• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2014

This study surveyed Abies koreana to identify the correlation between its vegetation structure according to its slope direction and seedling establishment in a bid to build basic research data on the changes and conservation of the A. koreana in Hallasan Mountain. The findings of its vegetation structure revealed that in both areas, Importance value was given to the A. koreana for its tree layer, the Taxus cuspidata for its shrub layer, and the Sasa quelpaertensis for its herb layer. However, in the Youngsil area with the tree layer, high importance was given to deciduous broad-leaved trees such as Prunus maximowiczii, Quercus mongolica, and the young species of the A. koreana in the shrub layer that can maintain the A. koreana forest's greater importance in the Jindallebat than in the Youngsil. Thus, the A. koreana forest in the Jindallebat is believed to lastlonger. The findings of correlation between the quantity of seedlings and their location by area revealed that in each tiny quadrat, the A. koreana seedling averaged 5.3 in the Youngsil and 2.9 in the Jindallebat. Both areas were all found to have a positive correlation in terms of rock exposure ratio and dead tree ratio as well as a negative correlation with regard to the cover degree of S. quelpaertensis, the canopy gap, the total vegetation, and the herb layer. It was found that the cover degree of the herb layer in the Youngsil and the S. quelpaertensis in the Jindallebat had the largest impact on the A. koreana seedlings.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.293-302
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• 2018

This study was carried out to provide basic information on efficient preservation and management of an Abies koreana forest through analyzing the ecological characteristics by slope in Seseok, Mt. Jirisan. Soil moisture content at southern and northern slopes was 29.9% and 21.7%, respectively, and there was no significant difference among soil properties between southern and northern slopes. The importance value of A. koreana in the southern and northern slopes was high for tree and subtree layers, respectively. It is noteworthy that many seedling and saplings of A. koreana were present on the southern slope. The species diversity was 0.413 for the tree layer, 0.632 for the subtree layer, and 0.609 for the shrub layer on the southern slope and 0.396 for the tree layer, 0.783 for the subtree layer, and 1.215 for the shrub layer on the northern slope. Evenness and dominance ranged from 0.371 to 0.609 and 0.629 to 0.391 on the southern slope and from 0.380 to 0.968 and 0.620 to 0.032 on the northern slope, respectively. The mortality of A. koreana was 9.6% on the southern slope and 24.4% on the northern slope, a distinct difference between the slopes. The mortality type at two slopes was the highest proportion of standing dead. Annual mean tree ring growth of A. koreana on the southern slope (1.76 mm/yr) was higher than that on the northern slope (1.64 mm/yr).

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.627-633
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• 2014

Annual biomass production and amount of organic carbon in Abies koreana forest at Mt. Halla were conducted as a part of Korea National Long-Term Ecological Research (KNLTER). We measured standing biomass change of litter, soil production and organic carbon amounts of the forest floor and soil layer of A. koreana forest in Mt. Halla from 2009 to 2013 in permanent plots. Standing biomass, which was determined by allometric method, was converted into $CO_2$. The standing biomass in A. koreana forest was 98.88, 106.42, 107.67, 108.31, $91.48ton\;ha^{-1}$ in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 year, respectively. The amount of annual carbon allocated to above ground was 35.95, 38.69, 38.96, 39.46, $33.2ton\;C\;ha^{-1}$ and below ground biomass was 8.54, 9.2, 9.49, 9.28, $7.97ton\;C\;ha^{-1}$ in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 year, respectively. Amount of organic carbon returned to the forest via litterfall was 1.09, 1.80, 1.32, 2.46 and $1.20ton\;C\;ha^{-1}$ in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. Amount of organic carbon in annual litter layer on forest floor was 2.74, 2.43, 2.00 and $1.16ton\;C\;ha^{-1}$ in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 year, respectively. Amount of organic carbon within 20cm soil depth was 55.77, 54.9, 50.69, 44.42 and $41.87ton\;C\;ha^{-1}20cm^{-1}$ in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 year, respectively. Then standing biomass and organic carbon distribution increased steadily until 2012. But there declined in 2013 because of the typhoon Bolaven. Thus, standing biomass and organic carbon distribution of this subalpine forest were largely affected by natural disturbance factor.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.104 no.3
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• pp.360-367
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• 2015

The present study investigated the habitats of Korean fir trees (Abies koreana E. H. Wilson) on Mt. Baekwun (Baekwun-san), determined the current distribution, quantified the contribution of biological and non-biological environmental factors affecting the distribution, derived actual and potential habitats, presented a plan for the establishment of protected areas, applied RCP 8.5 climate change scenario to analyze the effects of climate change on the future distribution of Korean fir trees, and predicted future potential habitats. According to the results of the study, 3,325 Korean fir trees (DBH >= 2.5 cm) inhabited Mt. Baekwun, and their distribution area was approximately 150 ha. Populations of Korean fir trees were confirmed to exist at an altitude of 900 m above sea level and were distributed up to 1,200 m. Based on potential distribution, areas appropriate for habitation by Korean fir trees were analyzed to be 450 ha, three times the current distribution area, with a focus on Sang Peak (Sang-bong), Eokbul Peak (Eokbul-bong), Ddari Peak (Ddari-bong), and Dosol Peak (Dosol-bong). The forest stands near Sang Peak, the main peak, were evaluated as those with the most appropriate potential for the habitation of Korean fir trees, and populations of the trees tended to prefer the northern slope rather than the southern slope. When climate change scenario RCP 8.5 was applied and future potential distribution was analyzed, the habitats were expected to decrease in area to 20 ha by 2050, with a focus on Sang Peak, and areas appropriate for habitation were predicted not to exist by 2080. Judging from such results, as global warming accelerates, the habitats of Korean fir trees are clearly expected to move from lowlands to highlands.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.67-74
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• 2004

This study was carried out to investigate the structural characteristics of Taxus cuspidate communities in Mt. DuckYoo. The vegetation was consisted of 20 species in the T$_1$(tree) layer, 26 species in the T$_2$(subtall tree) layer, 26species in S(shrub) layer, and 56 species in the H(herb) layer. The dominant species of Mt. Duckyoo was Taxus cuspidata in the T$_1$ Layer, Acer tschonoskii var. rubripes in the T$_2$ Layer, Tripterygium regelii and Acer tschonoskii var. rubripes in the S Layer and Sasa borealis in the H Layer. According to the diameter distribution of high ranking five species in T$_1$, T$_2$ layer at natural Taxus cuspidata communities, these forests may be gradually replaced by Quercus mongolica, Tripterygium regelii. The composition of biological type was Ph-D$_1$-R$\sub$5/-e.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.58-66
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• 2004

This study was carried out to investigate the structural characteristics of Taxus cuspidate communities in Mt. DuckYoo. The vegetation was consisted of 20 species in the T$_1$(tree) layer, 26 species in the T$_2$(subtall tree) layer, 26species in S(shrub) layer, and 56 species in the H(herb) layer. The dominant species of Mt. Duckyoo was Taxus cuspidata in the T$_1$ Layer, Acer tschonoskii var. rubripes in the T$_2$ Layer, Tripterygium regelii and Acer tschonoskii var. rubripes in the S Layer and Sasa borealis in the H Layer. According to the diameter distribution of high ranking five species in T$_1$, T$_2$ layer at natural Taxus cuspidata communities, these forests may be gradually replaced by Quercus mongolica, Tripterygium regelii. The composition of biological type was Ph-D$_1$-R$\_$5/-e.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.57-65
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• 2016

This study's purpose was to provide basic data for the monitoring of ecological changes caused by change of vegetation structure of Abies koreana forest in a study site susceptible to climatic change in Yeongsil area of Hallasan Mountain, Jeju Island. Surveys revealed this: in Yeongsil area of Hallasan Mountain, per 1 ha of A. koreana forests, total number 1,781, and A. koreana number 989, accounting for 55.5% of the total number of trees. 190 A. koreana or 19.2% were found to be dead. For the number of individual trees by DBH, trees standing 5 cm - 10 cm tall formed the largest portion at 39.9%, and in the case of other trees except A. koreana, the number of individual trees below 5 cm accounted for 23.5% of the total number of trees. The survey of importance by height revealed this: at the top level, the importance of A. koreana was the highest at 106.23, but the sum of importance of temperate deciduous broad-leaved trees (Prunus maximowiczii, Quercus mongolica, and Taxus cuspidata) was higher at 142.84 than that of A. koreana. The analysis of species diversity revealed 0.645 species diversity for the tree layer and 0.817 for the shrub layer; for evenness, 0.549 for the tree layer and 0.664 for the shrub layer; for dominance value; 0.451 for the tree layer and 0.336 for the shrub layer. The analysis of tree vitality revealed that for the A. koreana forests in Yeongsil, the composition ratio of A. koreana by type is AS type>AL type>DS type>DB type, and that of the other trees is AL type>AS type>AF type>AB type. Compared with the forests in other areas, the A. koreana forests in the Yeongsil area have a very high occurrence rate of dead trees, and a high importance of trees is shown in the deciduous broad-leaved tree forests. Compared with the A. koreana forests in the Jindallaebat area, with the same level above sea, the vegetation structures are fast changing. Also, due to dryness and other non-physical environmental changes caused by a lack of rainwater and dry winds in winter, dead trees are fast increasing in number. Environmental changes such as climate change diversely affect the maintenance of A. koreana in individual areas, and if environmental changes are fast and continue long, of the A. koreana forest areas in the Hallasan Mountain, the A. koreana forests in the Yeongsil area will decrease fastest in number and will experience changes in the vegetation structure. Thus, it is necessary to survey the vegetation changes in A. koreana forests, which are distributed in all directions but are centered on Hallasan Mountain, and to thus conduct long-term monitoring and research.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.415-425
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• 2010

The purpose of the present study was to analyze the vegetation structure and distributional characteristics of Abies koreana forests in Mt. Halla, and to provide basicdata for an ecological study on Abies koreana in Mt. Halla. The results of the analysis showed that the mean importance percentage(M.I.P,) of Abies koreana in the Youngsil and Bangaeoreum and the Azalea field were 28.3%, 23.6%, and 46.4%, respectively. The ratios of DBH (diameter at breast height) to height were similar in all region, except in the Azalea field, where Abies koreana of various ages, both young and old, were found. The species diversity (H) of the upper and lower layers in the Youngsil and Bangaeoreum and in the Azalea field were 0.625 and 0.810, 0.731 and 0.848, and 0.342 and 0.757, respectively. A total of 52 community were distributed at locations higher than 1,300m above sea level. The proportions of each community in the whole Abies koreana forest were 56.5%(Azalea field), 11.0% (Youngsil trail at 1,550-1,650 m above sea level), and 8.1%(Janggumok and Kundurewat region). The total area of the Abies koreana forest was calculated to be 795.3ha by combining all the areas of each community. An Abies koreana forest with the largest area was found at locations 1,500-1,600 m above sea level, taking up 38.8% of the total Abies koreana forest area. For the slopes of the distributional area of Abies koreana, 46.1%(highest proportion) of the total area was $10\sim25^{\circ}$, and for the azimuth of the distributional area, 17.4%(the highest proportion) of the total area was $0-45^{\circ}$. The vegetation structure showed large differences between areas. It was found, however, that the distribution was mostly in the areas with a relatively gentle slope. It is suggested that research be done to forecast the possible changes in the differences in the vegetation structures between different areas caused by climate changes. In addition, there is a need to monitor the Abies koreana and alpine plants in the subalpine zones of Mt. Halla, which are sensitive to climate change, to obtain the basic data that are necessary for the protection and maintenance of the ecosystem.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.102 no.3
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• pp.407-414
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• 2013

This study was conducted to classify forest cover types using the multivariate statistical analysis in the natural forest of western Mt. Jiri. On the basis of the vegetation data by point quarter sampling, the adopted analytical methods were species-area curve (SAC), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), indicator species analysis (ISA), and multiple discriminant analysis (MDA). SAC selected the outlier tree species which was likely to have no influence on the classification of forest cover types, excluded from all analytical process. Based on forest vegetative information, HCA classified the study area into 2 to 10 clusters and ISA indicated that the optimal number of clusters were seven. MDA was taken to test the clusters that classified with HCA and ISA. The seven clusters were classified appropriately as overall classification success were 91.3%. The classified forest cover types were named by the ratio of the dominant species in the upper layer of each cluster. They were (1) Quercus mongolica Pure forest, (2) Mixed mesophytic forest, (3) Q. mongolica - Q. serrata forest, (4) Abies koreana - Q. mongolica forest, (5) Fraxinus mandshurica forest, (6) Q. serrata forest, and (7) Carpinus laxiflora forest.