Actual Vegetation and Potential Natural Vegetation of Seonunsan Area, Southwestern Korea

선운산 지역의 현존식생과 잠재자연식생

The potential natural vegetation of Seonunsan area, southwestern Korea, was inferred from the actual vegetation. In previous two papers the plant communities of actual vegetation of the area is grouped into nine types; Quercus variabilis, Pinus densiflora, Carpinus tschonoskii, Quercus serrata, Camellia japonica (plantation), Quercus aliena, Pinus thunbergii, Zelkova serrata and Carpinus laxiflora forest. With the analysis of species richness, age structure and various informations on vegetation changes of the plant communities, two paths of late stage succession are suggested in climatic climax starting from Pinus densiflora forest in the area. One is through Quercus variabilis forest to Carpinus laxiflora forest in upper parts of the mountain and the other through Quercus aliena forest to Carpinus tschonoskii forest in lower parts of the mountain. With analysis of actual vegetation and the examination of informations including human activities in the area, the potential natural vegetation of the area was inferred. The potential natural vegetation of the area was mainly composed of Carpinus laxiflora, Carpinus tschonoskii, Pinus densiflora and Zelkova serrata forest. The actual vegetation map and potential natural vegetation map (scale, 1:25, 000) and other results from this study might be the useful data for the protection of natural vegetation and restoration of the current vegetation.