Estimation of Specific Leaf Area Index Using Direct Method by Leaf Litter in Gwangneung, Mt. Taewha and Mt. Gariwang

Abstract

Annual litterfall production and leaf area index (LAI, m 2 /m 2 ) were estimated using litter traps in Gwangneung, Mt. Taewha and Mt. Gariwang. Annual total litter fall production including branch, bark, others was the highest in Gwangneung(7497.3±326.5 kg/ha/yr), which had the highest basal area at late successional stage, and followed by Mt. Taewha(5929.1±225.8 kg/ha/yr) and Mt. Gariwang(3,210.1±220.1 kg/ha/yr). Mt. Gariwang had the lowest litterfall production due to high elevation and short growing season even with the higher stand density and basal area than Mt. Taewha. Similarly, LAI, which was calculated by multiplying the mass of leaf litter with specific leaf area, was the highest in Gwangneung(5.99±0.69) and followed by Mt. Taewha(5.20±0.24) and Mt. Gariwang(4.06±0.42) and the upper canopy species had the highest leaf area index in every sites (Gwangneung : 4.72, Mt. Taewha : 3.08, Mt. Gariwang : 2.19). However, species specific LAI estimation based on the relationship between basal area and leaf area was limited due to upper canopy species non-proportionality of basal area with LAI. In addition, the comparison between direct and indirect LAI measurement showed the importance of canopy clumping, especially at high density. Our study emphasized the necessity of direct LAI measurement using litter fall traps especially at temperate deciduous forest with diverse species.

Species-specific morphological and physiological characteristics and progressive nitrogen limitation under elevated CO2 concentration

“…Nitrogen is an important component of plant photosynthetic organs and of functional and structural proteins (Kwon et al 2019). In particular, nitrogen in the leaves constitutes the photosynthetic enzymes, such as chlorophyll and rubisco (ribulose-1,5-biphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase), which determines the maximum carboxyla-tion rate (VCmax -Makino & Osmond 1991, Hikosaka 2004, with a decisive influence on forest productivity (Harley et al 1992, Harrison et al 2009).…”