The soil carbon (C) stock change of the Pinus densiflora forests in Korea was predicted using Forest Soil C model for Korea (KFSC). The model predicted the soil C stock with the minimum input data such as site index, stand age and the mean annual temperature. The P. densiflora forests were classified by the region and the current soil C stock of each region was estimated from forestry statistics. The model parameters regulating the rates of C flows were estimated from the previous studies conducted on the P. densiflora forests in Korea. Soil C stock changes of each region under IPCC A1B (A1B) and constant temperature (CT) scenarios were predicted from the present to 2100. As a result of simulation, the current total soil C stock within the depth of 50cm was 68.4 TgC, and increased to 72.8 TgC and 69.9 TgC in 2100 under A1B and CT scenarios, respectively. Under A1B scenario, soil C stock increased continuously from the present to 2069 and then decreased until 2100, whereas it continuously increased under CT scenario. The simulation has limitations of not considering the effects of the climate change on the forest growth and the seasonal variation of temperature on the C dynamics. Further studies on these limitations would improve the reliability of the model estimation.

AUTHORS: Yowhan Son, Chan-woo Park, Koong Yi, Kyeong-Hak Lee, Raehyun Kim