unclear at the landscape scale. In this study, we quantified the effects of seed harvesting at the landscape scale by a forest landscape model LANDIS PRO, and then assessed the legacy effects of the historical PSH on the composition and structure of the MKPBF in the Xiaoxing’an Mountains, Northeast China. Our results showed that the historical PSH decreased the Korean pine basal area of all age cohorts, with an average decrease of 0.06 to 0.19 m2 ha−1 but insignificantly altered the age structure diversity of Korean pine throughout the simulation. Our results indicated that the historical PSH remarkably decreased the dominance of Korean pine by 11.1%, but significantly increased the dominance of spruce (Picea koraiensis and Picea jezoensis) and fir (Abies nephrolepis) by 3.8% and 4.5%, respectively, and had an insignificant effect on the other tree species over the simulation. We found that the historical PSH evidently changed the succession trajectories of the disturbed stands, which would result in the transition from the succession pattern dominated by Korean pine to that dominated by spruce and fir. The historical PSH decreased the importance value of Korean pine by 12.2% on average but increased it by 5.1% and 6.0% for spruce and fir, respectively, and resulted in an average 33.2% increase in the dissimilarity index compared with the initial state during the whole simulation period. Future forest management should strictly limit the intensity and rotation of seed harvesting to protect the seed provenance of Korean pine and consider how to ensure the recovery and sustainable management of the MKPBF through direct seeding or seedling planting.

Reactive oxygen metabolism in the proliferation of Korean pine embryogenic callus cells promoted by exogenous GSH

Exogenous glutathione (GSH) promotes the proliferation of embryogenic callus (EC) cells in Korean pine in the course of somatic embryogenesis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) may play an important role in regulating the proliferation of EC cells by exogenous GSH. However, the concrete metabolic response of ROS is unclear. In this study, two cell lines of Korean pine with high proliferative potential 001#-001 (F, Fast proliferative potential cell line is abbreviated as F) and low proliferative potential 001#-010 (S, Slow proliferative potential cell line is abbreviated as S) were used as test materials. The responses of ROS-related enzymes and substances to exogenous GSH and L-Buthionine-sulfoximine (BSO) were investigated in EC cells. The results showed that the exogenous addition of GSH increased the number of early somatic embryogenesis (SEs) in EC cells of both F and S cell lines, decreased the amount of cell death in both cell lines. Exogenous addition of GSH promoted cell division in both cell lines, increased intracellular superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, inhibited intracellular hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) production, and increased NO/ROS ratio. In conclusion, the exogenous GSH promoting the proliferation of Korean pine EC cells, the activity of intracellular antioxidant enzymes was enhanced, the ROS level was reduced, and the resistance of cells to stress was enhanced.

Therapeutic Effects of Pinus koraiensis on 1-Fluoro-2,4-Dinitrofluorobenzene-induced Contact Dermatitis in Mice

Background Korean pine nuts (Semen Pinus koraiensis ( P. koraiensis)) have been a valuable ingredient in Korean cuisine since ancient times, and the classical literature on traditional medicine states that pine nuts can moisturize skin. Aims To confirm the therapeutic efficacy of the ethanol extract of these pine nuts in an animal contact dermatitis (CD) model. Materials and Methods Korean pine nuts were extracted using 70% ethanol, and the crude extract obtained was condensed and lyophilized to produce EEPK (the 70% ethanol extract of P. koraiensis). A DNFB (1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene)-induced BALB/c mouse model of CD was used to investigate the effects of EEPK on skin symptoms, histopathological abnormalities, and cytokine secretion in inflamed tissues. Results EEPK reduced skin color changes, lesion severities, and dorsal skin thickening and inhibited epidermis hyperplasia and immune cell infiltration into inflamed tissues. In addition, EEPK suppressed the productions of tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, interleukin-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 but did not affect body weights or spleen/body weight ratios. Conclusion P. koraiensis has potential as a therapeutic agent for CD and as a treatment for inflammatory skin disease management products. Furthermore, the mechanism underlying its therapeutic effects differs from that of corticosteroids.

Do Tree Size and Tree Shade Tolerance Affect the Photosynthetic Capacity of Broad-Leaved Tree Species?

(1) Background: leaf structure traits are closely related to leaf photosynthesis, reflecting the ability of trees to obtain external resources in the process of growth. (2) Methods: We studied the morphological, chemical, anatomical, stomatal traits and maximum net photosynthetic rate of six broad-leaf species in northern temperate mixed broad-leaved Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) forest. (3) Aim: To investigate whether there are differences in leaf structural traits of trees with different shade tolerances and different sizes and the effects of these differences on leaf photosynthetic capacity. (4) Results: the effects of leaf structure traits on leaf photosynthesis were different among trees with different shade tolerances or different sizes. Under the condition of light saturation, the net photosynthetic rate, nitrogen use efficiency, phosphorus use efficiency and stomatal conductance of shade-intolerant trees or small trees were higher than those of shade-tolerant trees or large trees. (5) Conclusions: the shade tolerance of tree species or the size of trees affect the traits of leaf structure and indirectly affect the photosynthetic ability of plants. When constructing the leaf trait-photosynthesis model, the shade tolerance and tree size of tree species should be taken into account.

Effects of habitat differences on the scatter-hoarding behaviour of rodents (Mammalia, Rodentia) in temperate forests.

To discover the differences in hoarding strategies of rodents for different seeds in different habitats, we labelled and released three different types of seeds, including Pinuskoraiensis, Corylusmandshurica, and Quercusmongolica, in temperate forests of northeastern China and investigated the fate of seeds in four different habitats that included a broad-leaved forest, mixed-forest edge, mixed forest, and artificial larch forest. Our research showed that the hoarding strategy of rodents was found to vary substantially in different habitats. The survival curves of seeds from different habitats showed the same trend, but the rates of consumption in different habitats varied. More than 50% of the seeds in the four habitats were consumed by the tenth day. It took 20 days to consume more than 70% of the seeds. The rate of consumption of P.koraiensis seeds reached 96.70%; 99.09% of the C.mandshurica seeds were consumed, and 93.07% of the Q.mongolica seeds were consumed. The seeds were consumed most quickly in the artificial larch forest. In general, most of the early seeds were quickly devoured. After day 20, the consumption gradually decreased. Rodents found the seeds in the artificial larch forest in a shorter average time than those in the other types of forests. The average earliest discovery time was 1.4 ± 0.9 d (1-3 d). The average earliest discovery time in all the other three habitats exceeded 7 d. The median removal times (MRT) was distributed around the seeds at 14.24 ± 10.53 d (1-60 d). There were significant differences in the MRT among different habitats. It was shortest in the artificial larch forest at 7.67 ± 6.80 d (1-28 d). In contrast, the MRT in the broad-leaved forest was the longest at 17.52 ± 12.91 d (4-60 d). There were significant differences in the MRT between the artificial larch forest and the other habitats. There was less predation of the three types of seeds at the mixed-forest edge, and the most seeds were dispersed. The rates of predation of the P.koraiensis, C.mandshurica, and Q.mongolica seeds were 28.33%, 15.83%, and 44.0%, and 59.17%, 84.17%, and 48.0% of the seeds were dispersed, respectively. The average dispersal distances of all the seeds were less than 6 m, and the longest distance recorded was 18.66 m. The dispersal distances and burial depths differed significantly among the four types of habitats. The distance of seed dispersal was primarily distributed in 1-6 m.

Genetic diversity analysis and fingerprint construction of Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) clonal seed orchard.

Korean pine is a native tree species in Northeast China. In order to meet the needs of germplasm resource evaluation and molecular marker-assisted breeding of Korean pine, we collected Korean pine clones from 7 populations in Northeast China, analyzed the genetic diversity and genetic structure by SSR molecular marker technology and clustered them to revealed the inter- and intrapopulation differentiation characteristics of each clone. The fingerprint profiles of 161 Korean pine clones were also constructed. 77 alleles were detected for 11 markers, and 18 genotypes were identified on average for each marker. The PIC of the different markers ranged from 0.155-0.855, and the combination of PI and PIsibs for the 11 markers was 3.1 × 10-8 and 1.14 × 10-3, respectively. MANOVA showed that genetic variation existed mainly within populations, accounting for 98% of the total variation. The level of genetic differentiation among populations was low, with an average Nm between populations of 11.036. Genetic diversity is lower in the Lushuihe population and higher in the Tieli population. The 161 Korean pine clones were divided into 4 or 7 populations, and the 7 populations were not clearly distinguished from each other, with only the Lushuihe population showing partial differentiation. There is no significant correlation between the genetic distance of Korean pine populations and the geographical distance of their superior tree sources. This result can provide recommendations for future Korean pine breeding programs. The combination of 11 markers could completely distinguish 161 clones and establish the fingerprint. Genetic diversity of Korean pine clones from the 7 populations was abundant, and the genetic distances of individuals and populations were evenly dispersed. The fingerprint map can be used for the identification of Korean pine clones.

Large investment of stored nitrogen and phosphorus in female cones is consistent with infrequent reproduction events of Pinus koraiensis, a high value woody oil crop in Northeast Asia.

Pinus koraiensis is famous for its high-quality timber production all the way and is much more famous for its high value health-care nut oil production potential since 1990's, but the less understanding of its reproduction biology seriously hindered its nut productivity increase. Exploring the effects of reproduction on nutrient uptake, allocation and storage help to understand and modify reproduction patterns in masting species and high nut yield cultivar selection and breeding. Here, we compared seasonality in growth and in nitrogen ([N]) and phosphorus ([P]) concentrations in needles, branches and cones of reproductive (cone-bearing) and vegetative branches (having no cones) of P. koraiensis during a masting year. The growth of one- and two-year-old reproductive branches was significantly higher than that of vegetative branches. Needle, phloem and xylem [N] and [P] were lower in reproductive branches than in vegetative branches, although the extent and significance of the differences between branch types varied across dates. [N] and [P] in most tissues were high in spring, decreased during summer, and then recovered by the end of the growing season. Overall, [N] and [P] were highest in needles, lowest in the xylem and intermediate in the phloem. More than half of the N (73.5%) and P (51.6%) content in reproductive branches were allocated to cones. There was a positive correlation between cone number and N and P content in needles (R2 = 0.64, R2 = 0.73) and twigs (R2 = 0.65, R2 = 0.62) of two-year-old reproductive branches. High nutrient sink strength of cones and vegetative tissues of reproductive branches suggested that customized fertilization practices can help improve crop yield in Pinus koraiensis.

Effect of steam explosion treatment on impregnation of three species of softwoods: North American spruce, Korean pine, and Japanese larch

Effects of steam explosion were investigated relative to impregnation of wood. Three types of softwoods [North American spruce (Picea orientalis), Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis), and Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi)] were prepared and subjected to steam explosion treatment. The cross-sectional surfaces of the samples were observed with SEM, and their open-pore and closed-pore porosities were determined using a gas pycnometer. The softwoods were vacuum impregnated using ACQ-2 (Alkaline Copper Quaternary), a commercial preservative. After steam explosion treatment, the impregnation amount increased by 42.9% in the spruce and 155% in the Korean pine. However, there was no significant difference in the Japanese larch. The results from this study indicated that the steam explosion treatment helped to improve open-pore porosity by generating micro-cracks in the cell walls of softwoods, which improved the impregnation process. However, the degree of improvement in impregnation process differed by the species type.

Alternating processes of dry and wet nitrogen deposition have different effects on the function of canopy leaves: Implications for leaf photosynthesis.

Canopy leaves are sinks of dry and wet nitrogen (N) deposition, most studies have not considered the response of canopy leaves to the alternating processes of dry and wet N deposition. We manipulated a close top chamber experiment to observe the effects of simulated N deposition with the same total deposition flux but different dry to wet ratios on leaf structure and physiology by spraying NH4Cl solution or supplying gaseous NH3 over the canopy of seedlings of three species (Betula platyphylla, Fraxinus mandshurica, Pinus koraiensis) placed in the chamber. After 32 days of N deposition and relative to the control, the leaf morphology and mesophyll tissue structure of the three species had no significant changes under all N deposition treatments. With the increase in the ratio of dry to wet N deposition, the N concentration, N metabolizing enzyme activity and soluble protein concentration in leaves of all three species increased continuously, but for the leaf light-saturated net photosynthesis rate, B. platyphylla showed a continuous increase, F. mandshurica showed a continuous decrease, and P. koraiensis showed no significant change. We found that F. mandshurica was the only species whose foliar chlorophyll and potassium concentration decreased with the increase in the ratio of dry to wet N deposition and its leaf light-saturated net photosynthesis rate was positively correlated with foliar chlorophyll and potassium concentration, respectively. Our results indicate that dry deposition is relatively more important on leaf physiological functions in alternating deposition. B. platyphylla and P. koraiensis may better acclimate to canopy NH3/NH4 + deposition than F. mandshurica. Most importantly, the results indicate that a single simulated dry and wet deposition would overestimate and underestimate the response of leaf function to atmospheric N deposition, respectively. Alternating processes of dry and wet deposition should be considered for more realistic assessments of the effects of atmospheric N deposition in forests.

Developing and Comparing Individual Tree Growth Models of Major Coniferous Species in South Korea Based on Stem Analysis Data

Tree growth in Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora, hereafter Pd), Korean white pine (Pinus koraiensis, hereafter Pk), and Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi, hereafter Lk) was modeled using Logistic, Korf, Gompertz, Chapman-Richards, and Weibull equations and stem analysis data from sample trees: 38 trees for Pd, 46 trees for Pk, and 45 trees for Lk. The models were fitted to the total increment of tree size variables, diameter at breast height (DBH), height, basal area, and stem volume, as a function of age. After selecting the best-fit growth function, the current annual increment (CAI) and mean annual increment (MAI) were compared for each variable by species. The optimal growth functions were Chapman-Richards for DBH and stem volume, Korf for height, and Gompertz for basal area. The parameter estimates in the final models were all significant (p &lt; 0.01) with best-fit statistics and unbiased residual plots. When plotted with observed values, the growth patterns of each variable were represented properly. The predicted growth curves over age were concave with respect to the Y-axis in DBH and height but lightly convex in basal area, and explicitly convex in stem volume, whereas an asymptote of sigmoid curve in stem volume was not apparent until 100 years. Age with the maximum MAI among variables was arranged similarly to CAI; the age with maximum MAI was earliest for DBH and latest for volume. The maximum growth was achieved earliest in Lk, followed by Pk and Pd. The developed models were able to predict tree size variables and serve as a reference to understand growth characteristics by species.

Research on Forest Carbon Storage Capacity Based on the Method of Biomass Conversion Factor

With the continuous progress of human society, global warming has gradually become a global environmental problem. The main cause of global warming is the greenhouse effect, i.e., rising carbon concentration. Forests and related forest products play an important role in alleviating the greenhouse effect and realizing carbon sequestration. In order to further explore the impact of forest management plan on its carbon sequestration capacity, this paper took pinus koraiensis and fir of the Lesser Khingan Mountains as examples, and implemented the cutting and non-cutting plans respectively with 160 years as a cycle, and calculated its carbon sequestration by the method of Biomass Conversion Factor. The results showed that the carbon storage capacity of cutting in one cycle is 22,290 t more than that of non-cutting, and the carbon sequestration capacity of pinus koraiensis and fir is 104,715 t and 86,757 t respectively under the cutting plan. This paper can provide reference for balancing the relationship among forest economic value, biodiversity and carbon sink storage and optimizing forest management plan.

Morphological growth performance and genetic parameters on Korean pine in Northeastern China

Abstract Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) is an economically valuable species owing to its excellent timber quality and nuts useful for various purposes. But few studies have been made on growth performance, and aspects combining the genetic gain and classification method on phenotypic similarity in the selection process of superior families. Thus, the present study aimed at analyzing the genetic variation and highlight suitable morphological traits for family selection; establishing trait correlations and families’ ordination based on similarities in phenotypic characters, and selecting elite families and suitable parent trees. Full-sib families from 28 crosses established in randomized complete block design from Naozhi orchard in Northeast China were used, and 11 morphological traits were investigated. Significant differences were observed among families for all traits. The traits coefficients of variation ranged from 6.07 to 56.25 % and from 0.029 to 15.213 % in phenotype and genotypic variation, respectively. A moderate level of inherited genetic control was observed (broad sense heritability H2, varied from 0.155 to 0.438). Traits related to stem growth were highly positively correlated to each other whereas crown traits showed a weak correlation with stem traits (Pearson correlation r, ranged from -0.161 to 0.956). Based on multi-trait comprehensive analysis, we selected six elite families and six parents, which resulted in a genetic gain of 5.6 %, 16.9 %, and 36.4 % in tree height, diameter at breast height, and volume, respectively. These results make a theoretical basis for selecting excellent families and establish orchards of Korean pine from improved seeds.