• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.spc
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• pp.74-82
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• 2014

A perennial plant species of Ranunculaceae, Pulsatilla tongkangensis is a very rare species only found in limestone vegetation of South Korea. It is not only rare but also has great value as a horticultural resource, thus resulting in serious problems of overexploitation and habitat disturbance. For the conservation of the rare species and its development as a resource, the study was conducted with the following three aims: first, to investigate any new geographical distribution of the species; second, to identify the site condition and vegetation structure of its habitat; and third, to compare the ecology of P. tongkangensis in other microhabitats such as rock, slope and ridge area. A new distribution was found in limestone vegetation at Danyang-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do. It was, therefore, confirmed that the distribution of P. tongkangensis exactly coincides with the area of distribution of limestone, indicating a possibility that the species might be a calcicole. 87% of the microhabitats found in rocks. Compared to P. tongkangensis, at ridges or slopes, number of P. tongkangensis plants were few in rocks. It is possibly due to the lack of microhabitats that could settle in rocky areas. Once established on rocks, however, plants grew large enough to flower with higher number of leaves and flowers per plant, resulting in higher flowering rate on rocky areas. Cracks in/between rocks are likely to be safe places for the plants with favorable light conditions, abundant fine particles to root down and reduced competition for resources. Yet, further research is necessary in terms of determining whether the species is indeed a calcicole, whether other limiting factors work in its establishment stage, and genetic diversity exists in the population.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.360-367
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• 2010

The genetic diversity and structure of P. tongkangensis in 5 populations from 3 regions was investigated using 56 markers derived from 6 ISSR primers. Genetic diversity at the species level (P=94.6, SI=0.377, h=0.240) was substantial considering the limited distribution and small size of populations. Genetic differentiation among regions (12%) and among populations (13%) in the region was not clearly evident, which suggested a moderate level of gene flow among adjacent populations. The Mantel test revealed a significant correlation between genetic differentiation (${\Phi}_{ST}$) and geographic distance among populations. This was supported by cluster analysis and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA). The significant difference in marker band frequency at many loci and their fixation in opposite directions in the smallest and most isolated population SC were considered due to genetic drift. Therefore, the genetic diversity of P. tongkangensis could be compromised if the distribution area or the size of the population was further reduced. In particular, small and isolated populations could be at great risk of extinction. Considering this, the unique habitats of P. tongkangensis should be protected and the reduction of population size should be closely monitored. Conservation efforts including the seeding and planting of seedlings should be done carefully based on their genetic and ecological traits. Our data support the argument that establishing an integrated management system for the efficient conservation of P. tongkangensis is critical.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Environment and Ecology Conference
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• 2010.04a
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• pp.59-61
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• 2010

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.439-446
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• 2009

This is a study intended to investigate the environmental factors including vegetation and soil in order to better understand the environmental and ecological characteristics of four different habitats of Pulsatilla tongkangensis(Mt. Baekun, Maha-ri, Kyulam-ri and Mt. Deokhang). These habitats, according to investigations, are mostly located on the slopes of mountains facing northwest at an altitude of 220m to 772m above sea level with angles of inclination ranging from 41 degree to 85 degree. A total of 27 vascular plant taxa are identified in ten quadrates of the four habitats. The importance value of these plants is as follows: Pulsatilla tongkangensis is 9.65%; Carex humilis var. nana 28.93%; Potentilla dickinsii 16.55%; Mukdenia rossii 7.09%; Peucedanum terebinthaceum and Eragrostis ferruginea 4.55%; and Vicia venosa var. albiflora 3.90%. The importance value of these six species is high, so they are at affinity with P. tongkangensis m their habitats. The degree of their average species diversity is 0.75, and that of dominance and evenness 0.24 and 0.85, respectively. Their average field capacity of soil is 19.05%, organic matter 10.51%, and soil pH is 7.43, which are similar among their habitats.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.490-493
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• 2004

Karyotypes were established in five Pulsatilla species from Korea : P. cernua, P. davurica, P. koreana, P. chinensis and P. tongkangensis. The somatic chromosome numbers of five species were all 2n=2x=16 with the basic number of x=8. The chromosome complement of P. cernua consisted of 5 pairs of metacentric, 1 pair of submetacentric and 2 pairs of subtelocentric. P. davurica, P. koreana and P. chinensis consisted of 5 pairs of metacentric and 3 pairs of subtelocentric. P. tongkangensis consisted of 5 pairs of metacentric, 2 pairs of submetacentric, and 1 pair of subtelocentric. Karyotype formulas of P. davurica, P. koreana, and P. chinensis were the same as K (2n) = 2x = 16 = 10m + 6st, while those of P. cernua was K (2n) = 2x = 16 = 10m + 2sm + 4st and P. tongkangensis was K (2n) = 2x = 16 = 10m + 4sm + 2st, respectively.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.911-942
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• 2014

This study was carried out to investigate the flora of indigenous habitat of Donghae-si and Samcheok-si in Gangwon-do, Korea. The vascular plants were collected 18 times (from March to October 2011), and were identified as 804 taxa; 127 families, 445 genera, 720 species, 8 subspecies, 69 varieties, 5 forms and 2 hybrids. In the flora of this area, the calcicolous plants were 55 taxa; Cheilanthes argentea, Clematis serratifoliam, Quercus variabilis. Epipactis papillosa, etc. The endangered plants designated and protected by the wildlife protection law, the Ministry of Environment, Korean were counted to one taxon; Cymbidium macrorhizum. The red list of vascular plants according to IUCN valuation basis were examined, endangered species (EN); Prunus yedoensis and Cymbidium macrorhizum, Vulnerable species (VU); Juniperus chinensis, Pulsatilla tongkangensis, Diarthron linifolium and Swertia wilfordii, Near Threatened species (NT); Paeonia japonica, Allium senescens, Epipactis papillosa and Pogonia minor, Least Concern species (LC); Asplenium ruta-muraria, Platycladus orientalis, Monotropa hypopithys and Eleutherococcus divaricatus var. chiisanensis, etc., Data Deficient species (DD); Paeonia lactiflora var. trichocarpa, and Not Evaluate species (NE); Prunus choreiana, Panax ginseng and Polygonatum infundiflorum etc. Korean endemic plants of this area were 26 taxa; Aconitum pseudolaeve, Corydalis hirtipes, Vicia chosenensis, Salvia chanroenica and Hemerocallis hakuunensis, etc. The floristic regional indicator plants found in this area were 130 taxa comprising 11 taxa of grade V, 15 taxa of grade IV, 33 taxa of grade III, 15 taxa of grade II, 56 taxa of grade I. The naturalized plants were identified as 67 taxa and the percent of naturalized index (NI) was 8.3% of total 804 taxa vascular plants.