To investigate the variation in seasonal soil respiration (SR) as a function of soil temperature (Ts) and soil water content (SWC) in Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica) forests in urban (Mt. Nam) and well-reserved (Mt. Jeombong) areas in South Korea, we conducted continuous field measurements of SR and other environmental parameters (Ts and SWC) using an automated chamber system. Overall, the SR rates in both stands were strongly correlated with the Ts variable during all seasons. However, abrupt fluctuations in SR were significantly related to episodic increases in SWC on a short time scale during the growing season. The integrated optimal regression models for SR using Ts at a depth of 5 cm and SWC at a depth of 15 cm yielded the following: the SR rate in Mt. Nam = SR(Ts) + ΔSR(Ts) = 104.87 exp(0.1108Ts) − 10.09(SWC)2 + 604.2(SWC) − 8627.7 for Ts ≥ 0 °C, and the SR rate in Mt. Jeombong = SR(Ts) + ΔSR(Ts) = 95.608 exp(0.1304Ts) − 33.086(SWC)2 + 1949.2(SWC) − 28499 for Ts ≥ 0 °C. In both cases, SR = 0 for Ts < 0 °C. As per these equations, the estimated annual total SRs were 1339.4 g C m−2 for Mt. Nam and 1003.0 g C m−2 for Mt. Jeombong. These values were quite similar to the measured values in field. Our results demonstrate that the improved empirical equation is an effective tool for estimating and predicting SR variability and provide evidence that the SR of Q. mongolica forests in the cool temperate zone of Korean Peninsula depends on Ts and SWC variables.

This study aims to monitor spatiotemporal changes of spring phenology using the green-up start dates based on the accumulated growing degree days (AGDD) and the enhanced vegetation index (EVI), which were deducted from moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) land surface temperature (LST) data. The green-up start dates were extracted from the MODIS-derived AGDD and EVI for 30 Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica Fisch.) stands throughout South Korea. The relationship between green-up day of year needed to reach the AGDD threshold (DoYAGDD) and air temperature was closely maintained in data in both MODIS image interpretation and from 93 meteorological stations. Leaf green-up dates of Mongolian oak based on the AGDD threshold obtained from the records measured at five meteorological stations during the last century showed the same trend as the result of cherry observed visibly. Extrapolating the results, the spring onset of Mongolian oak and cherry has become earlier (14.5 ± 4.3 and 10.7 ± 3.6 days, respectively) with the rise of air temperature over the last century. The temperature in urban areas was consistently higher than that in the forest and the rural areas and the result was reflected on the vegetation phenology. Our study expanded the scale of the study on spring vegetation phenology spatiotemporally by combining satellite images with meteorological data. We expect our findings could be used to predict long-term changes in ecosystems due to climate change.

In order to understand the role of seed banks for restoration, seed banks in abandoned rice fields in the Gwangneung National Arboretum, central Korea were investigated using the seedling emergence method. The study sites represented three stages: an initial stage dominated by forbs such as Persicaria thunbergii and Juncus effuses var. decipiens, a middle stage dominated by Salix, and a late stage dominated by Quercus aliena and Prunus padus (in nearby riparian forest chosen as a reference stand). DCA ordination arranged the stands according to the number of years since abandonment. CCA ordination identified the dominant environmental variables correlated most closely with Axes 1 and 2 as Mg 2+ (intraset correlation was 0.827) and K + (intraset correlation was -0.677), respectively. Species richness and diversity decreased from the initial stage (H'=2.61) to the middle (H'=1.79) and late (H'=0.75) stages. A total of 49 species (/m 2 ) and 18,620 seedlings (/m 2) emerged out of the seed bank samples. The DCA ordination and similarity analysis detected a large discrepancy between the composition of the actual vegetation and the seed bank. We conclude that the contribution of seed bank to restoration is low. However, seed bank may help the recovery of forbs after disturbance. Some of our results are consistent with the tolerance model of succession whereas others follow the trajectory of the facilitation model. More research on succession will be required to understand the underlying mechanisms.

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