• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.237-246
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• 2022

Owing to their high bioproductivity and unique physical environment, estuarine wetlands are gaining importance in national biodiversity management and habitat conservation. With regard to conservation and management of estuarine wetlands, this study analyzed the ecological characteristics of Gahwacheon Estuarine Wetland, an open estuary with various habitat types. Data from vegetation and biotic surveys have shown that 12 plant communities of five physiognomic vegetation types, including lentic herbaceous vegetation, halophytic herbaceous vegetation, and chasmophytic herbaceous vegetation. Due to the discharge of Namgang Dam and the effect of the tide, vegetation are distributed along the narrow waterside area. In terms of biodiversity, a total of 715 species, including 12 endangered wildlife species, were identified. Species diversity was relatively high in sections I and III where various riverbed structures and microhabitats were distributed. Due to the effect of the brackish water area following the inflow of seawater, endangered wildlife of various functional groups were also found to be distributed, indicating the high conservation value of that area. The collection of ecological information of the Gahwacheon Estuarine Wetland can be used as a framework for establishing the basis for conservation and management of the estuarine ecosystem and support policy establishment.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.439-450
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• 1997

The potential natural vegtation of the Pukhansan National Park area, mid-western Korea, was inferred from the actual vegetation. With the phytosociological classification and field surveys, the actual vegetation map of the park area was made on a scale of 1:25, 000, including fourteen communities. By the analyses of the species diversity, the age structure, the human interferences and various informations on vegetation changes, two pathways of late stage succession from Pinus densiflora forests to the climatic climax were suggested. One is from Quercus serrata forests to Q. mongolica forests throughout the mountain and the other, from Q. variabilis or Q. acutissima forests to Carpinus laxiflora forests in lower parts. Considering the vegetation changes, the potential natural vegetation of the park area mainly composed of Q. mongolica, C. laxiflora, P. densiflora and Zelkova serrata forest as the climatic and/or edaphic climax was inferred.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.363-369
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• 1999

Reconstruction of the past vegetational changes of Korea in connection with climate changes enables to understand the impacts of past and future global warming on alpine vegetation. Despite the early appearance of the cold-tolerant vegetation since the Mesozoic Era. the occurrence of warmth-tolerant vegetation during the Oligocene and Miocene implies that most of alpine and subalpine vegetations have been confined to the alpine and subalpine belts of northern Korean Peninsula. The presence of cold-episodes during the Pleistocene. however. might have caused a general southward and downslope expansions of cold-tolerant alpine and subalpine vegetation. But the climatic warming trend during the Holocene or post-glacial period eventually has isolated cold-tolerant alpine and subalpine vegetation mainly in the northern Korea. but also on scattered high mountains in the southern Korea. The presence of numerous arctic-alpine and alpine plants on the alpine and subalpine belts is mainly due to their relative degree of sensitivity to high summer temperatures. Global warming would cause important changes in species composition and altitudinal distributional pattern. The altitudinal migration of temperate vegetation upward caused by climatic warming would eventually devastate alpine plants.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.295-304
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• 2017

The Ramsar protected area in Ungok wetland, which has been designated since 2011, was described by syntaxonomy and synchorology. Phytocoenon was identified and named by a traditional method of the $Z{\ddot{u}}rich$-Montpellier School and Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature. Habitat-based vegetation classification has identified into twelve syntaxa consisting of 88 taxa in seven vegetation types: Juncus effusus var. decipiens-Salix koreensis community, Caricis-Salicetum subfragilis, Galium spurium var. echinospermon-Phragmites japonica community, Phragmitetum australis, Scirpetum fluviatilis, Leersia japonica-Typha angustifolia community, Juncus diastrophanthus-Juncus effusus var. decipiens community, Leersicetum japonicae, Nymphoido indicae-Trapetum japonicae (typicum, marsiletosum quadrifoliae subass. nova hoc loco, variante Euryale ferox), Nelumbo nucifera community, Utricularia tenuicaulis community, Potamogetonetum crispi. Actual vegetation map was made by using topographical map of scale 1 : 5,000. Habitat-based management on the Ungok wetland vegetation was required, in which there are composed of two major areas such as the back-swamp vegetation and the limnetic vegetation zone.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.460-470
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• 2013

Forest vegetation of Choksangsan area in the Deogyusan National Park is classified into mountain forest vegetation. Mountain forest vegetation is subdivided into deciduous broad-leaved forest, valley forest, coniferous forest, afforestation and other vegetation. Including 103 communities of mountain forest vegetation and 8 communities of other vegetation, the total of 111 communities were researched; the mountain forest vegetation classified by physiognomy classification are 36 communities deciduous broad-leaved forest, 26 communities of valley forest, 10 communities of coniferous forests, 31 plantation and 8 other vegetation. As for the distribution rate for surveyed main communities, Quercus mongolica, Quercus variabilis communities account for 65.96 percent of deciduous broad-leaved forest, Fraxinus mandshurica community takes up 22.50 percent of mountain valley forest, Pinus densiflora community holds 63.27 percent of mountain coniferous forest holds. In conclusion, minority species consisting of Quercus mongolica, Fraxinus mandshurica, Quercus serrata, Pinus densiflora, and Quercus variabilis are distributed as dominant species of the uppermost part in a forest vegetation of Choksangsan in Deogyusan National Park. In addition, because of vegetation succession and climate factors, numerous colonies formed by the two species are expected to be replaced by Quercus mongolica, Carpinus laxiflora and Fraxinus mandshurica which are climax species in the area.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

Background: Though the biomass of floral vegetation in understory plant communities in a forested ecosystem only accounts for less than 1% of the total biomass of a forest, they contain most of the floral resources of a forest. The diversity of understory honey plants determines visitation rate of pollinators such as honey bee (Apis mellifera) as they provide rich food resources. Since the flower visitation and foraging activity of pollinators lead to the provision of pollination service, it also means the enhancement of plant-pollinator relationship. Therefore, an appropriate management scheme for understory vegetation is essential in order to conserve pollinator population that is decreasing due to habitat destruction and disease infection. This research examined the diversity of understory honey plant and studied how it is related to environmental variables such as (1) canopy density, (2) horizontal heterogeneity of canopy surface height, (3) slope gradient, and (4) distance from roads. Vegetation survey data of 39 plots of mixed forests in Chuncheon, Korea, were used, and possible management practices for understory vegetation were suggested. Results: This study found that 113 species among 141 species of honey plant of the forests were classified as understory vegetation. Also, the understory honey plant diversity is significantly positively correlated with distance from the nearest road and horizontal heterogeneity of canopy surface height and negatively correlated with canopy density. Conclusions: The diversity of understory honey plant vegetation is correlated to vegetation structure and human impact. In order to enhance the diversity of understory honey plant, management of density and height of canopy is necessary. This study suggests that improved diversity of canopy cover through thinning of overstory vegetation can increase the diversity of understory honey plant species.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.315-330
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• 2017

The aim of this study is to examine the damage of plants in the islands due to the habitat and feeding of European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and to suggest future management plan. The survey area Beomseom Island is found to be a vegetation distribution type that was formed secondary by the exposure of artificial interference except for evergreen vegetation distribution and European rabbit showed high habitat track density mainly in the lumbering area. Kkamakseom Island was identified as a severe vegetation distribution area due to interference, and European rabbit showed high habitat track density around deciduous broad leaved forests. Feeding plants of European rabbit was identified as a total of 12 families 17 breeds. Total 9 families 11 breeds were found in Beomseom Island while 5 families 6 breeds were found in Kkamakseom where most available food resources were loss to European rabbit. As for vegetation index of Beomseom Island, about 6.6% of total island area was declined and the vegetation index of Kkamakseom Island was reduced at most area of the island. In Kkamakseom Island, the area where EVI decreased to less than -0.008 unit/yr was reduced to 5.2%, and the area where it was reduced to -0.008 to -0.006 unit/yr in total was 13.32% of the total area. Thus, it was estimated to be seriously damaged by vegetation. Therefore, immediate management is required.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.161-170
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• 2014

This study classified the types of major forest vegetation and analyzed the syngeographical characteristics of the vegetation in the Mt. Deokhang with exhumed lime rocks. The forest vegetation on the ridge of Mt. Deokhang was classified into 1 community group, 3 communities, 2 groups, and 2 subgroups, 5 types in total. The syngeographical form of Deokhangsan fully exhibited the topographical peculiarity, proximity to subalpine, and limestone zone. In addition, Carex ciliato-marginata, Carex humilis var. nana, and so forth which appear as species with high consistency in the well-drained semiarid zone represent the soil environment of the lime stone area and northern plants such as Carex ussuriensis and Asplenium ruta-muraria represent the characteristics of the vegetation in alpestrine in close proximity. Moreover, the Carpinus turczaninowii in the area appears to show the characteristics of migratory vegetation due to the peculiarity of the habitat. The syngeographical characteristics of this study area show both the characteristics of the habitat and phytogeographic characteristics. Furthermore, they are expected to contribute to the diversity in community and habitat form in Korean peninsula in terms of vegetation science.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.409-422
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• 2022

Riverine wetlands are an important element of the river ecosystem and account for approximately 38% of the inland wetlands surveyed so far. The Shincheon Wetland located in Mangyeong River is also a channel wetland as the flow rate is slowed by the constructed weirs, leading to sediment accumulation. To identify the conservation value and ecological characteristics of Shincheon Wetland, its vegetation and plant diversity were identified using a phytosociological method, and a total of 45 vegetation-related datasets were collected. Overall, 24 plant communities, comprising a total of 153 taxa (49 families, 117 genera, 146 species, 2 subspecies, 5 varieties) were identified. The plant with the highest appearance rate in the communities was Humulus japonicus Siebold & Zucc. In addition, annual herb species, including Rumex crispus L., Bromusjaponicus Thunb., Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers., and Artemisia indica Willd. were frequently observed to be growing in the secondary grassland. Naturalized plants were surveyed in the 38 taxa; the urbanization index was 10.3% and the naturalized index was 24.8%. Plant communities were largely classified into submerged vegetation, floating and floating-leaved vegetation, annual and biennial vegetation, perennial herb vegetation, and woody vegetation. The distribution of plant communities reflecting various habitats, including the lentic and lotic zone maintaining a constant water depth, littoral zone experiencing intermittent water level fluctuations, and dry floodplain environment was also confirmed. Overall, plant community development plays an important role in the habitat for wild animals; therefore, it is expected to positively impact biodiversity enhancement.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.122-128
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• 2015

This study aims to figure out the vegetation status and characteristics of the spatial distribution in Taeanhaean National Park. As a result, vegetation communities were Pinus thunbergii community, Pinus densiflora community, Pinus thunbergii-Pinus densiflora community, Camellia japonica community, Carpinus turczaninowii community, Carpinus turczaninowii-Pinus thunbergii community, Kalopanax septemlobus community, Koelreuteria paniculata community, Robinia pseudoacacia community, and sand dune and coastal wetland vegetation including Vitex rotundifolia community, Elymus mollis community, Calamagrostis epigeios community, Ischaemum anthephoroides community, Zoysia sinica community, Suaeda maritima community, and Phragmites communis community. Landscape types in actual vegetation map were Pinus thunbergii community (3.92%), Pinus densiflora community (1.40%), Robinia pseudoacacia community (0.05%), sand dune and coastal wetland vegetation (0.11%), field (0.46%), seashore (0.24%), thinning area (0.08%), bareground (0.16%), and sea (93.58%). Area of Pinus thunbergii community among vegetation type was $14.797km^2$ (3.92%) and the largest. Stratification structure and species composition of Pinus thunbergii community distributed in the seashore were different as a result of disturbance and human use. On the other hand, we assumed that succession will take place to the potential natural vegetation that is Quercus serrata and Quercus dentata in undisturbed Pinus thunbergii community. Meanwhile, Erechtites hieracifolia was occupied in understory of Pinus thunbergii community around the seashore and Diodia teres was invaded to sand dune vegetation. They may affect on natural species negatively. Therefore, monitoring and management plans are necessary.