Forest response to increasing typhoon activity on the Korean peninsula: evidence from oak tree‐rings

Abstract

The globally observed trend of changing intensity of tropical cyclones over the past few decades emphasizes the need for a better understanding of the effects of such disturbance events in natural and inhabited areas. On the Korean Peninsula, typhoon intensity has increased over the past 100 years as evidenced by instrumental data recorded from 1904 until present. We examined how the increase in three weather characteristics (maximum hourly and daily precipitation, and maximum wind speed) during the typhoon activity affected old-growth oak forests. Quercus mongolica is a dominant species in the Korean mountains and the growth releases from 220 individuals from three sites along a latitudinal gradient (33-38°N) of decreasing typhoon activity were studied. Growth releases indicate tree-stand disturbance and improved light conditions for surviving trees. The trends in release events corresponded to spatiotemporal gradients in maximum wind speed and precipitation. A high positive correlation was found between the maximum values of typhoon characteristics and the proportion of trees showing release. A higher proportion of disturbed trees was found in the middle and southern parts of the Korean peninsula where typhoons are most intense. This shows that the releases are associated with typhoons and also indicates the differential impact of typhoons on the forests. Finally, we present a record of the changing proportion of trees showing release based on tree-rings for the period 1770-1979. The reconstruction revealed no trend during the period 1770-1879, while the rate of forest disturbances increased rapidly from 1880 to 1979. Our results suggest that if typhoon intensity rises, as is projected by some climatic models, the number of forest disturbance events will increase thus altering the disturbance regime and ecosystem processes.

Tree-Rings Mirror Management Legacy: Dramatic Response of Standard Oaks to Past Coppicing in Central Europe

“…Such studies typically identify canopy disturbances following windbreak [5] or extreme climatic events, such as drought [6]. Forest management is an equally important factor responsible for changes in tree-rings [7].…”

Classification of Korean forests: patterns along geographic and environmental gradients

“…can thus be considered as legacies of more disturbed canopies of mountain forests under conditions of harsher weather (compare also with Altman et al. ).…”

Towards establishing a new environmental archive – Annual growth periodicity, stable carbon isotope variability and reconstruction potential of 'Akoko (Euphorbia olowaluana), a native Hawaiian tree with C4 photosynthetic pathway

“…Many other studies have validated these findings and have raised important implications for the future of management decisions involving tropical forests (e.g. worBes 1989;1995;2002;sTahle 1999;dünisch and monTóia 2003;FichTler and clark 2003;Brienen and Zuidema 2005;Brienen and Zuidema 2006;Therrell et al 2006;Baker and BunyaveJchewin 2006;BräuninG et al 2009;lewis et al 2009;roZendaal et al 2009;Brienen et al 2010;héraulT et al 2010;roZendaal et al 2010;TroueT et al 2010;roZendaal and Zuidema 2011;wils et al 2011;donG et al 2012;Zuidema et al 2012;locosselli et al 2013;alTman et al 2013;de ridder et al 2013;Zuidema et al 2013;GroenendiJk et al 2014;locosselli et al 2016;colomBaroli et al 2016;volland et al 2016).…”