Dai Limin

Review on the Decomposition and Influence Factors of Coarse Woody Debris in Forest Ecosystem

Coarse woody debris (CWD) is an important and particular component of forest ecosystems and is extremely important to forest health. This review describes the decomposition process, decomposition model and influence factors. CWD decomposition is a complex and continuous process and characterizes many biological and physical processes, including biological respiration, leaching, and fragmentation. All these processes have closed relationships between each other and work synergistically. During decomposition, there are many controlling factors mainly including site conditions (temperature, humidity, and O2/CO2 concentration), woody substrate quality (diameter, species and compound) and organism in CWD. The decomposition rate is generally expresses through a constant k which indicate the percent mass, volume or density loss over time, and can be determined by long-term monitoring, chronosequence approach and the radio between input and the total mass. Now using mathematical models to simulate decomposition patterns and estimate the decomposition rate is widely applied, especially the exponential model. We brought forward that managing and utilizing for the CWD in forest was a primary objective on all forest lands. And it is should be intensified to integrate many related research subjects and to carry a comprehensive, long-term and multi-scale research which mainly focus on seven sections.

Forest fire risk zone mapping from satellite images and GIS for Baihe Forestry Bureau, Jilin, China

A forest fire can be a real ecological disaster regardless of whether it is caused by natural forces or human activities, it is possible to map forest fire risk zones to minimize the frequency of fires, avert damage, etc. A method integrating remote sensing and GIS was developed and applied to forest fire risk zone mapping for Baihe forestry bureau in this paper. Satellite images were interpreted and classified to generate vegetation type layer and land use layers (roads, settlements and farmlands). Topographic layers (slope, aspect and altitude) were derived from DEM. The thematic and topographic information was analyzed by using ARC/INFO GIS software. Forest fire risk zones were delineated by assigning subjective weights to the classes of all the layers (vegetation type, slope, aspect, altitude and distance from roads, farmlands and settlements) according to their sensitivity to fire or their fire-inducing capability. Five categories of forest fire risk ranging from very high to very low were derived automatically. The mapping result of the study area was found to be in strong agreement with actual fire-affected sites.

Estimation of forest volumes by integrating Landsat TM imagery and forest inventory data

Accurate information about forest volumes is essential for forest management planning. The survey interval of the Forest Resource Inventory of China (FRIC) is too long to meet the demand for timely decision-making required for forest protection, management, and utilization. Analysis of satellite imagery provides good potential for more frequent reporting of forest parameters. In this study, we describe an application of the k-nearest neighbors (kNN) method to Landsat TM imagery for improving estimation of forest volumes. Several spectral features were tested and compared in forest volume estimations, including normalized difference vegetation index, environmental vegetation index, and the combination of the spectral features. The combined index resulted in the most accurate volume estimations. The kNN estimator and the combined index were then used in forest volume estimation. The estimation error (RMSE) of the total volume was 44.2%, much lower than those for Larix forest (the RMSE was 51.7%) and those for the Korean pine and broadleaved forests (the estimation errors were over 71.7% and 88.19%, respectively). This preliminary study demonstrates the potential of forest volume estimations with remote sensing data to provide useful information for forest management if only limited ground information is available.

Relationships of climate change and tree ring of Betula ermanii tree line forest in Changbai Mountain

Based on the tree-ring growth characteristics of Ermans birch (Betula ermanii charm.) and the relationships between it and climatic factors at elevation of 1950m, the sensitivity of tree lines in Changbai Mountain to climatic factors was assessed. The results indicated tree line forest in Changbai Mountain had an obvious, sensitivity to climate factors. However, difference from other study sits is that the main climatic control factor on tree-ring growth was not current growth season temperatures, as might be expected, but previous winter and current March temperature. Although the precipitation in the region was quite abundant, the tree-ring growth was still significantly correlated with the precipitation during previous winter and current spring. Additionally, climatic factors which influenced the Ermans birch growth were not the yearly variables, but seasonal and monthly variables. Therefore the reported increase in yearly mean temperature and total yearly precipitation since 1980s was not responded by sustained increase in ring widths in recent decades.

Effect of soil moisture gradient on structure of broad-leaved /Korean pine forest in Changbai Mountain

A 112 m×8 m sample pot which includes 14 sub-plots was set up along the slope in Hongshi Forestry Farm of Baihe Forestry Bureau (127°55′E, 42°30′ N), Jilin Province in August 2002. Community structure, soil moisture contents at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm in depth, water content of litter as well as the contents of C, N and P of litter, living leaves and branches in the broad-leaved/Korean pine (Pinus korraiensis) forest were measured in each sub-plot on different slope positions. The analytical results showed that there existed an obvious soil moisture gradient along the slope: upper slope <middle slope< lower slope. The difference in soil moisture contents on different positions of slope led to a change of the stand structure of the braod-leaved/Korean pine forest. The proportion ofQuercus mongolica gradually increased with the decrease of soil moisture content and that of other major tree species in the broad-leaved/Korean pine forest gradually decreased or disappeared. The dynamic of soil moisture contents in the litter layer was as same as that in mineral soils. The decomposition rates of the litter on different slope positions were different and the dry weights of existent litter varied significantly. The soil nutrients in the litter on the lower slope was richer than that on the upper slope due to the different stand structure on the different slope positions. The moisture content and nutrient contents of soil had effects on the composition, decomposition, and the nutrient release of litter, thus affecting stands growth and stand structure and finally leading to the change of ecosystem.

The trend of tree line on the northern slope of Changbai Mountain

In order to decipher phenomenon of tree line changing with climate variety, the trend of tree line on the northern slope of Changbai Mountain was studied. Based on the meteorological data of Changbai Mountain, the January temperature (the limiting effect for tree line) and annual mean temperature were mainly investigated. In the ecotone betweenBetula emanii and alpine tundra, the number and diameter at ground level ofBetula ermanii in the plots were measured. According to the correlation between diameter at ground level (DGL) and age, the diameter at ground level can represent age directly. The results showed that the distribution age ofBetula ermanii was in the trend of decreasing with elevation rising. In resent years, the annual mean temperature near Changbai Mountain is rising, which has led to the tree line ascending.

Storage dynamics of fallen trees in a mixed broadleaved and Korean pine forest

A study of the storage dynamics in the mixed broadleaved and Korean pine forests was carried out in the Changbai Mountains, Jilin Province, P.R. China. The modifying law of fallen trees was the storage dynamics of the existing fallen trees and the annual input in the mixed broadleaved and Korean pine forest. The current storage of fallen trees was 16.25 t·hm−2 in the initially, but after 100 years, 85% of the storage in dry weight was decomposed, and little material was left after 300 years. The average annual input of fallen trees was 0.6 t·hm−2 and it increased with time to 31.0 t·hm−2 after 200 years, which was maintained until the climax community ended. The total storage of fallen trees increased in the early stage. The decomposition of fallen trees eventually reached equilibrium with storage being identical with the annual input of fallen trees.

An impacts of logging operations on understory plants for the broadleaved/Korean pine mixed forest on Changbai Mountain, China

Natural regeneration of tree species is important to the sustainability of native forest ecosystems in the temperate zone of northeast China. This study compared the densities and heights of seedlings and the diversities of shrubs and herbs on three sites of logging operations: log-skidding trails (LST), logging gaps (LG) and log landing sites (LLS). Sites undisturbed by logging gaps operations were sampled as control. The species, counts and height of tree seedlings and the species, counts, height and percentage coverage of shrubs and herbs were recorded in the field. The highest density and greatest height of regeneration trees were observed at LG and LST. The effects of LST on the densities of broadleaved trees were greater than those of coniferous trees. The difference in seedling density between LLS and control was significant (p=0.05). There was no significant difference in average seedling height for all the tree species between the disturbed sites and control. There were more shrub and herb species at the disturbed sites than at control. The diversity of understory plants at LG was the highest among all the sites. LST and LLS were different in shrub diversity, so were LLS and control. Both LG and LLS were different from control in herb diversity. Active measures need to be taken on the operation sites to protect the coniferous trees and the diversities of understory plants for sustaining the structure and composition of the broadleaved-Korean pine mixed forest on Changbai Mountain of China. Since different operation sites have different effects on different tree species, site-dependent actions must be taken to assure the regeneration of ecologically important tree species.

FORESTAR: A decision-support system for multi-objective forest management in Northeast China

Past monoculture forestry in China has contributed to countrywide ecological disasters and economic difficulties in forestry regions. China抯 new forestry programs, Natural Forest Conservation Program and Returning Farmlands to Forests Program, provide opportunities for ecosystem management of mountain forests in China. A decision support system, FORESTAR, has been developed for better managing and protecting natural forests in Changbai Mountain area. It uses GIS-based forest inventory data at a scale of forestry bureau. The first version contains two sub-modules: forest operation and forest restoration. Under each sub-module, users can compare several decision options and make optimal choices. It can help field foresters, forest managers, and policy makers make multi-objective and consistent decisions in planning forest management at hierarchical administrative scales.

Embryo culture and rapid propagation of Syringa

Embryo of lilacs (Syringa L) culture in vitro and the rapid propagation were studied. The orthogonal experiments, including the selection of basal medium, embryo age and other factors such as sugar, benzyladenine (BA), naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and glutamine (Gln), were carried out. The results indicated that the optimal medium for embryo culture was Monnier medium supplemented with NAA (0.001 mg·L−1), BA (0.1 mg·L−1), sugar (50 g·L−1), and Gln (400 mg·L−1), with a germination rate of 91.7% at least; the optimal embryo age was 50 d; and Gln had significant effects on the germination rate of embryo. Moreover, the optimal medium for subculture was MS+BA (2 mg·L−1)+NAA (0.001 mg·L−1)+Gln(0.5 mg·L−1), with the propagation coefficient of 3.6 at least.