• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.106 no.2
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• pp.111-120
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• 2017

The best source of information on the conservation status of species at a global scale is the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Until now, 236 vascular plants from Korean peninsula have been evaluated using the IUCN red list categories and criteria. It indicated that five taxa were considered as critically endangered, 20 as endangered and nine as vulnerable species as a threatened status. On the other hand, the rest (189 taxa) were assessed as a least concern, which did not qualify for threatened species categories. Korea Ministry of Environment published a revised version of 57 species list by re-classifying endangered species with idiosyncratic qualitative criteria for two levels (I and II) followed by status reviews in 2011. However, two thirds species proposed by Ministry of Environment do not qualify as threatened. The major difficulties found in applying IUCN Red List criteria at the global scale was a lack of knowledge on the status of species at broader geographic scales and the perceived difficulty the causes. The lack of consistency between two lists constrains the prioritization of species-based conservation work at the national level. Due to a lack of centralized monitoring data for most species, this status is largely qualitatively and so it carries a high level of uncertainty. This is reflected in the high number of species with an unknown population trend. The current list of endangered species of flora and fauna by the Ministry of Environment should be recognized as the national list (local and population extinction), which is different from the IUCN Red list due to the different geographical contexts. Also, it is necessary to improve the quality of evaluation and conservation management system rather than presenting massive number of endangered species list.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.128-139
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• 1996

The twelve relatively intact ev ergreen broad-leaved forests in the islands off the southern coast of the Korean peninsula were surveyed. The species which commonly appeared over seventy percents in frequency among studied island biotic ecosystems including rare and endangered species and an introduxed or invaded species in the observed localities were also discussed. The common species in each areas were summarized as 28 families, 34 genus and 37 taxa. The pokildo island marked the highest species diversity as 5.511 per 100m$^{2}$ sized plots. And then the species diversity of the Mijo-ri(4.677) and the Maengson-ni(2.481) were following. The total number of rare and endangered species which appeared in the investigated areas were 24 families and 32 taxa, and 13 taxa, and the Pokildo island had the largest number as of 13 families, 12 species, 1 variety and 13 taxa. The 7 species of Compositae, 5 species of Leguminosae and 2 species of Phytolaccaceae were recorded as naturalized, invaded of introduced species. Also each one species which belonged to the Amaranthaceae, Betulaceae, Bignoniaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Commelinaceae, Cupressaceae, Labiatae, Malvaceae, Nyctaginaceae, Pinaceae, Polygonaceae and Txaceae were recorded. The Pokildo island had the largest number of plant invaders with at least 9 families and 13 genus and 13 species including Cryptomeria japonica of Taxodiaceae. It was urgently needed to work for the preperation of an island management plan to the levels of species or habitat conservation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Environment and Ecology Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.98-100
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• 2001

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.305-320
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• 2005

Recently 64 species in Korea have been ranked as rare and endangered taxa by the Ministry of Environment using two categories, I and II. The original threat categories produced by the Ministry of Environment were developed to provide a standard for specifying animals and plants in danger of extinction and has been influential sources of information used in species conservation in Korea. However, the criteria by Ministry of Environment were applied to the whole taxa only by regional boundaries, especially in South Korea, rather than international context, and it also lacked an explicit framework that was necessary to ensure repeatability among taxa because of the absence of quantitative criteria to measure the likelihood of extinction. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) has developed quantitative criteria for assessing the conservation status of species. The threatened species categories, the 2000 IUCN Red List, proposed by SSC (Species Survival Commission) of IUCN have become widely recognized internationally. Details of threatened Korean plants, identified by applying the IUCN threat categories and definitions, were listed and analyzed. The number of species identified as threatened was only 34 out of 64 taxa (48.4%), while the rest of taxa were rejected from the original lists. Many of the species (51.6%, 33 taxa) excluded from the original list proposed by Ministry of Environment do not qualify as Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable because these taxa were widely distributed either in Japan or in China/far eastern Russia and there is no evidence of substantial decline in these countries. An evaluation of taxa in Korea has been carried out only based on subjective views and qualitative data, rather than quantitative scientific data, such as rates of decline, distribution range size, population size, and risk of extinction. Therefore, the national lists undermine the credibility of threatened species lists and invite misuse, which have been raised by other cases, qualitative estimate of risk, political influence, uneven taxonomic or geographical coverage. The increasing emphasis on international responsibilities means that global scale is becoming more significant. The current listings by Environment of Ministry of Korea should be challenged, and the government should seek to facilitate the resolution of disagreements. Especially the list should be flexible enough to handle uncertainty and also incorporates detailed, quantitative data. It is suggested that the highest priorities for the Red List should be given to endemic species in Korea first. After setting up the list of endemic species to Korea, quantitative data on population size and structure, distributional range, rated of decline, and habitat fragmentation should be collected as one of long term projects for the Red list categories. Transparency and accountability are the most important key factors. Also, species assessors are named and data sources referenced are required for the future objective evaluations on Korean plant taxa.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.105-131
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• 2015

This study was carried out to investigate the flora of Gyodongdo island (Ganghwa-gun). The vascular plants from 11 field surveys were revealed to belong to a total of 629 taxa; 118 families, 364 genera, 561 species, 5 subspecies, 53 varieties, 7 forms and 3 hybrids. 184 taxa were the first records from this region. The plants in Gyodongdo island are composed of the deciduous broad-leaved and conifer-mixed forests which are the common ones in the middle part of the Korean Peninsula. Five taxa of Korean endemic plants such as Clematis brachyura Maxim., Viola seoulensis Nakai, Populus ${\times}$ tomentiglandulosa T. B. Lee, Forsythia koreana (Rehder) Nakai and Hemerocallis hakuunensis Nakai were collected. Endangered wild plants designated by the law called 'Protection Law for Endangered wild fauna and flora' were one taxon. The red list plants according to IUCN valuation basis were examined for 13 taxa; endangered (EN) species of Prunus yedoensis Matsum., Vulnerable (VU) species of both Utricularia pilosa (Makino) Makino and Iris ruthenica var. nana Maxim., Near Threatened (NT) species of Senecio argunensis Turcz., Least Concern (LC) species of Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco, Potentilla discolor Bunge, Limnophila sessiliflora (Vahl) Blume, Acorus calamus L., Phacelurus latifolius (Steud.) Ohwi, Pseudoraphis ukishiba Ohwi, Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC., and Not Evaluate (NE) species of both Astragalus sikokianus Nakai and Potamogeton oxyphyllus Miq. The floristic regional indicator plants found in this area were a total of 47 taxa comprising three taxa of grade V, four taxa of grade IV, nine taxa of grade III, 10 taxa of grade II, and 21 taxa of grade I. The naturalized plants were identified as 62 taxa and the percentage of naturalized index (NI) was 9.9 % and the percentage of urbanization index (UI) was 19.3 %, respectively. Furthermore, hemicryptophytes (28 %), therophytes (26 %), hydrophytes (13 %) and geophyte (12 %) showed high proportional ratio in life form spectrum.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.138-144
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• 2008

The Specific Plant Species such as N degree (2 species) and V degree (5 species) which is categorized by the Ministry of Environment are appeared as 7 species. II degree species among Endangered species of wild flora is Abeliophyllum distichum, and the Rare and Endangered Species which is categorized by the Korea Forest Service are enlisted as the five taxa. The Bukhansan is one of the phytogeographic ally important areas among national parks of Korea because this region is located in the northern limit of Southern Plant Types, such as Carpinus laxiflora, Cornus kousa, Styrax japonica and Zanthoxylum piperitum. The flora of the area was enlisted as 638 taxa, 103 families, 362 genera, 541 species, 87 varieties, and 10 forms. Naturalized Species was identified as 58 taxa, 16 families, 52 genera, 54 species and 4 varieties. The Ratio of Naturalized and Urbanization Index was 9.09% and 20.21%, respectively.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.83-93
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• 2023

This study was conducted to clarify the environmental variables that affect the appearance of Mauremys reevesii and to understand the relationship between M. reevesii and the variables. Habitat environmental survey was implemented by selecting 17 environmental variables considering ecological characteristics of M. reevesii in the main reservoir in Gurye-gun, the Republic of Korea. And the habitat data on the presence and absence of M.reevesii were analyzed statistically. The habitat suitability model of M. reevesii was described in following equation : logit (p) = -3.68 + (0.17 × leaf litter depth) + (1.55 × vegetation coverage of overstory on land) + (0.71 × coverage of midstory on land) + (0.96 × vegetation coverage of understory on water). This information gained is valuable for better understanding the distribution and how to conserve and promote populations of M. reevesii occurring in the Republic of Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.164-175
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• 2009

The flora of the vascular plant in Mt. Munsu and Mt. Okseok was listed as 689 taxa; 95 families, 332 genus, 600 species, 93 varieties and 5 forms. Based on the list of rare plants by Korea Forest Service and Korea Forest Research Institute, 16 taxa were recorded. And endangered plant was recorded by 1 taxa, Iris koreana var. albiflora. Based on the list of Korean endemic plant, 44 taxa were recorded. According to the specific plant species by classes, class I has 51 taxa, class II has 33 taxa, class III has 28 taxa, class IV has 12 taxa. In class V, we found Houttuynia cordata, but the species was considered to be worthless because it was planted as an ornamental plant in the area. Naturalized plant species were listed as 27 taxa; 99 families, 22 genus, 26 species, 1 varieties. And naturalization index was 3.9%.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.25-40
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• 2011

The vascular plants in Jeokjabong, Bogil Island were listed 350 taxa composed of 89 families, 233 genera, 309 species, 1 subspecies, 36 varieties and 4 forms. Divided into woody plants were 142 taxa (40.6%) and herbaceous plants were 208 taxa (59.4%). Based on the list of rare and endangered species by Korea Forest Service and Korea National Arboretum, 3 taxa were recorded; Celtis choseniana, Asarum maculatum, Rubus sorbifolius, and endemic plants, 10 taxa were recorded; Asarum maculatum, Cephalotaxus koreana, Carpinus coreana, Celtis choseniana, Lespedeza maritima, Indigofera koreana, Dendropanax morbifera, Ligustrum quihoui var. latifolium, Weigela subsessilis, Carex okamotoi, and plant species subject to permission for taking abroad, 4 taxa were recorded; Celtis choseniana, Asarum maculatum, Vaccinium oldhami, Carex okamotoi. Based on the list of floristic regional indicator plants by Korean Ministry of Environment were total 64 taxa (18.3% of all 350 taxa of vascular plants); Ligustrum quihoui var. latifolium in class IV, 19 taxa (Stauntonia hexaphylla, Cinnamomum japonicum, Zanthoxylum ailanthoides, Daphniphyllum macropodum, Centella asiatica, Verbena officinalis, Mitchella undulata, etc.) in class III, 5 taxa (Potentilla dickinsii, Ostericum melanotilingia, Sanicula rubriflora, Caryopteris incana, Teucrium veronicoides) in class II and 39 taxa (Gleichenia dichotoma, Cyrtomium fortunei, Aphananthe aspera, Rubus hirsutus, Meliosma myriantha, Hedera rhombea, Ainsliaea apiculata, etc.) in class I. Based on the list of naturalized plants, 5 families, 17 genera, 20 taxa (Phytolacca americana, Lepidium virginicum, Robinia pseudo-acacia, Verbesina alternifolia, Lolium perenne, etc.) and naturalization rate was 5.7% of all 350 taxa of vascular plants. Hereafter natural ecosystem into disturbance on naturalized plants and legal protection species and rare and endangered species distribute in the Bogil Island, precision investigation after management counterplan of the monitoring a point of view be required.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.52-62
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• 2006

The flora of vascular plants around Chunji and Sochunji in Mt. Baekdu was listed 120 taxa; 31 families, 81 genera, 97 species, 1 subspecies, 21 varieties and 1 form. About endangered wild plants, 2 taxa (Paeonia obovata, Rhododendron aureum) are in class II. 12 taxa were listed as rare and endangered plants; Disporum ovale, Lilium davuricum, Saxifraga punctata, Rosa marretii, Cnidium tachiroei, Bupleurum euphorbioides, Halenia corniculata, Gentiana jamesii, Pedicularis verticillata, etc. 10 taxa were listed as Korean endemic plants; Lilium amabile, Aconitum pseudolaeve var. erectum, Oxytropis anertii for. alba, Valeriana officinalis var. latifolia, Cardamine resedifolia var. morii, Homopteryx nakaiana, Saussurea alpicola, Ligularia jamesii, etc. Specific plants by floral region were total 47 taxa; 3 taxa (Paeonia obovata, Rhododendron aureum, Pedicularis verticillata) in class V, 15 taxa (Lycopodium annotinum, Alnus maximowiczii, Saxifraga punctata, Petasites saxatile, etc.) in class IV, 5 taxa (Spiraea salicifolia, Sanguisorba hakusanensis, Acer ukurunduense, Campanula glomerata var. dahurica, Cacalia adenostyloides) in class III, 18 taxa (Lycopodium chinense, Disporum ovale, Ceologlossum viride var. bracteatum, Betula ermani, Aruncus dioicus var. kamtschaticus, Filipendula multijuga, Geranium eriostemon, Cnidium tachiroei, Ligularia stenocephala, etc.) in class II, 6 taxa (Pinus koraiensis, Cimicifuga simplex, Sanguisorba tenuifolia var. alba, Senecio nemorensis, Cacalia hastata subsp. orientalis, Cirsium pendulum) in class I. Peculiar flora around Chunji is thought to be made by the environmental factors such as wind, temperature and rainfall that influence the plants' growth.