Forest ecosystem restoration achieved by large area plantation in - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Case Study in Ecosystem Restoration

Forest ecosystem restoration achieved by large area plantation in South Korea

Korea National Arboretum Cho, Yong Chan

Large scale ecosystem restoration in Korea Large scale ecosystem restoration in Korea

I I

Landscape level effects of restoration Landscape level effects of restoration

II II

Contents Contents

Ecosystem level effects of restoration Ecosystem level effects of restoration

III III

Emerging challenges and opportunities Emerging challenges and opportunities

IV IV

• Whole land area : 9,990,000ha
• Forest area : 6,370,000ha(63.8%)
• Agricultural land : 2,030,000ha(20.3%)

Forest ecosystem (64%) as key component of biodiversity in Korea Quercus spp. and Pinus densiflora forest are major natural forests Continuous increase in developed area through industrialization Shrinking and fragmentation of forest and agricultural area is in progress

Large scale ecosystem restoration in Korea Large scale ecosystem restoration in Korea

• Developed area : 1,590,000ha(15.9%)

Forest, 6,370,000 (63.8%) Rice paddy, 780,000ha Farm, 1,190,000ha Etc., 1,040,000ha Road, 280,000ha Ground, 270,000ha Orchard, 60,000ha

Source: Ministry of Environment, The Biodiversity of Korea(2012)

YELLOW SEA EAST SEA

Landscape level degradation of forest ecosystem in early 20th century

• problems of forest soil erosion, landslide, river flooding etc.

Resources plundering in Japanese occupation period (1910-1945) Korean War (1950-1953) Government initiative on forest rehabilitation in 1960s

Large scale ecosystem restoration in Korea Large scale ecosystem restoration in Korea

• large scale ecosystem restoration by plantation forest in nation wide

Young-il forest erosion control project from 1973 to1977 as a representative successful restoration project in Asia Forest degradation by over exploitation and environmental limits (mudstone area) Quercus serrata forest as potential natural vegetation of Young-il area Plantation forest by using various tree species, Alnus firma and Pinus thunbergii Slope stabilization, fertilizing, and planting trees and grasses to restore vegetation function

Large scale ecosystem restoration in Korea Large scale ecosystem restoration in Korea

Landscape change analysis

• change detection by paper map (1918) and satellite images (1973, 1987, 1995 and 2002)

Forest function analysis

• RUSLE modeling on soil erosion control
• NDVI analysis in natural and restored area

Vegetation and stand environment survey in Q. serrata forest as reference and plantations of A. firma and P. thunbergii

Large scale ecosystem restoration in Korea Large scale ecosystem restoration in Korea

Apparent restoration effect across landscape

Landscape level effects of restoration Landscape level effects of restoration

1967 2004

Apparent restoration effect by plantation forest across landscape

Landscape level effects of restoration Landscape level effects of restoration

Apparent restoration effect across landscape

• Gain of forest area from loss of low

vegetation element and mountainous barren by restoration project and natural succession

• Increase of developed area by urbanization

and industrialization

• Loss of agricultural element
• Local extinction of salt field element
• Broadleaved forest increment between

1980s and 1990s by pine gall midge and canopy release in pine forest

• Landscape dynamics in Young-il area well

Landscape level effects of restoration Landscape level effects of restoration

• Landscape dynamics in Young-il area well

revealed general patterns in landscape of Korea

Soil loss class 1973 2005 (ton / ha / yr) Area (ha) % Area (ha) %

• Forest soil erosion control by the Young-il

project

• Recent soil loss by development and

forest fire

Landscape level effects of restoration Landscape level effects of restoration

None 15,729.8 42.8 18,724.9 50.9 Rare < 1 5,771.3 15.7 9,727.6 26.4 Relative rare 1~10 9,198.2 25.0 5,952.5 16.2 Mediate 10~100 5,002.4 13.6 1,318.8 3.6 Relative severe 100~1000 1,061.5 2.9 1,038.3 2.8 Severe > 1000 30.2 0.1 31.5 0.1 Total 36,793.5 100.0 36,793.5 100.0

• NDVI comparison between natural and plantation forests
• In 1973, apparent difference in vegetation vitality between natural and plantation forests
• Since 1987, vegetation vitality was rapidly and fully restored in planted forest

Landscape level effects of restoration Landscape level effects of restoration

*: significance at p<0.05 NS: non significance

Environmental variables

Ecosystem level effects of restoration Ecosystem level effects of restoration

• Compared to natural vegetation Q. serrata forest
• Restored canopy openness, light environment and

coverage of litter and woody debris in A. firma stands

• In P. thunbergii stands, low recovery of stand

stratification by tending practice

Vegetation type

• Q. serrata
• A. firma
• P. thunbergii

%

20 40 60 80 100 120 Litter cover (H = 40.6, p < 0.001) Coarse woody debris (H = 53.5, p < 0.001)

Woody debris

• A. firma stand
• Q. serrata stand
• P. thunbergii stand

Canopy environment of natural and restored stands

Environmental variables

Ecosystem level effects of restoration Ecosystem level effects of restoration

• Most of soil properties such as soil pH, N, C and P restored during about 40 years

Natural stands Natural stands Natural stands Natural stands Plantations Plantations Plantations Plantations *: significance at p<0.05 NS: non significance

Vegetation structure

Ecosystem level effects of restoration Ecosystem level effects of restoration

Species Quercus serrata Alnus firma Pinus thunbergii relative basal area relative stem density/ha relative basal area relative stem density/ha relative basal area relative stem density/ha Quercus serrata 38.0 31.9 28.1 37.9

• Q. variabilis

13.8 10.1 1.9 1.1

• Pinus densiflora

8.6 3.3

• Q. mongolica

7.1 8.7 9.4 11.6

• Prunus sp.

5.4 4.0 1.5 1.1 0.1 0.7 Alnus firma

• 22.1

8.4

• A. sibirica
• 0.2

0.7

• Tilia amurensis
• 0.7

0.4

• Pinus thunbergii
• 98.1

89.6 Robinia pseudoa cacia

• 1.0

7.4 Albizia julibrissin

• 0.3

2.2 Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

• Little differences in tree species and shrub layer

composition between Q. serrata and A. firma stands

• Relatively low vegetation recovery in P. thunbergii

stands

• Focused on functional recovery but significant effect
• n compositional restoration

Vegetation composition

Ecosystem level effects of restoration Ecosystem level effects of restoration

Tree species composition

• Succession of plantation forest to natural dominant

vegetation, Q. serrata forest

Shrub layer composition Herbaceous layer composition Alnus firma plantation and regeneration of natural vegetation

Restoration effects achieved by restoration project Restoration effects achieved by restoration project

• Regional landscape quality was completely recovered through

large scale restoration project

• Recovery of forest function was achieved, maybe partly
• In ecosystem level, each restored stands showed differences

to natural vegetation in terms of structure and composition by plantation type and management history

• Environmental variables such as in-forest environments and
• Environmental variables such as in-forest environments and

soil properties were recovered almost

Key points of the success of the restoration project Key points of the success of the restoration project

• Fuel revolution from wood to gas and briquet in 1970s
• Incentive measures to local residents by participating nursery
• Strong regulations to prevent utilizing of forest resources for

fuel and food

• Primarily, transformation of social system from agricultural to

industrial society during 1970s to 1990s

Emerging challenges and opportunities Emerging challenges and opportunities

Most of lowland forest of Korea was occupied by young plantations Homogeneous forest landscape and urbanization in lowlands

• vulnerability to disturbance, fragmentation, connectivity

Delay of natural succession due to local shortage of plant propagules Needs to secondary forest restoration to facilitate vegetation diversity, health and function

Emerging challenges and opportunities Emerging challenges and opportunities

20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000 140,000 160,000 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200

Elevation (m) Area (ha)

120,000 140,000

Major plantation of lowland area

Characteristics of spatial distribution of introduced P. rigida plantation

10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 N NE E SE S SW W NW

Aspect

Area (ha) 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 Slope ( ˚ ˚ ˚ ˚) Area (ha)

Gentle slope area All aspect 340,000 ha in S. Korea

Emerging challenges and opportunities Emerging challenges and opportunities

Partial cutting or girdling in coniferous plantation

Schematic diagram for restoring natural vegetation in coniferous plantation Application of ecological theories

• gap theory and intermediate disturbance hypothesis

Partial cutting or girdling in coniferous plantation Facilitation of natural succession Restoration of natural vegetation and improving vegetation diversity

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