• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.87 no.2
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• pp.230-238
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• 1998

This study was conducted to compare the regeneration of the seedlings under different vegetation types and to identify the presence of allelopathy in Abies koreana(Ak) natural forest in Banyabong Peak(elevation, 1715m), of Mt. Chiri. Twenty quadrats($10m{\times}10m$) were placed in May, 1996 to classify vegetation structure using TWINSPAN. Water-soluble extracts from leaves and soil humus of different vegetation types were collected to test their effects on both seed germination of Ak and mycelial growth of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Phenolic compounds from soil humus were quantified using HPLC. Among the four vegetation types, Sasa borealis(Sb) was found in both Ak-Quercus mongolica(Qm) and Ak-Rhododendron schlippenbachii(Rs) communities. Natural seeding of Ak was $230,000{\pm}90,000seeds/ha$ in 1995 and their germination rate was 25% in an ideal laboratory condition. Density of Ak seedlings less than 5cm in height was 52,000/ha in 1996, while that of seedlings taller than 5cm in height was only 4,000/ha. In the case of Ak-Qm community, density of Ak seedlings with Sb understory was only 7% of the density of seedlings with Rs understary, suggesting the inhibitory effect of Sb. The germination rate of Ak seeds was significantly reduced by leaf extracts of Sb, and Rhododendron mucronulatum var. ciliatum(Rm) and Ak. Soil humus extract of Ak-Qm-Sb subcommunity reduced germination of Ak seeds by 81% and also reduced by 19% the respiration of mycelia of ectomycorrhizal fumgus, Lactarius sp. Among the seven phenolic compounds identified from the soil humus, extract, Ak-Qm-Sb subcommunity contained significantly high content of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, and syringic acid. Particularly, p-hydroxybenzoic acid was present at 4.2ppm in the Sb roots and at 16.5ppm in the Sb humus, suggesting that it could be the primary allelopathic compound in Abies koreana forests with Sasa borealis understory.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.422-439
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• 2019

The rear edge population is considered to have low genetic diversity and high risk of extinction according to a highly isolated distribution. However, the rear edge population is observed to have persisted for an extended period despite the low genetic diversity. As such, it is necessary to understand the ecological process involved in the persistence of the population. Viola mirabilis L. in Korea is considered the rear edge population from the perspective of the worldwide distribution. We surveyed the distribution range of V. mirabilis, which shows the isolated distribution in the central area of Korea, to find out the factors of its persistence. Next, we investigated and accessed the vegetational pattern of habitats, soil environment, phenology, self-compatibility, population structure, and extinction risk factors observed in the distribution area. V. mirabilis was distributed in the understory of the deciduous forest, planted forest of the deciduous conifer and deciduous broad-leaved trees, shrubland, and grassland in the limestone area. We also observed the re-establishment of seedlings in the population, and most of them showed a stable population structure. For chasmogamous flowers, the visit by pollinators has a significantly positive relationship with the production of fruits. However, we found that the production of the cleistogamous flowers was more numerous in all studied populations and that only the cleistogamous flowers were produced despite a more substantial plant size in some populations. The plant size was more related to the production of the cleistogamous flowers than that of the chasmogamous flowers. Accordingly, the cleistogamous flowers significantly contributed to seedling recruitment in the population. We found that the production of the chasmogamous flowers and the cleistogamous flowers did not have a correlation with the factors of the soil analysis except for phosphoric acid. V. mirabilis showed the self-incompatibility characteristics most likely due to the production capability of the cleistogamous flowers. Potential extinction risk factors observed in the distribution area was included the development of limestone mine, the expansion of agricultural fields, and the construction of houses. Although V. mirabilis showed an isolated distribution in the limestone area in the Korean peninsula, it showed a diverse distribution in a wide habitat environment ranging from the grassland to the understory of the trees with relatively low canopy closure rate. Moreover, we concluded that the persistence of the population was possible if we can maintain the current state of multiple populations and stable population structure.