Soil CO2 efflux in a warm-temperature and sub-alpine forest in Jeju, South Korea

Abstract

Background: This study investigated the temporal variation in soil CO 2 efflux and its relationship with soil temperature and precipitation in the Quercus glauca and Abies koreana forests in Jeju Island, South Korea, from August 2010 to December 2012. Q. glauca and A. koreana forests are typical vegetation of warm-temperate evergreen forest zone and sub-alpine coniferous forest zone, respectively, in Jeju island. Results: The mean soil CO 2 efflux of Q. glauca forest was 0.7 g CO 2 m −2 h −1 at 14.3°C and that of A. koreana forest was 0.4 g CO 2 m −2 h −1 at 6.8°C. The cumulative annual soil CO 2 efflux of Q. glauca and A. koreana forests was 54.2 and 34.2 t CO 2 ha −1 , respectively. Total accumulated soil carbon efflux in Q. glauca and A. koreana forests was 29.5 and 18.7 t C ha −1 for 2 years, respectively. The relationship between soil CO 2 efflux and soil temperate at 10 cm depth was highly significant in the Q. glauca (r 2 = 0.853) and A. koreana forests (r 2 = 0.842). Soil temperature was the main controlling factor over CO 2 efflux during most of the study period. Also, precipitation may affect soil CO 2 efflux that appeared to be an important factor controlling the efflux rate. Conclusions: Soil CO 2 efflux was affected by soil temperature as the dominant control and moisture as the limiting factor. The difference of soil CO 2 efflux between of Q. glauca and A. koreana forests was induced by soil temperature to altitude and regional precipitation.

Carbon balance and net ecosystem production in Quercus glauca forest, Jeju Island in South Korea

“…The previously reported standing biomass of the Q. glauca forest was 345.9 Mg ha -1 in 2011 and 368.4 Mg ha -1 in 2012, indicating an increase in the standing biomass of this forest over time. The DBH of the trees in the forest ranged from 4.6 to 29.7 cm and the age of the Q. glauca trees was as high as 42 years (Jeong et al 2017). Thus, the standing biomass of the protected Q. glauca forest is expected to continue to increase.…”

“…The soil respiration of the forest was estimated using a previously reported correlation equation between temperature and CO 2 emission at a soil depth of 10 cm, measured using an infra-red CO 2 gas analyzer (EGM-4; PP Systems, Haverhill, MA, USA) from August 2010 to December 2012 (Jeong et al 2017). In general, the amount of CO 2 emitted demonstrates a positive exponential relationship with the soil temperature.…”

“…Nevertheless, the carbon budget of terrestrial ecosystems has not been studied in depth in South Korea, with most research examining forest produc-tivity and carbon storage. Studies investigating carbon storage in forests in South Korea have been conducted in Seoraksan National Park (147 Mg C ha -1 ), Mudeungsan National Park (112 Mg C ha -1 ), Jirisan National Park (107 to 119 Mg C ha -1 ), the Quercus mongolica forest of Jeombongsan, Gangwon-do (140 Mg C ha -1 ), and the subalpine grasslands of Hallasan National Park (13.9 Mg C ha -1 ) (Jang et al 2017;Jeong et al 2016; Lee 2012a; Lee 2012b; Lee et al 2015).…”