Plant Species Assemblages and Vegetation Composition of Wetlands Within an Upland Forest

Small wetlands in an upland matrix can support diverse vegetation composition that increase both local and regional species richness. In this study we characterize the full range of wetland vegetation in an upland forest landscape at Dumyeong-ri, Gijang-gun, Busan. This wetland index can be calculated with species data, or with community type data as performed. Classified community types were used to describe vegetation at three wetlands and adjacent areas. The communities contained 28 species of vascular plants and 28 species were identified four plant community types. The Pinus densiflora type was dominated by Pinus densiflora and contained only four species. None of the plots had high proportion of standing water. The Carpinus laxiflora type had high obligate upland species (OU) and facultative upland species (FU). The Rhododendron mucronulatum type grew in over half of the plots included Pinus densiflora and Alnus japonica. Some species bother swampy areas adjacent to site C. The Miscanthus sacchariflorus type consisted of seasonal wetlands. The three sites contained nine species with the strongest indicator species being Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens, Miscanthus sinensis, Echinochloa crus-galli, and Sagittaria aginashi. This type had the highest proportions of obligate wetland species. Plant species richness averaged 5.069. Shannon-Weaver index of diversity also varied among the community types (F=22.7, df=4, 115), with the types FU having significantly higher value (2.746) than the others (1.057 for type FW and 1.600 for type OU). Regional plans including all of the diverse types of wetland vegetation in upland forests will contribute substantially to the conservation of plant diversity.