- KOREAN
- P-ISSN2287-8327
- E-ISSN2288-1220
- SCOPUS, KCI
ISSN : 2287-8327
Vol.37 No.2
Abstract
This study investigated the ability of Bothriochloa bladhii (Retz.) S.T. Blake (Poaceae), Cyperus ligularis L. (Cyperaceae), Commelina erecta L. (Commelinaceae), Mariscus umbellatus (Rottb.) Vahl (Cyperaceae), Fimbistylis miliacea L. (Cypera¬ceae) and Torulinium odoratum L. (Cyperaceae) to clean up various levels of used motor oil (UMO) contaminated soils. The plants were grown in 2 kg garden soils treated to 0%, 1%, 5% and 10% levels of UMO contamination. The plant growth parameters, chlorophyll contents and dry weight of test plants were measured. The phytoremediation ability of these test plants were assessed by measuring the uptake of hydrocarbons in terms of total hydrocarbon content (THC) as well as their percentage degradation values. There was significant (P < 0.05) reduction in leaf chlorophyll contents and dry weights of the test plant species planted in UMO contaminated soils. THC as well as the percentage uptake (or degra¬dation) of hydrocarbons were both lowest in C. ligularis but highest in T. odoratum in all cases. The phytoremediation potential of test plants was highest in soils contaminated with 5% UMO. Based on the results of this study, all test plants with the exception of C. ligularis were potentially capable of undertaking phytoremediation. However, B. bladhii and T. odoratum proved most effective in the uptake and degradation of UMO.
Abstract
The arctic tundra is an important ecosystem in terms of the organic carbon cycle and climate change, and therefore, detailed analysis of vegetation distribution patterns is required to determine their association. We used grid-sampling method and applied geostatistics to analyze spatial variability and patterns of vegetation within a two-dimensional space, and calculated the Moran’s I statistics and semivariance to assess the spatial autocorrelation of vegetation. Spatially au¬tocorrelated vegetation consisted of moss, Eriophorum vaginatum, Betula nana, and Rubus chamaemorus. Interpola¬tion maps and cross-correlograms revealed spatial specificity of Carex aquatilis and a strong negative spatial correlation between E. vaginatum and C. aquatilis. These results suggest differences between the species in water requirements for survival in the arctic tundra. Geostatistical methods could offer valuable information for identifying the vegetation spatial distribution.
Abstract
Mankyua chejuense is a native endangered plant distributed only in Gotzawal, a forested wetland, in Jeju Province, Korea. In order to determine the optimal environmental conditions for the growth and development of M. chejuense, we inves¬tigated the above- and below-ground growth responses and survival rate to various soil texture (sand and clay), water regimes (flooding and non-flooding), and CO2+T (ambient and elevated) conditions. All of the treatments had significant effects on aboveground growth parameters, while only the water regime and CO2+T treatments influenced belowground growth. The survival rate of M. chejuense was about twice higher under the sand, non-flooding and elevated CO2+T condi¬tions than clay, flooding and ambient CO2+T conditions. These results indicate that M. chejuense grows in well-drained sandy soil conditions and elevated CO2 concentration and temperature situations. Thus, there is a need to maintain M. chejuense under constant non-flooding soil conditions by implementing appropriate soil drainage strategies.
Abstract
Soil organic carbon (SOC) in the Arctic is vulnerable to climate change. However, research on SOC stored in the high Arctic regions is currently very limited. Thus, this study was aimed at understanding the distribution and characteristics of SOC with respect to geomorphology and vegetation in Svalbard. In August 2011, soil samples were collected near the Vestre Lovénbreen moraine. Sampling sites were chosen according to altitude (High, Mid, and Low) and differences in levels of vegetation establishment. Vegetation coverage, aboveground biomass, and SOC contents were measured, and density-size fractionation of SOC was conducted. The SOC content was the highest in the Mid site (126.9 mg g-1) and the lowest in the High site (32.1 mg g-1), although aboveground biomass and vegetation coverage were not different between these two sites. The low SOC content measured at the High site could be related to a slower soil development following glacial retreat. On the other hand, the Low site contained a high amount of SOC despite having low vegetative cover and a high ratio of sand particles. These incompatible relationships between SOC and vegetation in the Low site might be associated with past site disturbances such as runoff from snow/glacier melting. This study showed that geomorphologi¬cal features combined with glacier retreat or melting snow/glacier effects could have affected the SOC distribution and vegetation establishment in the high Arctic.
Abstract
This study examined the main factors affecting the distribution of Phytolacca americana, an exotic plant species in Korea, in coastal sand dunes. The areas examined from June 2004 to February 2006 were in Sindusagu where was located on Sin¬du-ri, Wonbuk-myen, Taean-gun, Chungcheongnam-do. The vegetation, sediment properties, sizes and ages of Robinia pseudoacacia, P. americana and Pinus thnunbergii and spatial distribution of P. americana were assessed. Firstly, cor¬relation coefficients (CC) between P. americana’s root biomass and sediment properties were not significant. Secondly, of the four community types, P. americana was not in the mixed herbaceous community and its density was the highest in the P. thunbergii−R. pseudoacacia and R. pseudoacacia community The Poisson distribution analysis revealed the dis¬tribution of P. americana to be severely clumped. The root biomass of P. americana and the basal area of R. pseudoacacia were significantly correlated, but the CCs between P. thunbergii and other two species were not significant. The ages of P. americana and R. pseudoacacia in a quadrat were significantly correlated. Thirdly, P. americana’s ages in a quadrat were mostly similar to each other. Therefore, the spatial distribution of P. americana was largely influenced by R. pseudoacacia but not by the sediment properties, and plants in a narrow area were concurrently germinated.
Abstract
Little is known about how the increased porosity of a deciduous windbreak, which results from loss of leaves, influences wind speed reduction. We hypothesized that, with loss of foliage, the wind speed reduction effectiveness of a deciduous windbreak decreases on near leeward side but not on further leeward side and that wind speed recovers faster in the full foliage season than in other seasons. During summer, autumn, and winter (full, medium, and non- foliage season, respectively), we observed wind speed and direction around a deciduous windbreak in a traditional Korean village on windward and near and further leeward sides (at –8H, 2H, and 6H; H = 20 m, a windbreak height). We used a linear mixed effects model to determine that the relative wind speed reduction at 2H significantly decreased from 83% to 48% (F2,111.97 = 73.6, P < 0.0001) with the loss of foliage. However, the relative wind speed reduction at 6H significantly increased from 26% to 43% (F2,98.54 = 18.5, P < 0.0001). Consequently, wind speed recovery rate between 2H and 6H in summer was two times higher than in autumn and ten times higher than in winter (F2,102.93 = 223.1, P < 0.0001). These results indicate that deciduous windbreaks with full foliage seem to induce large turbulence and increase wind speed recovery rate on leeward side. Our study suggests that further research is needed to find the optimal foliage density of a deciduous windbreak for maximizing windbreak effectiveness regardless of seasonal foliage changes.
Abstract
We estimated the influence of environmental factors on zooplankton communities at 25 reservoirs during winter (De¬cember 2010 to January 2011). Among zooplankton groups, Cyclops vicinus is more dominant during winter, and this is positively related to withered vegetation area and dissolved oxygen level. Therefore, the presence of withered vegeta¬tion might be considered as an important factor to determine C. vicinus distribution during winter. We considered that withered vegetation might be utilized as a habitat for C. vicinus, as well as provide an attachment substrate for periphytic algae. Abundance of periphytic algae can lead to high concentration of dissolved oxygen. Although copepods prefer high water temperatures for increasing their population growth, if Cyclops can overcome low temperature stress that leads to disruption of population, their population growth initiation in the next growing season (i.e. next spring) is possibly pro¬pelled by the winter population.
Abstract
To elucidate whether small diameter at breast height correlates with tree death in an overcrowded tree population, we analyzed self-thinning occurring over the course of 37 years in naturally established Pinus densiflora populations in Sug¬adaira, central Japan. As trees grew, their diameters at breast height increased and the number of trees consequently decreased. Spatial distribution, which was initially clumped, changed accordingly, first becoming random and finally uniform. We calculated the “available area” of individual trees to elucidate the contribution of this parameter to tree mor¬tality. Small diameter at breast height was strongly correlated with tree death, with a slight correlation observed between tree death and small available area of individual trees.