• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
• /
• v.44 no.3
• /
• pp.208-221
• /
• 2014

The Holocene Hypsithermal Interval(or climatic optimum) was the warmest post-glacial period: temperatures rose to as much as $1-4^{\circ}C$ above present temperatures. We hypothesize that southern plants expanded northward and upward during the Hypsithermal Interval. The Hypsithermal relict populations are defined as populations which distribute mainly in Is. Cheju and Southern subregions and have populations of short-distance dispersion separated by more than 100 km from the nearest distribution. The Hypsithermal relict species were identified and their distributions were mapped based on botanical floras and checklist, herbaria specimens, ecological studies, and field surveys of selected species. Evaluation of the hypothesis was based on reviews of published pollen stratigraphic and paleoecological studies. The results showed that the Holocene Hypsithermal relicts such as Corylopsis coreana Uyeki, Carpinus turczaninowii Hance, Stewartia koreana Nakai ex Rehder were expanded northward during the Holocene Hypsithermal Interval.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.105 no.4
• /
• pp.401-413
• /
• 2016

Forest resources utilization and variable disturbance history have been affected the rarity and conservation value of forest relict trees, which served as habitat for forest biodiversity, important carbon stock and cultural role include human and natural history in South Korea. This study was conducted to establish the baseline data for forest resources conservation by clarifying species diversity, spatial distribution and ecological characteristics (individual and habitat) of forest relict trees (DBH > 300 cm) based on the data getting from mountain trail, high resolution aerial photos and field professionals and field survey. As results, 54 taxa (18 family 32 genus 48 species 1 subspecies 3 variety and 2 form) as about 22% of tree species in Korea was identified in the field. 837 individuals of forest relict trees were observed and the majority of the trees was in Pinaceae, deciduous Fagaceae and Rosaceae, which families are abundant in population diversity. High elevation area was important to relict trees as mean altitudinal distribution was 1,200 m a.s.l as likely affected by human activity gradients and mid-steep slope and North aspect was important environment for the trees remain. Many individuals exhibited 'damage larger branch' (55.6%) and consequent relatively lower mean canopy coverages (below 80%). Synthetically, present diversity and abundance of relict forest trees in South Korea were the result of complex process among climate variation, local weather and biological factors and the trees of big and old were estimated to important forest biodiversity elements. In the future, clarifying the role and function of relict trees in forest ecosystem, in- and ex- situ programmes for important trees and habitat, and activities for building the background of conservation policy such as "Guideline for identifying and measurement of forest relict trees".

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.165-175
• /
• 2018

The purpose of this study is to provide the basic data such as distribution status, growth characteristics, and the structural characteristics of forest stands for the systematic conservation and management of relict forest trees (stem girth of 300cm or larger) established naturally in Gangwon Province, Korea. The survey showed that 434 individuals of 19 species (conifers: 228 individuals of 4 species, broad-leaved trees: 206 individuals of 15 species) were distributed in Gangwon Province, and Taxus cuspidata was the most abundant among them with 203 individuals or about 46.7 % of the total. The stem girth was average of 404cm (conifers: 373cm, broad-leaves: 421cm), and Tilia amurensis with multi-stemmed growing on Sorak mountain range had the largest stem girth at 1,113cm. The average height and the crown width of relict forest trees were 15.4m and 10.0m, respectively. Although the environments of relict forest trees showed a slight difference by species, the relative appearance frequencies of most trees were high in the environments where the altitude was higher than 1,000 m, slope degree was greater than $25^{\circ}$, the slope faced north, and microtopography was at the upper of slopes. Regarding the stand characteristics of relict forest trees per unit area ($/100m^2$), the average total coverage was 294% (max. 475%), the total average number of species was 36 species (max. 60 species), the average species diversity index (H') was 2.560 (max. 3.593), the average canopy closure was 84.8% (max. 94.6%), and the average basal area (/ha) was $52.7m^2$ (max. $116.4m^2$, relict trees $30.0m^2$, and other trees $22.7m^2$). The analysis of the dynamics of the forest stands where relict forest trees were growing showed four types of the maintenance mechanisms of relict forest trees depending on the supply pattern of succeeding trees: "Low-density but persistent type (Quercus mongolica, Abies holophylla, Tilia amurensis, and Pyrus ussuriensis)," "Long ago stopped type (Pinus densiflora)," "Recently stopped type (Abies nephrolepis, Quercus variabilis, and Betula schmidtii)," and "Periodically repeated types of supply and stop (Salix caprea and Quercus serrata).".

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.431-443
• /
• 2012

Wind holes or air holes, from which cool air blows out during the summer, but mild air comes out during the winter, have provided the phytogeographically important refugia for cryophilous or cold-loving boreal flora during the Holocene period. At present, wind holes are serving as a faraway disjunctive habitat for Pleistocene relict glacial floristic elements, and present an invaluable information to reconstruct the natural history. Present work aims to collate the nationwide distribution and relevant DB on the potential wind holes of Korea based upon media and literature sources, along with geographical informations, such as place name, topographic map, environmental geographical information, flora, monitoring data of Korea National Arboretum, and field survey data. Geographical information on sixty nine wind hole sites have compiled and analyzed on the basis of flora and presence of fossilized periglacial landforms, such as talus, block field, and block stream, and sixteen sites have thereafter carefully selected and scrutinized through field surveys. To maintain a sustainability of wind hole ecosystem, including their original landform, micro-meteorological phenomena and plant community therein as a refugia or habitat for relict plant species of Pleistocene glacial period, appropriate restrictions and preservation measures are required.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
• /
• v.43 no.4
• /
• pp.495-510
• /
• 2008

Vaccinium vitis-idaea or lingonberry, a typical arctic-alpine plant, is common on the circumpolar regions and alpine belts of the Northern Hemisphere, and also occurs on the alpine and subalpine belts of the Korean Peninsula, including Mt. Sorak and Hongchon. Vaccinium vitis-idaea at the elevation of c. 350m a.s.l. of Hongchon is found on the wind hole area with cool summer, and mild winter. Vaccinium vitis-idaea at Hongchon is regarded as the glacial relict of the Pleistocene period, and shows a disjunctive distribution, along with the alpine and subalpine belts of the northern and central Korea since the Holocene period. Present vertical range of Vaccinium vitis-idaea between Mt. Sorak and Hongchon might indicates that the temperatures during the glacial epoch was colder than today, down to -6 to $-7^{\circ}C$ Vaccinium vitis-idaea at this fragile wind hole site could be endanger if current global warming trends continues, and anthropogenic activities become serious.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2018

Mankyua chejuense is the only member of the monotypic genus Mankyua (Ophioglossaceae) and is endemic to Jejudo Island, Korea. To determine the precise phylogenetic position of M. chejuense, two cpDNA regions of 42 accessions representing major members of lycophytes are obtained from GenBank and analyzed using three phylogenetic analyses (maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference). In addition, the divergence time is estimated based on a relaxed molecular clock using four fossil calibration points. The phylogenetic position of Mankyua still appears to be uncertain, representing either the earliest diverged lineage within Ophioglossaceae or a sister to the clade containing Ophioglossum and Helminthostachys. The most recent common ancestor of Ophioglossaceae and its sister lineage, Psilotum, was estimated to be 256 Ma, while the earliest divergence of Mankyua was estimated to be 195 Ma in the early Jurassic.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.508-525
• /
• 2019

Algific talus slopes provide microclimates suitable for disjunct or relict populations of northern plant species at low elevation habitats in the temperate zones. The propose of this study was to assess the phytogeographical significance and produce a strategy for the comprehensive conservation of the vegetation on algific talus slopes. Therefore, we studied the floristics of bryophytes on 15 algific talus slopes in Korea. The bryophytes on the algific talus slopes in Korea consisted of 59 families, 138 genera, 226 species, two subspecies, and five varieties, totaling 233 taxa. Peculiarly, many northern bryophytes, such as Andreaea rupestris var. fauriei (Besch.) Takaki., Buxbaumia minakatae S. Okamura, Racomitrium lanuginosum (Hedw.) Brid., Hylocomium splendens (Hedw.) Schimp., and Pleurozium schreberi (Willd. ex Brid.) Mitt. were found on the algific talus slopes. Of them, unrecorded species from south Korea numbered 14 taxa and unrecorded species from the Korean peninsula numbered seven taxa. A similarity analysis based on the bryophyte flora showed that the index of similarity between regions with similar environmental factors was high. This means that the bryophyte flora composition on each algific talus slopes was affected by topography and microclimate. Algific talus slopes are phytogeographically significant microhabitats where northern plant species that advanced southward during the latest glacial age have been isolated and adapted. However, algific talus slopes have constantly been destroyed or damaged by humans without consideration of conservation. Conservation strategies to ensure the biodiversity and effective management of algific talus slopes in Korea are discussed in detail.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.367-382
• /
• 2024

Alpine and subalpine plants are isolated and distributed in mountaintop areas at high altitudes and, are among the species most vulnerable to global warming. If the rate of warming continues at its current rate, it is highly likely that this species will be unable to find new refugia and will be the last to go extinct in their current habitats. Therefore, research on the distribution and diversity of alpine and subalpine plants is urgently needed and is important from the perspective of biodiversity conservation. Therefore, this study focused on the distribution of alpine and subalpine plants native to national parks. Alpine and subalpine plants distributed across the 12 national parks accounted for approximately half (47.78%) of all alpine plants in Korea. The average relative frequency of occurrence was 0.23, plant similarity between national parks was 37.19%, and beta diversity was 0.63. The number of species was positively correlated with the latitude, elevation, and area of the national park. Thus the geographical distributions of alpine and subalpine plants haves distinct spatial specificities and physical environmental differences.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
• /
• v.46 no.2
• /
• pp.213-246
• /
• 2016

Algific talus slopes tend to occur on steep north-facing slopes with bedrock that retains ice and emits cold air throughout the growing season. Algific talus slopes provide a suitable microclimate for disjunct or relict populations of northern plant species at low altitude habitats in temperate zones. The purpose of this study is to suggest a strategy for the comprehensive conservation of the vegetation of algific talus slopes through studies of the floristics and plant species compositions and threat factors at present and in the future of 15 major algific talus slopes in Korea. As a result, the vascular plants surveyed on 15 major algific talus slopes were recorded, with a total of 587 taxa, 109 families, 323 genera, 531 species, 7 subspecies, 47 varieties 1 form and 1 hybrid. Of them, endemic plants numbered 26 taxa, and threatened species according to the IUCN valuation basis numbered 8 taxa. Fourth (IV) and fifth (V) degree indicator species as specified by floristic subregions numbered 31 taxa. Peculiarly, several subalpine-native plant species, in this case Cystopteris fragilis, Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Huperzia selago, Rosa koreana, Vaccinium vitis-idaea and Woodsia hancockii, were distributed on algific talus slopes at 100-600 m above sea level. Numerous and diverse biological resources native to algific talus slopes in Korea have been consistently disturbed or damaged by human activities without some form of protection. An all-taxa biodiversity inventory should be surveyed to provide more information about all biological species living on algific talus slopes. In addition, conservation strategies to ensure biodiversity and effective management of algific talus slopes are discussed in detail.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.30-42
• /
• 2018

Background: The southern and eastern parts of the Gobi Desert area are a unique dry ecosystem with a diverse regional desert, semi-desert, and mountain dry steppe flora. This area habitat is located at the overlap of different floristic regions; on its northeast side, Central Asian desert flora is dominating, and on the eastern side, East Asian flora is observed. The comprehensive survey was carried out to find the floral diversity of the medicinal plants on the region. Methods: All recorded species in this study were based on the collected voucher specimens between June and August in the year 2017. Results: We recorded 23 families, 57 genera, and 78 species of vascular plants. The families Asteraceae (15 species), Fabaceae (10 species), and Amaranthaceae (10 species) were represented most in the study area, while Caragana (5 species), Salsola (4 species), and Arnebia (3 species) were the most common genera found. Conclusion: Conservation status for remarkable species was also reviewed based on the literature. Around the study area, 24 species as "sub-endemic," 10 species as "very rare," 4 species as "rare," 1 species as "alien," 13 species as "relict," 10 species as "Red Book," 2 species as "endangered (EN)," 3 species as "vulnerable (VU)," 3 species as "near threatened (NT)," and 2 species as "least concern (LC)" plants are growing.