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ISSN : 2287-8327

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Vol.34 No.1
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Vegetation change and emerging research feedback for Korean National Long Term Ecological Research (KNLTER)

Journal of Ecology and Environment / Journal of Ecology and Environment, (P)2287-8327; (E)2288-1220
2011, v.34 no.1, pp.87-93





& (2011). Vegetation change and emerging research feedback for Korean National Long Term Ecological Research (KNLTER). Journal of Ecology and Environment, 34(1), 87-93.
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Abstract

Various responses of forest ecosystems to climate change underscore the need to improve our understanding of the environmentally-driven changes in forests, most effectively by long-term monitoring protocols. We have explored vegetation dynamics based on changes in community structure, species composition, diversity and demographics in four Korean National Long Term Ecological Research (KNLTER) sites--Mt. Nam, Mt. Jeombong, Mt. Worak, and Mt. Jiri-- between 2004 and 2009. Most of the sites and forests studied exhibited increments in total basal area, but this was not observed in Quercus mongolica forests in Mt. Nam and Mt. Worak. Stem density exhibited various changes. Altitude gradient was the representative factor in differences in species composition. Two patterns of compositional change--convergence and divergence--were detected. The vegetation of Mt. Nam and Q. mongolica community of Mt. Work showed relatively larger changes in composition. However, in the other sites, few changes were observed. Changes of species richness were not notable except for Mt. Nam, where three species were added in the pine forest, whereas one species disappeared in the oak forest. In the oak forests, mortality rate was as follows (in descending order): Mt. Nam (25.5%), Mt. Jeombong (24.3%), Mt. Worak (16.4%) and Mt. Jiri (0.8%). In the pine forest, the recruitment rate was as follows (in descending order): Mt. Nam (63.7%), Mt. Worak (12.9%), Mt. Jeombong (7.6%) and Mt. Jiri (7.3%). The mortality rate and change rate of basal area were strongly negatively correlated (r = -0.9, P = 0.002), and the recruitment rate and change rate of density were positively correlated (r = 0.77, P = 0.026). In the KNLTER sites, larger vegetation changes were attributed to anthropogenic activities such as salvage logging. Suppression or competition for resources would also affect these changes. Research suggestions such as monitoring to clarify the causes of species mortality were discussed.

keywords
Korea, LTER, mortality, Pinus densiflora, Quercus mongolica, recruitment, vegetation

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