• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.107 no.2
• /
• pp.113-125
• /
• 2018

Subalpine zone is geographically vulnerable to climate change. Forest vegetation in this zone is one of the important basic indicator to observe the influence of climate change. This study was conducting phytosociological community classification and endemic-rare plants investigation based on vulnerable species to climate change at the subalpine zone, Mt. Jiri. Vegetation data were collected by 37 quadrate plots from March to October, 2015. In order to understand the species composition of plant sociological vegetation types and the ecological impacts of species, we analyzed the layer structure of vegetation type using important values. Vegetation type was classified into eight species groups and five vegetation units. The vegetation types can be suggested as an indicator on the change of species composition according to the future climate change. There were 9 taxa endemic plants and 17 taxa rare plants designated by KFS(Korea Forest Service) where 41.2% of them were the northern plant. Endemic-rare plants increased as the altitude of vegetation unit increase. Importance value analysis showed that the mean importance value of Abies koreana was highest of all vegetation units. Based on analysis of each layer, all units except vegetation unit 1 were considered to be in competition with the species such as Quercus mongolica and Acer pseudosieboldianum. The results of this study can be a basic data to understand the new patterns caused by climate change. In addition, it can be a basic indicator of long-term monitoring through vegetation science approach.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.75-84
• /
• 2012

The importance of the genetic value of native plants has been raised recently after the adoption of Nagoya Protocol. In this stream, this research focused on the future distribution of Megaleranthis saniculifolia which has been evolved and adapted to Korean natural environment and classified as an endemic endangered species by IUCN. The distribution of the species in future are projected based on 'present potential distribution area' by adopting SRES (Special Report on Emission Scenarios) A1B climate change scenario using 6 types of GCM (General Circulation Model). The major results of the research are as follows : habitats of Megaleranthis saniculifolia. (1) will be reduced by 44% nation wide; (2) in Chungcheongngnam Do and Jeollanam Do will be the most affected; and (3) in high altitude in Chungcheongbuk Do, Gyunggi Do and Gangwon Do will be relatively less affected.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.38 no.4
• /
• pp.529-536
• /
• 2015

This study was performed to provide important basic data for the preservation and management of Scopura laminata, a species endemic to Korea, by elucidating the spatial characteristics of its present, potential, and future distribution areas. Currently, this species is found in the Odaesan National Park area of South Korea and has been known to be restricted in its habitat due to its poor mobility, as even fully grown insects do not have wings. Utilizing the MaxEnt model, 20 collection points around Odaesan National Park were assessed to analyze and predict spatial distribution characteristics. The precision of the MaxEnt model was excellent, with an AUC value of 0.833. Variables affecting the potential distribution area of S. laminata by more than 10% included the range of annual temperature, seasonality of precipitation, and precipitation of the driest quarter, in order of greatest to least impact. Compared to the current potential distribution area, no significant difference in the overall habitable area was predicted for the 2050s or 2070s. It was, however, demonstrated that the potential habitable area would be reduced in the 2050s by up to 270.3 km from the current area of 403.9 km; further, no potential habitable area was anticipated by the 2070s according to our predictive model. Taken together, it is anticipated that this endemic species could be significantly affected by climate changes, and hence effective countermeasures are strongly warranted for the preservation of habitats and species management.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.43 no.5
• /
• pp.436-444
• /
• 2010

Objectives: Infectious diseases are known to be affected by climate change. We investigated if the infectious diseases were related to meteorological factors in Korea. Methods: Scrub typhus, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), leptospirosis, malaria and Vibrio vulnificus sepsis among the National Notifiable Infectious Diseases were selected as the climate change-related infectious diseases. Temperature, relative humidity and precipitation were used as meteorological factors. The study period was from 2001 through 2008. We examined the seasonality of the diseases and those correlations with meteorological factors. We also analyzed the correlations between the incidences of the diseases during the outbreak periods and monthly meteorological factors in the hyper-endemic regions. Results: All of the investigated diseases showed strong seasonality; malaria and V. vulnificus sepsis were prevalent in summer and scrub typhus, HFRS and leptospirosis were prevalent in the autumn. There were significant correlations between the monthly numbers of cases and all the meteorological factors for malaria and V. vulnificus sepsis, but there were no correlation for the other diseases. However, the incidence of scrub typhus in hyper-endemic region during the outbreak period was positively correlated with temperature and humidity during the summer. The incidences of HFRS and leptospirosis had positive correlations with precipitation in November and temperature and humidity in February, respectively. V. vulnificus sepsis showed positive correlations with precipitation in April/May/July. Conclusions: In Korea, the incidences of the infectious diseases were correlated with meteorological factors, and this implies that the incidences could be influenced by climate change.

• Safe Food
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.3-11
• /
• 2010

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.219-225
• /
• 2011

Changes in biota, species distribution range shift and catastrophic climate influence due to recent global warming have been observed during the last century. Since global warming affects various sectors, such as agriculture and vegetation, it is important to predict more accurate impact of future climate change. The purpose of this study is to examine the observed distribution of Abeliophyllum distichum in the Korean peninsula. For this purpose, two period (present and future) climate data were used. Mean data between 1950 and 2000, were used as the present value and the year 2050 and 2080 data from A1B senario in IPCC SRES were used for the future value. Potential habitation is analyzed by MaxEnt(Maximum Entropy model), and Abeliophyllum distichum's coordinates data were used as a dependent variable and independent variables are composed of environmental data such as BioClim, altitude, aspect and slope. The result of six types GCM mean calculation, the potential habitability decreased by 40-60% of the average existing distribution. The methodogies and results of this research can be applicable to the climate changing adaptation stratiegies for the biodiversity conservation.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.167-175
• /
• 2017

We conducted a total of 28 surveys from March to October 2016 in Gayasan National Park, to identify threatened plants for climate change, as well as for the effective management of biological organisms and resources against climate changes in Korea. Regarding threatened plants for climate change, we identified a total of 39 taxa, with 11 northern, 2 southern, and 26 taxa of concern. Among these taxa, 33 were identified as wild species. The species threatened by climate change located in the subalpine regions of Gayasan National Park were Abies holophylla Maxim., Abies koreana Wilson, Pinus koraiensis Siebold & Zucc., Betula ermanii Cham., Berberis amurensis Rupr., Rhododendron tschonoskii Maxim., Vaccinium hirtum var. koreanum (Nakai) Kitam., Primula modesta var. hannasanensis T.Yamaz., Trientalis europaea var. arctica (Fisch.) Ledeb., Thymus quinquecostatus Celak., Parasenecio firmus (Kom.) Y.L.Chen, and Lilium cernuum Kom. These species are expected to be particularly vulnerable to the effects of global warming, since they were confirmed to have a very narrow vertical distribution range. Moreover, although the following species are not included in the list of plants threatened by climate change, it is assumed that the endemic species that grow at the summit, and Grade V floristics special plants, such as Pedicularis hallaisanensis Hurus., Allium thunbergii var. deltoides (S.O.Yu, S.Lee & W.Lee) H.J.Choi & B.U.Oh, Heloniopsis tubiflora Fuse, N.S.Lee & M.N. Tamura, Aletris glabra Bureau & Franch, and Gymnadenia cucullata (L.) Rich., will also be extremely vulnerable to climate change. Therefore, we believe that measures for the conservation of these species are urgently needed, and also that the definition of species threatened by climate change should be broadened to include more objective and valid taxa through the long-term monitoring of species distributed around the summit area.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.119-133
• /
• 2021

The purpose of this study was to provide basic information for rational management plans for sustainable conservation and utilization by comprehensive analyzing the flora distributed in Yongchu valley, Changwon-si. The flora of Yongchu valley were summarized as 319 taxa including 93 families, 212 genera, 285 species, 3 subspecies, 6 forms and 25 varieties. The endemic plants were 5 taxa such as Chrysosplenium pilosum var. fulvum, Impatiens koreana, Lespedeza maritima, Thalictrum acteifolium and Weigela subsessilis. The rare plants were 11 taxa including I. koreana, Prunus yedoensis and Magnolia kobus. The specific plants by floristic region were 38 taxa including I. koreana, Jeffersonia dubia., M. kobus and P. yedoensis which are class V. The naturalized plants were 11 taxa including Solanum americanum, Aster pilosus, Crassocephalum crepidioides and Cerastium glomeratum and so forth and invasive alien plants among these plants was 1 taxa of A. pilosus. The target plants adaptable to climate change were 8 taxa including Corydalis turtschaninovii of northern plant, I. koreana of endemic plant, and Meliosma myriantha of southern plant.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.456-474
• /
• 2015

We have investigated the flora of Yeongheungdo Island in Ongjin-gun, Incheon. A total of 13 separate field trips were carried out from March 2012 to October 2013. As a result, 302 taxa including 80 families, 211 genera, 261 species, 6 subspecies, 31 varieties and 4 forms were identified. These include the following: 1 taxon protected under the Act on the Protection and Management of Wildlife, 3 Korean endemic taxa, 8 floristic indicator species including 2 taxa of grade V, 3 of grade II and 3 of grade I, 33 naturalized taxa with the naturalization rate of 10.9% and 1 northern taxon vulnerable to climate change.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
• /
• v.2 no.3
• /
• pp.198-205
• /
• 2015

Impacts of climate change on aquatic ecosystems range from changes in physiological processes of aquatic organisms to species distribution. In this study, MaxEnt that has high prediction power without nonoccurrence data was used to simulate fish distribution changes in the Geum river watershed according to climate change. The fish distribution in 2050 and 2100 was predicted with RCP 8.5 climate change scenario using fish occurrence data (a total of 47 species, including 17 endemic species) from 2007 to 2009 at 134 survey points and 9 environmental variables (monthly lowest, highest and average air temperature, monthly precipitation, monthly lowest, highest and average water temperature, altitude and slope). The fitness of MaxEnt modeling was successful with the area under the relative operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.798, and environmental variables that showed a high level of prediction were as follows: altitude, monthly average precipitation and monthly lowest water temperature. As climate change proceeds until 2100, the probability of occurrence for Odontobutis interrupta and Acheilognathus yamatsuatea (endemic species) decreases whereas the probability of occurrence for Microphysogobio yaluensis and Lepomis macrochirus (exotic species) increases. In particular, five fish species (Gnathopogon strigatus, Misgurnus mizolepis, Erythroculter erythropterus, A. yamatsuatea and A. koreensis) were expected to become extinct in the Geum river watershed in 2100. In addition, the species rich area was expected to move to the northern part of the Geum river watershed. These findings suggest that water temperature increase caused by climate change may disturb the aquatic ecosystem of Geum river watershed significantly.