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

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.253-262
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• 2014

This study was conducted to find methods of qualitative landscape assessment for vegetational landscapes using ecological analysis. The study site was Seoraksan National Park in Korea. For this study, differing unique landscape resources were categorized and identified according to ecosystems. After identifying the study areas, the relationship between trail visitor preference and the amount of visible overexposure caused by people to the resources was examined. Landscape resources chosen for ecological analysis at Seoraksan National Park were subalpine vegetation community, high mountain rocks, ombrogenous deciduous broadleaf forest in the valley area, edaphic climax community, big tree community, flowering tree dominant community, autumnal tree dominant community and needle-leaf forest in the subalpine area. As a result of the study, it was found that the landscape resources with the highest correlation to visitor trail preference were big tree community area, flowering tree dominant community area, and needle-leaf forest in the subalpine area. As a result of overlapping the analysis of the amount of visible overexposure to the landscape resources and the analysis of preferential use of trails by visitors, guidance for the appropriate season for each trail can be provided. Since a positive correlation exists between certain sections of the natural landscapes and visitor preference, ecological impact on landscape resource ecosystems did not appear to cover wide areas of the trails, but was limited to certain areas preferred by visitors.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.194-201
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• 2010

This study was carried out to analyze vegetation and soil characteristic, and ordination of subalpine forest vegetation of Daecheongbong area, Mt. Seorak. Communities by characteristic in species composition of subalpine forest were classified into Rhododendron mucronulatum var. ciliatum - Betula ermani community group, Pinus pumila, Abies nephrolepis, Thuja koraiensis, and Rhododendron mucronulatum var. ciliatum - Betula ermanii typical community. The results of the correlation between forest communitie sand soil conditions of Daecheongbong area by DCCA ordination method are as follows: The Pinus pumila community and Thuja koraiensis community were mainly found in the high percentage area of total nitrogen, available phosphorous, organic matter in comparison with Abies nephrolepis community and Rhododendron mucronulatum var. ciliatum - Betula ermanii typical community. The Abies nephrolepis community and Rhododendron mucronulatum var. ciliatum - Betula ermanii typical community were mainly found in the high elevation area in comparison with Pinus pumila community and Thuja koraiensis community. The Pinus pumila community and Thuja koraiensis community were mainly found in the northern and northwestern direction, but Abies nephrolepis community and Rhododendron mucronulatum var. ciliatum - Betula ermanii typical community were mainly found in the southwestern direction.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.698-707
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• 2010

The Late Pleistocene pollen record from the Poil-dong, Uiwang, Kyunggi-do, reveals that mixed coniferous and deciduous broadleaved forests were spread along with herb and fern understory. Palynofloral changes reflect climate fluctuations. From ca. 43,100 to 41,900 cal. yr BP, a mixed coniferous and deciduous broadleaved forest combined with open grassland occupied the study area, which indicates cooler condition than today. During the period of ca. 41,900-41,200 cal. yr BP, along with fern understory a decrease in subalpine conifers and an increase in temperate deciduous broadleaved trees suggest a climatic amelioration. A climatic deterioration, as evidenced by an increase in subalpine conifers and a decrease in the density of vegetation cover, occurred from ca. 41,200 to 39,700 cal. yr BP.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.134-143
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• 2011

The present study aimed to investigate the diurnal variations in air concentrations and exchange fluxes of ammoniacal nitrogen ($NH_x$: ammonia ($NH_3$) and particulate ammonium) in a subalpine deciduous forest in central Japan during a week in summer. The $NH_3$ concentrations ($0.50\;{\mu}g\;N\;m^{-3}$ on average) showed a clear circadian variation, i.e., high and low in the daytime and nighttime, respectively. The concentration of particulate ammonium in the coarse fractions was extremely low, whereas that for the PM2.5 fraction was relatively high $0.55\;{\mu}g\;N\;m^{-3}$ on average). The main inorganic ion components of PM2.5 at the study site were ammonium and sulfate. The exchange fluxes of $NH_x$ were bidirectional. Both the maximum and minimum values occurred in the daytime, i.e., $0.39\;mg\;N\;m^{-2}\;hr^{-1}$ of downward flux and $0.11\;mg\;N\;m^{-2}\;hr^{-1}$ of upward flux for $NH_3$ and $0.25\;mg\;N\;m^{-2}\;hr^{-1}$ of downward flux and $0.13\;mg\;N\;m^{-2}\;hr^{-1}$ of upward flux for PM2.5 ammonium. The exchange fluxes of $NH_x$ at night could be considered as zero. The mean deposition velocity during the research period was almost zero for both $NH_3$ and PM2.5 ammonium. The atmosphere-forest exchange of $NH_x$ in the forest during the study period was balanced. The remarkably large deposition of $NH_x$ was attributable to meteorological events such as showers the night before that thoroughly washed the forest canopy and subsequent clear skies in the morning, which enhanced convection. The cleaning effect of rainfall and the rapid change in convection in the early morning should be monitored to evaluate and generalize the gas and particle exchange in a forest.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.528-543
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• 2004

The biogeographical approach on the species composition, distributional range, and life form of native Korean conifers suggests that the Korean Peninsula harbors 4 families 10 genera 30 species. Early-evolved conifers maintain high species diversity and broad distribution. During the glacial periods, the ranges of cold-tolerant conifers expanded, on the other hand, those of warmth-tolerant ones reduced. Presence of endemic subalpine conifers might be the result of long-term isolation of conifers on high mountains. Horizontal and vertical ranges of native Korean conifers are classified into alpine, subalpine, montane, coastal, insular and disjunctive types, and then subdivided into twelve sub-types. Typical life form of native Korean conifers is evergreen tree, blooms in spring, and fruits ripe in autumn or following autumn. Oval and elliptical seeds with wing might be beneficial for their dispersal. Further works on the migration, dispersal, genetics, ecology of native Korean conifers are required for the better understanding of the biogeography of conifers.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.32-41
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• 1991

A survey of subalpine zone (altitude is 1,360-1,410m) in Mt. Chiri, was conducted using 25 sample plots of 500$m^2$ size. The classification by TWINSPAN and DCA ordination were applied to the study area in order to classify them into several groups based on woody plants and environmental variables. By TWINSPAN techniques, the plant community were divided into five groups by importance value of Abies nephrolepis. The dividing groups are Fraxinus rhynchophylla - Magnolia sieboldii community, Quercus mongolica - Rhododendron schlippenbachii community, Q. mongolica - F. rhynchophylla - Acer pseudo-sieboldianum community, Q. mongolica- A. nephrolepis- Rh. schlippenbachii community, and A. nephrolepis- Pinus densiflora - Rh. schlippenbachii community. The successional trends of tree species by both techniques seem to be from Q. mongolica to A. nephrolepis in the canopy layer. It was no difference between the stand scores of DCA and environmental variables.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.495-510
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• 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 Agricultural Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.215-226
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• 2022

This study aims to investigate the soil environment characteristics of the Abies koreana community, which is currently showing a continuous decline in its size, in order to provide fundamental data for the management and creation of a conservation plan for the Abies koreana communities at the Korean national parks of Sobaeksan, Deogyusan, and Jirisan. Soil depth investigations were conducted at depths deeper than 40 cm into the B horizon at most study sites, except for the Dwaejipyeongjeon and Byeoksoryeong sites. The soil water content exceeded 30% on average, and these soils showed low bulk density levels. The soil texture was found to be the loamy or silty loam type at most study sites. It was also found in a chemical characteristic assessment that the soil samples contained more than 10% organic matter at most study sites. The cation exchange capacity (C.E.C.) and total N concentration levels were also high at most study sites. However, the soil showed low exchangeable K⁺, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺ levels at most study sites. Finally, the pH values were 4.90, 4.53, and 4.60 at soil depths of 10 cm at the Sobaeksan, Deogyusan and Jirisan sites, respectively, outcomes that are notably lower than the average levels in soil from Korean forests according to the literature. This appears to be due to the cold and wet climate of these subalpine regions given the reduced leaf-litter decomposition rate and accumulation of organic acids.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.112 no.3
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• pp.322-330
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• 2023

Amid the recent intensification of climate change, the decline of subalpine coniferous species is evident. Accordingly, the Korea Forest Service is conducting research to establish conservation measures, identify the causes of the decline of subalpine coniferous species, and establish conservation strategies for seven species of conifers in the alpine region. This study used an economic value evaluation method to present objective data to inform the need for and value of conservation of endangered coniferous species through the recognition of endangered coniferous species and evaluation of conservation value among coniferous species conservation strategies in endangered alpine areas. A contingent valuation method was applied. As a result, the estimated conservation value per household of endangered alpine coniferous species was 49,181 won.