• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.61-72
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• 2019

Background: Organic carbon stored in coastal wetlands, which comprises the major part of oceanic "blue carbon," is a subject of growing interest and concern. In this study, organic carbon storage in coastal wetlands and its economic value were estimated using the raw data of 25 studies related to soil carbon storage. Data were collected from three tidal flats (one protected and two developed areas) and two estuarine salt marshes (one protected and one restored area). Bulk density, soil organic matter content, and standing biomass of vegetation were all considered, with Monte Carlo simulation applied to estimate the uncertainty. Results: Mean carbon storage in two salt marshes ranged between 14.6 and $25.5kg\;C\;m^{-2}$. Mean carbon storage in tidal flats ranged from 18.2 to $28.6kg\;C\;m^{-2}$, with variability possibly related to soil texture. The economic value of stored carbon was estimated by comparison with the price of carbon in the emission trading market. The value of US $ $6600\;ha^{-1}$ is ~ 45% of previously estimated ecosystem services from fishery production and water purification functions in coastal areas. Conclusions: Although our study sites do not cover all types of large marine ecosystem, this study highlights the substantial contribution of coastal wetlands as carbon sinks and the importance of conserving these habitats to maximize their ecosystem services.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.72-81
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• 2024

Korea is surrounded by the sea on three sides, salt marshes and coastal sand dunes adjacent to them are developed. This study attempted to reveal the characteristics of the coastal ecosystem by investigating and analyzing the characteristics of plant communities and flora of 571stands of 48 sites in the salt marshes and coastal sand dunes on the western and southern coasts of Korea. As a result, in the salt marshes, 39 vegetation units appeared, with Phragmites australis community having the widest area and Chenopodium virgatum community having the narrowest area. Suaeda glauca community was distributed closest to the coastline, while Suaeda maritima community extended the farthest seaward. In the coastal sand dunes, 29 vegetation units were distributed with Elymus mollis community having the widest area and Salsola komarovii community having the narrowest area. Calystegia soldanella community was showed closest to the coastline, while Rosa rugosa community extended the farthest landward. The flora of the salt marshes consisted of 6 families, 14 genera, 17 species, 1 variant, and 18 taxa (floristic regional indicator score; 16) and the coastal sand dunes consisted of 11 families, 18 genera, 20 species, 1 variant, and 21 taxa (floristic regional indicator score; 34) appeared slightly higher than that of salt marshes. This result is interpreted that halophyte that are sensitive to salinity can grow on the coast of the west-south coast of Korea because coastal sand dunes are more indirectly affected by sea than salt marshes.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.78-89
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• 2024

Estuarine provides unique environmental conditions in terms of salinity concentration and sediment change patterns as freshwater and seawater mix. These conditions allow it to possess biodiversity that cannot be found in other ecosystems. This study was conducted to investigate and analyze distribution characteristics and biota of vegetation in the Gonyangcheon Estuarine Wetland, a brackish area, to prepare basic data for the conservation and sustainable use of estuarine wetlands. The vegetation in the Gonyangcheon Estuarine Wetland was classified into 23 plant communities across a total of six physiognomic vegetation types, including lentic herbaceous vegetation, lotic herbaceous vegetation, salt marsh vegetation, segetal vegetation, and substitutional vegetation. In particular, the Zoysia sinica community was widely distributed in the lower reaches, showing typical characteristics of tidal wetland and increasing its conservation value. From a biodiversity perspective, a total of 1,067 species were identified (an increase of 53 species compared to 2012) and 15 species of endangered wildlife were identified. Gonyangcheon Estuarine Wetland is an open estuary with excellent ecological connectivity. Various topography and landscapes such as rice paddies, forests, and salt marshes were organically developed and distributed, playing a positive role in promoting biodiversity, including brackish water organisms. Therefore, systematic conservation of the Gonyangcheon Estuarine Wetland will contribute to protecting migration routes of organisms and promoting ecological stability by securing a wetland ecological axis connected to the coast.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.26-37
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• 2015

Halophyte distribution pattern and area in the Suncheon-bay and Beolgyo estuary coastal wetlands were analyzed using KOMPSAT-2 landsat images were taken in 2008 and 2009, and field investigations were fulfilled for confirming the precise boundaries of individual halophyte areas. The salt-marsh vegetation in those areas can be classified mainly into two dominant communities: Suaeda japonica-dominant and Phragmites communis-dominant communities. In order to identify sedimentary characteristics, tidal-flat surface leveling and sedimentary facies analysis had been conducted. The sedimentary facies of marsh area are mostly silty clayey and clay facies with a little seasonal change and its slope is very gentle (0.0007~0.002 in gradient). Phragmites communis and Suaeda japonica communities were distributed in the mud-flat zone between 0.7 m and 1.8 m higher than MSL (mean sea level): zone of 1.1~1.8 m in the former and zone of 0.7~1.3 m in the latter. In the Suncheon-bay estuarine wetland, on the basis of 2009 distribution, Phragmites communis-dominant and Suaeda japonica-dominant communities are about $0.79km^2$ and $0.22km^2$ in distribution area, respectively. On the other hand, Bulgyo estuarine marsh shows that the distribution areas of Phragmites communis-dominant and Suaeda japonica-dominant communities are about $0.31km^2$ and 0.031km2 in distribution area, respectively. Individual 105 and 60 dominant community areas and their distribution patterns can be well defined and indicated in the Suncheon-bay and Bulgyo estuarine marshes, respectively. The distribution pattern and area of hylophyte communities analyzed in this study based on 2008/2009 satellite images would be valuable as a base of future monitoring of salt-marsh related studies in the study area which is the most important salt-marsh research site in Korea.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.66-72
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• 2020

The coastal sand dunes have transitional characteristics of marine and inland ecosystems, and they have abundant biodiversity. This study investigated flora and vegetation and analyzed the landscape structure at seven beaches in Busan metropolitan city. As a result, the vascular species of the coastal sand dunes in Busan were identified as 178 taxa of 140 families. Vegetation landscape was damaged to the extent that no natural vegetation was found in 4 of 7 beaches (57%). The coastal dune vegetation was dominated by the Carex pumila community and Carex kobomugi community. The halophyte and invasive alien species were classified into 18 taxa (10% of all species) and 40 taxa (22% of all), respectively. The vegetation that made up the largest area was the Phragmites communis community of the salt marsh, and the species number of halophyte increased as the wetland area increased. This means that the maintenance and management of salt marshes is important to conserve the unique plant diversity of the region.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.619-626
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• 2014

In this paper, it was constructed the halophyte Mesocosm experimental which was used tidal flat and dredged sediment as a substrate material. Depending on the vegetation and substrate material of Mesocosm, Mesocosm A(tidal flat sediment + Salicornia herbacea), Mesocosm B (only dredged sediment), Mesocosm C(dredged sediment + Salicornia herbacea). Monitoring was carried out of Warter quality factots(Chemical Oxygen Demand(COD), Total Nitrogen(T-N), Total Phosphorus(T-P), water temperature, salinity), Sediment factors(Chemical Oxygen Demand(COD), Total Nitrogen(T-N), Total Phosphorus(T-P)) and growth of Salricornia herbacea. Habitat Stability Index of vegetation was calculating by using the monitoring results. HSI of Mesocosm C was calculated from 0.87 to 0.95 as compared to the relatively high HSI in Mesocosm A, it was evaluated to be able to be used in the restoration and construction of the coastal salt marsh with dredged sediment.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.52-62
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• 2008

By analyzing specific plant distributions and physicochemical characteristics of topsoil in a reclaimed dredging area, baseline data was found of natural landscape planting sites, and developing dredged fill ground. The reclaimed dredging area is five different stands (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) which were examined in this research. They are located from sea level to 15 meters in altitude and exhibited typical characteristics of the salt marsh in Gwangyang Bay. Species with high constancy in the vegetation on the reclaimed soil were classified into four stages. A total of 12, 15, 22, 27 and 35 different plant species were found and also increased in stands 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively. Moving from stand 1 to 5, halophytes decreased and non-halophytes increased. Desalination at each stage of the reclaimed dredging area was a driving force affecting the performance and distribution of halophytes and non-halophytes. Overall, 35 quadrats of soil were selected and analyzed for specific physicochemical characteristics of topsoil between O${\sim}$20cm. Results of the physicochemical analysis such as altitude, slope, vegetation and kind of reclaimed dredging soil, exhibited irregular increases or decreases. As survey areas moved from stand 1 to 4, desalination areas, soil acidity, electric conductions, content of salinity, available phosphorus, potassium, chlorine, calcium, and magnesium indicated decreasing patterns; however, total nitrogen, silt, and clay content increased. Cluster analysis and PCA by environmental data within the stands clearly showed five distinct vegetation patterns on the tested reclaimed area. These results indicate that the differences of performance and distribution of vegetation are due to the SAR in the reclaimed soil and related to the natural survival strategy at the given hostile habitat.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.573-580
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• 2006

A sediment core from the Cheollipo arboretum ($36^{\circ}$ 47' 57'N, $126^{\circ}$ 09' 04') was studied for pollen analysis in order to reconstruct postglacial vegetational change and environmental changes around the central western region of the Korean Peninsula. The record shows four pollen assemblage zones: Zone CHL-I, Quercus stage (ca. 9,300$\sim$6,200 yr BP): zone CHL-II, Quercus-Pinus stage (ca. 6,200$\sim$4,600 yr BP); zone CHL- III, Pinus-Quercus stage (ca. 4,600$\sim$1,160 yr BP): zone CHL-IV and Pinus stage (ca. 1,160 yr BP-present). During the 9,300$\sim$8,500 yr BP, the early Holocene, researchers have guessed a piece of cool-temperate norihern/altimontane mixed coniferous and deciduous broad-leaved forest. Between 8,500$\sim$4,600 yr BP the Quercus dominated the landscape of study area and the established dates of this typical cool-temperate central/montane deciduous broad-leaved forest vegetation might be ca. 6500 yr BP, and then the Pinus developed around the site at ca. 5,700 yr BP. The abrupt increase of Pinus and NAP (non-arboreal pollen) after ca. 1,100 yr BP indicates the vegetation changes due to human activities. From the dynamics of the Chenopodiaceae pollen indicating salt marsh and freshwater pollen flora such as Typha, Trapa, Nymphoides and so forth, we suggest that the tidal flat was altered into freshwater lake around 6,500 yr BP.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-21
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• 2024

This study conducted surveys to identify the distribution of communities and flora according to vegetation in the coastal sand dunes of Sagye in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, located at the southernmost tip of Korea. The survey was conducted over 20 sessions from April 2020 to October 2021. As a result of the study, physiognomy was classified into six correlated vegetation types: plant communities on the salt marsh, annual communities on a coastal drift-line, herb communities on a dune, shrub communities on a coastal dune, forest-edge communities on a dune, and artificial afforestation vegetation. The survey identified 43 communities, and a total of 212 taxa were found to be distributed among 62 families, 166 genera, 191 species, 15 varieties, 3 subspecies, and 3 forma. It was found that there were five rare plant taxa distributed in the area, including the Cymbidium macrorrhizum which was classified as an endangered Class II plant by the Ministry of Environment. Floristic target species identified by the surveys included 2 taxa for grade V, 5 taxa for grade IV, 15 taxa for grade III, 14 taxa for grade II, and 19 taxa for grade I. Climate-sensitive biological indicator species included 11 indicator and 2 candidate species, representing a high ratio of 33.3% of all indicator species and 15.4% of candidate species. Naturalized plants included 16 families, 43 genera, and 52 taxa, with a naturalization rate of 21.1% and an urbanization index of 24.5%. It is expected that these results will be widely used as data needed to prepare conservation and management measures for biodiversity in response to climate change in coastal dunes in the future.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.627-635
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• 2017

Sea level rise caused by climate change has become a global issue. Sea level rise seems to be an important factor of the research for coastal areas as it affects topography and vegetation of coasts and especially for the plan of coastal wetlands restoration which needs to be carried out for a long term, it has to be considered sufficiently. The coastal wetlands in Korea was damaged by the land reclamation project but recent concerns on the restoration have increased as its value is evaluated highly. Suncheon Bay had also reclaimed from wetlands to rice field once however this site is very active for restoration nowadays. This study estimated an effect according to sea level rise by 2100, reappearing the none dike condition of Suncheon Bay so that it can be taken account of a future plan of wetland restoration. The Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model(SLAMM) was selected as predicting model. The input data such as DEM(Digital Elevation Model), slope, wetlands category, sea level rise senario, tidal range and accretion rate was applied for the simulation. The results showed a decrease in tidal flat, an increase in sea area and a change of the rice field to transitional salt marsh consistently by 2100. These results of this study could be used as baseline data in the future plan of ecological restoration in Suncheon Bay.