Abstract: The effects of liberation cutting on the vegetation carbon storage of the 33-year-old Korean pine forests by planting conifer and reserving broad-leaved tree was studied by using crown thinning control test method in Changbai Mountains of China. Five levels of cutting intensities were taken, which were non-selective cutting(control), low-intensity selective cutting(25%), moderate-intensity selective cutting(50%), heavy-intensity selective cutting(75%) and clear cutting(100%)(cutting intensity refer to volume percent). The results showed that: (1)Liberation cutting made its vegetation biomass (154.86±9.84-217.56±4.90 t·hm^-2) significantly decrease by 12.5%-28.8%(P<0.05), in which low-intensity, moderate-intensity and heavy-intensity selective cutting decreased by 21.1%-28.8%, while, clear cutting only decreased by 12.5%; (2)Liberation cutting had different effects on the carbon concentration of tree layer (404.53±1.28-479.64±7.22 g·kg^-1), shrub layer (454.87±9.82-474.52±5.82 g·kg^-1), herb layer(401.24±8.65-419.52±7.98 g·kg^-1) and litter fall layer (348.91±13.21-376.03±12.36 g·kg^-1) of the Korean pine forests. The carbon concentrations of trunk from Pinus koraiensis, Ulmus pumila and Tilia amurensis significantly decreased by 2.3%-6.1% (P<0.05), the carbon concentrations of branches and leaves from Quercus mongolica, Ulmus pumila and Tilia amurensis significantly decreased by 2.6%-12.7%(P<0.05), the carbon concentration of shrub layer significantly decreased by 3.5%-3.6%(P<0.05), but the carbon concentrations of branches and leaves from Pinus koraiensis significantly increased by 5.4%-7.7%(P<0.05); (3)Liberation cutting made its vegetation carbon storage (68.38±1.78-97.40±2.98 t·C·hm^-2) significantly decrease by 16.1%-29.8%(P<0.05), in which low-intensity, moderate-intensity and heavy-intensity selective cutting decreased by 22.5%-29.8%, while, clear cutting only decreased by 16.1%. Therefore, in order to sequestrate carbon, low-intensity, moderate-intensity selective cutting and small-scale clear cutting should be taken for the Korean pine forests by planting conifer and reserving broad-leaved tree.

Key words: Changbai Mountains, korean pine forests with planting conifer and reserving broad-leaved tree, vegetation carbon storage, liberation cutting