Estimation and mapping of nitrogen uptake by forest in South Korea

Abstract

Regional air pollution in northeast Asia is an emerging environmental problem requiring long-term impact assessment of acidic deposition. In this study, the gridded distribution of nitrogen uptake led by both growing forests and harvested biomass for eight tree species: Japanese Larch, Red pine, Korean pine, Oak tree, Chestnut, Other Conifers, Other broad leaved trees, and Mixed forest was identified to estimate critical loads for nitrogen over South Korea. The gridded spatial distribution of averaged nitrogen uptake was mapped by 0.125 Latitude x 0.125 Longitude resolution. The results showed that net uptake of nitrogen led by both growth and harvested biomass was totaled at 438 molc ha(-1) year(-1) among which harvested biomass contribution was estimated to be 25 molc ha(-1) year(-1), yielding a very small fraction of total nitrogen uptake presumably due to the younger stages of forest in South Korea.