Carbon and nitrogen storage in an age-sequence of Pinus densiflora stands in Korea.
The carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) storage capabilities of Pinus densiflora in six different stand ages (10, 27, 30, 32, 44, and 71 years old) were investigated in Korea. Thirty sample trees were destructively harvested and 12 were excavated. Samples from the above and belowground tree components, coarse woody debris (CWD), forest floor, and mineral soil (0-30 cm) were collected. Tree biomass was highest in the 71-year-old stand (202.8 t ha(-1)) and lowest in the 10-year-old stand (18.4 t ha(-1)). C and N storage in the mineral soil was higher in the 71-year-old stand than in the other stands, mainly due to higher soil C and N concentrations. Consequently, the total ecosystem C and N storage (tree+forest floor+CWD+soil) was positively correlated with stand age: increasing from a minimum in the 10 year old stand (18.8 t C ha(-1) and 1.3 t N ha(-1)) to a maximum in the 71-year-old stand (201.4 t C ha(-1) and 8.5 t N ha(-1)). The total ecosystem C storage showed a similar sigmoidal pattern to that of tree C storage as a function of the age-sequence, while N storage in the CWD, forest floor and mineral soil showed no significant temporal trends. Our results provide important insights that will increase our understanding of C and N storage in P. densiflora stands and our ability to predict changes according to stand age in the region.
Noh
Nam-Jin
NJ
Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 136-713, Korea.
Son
Yowhan
Y
Lee
Sue-Kyoung
SK
Seo
Kyung-Won
KW
Heo
Su-Jin
SJ
Yi
Myong-Jong
MJ
Park
Pil-Sun
PS
Kim
Rae-Hyun
RH
Son
Yeong-Mo
YM
Lee
Kyeong-Hak
KH
D018533:Biomass; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism*; D017753:Ecosystem; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D028223:Pinus / Q000378:metabolism*; D056910:Republic of Korea
D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen