Evaluation of Soil Loss Tolerance and Tree Growth Features Based on Planting Ground Methods in the Alpine Center, Degraded Forestland in the Republic of Korea

Abstract

The Jeongseon Alpine Center, a degraded forestland, has a very unique soil feature as it was filled with soil cut from the nearby area and has not yet been rehabilitated since the end of the 2018 Winter Olympics. Therefore, this study attempted to identify a way to establish a stable and efficient planting groundwork to successfully restore this distinctive region. Six different planting groundworks, control, biochar, leaf-mold, mulching, tillage, and polyacrylamide treatments were constructed in September 2020. Soil-related indices have been tracked while the growth and physiological responses of planted Pinus densiflora (Pd) and Larix kaempferi (Lk) seedlings were monitored until May 2022. Mulching had 2–4 times the average SWC when compared to the control. Simultaneously, there was the least variation in soil temperature change, and total soil loss was only 0.05 ton/ha. Similarly, the leaf-mold had a relatively high SWC, and soil fertility increased, while total soil loss was 6.37 tons/ha, indicating a high trend in line with biochar. The Pd leaf-mold had the highest in Amax, E, gs, and Jmax. Furthermore, following the leaf-mold, mulching showed the second-highest photosynthetic indices in general, and the height and DRC also demonstrated favorable results in the above two treatments. Mulching had 1.6 to 2.2 times higher than the control group in PIabs and PItotal, which represent photosynthetic vitality, so the impact on environmental stress was thought to be less than that of leaf-mold. The mulching of Lk showed the greatest growth and physiological responses, Nonetheless, the photosynthetic indices were rather low when compared to Pd, with no discernible differences across treatments. As a result, the considerable effect of the planting groundwork method could not be demonstrated. Therefore, in the case of Pd, the leaf-mold showed the best growth and physiological response. Nevertheless, in terms of soil temperature maintenance and soil loss for slope stability, mulching is assessed to be the most ideal planting groundwork method.