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http://dx.doi.org/10.17820/eri.2022.9.4.237

Characteristics of Vegetation and Biota in the Gahwacheon Estuarine Wetland, Sacheon, South Korea: Proposals for the Ecosystem Conservation  

Yeounsu, Chu (Wetlands Research Team, National Institute of Ecology)
Kwang-Jin, Cho (Wetlands Research Team, National Institute of Ecology)
Jeoncheol, Lim (Wetlands Research Team, National Institute of Ecology)
Publication Information
Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure / v.9, no.4, 2022 , pp. 237-246 More about this Journal
Abstract
Owing to their high bioproductivity and unique physical environment, estuarine wetlands are gaining importance in national biodiversity management and habitat conservation. With regard to conservation and management of estuarine wetlands, this study analyzed the ecological characteristics of Gahwacheon Estuarine Wetland, an open estuary with various habitat types. Data from vegetation and biotic surveys have shown that 12 plant communities of five physiognomic vegetation types, including lentic herbaceous vegetation, halophytic herbaceous vegetation, and chasmophytic herbaceous vegetation. Due to the discharge of Namgang Dam and the effect of the tide, vegetation are distributed along the narrow waterside area. In terms of biodiversity, a total of 715 species, including 12 endangered wildlife species, were identified. Species diversity was relatively high in sections I and III where various riverbed structures and microhabitats were distributed. Due to the effect of the brackish water area following the inflow of seawater, endangered wildlife of various functional groups were also found to be distributed, indicating the high conservation value of that area. The collection of ecological information of the Gahwacheon Estuarine Wetland can be used as a framework for establishing the basis for conservation and management of the estuarine ecosystem and support policy establishment.
Keywords
Brackish water; Endangered species; Fauna; Flora; Salt gradient;
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