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http://dx.doi.org/10.11614/KSL.2014.47(S).066

Vegetation Structure in Otter (Lutra lutra) Home Range of Hwacheon, Gangwon-do  

Seo, Hyungsoo (National Institite of Environmental Research)
Shin, Youngseob (Entop Engineering Co., Ltd.)
Lee, Kyungeun (Department of Biological Sciences, Kangwon National University)
Kim, Yoonmi (National Institite of Environmental Research)
Jeon, Mina (Department of Biological Sciences, Kangwon National University)
Nam, Taek-Woo (National Institite of Environmental Research)
Han, Sung-Yong (Korean Otter Research Center)
Choung, Yeonsook (Department of Biological Sciences, Kangwon National University)
Publication Information
Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment / v.47, no.spc, 2014 , pp. 66-73 More about this Journal
Abstract
In order to determine whether vegetation would be one of the factors for the selection of otter home range, vegetation structure and other potential factors were studied in Hwacheon, Korea. Thirteen sites, otter's activity found and not found, were investigated in North Han River and connected tributary streams of Hwacheon-gun. Three types of vegetation were classified by cluster analysis, which is short grass, tall grass and shrub type. Vegetation zone of each channel is composed of either one type, or mosaic of tall grass and shrub type. Short grass type is common in Lake Paro and upper North Han-river where water level is highly variable throughout a year. Therefore, annual species such as Persicaria nodosa, Fimbristylis dichotomam and Chenopodium ficifolium are the most dominant. Shrub type is common at the downstream sites of Jichon stream and along mainstream of North Han River down Lake Paro. A shrub species, Salix koreensis, is the most common. Tall grass type is dominant occupying the most vegetation zone of the tributary channels. Phragmites japonica is absolutely dominant. Due to its dense cover, a few plant species are co-existed. Otter activity was found in all three vegetation types and no marked activity was found at some sites of tall grass type. There is no difference in species composition and physiognomy between tall grass sites with and without otter activity, while it shows significant difference in fish availability between two groups. Overall we found that home range of otters in the region is along the mainstream and downstream of tributary streams with high fish availability in all vegetation types and in various human activity levels.
Keywords
Lutra lutra; Eurasian otter; endangered species; habitats; vegetation; fish availability; Hwacheon;
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