• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.90 no.3
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• pp.380-387
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• 2001

The characteristics of ecological niche, breadth and overlap, for seventeen major tree species were evaluated in the natural deciduous forest in Mt. Chumbong area. Employed by the plot sampling method, the environmental gradient for vertical niche was based on the intensity of light within the forest, and that for horizontal niche was based on multi-dimensional resources in distribution pattern. The result showed that Fraxinus rhynchophylla had the highest value of vertical niche breadth and Maackia amurensis had the lowest, and Acer pseudo-sieboldianum had the highest value of horizontal niche breadth and Betula costata had the lowest. There was no significant correlation between both measures of niche breadth. However, the tolerance index for each species was positively correlated to the values of niche breadth. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were applied to test the correlationship between the species ranks of tolerance index and those of two ecological niche breadths. The coefficient of $r_s=0.432$ ($P{\leq}0.1$) was not enough to support significant correlationship between the tolerance index and vertical niche breadth at the 95% probability. If Carpinus cordata, rarely reach canopy of the forest due to its own growth form, are excluded from the analysis, coefficient was calculated as $r_s=0.650$ ($P{\leq}0.01$), resulting in highly significant correlationship. The Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was $r_s=0.797$ ($P{\leq}0.01$) for tolerance indices and the values of horizontal niche breadth, indicating highly significant. Four distinctive species groups, produced by cluster analysis on the basis of ecological niche overlap for each pair of species, were in considerable accord with the positively associated species constellation pattern created by the inter-species association analysis.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.153-160
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• 2013

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of ecological factors affecting Pinus densiflora forest distribution associated with climate change in the future. Ecological niche is used as a method to quantify the position occupied in biological communities, space, influence and all ecological factors. Ecological niche breadth was analyzed on meteorological and growth factors of P. densiflora. Nine sites (i.e., Gangneung, Jeongseon, Pyeongchang, Hamyang, Bonghwa, Yeongyang, Uljin, Uiseong and Boseong) were selected to set $20m{\times}20m$ quadrat from September to October 2010. The height, DBH, clearlength, crown width and basal area were measured at each quadrat and used as growth factors. In addition, the measured values from the closest weather stations of each survey area of the maximum, mean and minimum temperature, humidity and precipitation were used as meteorological factors. The ecological niche breadth of the five meteorological factors except humidity was low. It is considered that precipitation could effect on the distribution of P. densiflora forest. In particular, maximum temperature showed low ecological niche breadth less than 0.4 in most of the survey areas. However, the ecological niche breadth of the five growth factors was high in all survey areas.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.429-439
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• 2013

This study was conducted to determine the changes of the ecological niche breadth and niche overlap of Quercus acutissima and Quercus variabilis under elevated $CO_2$ concentrations and under elevated temperature conditions. We investigated the growth responses by environmental factor, $CO_2$ concentration, air temperature, light, soil moisture and nutrients. Rising $CO_2$ concentration was treated with 1.6 times than control (ambient) and increased temperature with $2.2^{\circ}C$ above the control (ambient) in the glass greenhouse. Ecological niche breadth and niche overlap was calculated the two oak species (Q. acutissima and Q. variabilis), which were cultivated with light, soil moisture and nutrient gradients at four levels. As a result, the ecological niche breadth of Quercus acutissima was determined to be increased under the warming treatment, but decreased under soil moisture and nutrient environments. The ecological niche breadth of Quercus variabilis was increased under light, soil moisture and nutrients of the warming treatment than control. Ecological niche overlap between Quercus acutissima-Quercus variabilis was increased under light of the warming treatment than control, but decreased under soil moisture and nutrient environments. These results means that two oak species are more severe competition in light environments than soil moisture and nutrient environments. According to analyses of the Cluster and PCA, the two oak species were more sensitive react under light environment than to elevated $CO_2$ concentration or elevated temperature.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.191-197
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• 2009

In order to characterize the ecological traits of Q. mongolica, we treated the seedlings of this species with three environmental factors, light, moisture and nutrient gradients from March to October 2007, and measured morphological and ecological 17 characters. Lastly calculated ecological niche breadth and niche overlap between Q. mongolica-Q. acutissima and Q. mongolica-Q. variabilis, and analysed them with a special reference to ecological distribution pattern and their competition relationship in Korea. The ecological niche breadth of Q. mongolica showed the lowest in nutrient treatment, but the highest in soil moisture treatment. The ecological niche value under light was intermediate. On comparison of the ecological niche breadth of three oak species, Q. mongolica showed the highest in light environment, which might be a reason for the dominant distribution in the forest plant community, Korea. The ecological niche overlap of Q. mongolica-Q. acutissima and Q. mongolica-Q. varabilis was the widest in moisture treatment, but the narrowest in nutrient treatment and the intermediate in light one. These results means that these three oak species be most competitive in moisture environment than light or nutrient one, and that there are least differentiated among oak species for soil moisture condition. Cluster and PCA ordination showed that Q. mongolica and Q. acutissima were more closely arranged than Q. mongolica and Q. variabilis. From these results, it can be explained that Q. mongolica have more similar ecological niche with Q. acutissima than with Q. variabilis, consequently competition between Q. mongolica and Q. acutissima is intensive than Q. mongolica and Q. variabilis for environment condition, especially in soil moisture.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.205-212
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• 2023

This study was attempted to find out how the ecological niche and interspecies relationship of Quercus aliena and Q. serrata, which are the main constituents of potential natural vegetation along the riverside of mountains in Korea, under climate change conditions. To this end, soil moisture and soil nutrients were treated with 4 grad ients under climate change conditions with elevated CO₂ and temperature, plants we re harvested at the end of the growing season, growth responses of traits were measured, ecological niche breadth and overlap were calculated, and it was compared with that of the control group(ambient condition). In addition, the relationship between the two species was analyzed by principal component analysis using trait values. As a result, the ecological niche breadth of Q. aliena was wider than that of Q. serrata under the moisture environment conditions under climate change. Under nutrient conditions, the ecological niche of the two species were similar. In addition, the ecological overlap for soil moisture of Q. aliena and Q. serrata was wider than the soil nutrient gradient under climate change. The species with traits in which the increase in ecological niche breadth due to climate change occurred more than the decrease was Q. aliena in both water and nutrient gradients. And in the responses of the population level, due to climate change, the adaptability of Q. aliena was higher than that of Q. serrata under the soil moisture condition, but the two species were similar under the nutrient condition. These results mean that the competition between the two species occurs more severely in the water environment under climate change conditions, and at that time, Q. aliena has higher adaptability than Q. serrata.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.95-101
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• 2014

In order to investigate effects of elevated $CO_2$ concentration and temperature on the ecological niche of Quercus serrata in Korea. We divided experimental condition in the greenhouse that are control (ambient condition) and treatment with elevated $CO_2$ (approximately 1.6 above than control) and increased air temperature (approximately $2.2^{\circ}C$ above than control). We measured twenty kind characters of seedlings and calculated the ecological niche breadth. As a result, the ecological niche breadth, treatment was widened in the light gradient than the control, was narrowed in the moisture and nutrient gradient. This is may be predicted when the global warming progress, Q. serrata is increases resistance to light environment, and decrease resistance to moisture and nutrient environment. According to the principal component analysis (PCA), control and treatment were arranged based on factor 1 and 2 in each environment gradients. Ecological response is involved variety characters. Among them, indicating that Characters of production is involved in many a parts.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.102-108
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• 2020

This study is to analyze the growth response of the Quercus dentata seedlings to four environmental factors and measure the ecological niche breadth. Environmental factors were light, moisture content, soil texture, and organic matter, treated with four gradients. The more quantity light increased, the heavier the leaves biomass, aboveground biomass, belowground biomass and plant biomass was. In treatment of water content and soil texture, growth response was no difference. The more organic matter increased, the heavier aboveground biomass was, but the remaining trait of plant was no difference. The ecological niche breadth was 0.865 in light, 0.995 in moisture content, 0.994 in soil texture and 0.988 in nutrient. Ecological niche breadth was the widest in the moisture content treatment and the narrowest in the light treatment. This means that the growth of Q. dentata seedlings grows well as the amount of light increases, and is sensitive to light, Thus, it is determined a growth and ecological niche breadth by light factors.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.385-391
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• 2008

In Korea, Quercus acutissima distributed in good condition with high nutrients and moisture content, but Quercus variabilis in dry soil or rock habitate. In order to understand this ecological distribution of Q. acutissima and Q. variabilis, we cultivated the seedlings of two oak species treated with light, soil moisture and nutrient gradients each four level, from May to October in glass house. Then we measured the ecological niche breadth and niche overlap of the two species, and analyzed the relationship of competition using cluster analysis and PCA ordination. Ecological niche breadths of Q. acutissima under moisture and nutrient treatments were slightly wider than those under light one. Among 14 characters measured, 6 characters related with length items were wider in all the environmental treatments, but 8 characters connected with weight terms narrower in light treatment. Ecological niche breadths of Q. variabilis under moisture and nutrient treatment were wider than those of light one. Ecological niche of Q. acutissima was wider than those of Q. variabilis in all the environmental treatments. Ecological overlap between two species was higher with a range of 0.87$\sim$0.92, especially higher in soil moisture factor. These results means that Q. acutissima is more competitive than Q. variabilis, especially in soil moisture condition. Two species were ordinated with distinct group based on 9 characters. From these results, it can be explained that what Q. variabilis distributed in bad soil condition is due to the escape strategy, because of its low competitive ability to Q. acutissima in natural communities.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.289-296
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• 2001

Community structure of the Salix and physico-chemical properties of sediment were studied from July to September, 2000 in Nam-River watershed for the purpose of inquiring niche breadth, niche overlap and the environmental factors affecting the distribution of Salix species. Among eleven Salix species, the dominant species was Salix koreensis, while the rests were such order as S. nipponica, S. gracilistyla and S. glandulosa by the relative abundance based on the basal area. Mean values and the ranges of sediment properties such as pH, conductivity, water content, organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, clay, silt and sand were 5.3∼6.3, 14∼351 μmho/cm, 0.1∼3.4%, 0.5∼7.3%, 0.01∼0.2%, 0.1∼0.4 mg/100 g, 1.7∼22.0%, 0.2∼40.8%, 39.7∼98.0%, respectively. Altitude and annual mean temperature of each site were 20∼620 m and 9.3∼13.0℃, respectively. Niche breadth was estimated by considering the differences of the soil texture as the differences of state of source. S. glandulosa was the broadest at the level of 0.77, while the rests were such order as S. koreensis, S. nipponica were 0.69, 0.54, respectively. The niche overlap showing the level of interspecific competition was the largest as 0.94 between S. purpurea var. japonica and S. purpurea var multinervis, while S. graciliglans and S. purpurea var. japonica 0.92, S. graciliglans and S. purpurea var. multinervis 0.87, respectively. According to the analysis of the correlation between eleven species of Salix and eleven environmental factors, S. gracilistyla showed the negative correlation with conductivity, water content, total nitrogen, clay, silt and annual mean temperature, and showed the positive correlation with total nitrogen, sand and altitude. S. graciliglans showed the negative correlation with conductivity, water content, organic matter, clay, silt and annual mean temperature, and showed the positive correlation with total nitrogen, sand and altitude. S. nipponica showed the negative correlation with sand and altitude, and showed the positive correlation with water content, total nitrogen, clay, silt and annual mean temperature. S. nipponica showed the opposite results of S. gracilistyla. Soil texture, total nitrogen, water content, altitude and annual mean temperature were affecting the distribution of Salix species in Nam-River watershed.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.196-204
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• 2023

Eleutherococcus gracilistylus is a designated rare plant by the Korea Forest Service, a deciduous broad leaf shrub native to the Gotjawal region, Jejudo. This study aimed to analyze the growth responses of E. gracilistylus to three environment factors such as light, moisture, and organic matter, and measure its ecological niche breadth. Based on these results, an attempt was made to identify suitable environmental conditions. E. gracilistylus exhibited increased above-ground length, leaf area, and plant leaf weight under intermediate conditions of light availability(L3, 50% of natural light), rather than very high or very low light conditions. Moisture availability and organic matter availability showed variations in growth responses in terms of leaf count and plant leaf weight. Under moisture availability, growth was favorable under or below intermediate conditions (M3, 240ml), while under organic matter availability, growth response was better above intermediate conditions (N3, 12%). Ecological niche breadth showed in the light factor(0.951), the moisture factor(0.977), and the organic matter content one(0.964). These results indicate that the preferred habitat of E. gracilistylus is somewhat shady, slightly dry, and has a lot of nutrients, and that the environmental factor that has the greatest impact on growth is the amount of light, which is considered to be a priority consideration for habitat management in its native area.