Dynamics of Tree Species Composition in Temperate Mountains of South Korea over Fourteen Years using 880 Permanent Plots

Abstract:

The structure of forest and diversity of tree species in temperate mountains have been influenced by changing climate conditions as well as successional changes. To understand how tree species composition and stand structure change across temperate mountains, the species composition, size, and environmental information were collected over the past fourteen years in 880 quadrats of 20 m x 50 m of woodland communities distributed across Jiri and Baekoon Mountains, South Korea. The preliminary investigation on variations of tree species revealed that overall composition of tree species increased in terms of both diversity and biomass growth of tree species, reflecting fast and wide changes in temperate forests of Korea. Among dominant trees, the Quercus mongolica, Styrax japonicu, and Acer pseudosieboldianum recorded the highest increase in stand density, implying the most prosperous species under current conditions, while the species of Quercus variabilis and Fraxinus mandshurica appeared as fast declining species in the number. In terms of biomass growth of dominant species, the Stewartia pseudocamellia showed the largest increase of biomass, followed by Quercus serrata and Quercus mongolica., while the Fraxinus mandshurica appeared to have a rapid decline, followed by Alnus japonica and Quercus dentata. Overall, the fast change of composition in tree species is clear and further analysis to clarify the reasons for such fast and species-specific changes is underway especially to separate the effect of successional change and climate change.