Floristics of Halophytes and Hydrophytes in the Jungseonpo, Gwingok, and Gwangyangseo Rivers

중선포천, 관곡천, 광양서천에서 염생식물과 수생식물상 분포

Abstract

Halophytes are physiologically adapted to withstand the high salinity of water and saline soil. This study was conducted to elucidate the distribution of halophytes and hydrophytes in the Jungseonpo River (Sacheon-ci, Gyeongsangnam-do), Gwingok River (Hadong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do), and Gwangyangseo River (Gwangyang-ci, Jeollanam-do) in Korea. A total of six species of halophytes and ten species of hydrophytes were collected in the Jungseonpo River. Halophytes in the Gwingok River and Gwangyangseo River numbered five species and 11 species, respectively. Hydrophytes in the Gwingok River and the Gwangyangseo River numbered 13 species in five families and 16 species in eight families, respectively. Of these, Phacelurus latifolius, endemic to the west and south coast of Korea, is an endangered species in the context of investigating the ecology and conservation of halophyte species. Many individual halophyte species have been diminished due to reduced habitable area caused by sand dune destruction. The rivers in the three areas on the south coast were also different in terms of distribution of salt plants due to regional differences, and they were all different from the well-developed west coast. Seven species, including Rosa wichuraiana, have been added to South coasts compared to past records.

염생식물은 해수와 염분 토양에 강한 염분 내성에 적응된 식물이다. 본 연구는 중선포천(경상남도 사천시), 관곡천(경상남도 하동군), 광양 서천(전라남도 광양시)에서 염생식물과 수생식물의 분포를 규명하기 위해 수행하였다. 중선포천에서는 총 6종의 염생식물과 10종의 수생식물이 수집되었다. 관곡천과 중선포천에서는 각각 5종, 11종의 염생식물이 관찰되었다. 관곡천과 중선포천에서는 각각 5과 13종, 8과 16종의 수생식물이 관찰되었다. 이 중 모새달(Phacelurus latifolius)은 한국의 서부와 남부에 국지적으로 분포하여, 이 종은 생태 및 보존적 멸종위기종이다. 개발에 따른 분포지의 축소가 일어나고 있어 많은 염생 식물종의 개체수가 줄어들고 있다. 남해안에 있는 세하천의 본 조사 지역은 염생식물의 분포가 지역간 차이가 있었고, 염생식물이 잘 받달된 서해안과도 달랐다. 돌가시나무(Rosa wichuraiana)를 비롯한 7종이 과거 기록에 추가되었다.

Introduction

Glycophytes grow in nonsaline soils and bodies of freshwater. Mesophytes, hydrophytes, hygrophytes, and some xerophytes are glycophytes. The large majority of plant species are Glycophytes, which are not salt-tolerant and are damaged fairly easily by high salinity. Halophytes are one of the successful plants that grow in saline regions. Across the globe, halophytes are found in two typical kinds of saline environments. Most commonly, halophytes are found growing along ocean shorelines, but can also grow in swamps, marshlands, and desert conditions. They can grow to maturity and complete their life cycles in seawater or in highly saline soil [15].

Halophytes are salt-resistant or salt-tolerant plants and have remarkable ability to complete their life cycle in saline condition [9]. During evolution, they have developed different morphological, anatomical, and physiological strategies to proliferate in high-salt environments [6]. These fluctuations require high physiological plasticity, resulting in strong phenotypic and biochemical variations between individual plants, populations and species [6, 10, 11].

Recent studies have shown the potential of halophytes as a source of valuable secondary metabolites with likely economic value [2,3]. Simple, for example, halophytes are a potential food source for the dominant crab species (Helicetientsinensis) in Korea [1].

Distribution of halophytes in 95 coastal salt marsh and on sand dunes in Korea were 57 species [12]. In this study, despite being the three coastal salt marsh and on sand dunes of the South Sea in Korea, 17 species of halophyte have been found. The objective of this study was to provide flora and species to halophyte of three rivers (the Jungseonpo River, the Gwingok River, and the Gwangyangseo River) in Korea.

Materials and Methods

This study was carried out on the Jungseonpo River(Sacheon-ci, Gyeongsangnam-do), the Gwingok River (Hadonggun, Gyeongsangnam-do), and the Gwangyangseo River(Gwangyang-ci, Jeollanam-do) in Korea (Fig. 1). with quadrats (plots of a standard size) can be used for most plant communities [5]. Each species was collected, mounted, labeled, and systematically arranged in a herbarium. The system of plant classification system was followed by Lee[8]. The following floristic parameters were recorded within each of the quadrats: all plant taxa, identifiable at the time of sampling, rooted in the stand, a growth form (tree, shrub, grass and forb) was assigned to each species recorded following Westfall [14].

Fig. 1. The location of the Jungseonpo River (A), the Gwingok River (B), and the Gwangyangseo River (C).

Results and Discussion

According to the entire riparian species on the Jungseonpo River, 24 families, 35 genera, 104 species, 6 varieties, and one form have been identified (Table 1). The survey the Gwingok River was a total of 116 taxa, including 23 families,34 genera, 107 species, 7 varieties, and two forma (Table 2). The Gwangyangseo River was a total of 159 taxa, including 46 families, 118 genera, 145 species, 11 varieties, and 3 forma(Table 3).

Table 1. Summary on the floristics of vascular plant at the Jungseonpo River

Total is a comprehensive assessment of each taxonomy level. Rate is the ratio at the Division level of the plant taxonomy.

Table 2. Summary on the floristics of vascular plant at the Gwingok River

Total and rate are same as Table 1.

Table 3. Summary on the floristics of vascular plant at the Gwangyangseo River

Total and rate are same as Table 2.

As a result of the field survey on the Jungseonpo River total 6 species of halophytes were collected (Table 4). Plantago camtschatica and Phragmites commonis were common species in three rivers. Five species including Rosa wichuraiana were common in two rivers. Eleven species includingChenopodium acuminatum appeared in only one river. Total 10 species of hydrophytes including Persicaria hydropiper were collected on the Jungseonpo River. Halophytes on the Gwingok River and the Gwangyangseo River were 5 species and 11 species, respectively. As a result of the field survey on Jungseonpo River, total 10 species in 3 Family of hydrophytes were collected (Table 5). Hydrophytes on the Gwingok River and the Gwangyangseo River were 13 species in 5Family and 16 species in 8 Family, respectively. Nine species including Persicaria hydropiper were common species in three rivers. Oenanthe javanica and Paspalum distichum were common in two rivers. Eight species including Persicaria sieboldii appeared in only one river.

Table 4. Summary on the halophytes at three rivers, the Jungseonpo River (JUN), the Gwingok River (GWI), and the Gwangyangseo River (GWA)

Table 5. Summary on the hydrophytes at three rivers, the Jungseonpo River, the Gwingok River, and the Gwangyangseo River

The ecosystem of rivers is changing in Korea, with the rapid industrialization of naturalization plants both inside and outside the rivers. Therefore, it is important to report plant changes in as many areas as possible, as well as in the salivary plants. Rivers in the three areas on the south coast were also different in distribution of salt plants due to regional differences, and they were different from the well-developed west coast. Ten years ago, forty-four halophytes were found on 15 areas of the south coast in Korea[12]. In this study, seventeen halophytes were examined, even though they were only in three rivers. Rosa wichuraiana, Chenopodium acuminatum, Chenopodium glaucum, Plantago lanceolata, Artemisia capillaris, Imperata cylindrica var. koenigii, and Setaria viridis var. pachystachys has been added to this survey. Sixteen hydrophytes were found at three rivers.

Coastal areas and other saline environments are major contributors to regional and global biodiversity patterns [4].In these environments, rapidly changing gradients require highly specialized plants like halophytes. Among them, Phacelurus latifolius, endemic to the west and south coast of Korea, is an interesting case study for investigating the ecology and conservation of a halophyte agamospermic species. The species grows on the coast of the country, but is rare as a sand dune plant, and is reduced due to reduced area due to sand dune destruction [7,13]. Although it is listed in the Korean endangered species, information on its population size or rarity, as well as its ecology, in some respects is still unknown.

The Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest with the contents of this article.