Comparative productivity of Prosopis cineraria and Tecomella undulata based agroforestry systems in degraded lands of Indian Desert

Tree-crop interactions were monitored by measuring tree growth characters of Prosopis cineraria L.and Tecomella undulata L.and yields of Vigna radiata(L) in agroforestry systems in degraded lands of Indian Desert.Potential competition for resource between the trees and associated crop was analyzed by measuring soil water contents, soil organic matters and NH4-N at different depths of soil layers i.e., 0-25 cm, 25-50 cm and 50-75 cm in the experimental plots.The plots size were 16 m × 18 m(D1), 20 m × 18 m(D2) and 32 m × 18 m(D3) with tree densities of 208, 138 and 104 trees·ha-1 after June 2002, respectively.Results showed that tree height increased by 3% to 7% during June 2002 to June 2004.Collar diameter increased by 30% and 11% in D1, 23% and 19% in D2 and 18% and 36% in D3 plots, respectively, in P.cineraria and T.undulata in two years period.The increase in crown diameter was 9% to 18% in P.cineraria and 11% to 16% in T.undulata.Tree growth was relatively greater in 2002 than in 2003.Yield of V.radiata increased linearly from D1 to D3 plots.Lowest soil water content at 1 m distance from tree base indicated greater utilization of soil water within the tree rooting zone.Concentrations of soil organic matters and NH4-N were the highest(p<0.05) in 0-25 cm soil layer.P.cineraria was more beneficial than T.undulata in improving soil conditions and increasing crop yield by 11.1% and thus more suitable for its integration in agricultural land.The yield of agricultural crop increased when density of tree species was appropriate(i.e., optimum tree density), though it varied with tree size and depended upon resource availability.The result indicated bio-economic benefits of optimum density of P.cineraria and T.undulata over traditional practices of maintaining random trees in farming system in arid zones.

Comparative productivity of Prosopis cineraria and Tecomella undulata based agroforestry systems in degraded lands of Indian Desert

Tree-crop interactions were monitored by measuring tree growth characters of Prosopis cineraria L. and Tecomella undulata L. and yields of Vigna radiata （L） in agroforestry systems in degraded lands of Indian Desert. Potential competition for resource between the trees and associated crop was analyzed by measuring soil water contents, soil organic matters and NH4-N at different depths of soil layers i.e., 0-25 cm, 25-50 cm and 50-75 cm in the experimental plots. The plots size were 16 m × 18 m （D1）, 20 m × 18 m （D2） and 32 m × 18 m （D3） with tree densities of 208, 138 and 104 trees.ha^-1 after June 2002, respectively. Results showed that tree height increased by 3% to 7% during June 2002 to June 2004. Collar diameter increased by 30% and 11% in D1, 23% and 19% in D2 and 18% and 36% in D3 plots, respectively, in P. cineraria and T. undulata in two years period. The increase in crown diameter was 9% to 18% in P. cineraria and 11% to 16% in T. undulata. Tree growth was relatively greater in 2002 than in 2003. Yield of V. radiata increased linearly from D1 to D3 plots. Lowest soil water content at 1 m distance from tree base indicated greater utilization of soil water within the tree rooting zone. Concentrations of soil organic matters and NH4-N were the highest （p〈0.05） in 0-25 cm soil layer. P. cineraria was more beneficial than T. undulata in improving soil conditions and increasing crop yield by 11.1% and thus more suitable for its integration in agricultural land. The yield of agricultural crop increased when density of tree species was appropriate （i.e., optimum tree density）, though it varied with tree size and depended upon resource availability. The result indicated bio-economic benefits of optimum density of P. cineraria and T. undulata over traditional practices of maintaining random trees in farming system in arid zones.

Diversity patterns and phylogenetic structure of vascular plants along elevational gradients in a mountain ecosystem, South Korea

Recently, a phylogenetic diversity and community structure analysis as complementary to species-centric approaches in biodiversity studies provides new insights into the processes of community assembly. In this study, we analyzed species and phylogenetic diversity and community structures for woody and herbaceous plants along two elevational transects on Mt. Baekhwa, South Korea. The species richness and phylogenetic diversity of woody plants showed monotonic declining patterns with increasing elevation along all transects, whereas herbaceous plants showed different patterns, such as no relationship and a reversed unimodal pattern, between the study transects. The main drivers of these patterns were climate and habitat variables for woody and herbaceous plants, respectively. In addition, the phylogenetic community structure primarily showed phylogenetic clustering regulated by deterministic processes, especially environmental filtering, such as climate or habitat factors, along the two transects, although herbaceous plants along a transect depicted phylogenetic randomness as a result of a neutral process. Our findings suggest that deterministic and neutral processes may simultaneously control the community structures along small-scale elevational gradients such as local transects, although the deterministic process may be the predominant type.

Effect of varying soil water stress regimes on nutrient uptake and biomass production in Dalbergia sissoo seedlings in Indian desert

One-year-old seedlings of Dalbergia sissoo from a single provenance were planted in non-weighing lysimeter tanks in July 1998 with a view to provide optimize irrigation parameters in desert areas. Varying water regimes were maintained by re-irrigating the seedlings at 36.2 mm （W1）, 26.5 mm （W2）, 20.2 mm （W3） and 18.1 mm （W4） treatments when the soil water content decreased to 7.56%, 5.79%, 4.44%, 3.23% in the respective treatments. Height, collar diameter, number of leaves and leaf area were highest （p 〈 0.01） for the seedlings irrigated at W1 levek Above-mentioned growth parameters did not differ between W1 and W2 treatments but the seedlings in W2 level had highest biomass per liter of water use （i.e., water use efficiency, WUE）. Irrigation levels of W3 to W5 negatively affected seedling growth, biomass production and nutrient accumulation. Soil water availability below W2 level （i.e., 5.79%） caused an increase in percentage of root biomass to the total biomass of the seedling. However, there was a decrease in percentage of leaf dry biomass in W3 and W4 treatments and in percentage of stem dry biomass in the seedlings of W5 treatment. Seedlings in W5 treatment survived till at soil water potential of-1.96 MPa. Limitation of soil water availability in W3 and W4 treatments affected growth and biomass production of D. sissoo seedlings. W： level was best for growth and biomass production in which water use efficiency was highest. Therefore, better growth and biomass production of D. sissoo seedlings could be obtained by irrigating the seedlings at soil water content of≥5.79% in the loamy sand soil.

Effects of rainwater harvesting on herbage diversity and productivity in degraded Aravalli hills in western India

Over-exploitation and rural growth have severely damaged native vegetations of Aravalli hills in Rajasthan, India. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different restoration practices （i.e., rainwater harvesting （RWH） and planting of tree seedlings） on improve- ment in soil water and nutrients and growth and biomass of herbaceous vegetation. Contour trench （CT）, Gradonie （G）, Box trench （BT）, V-ditch （VD） and a control were imposed on 75 plots （each of 700 m 2 ） in natural slope gradient defined as 10%, 10% 20% and 20% slopes in 2005. Each plot had three micro-sites of 1-m 2 at up （USP）, middle （MSP） and lower （LSP） part of the plot for observation in 2008. The existed gradient （due to soil texture and topographic features） of soil pH, EC, SOC, NH 4 - N, NO 3 -N and PO 4 -P in June 2005 between 20% to 10% slopes were decreased in 2008 after applying RWH techniques. Such improvement in soil status promoted vegetation growth and biomass in higher slope gra- dients. Soil water, species diversity and herbage biomass increased from USP to LSP, and RWH techniques had positive role in improving SOC, nutrients, vegetation population, evenness and growth at MSP. Despite of lowest SWC, regular rain and greater soil water usage enhanced green and dry herbage biomasses in 10% 20% and 20% slopes, compared with 10% slope. The highest diversity in CT treatment was related to herbage biomass, which was enhanced further by highest concentrations of SOC and PO 4 -P. Further, CT treatment was found to be the best treat- ment in minimizing biomass variance in different slopes. Conclusively, soil texture and topographic features controlled soil water and nutrients availability. Rainwater harvesting techniques increased soil water storage and nutrient retention and also enhanced vegetation status and biomass by minimizing the effects of hillslopes. Thus depending upon the site conditions, suitable RWH technique could be adopted to increase herb- age biomass while rehabilitating the degraded hills.

Patterns and determinants of plant richness by elevation in a mountain ecosystem in South Korea: area, mid-domain effect,climate and productivity

We examined patterns of plant species richness on an elevation gradient and evaluated the effects of cli- matic variables including mean annual temperature and precipitation, area, the mid-domain effect and productivity on species richness along two transects on Mt. Seorak, South Korea. A total of 235 plant species of 72 families and 161 genera were recorded from 130 plots along the two transects. Two different patterns, monotonic decline and a unimodal shape, were observed for woody plants with the change in elevation along the two transects, whereas multimodal patterns were observed for all plant species considered together and for herbaceous plants. Area and productivity showed significant relationships with total plant richness. Climatic variables were better predictors than other variables for variation by elevation in woody plant richness, whereas productivity was a more important variable for herbaceous plant richness. Although area was an important variable for predicting species richness pat- terns, the effects differed by transect and plant group. No empirical evidence was linked to the mid-domain effect.Different elevational patterns may characterize different groups in the same taxon and there might be fundamental differences in the mechanisms underlying these richness patterns.

The nestling diet of fairy pitta <i>pitta nympha</i>on Jeju Island, Korea

The nestling diet of the Fairy Pitta (pitta nympha) was studied by videotaping during breeding period in Jeju Island, 2009. Earthworms of several species were the most common food resources for nestlings, averaging 82% of all items, followed by 4% of Homoptera larvae. The remaining was only rarely recorded, including Lepidopteran larvae and adults, slugs, spiders, beetle adults and larvae (Coleoptera) and grasshoppers. Adults provided the number of preys ranging from 1 to 7 items to chicks per one visit. The average value of prey number per visit was 3.0 (SD = 1.38). The estimated average length of prey was 5.7 cm (SD = 2.85), and 96% of the food items were smaller than 10 cm. The staying time for feeding in an early stage was longer than other stages. Provision rate at a forenoon (mean ± SD, 14.7 ± 4.92) and an afternoon time (15.8 ± 5.30) was not significantly higher than that of noon time (11.7 ± 4.49). These results provide basic information for conservation action of international endangered species of this species.

Elevational patterns and determinants of plant diversity in the Baekdudaegan Mountains,South Korea:Species vs.functional diversity

The elevational gradient present in mountainous areas provides the most powerful natural experimental system available to clarify the ecological and evolutionary responses of living organisms to geophysical influences.In this study,we explored the elevational patterns of plant species and functional diversity and the effects of area,mid-domain effect,climatic variables and net primary productivity on the observed diversity patterns along the ridge of the Baekdudaegan Mountains,South Korea.Rapoport’s elevational rule was also evaluated by examining the relationship between elevational range size of plant species and elevation.A total of 802 plant species from 97 families and 342 genera were found in 1100 plots along a 200-–1900-m elevational gradient along the ridge.The elevational patterns of plant species diversity along the ridge of the Baekdudaegan depicted distinctly hump-shaped patterns,whereas the functional diversity decreased monotonically with elevation.The mid-domain effect was the most powerful explanatory variable for species diversity patterns.However,climatic variables were better predictors for functional diversity.Moreover,Rapoport’s elevational rule was not supported.Our study suggests that different elevational patterns may be observed among different diversity measurements even in the same taxon and that there may be fundamental differences in the mechanisms underlying these diversity patterns.

Spatio-temporal change in forest cover and carbon storage considering actual and potential forest cover in South Korea

This study analyzes change in carbon storage by applying forest growth models and final cutting age to actual and potential forest cover for six major tree species in South Korea. Using National Forest Inventory data, the growth models were developed to estimate mean diameter at breast height, tree height, and number of trees for Pinus densiflora, Pinus koraiensis, Pinus rigida, Larix kaernpferi, Castanea crenata and Quercus spp. stands. We assumed that actual forest cover in a forest type map will change into potential forest covers according to the Hydrological and Thermal Analogy Groups model. When actual forest cover reaches the final cutting age, forest volume and carbon storage are estimated by changed forest cover and its growth model. Forest volume between 2010 and 2110 would increase from 126.73 to 157.33 m^3 hm^-2. Our results also show that forest cover, volume, and carbon storage could abruptly change by 2060. This is attributed to the fact that most forests are presumed to reach final cutting age. To avoid such dramatic change, a regeneration and yield control scheme should be prepared and implemented in a way that ensures balance in forest practice and yield.

Changes in annual CO_2 fluxes estimated from inventory data in South Korea

Using a slightly modified IPCC method, we examined changes in annual fluxes of CO2 and contributions of energy consumption, limestone use, waste combustion, land-use change, and forest growth to the fluxes in South Korea from 1990to 1997. Our method required less data and resulted in a larger estimate of CO2released by industrial processes, comparing with the original IPCC guideline. However, net CO2 emission is not substantially different from the estimates of IPCC and modified methods. Net CO2 emission is intimately related to GDP as Koreaneconomy has heavily relied on energy consumption and industrial activities, which are major sources of CO2. Total efflux of CO2 was estimated to be 63.6 Tg C/ain 1990 and amounted to 112.9 Tg C/a in 1997. Land-use change contributed to annual budget of CO2 in a relatively small portion. Carbon dioxide was sequesteredby forest biomass at the rate of 6.5 Tg C/a in 1990 and 8.5 Tg C/a in 1997. Although CO2 storage in the forests increased, the sink effect was overwhelmed by extensive energy consumption, suggesting that energy-saving strategies will be more effective in reducing CO2 emission in Korea than any other practices. It is presumed that plant uptake of CO2 is underestimated as carbon contained in plant detritus and belowground living biomass were not fully considered. Furthermore, the soil organic carbon stored in forest decomposes in various ways in rugged mountains depending on their conditions, such as slope, aspect and elevation, which could have an effect on decomposition rate and carbon stores in soils. Thus, carbon sequestration of forests deserves further attention.