한국환경생태학회지 29(2) : 133~145, 2015 pISSN 1229-3857 eISSN 2288-131X Korean J. Environ. Ecol. 29(2): 132-144, April 2015 http://dx.doi.org/10.13047/KJEE.2015.29.2.132 Floristic characteristics of vascular plants and first distributional report of Pseudostellaria baekdusanensis M. Kim in Yongneup wetland protected area1a Young-Chul Kim2,6, Hyun-Hee Chae2, Sang-Heock Oh2, Seung-Ho Choi2, Moon-Pyo Hong3, Gi-Heum Nam4, Jae-Yoon Choi5, Hyun-Sook Choi5, Kyu-Song Lee2* ABSTRACT Yongneup wetland protected area, the only high moor in Korea, is a core area to conserve biodiversity. Even though the Yongneup wetland protected area is relatively small, various plant species are distributed in the Yongneup wetland protected area because it includes various habitats showing different environmental gradients. Vascular plants distributed in the Yongneup wetland protected area were identified as a total of 376 taxa that is composed of 73 families, 217 genera, 322 species, 3 subspecies, 44 varieties and 7 forms. For endangered plants designated by the Ministry of Environment, 5 species including Trientalis europaea var. arctica, Lilium dauricum, Halenia corniculata, Lychnis wilfordii and Menyanthes trifoliata were found and 34 taxa were confirmed to be distributed only in the mountainous wetland habitats. Regarding naturalized plants, a total of 11 taxa were distributed, but most of them were distributed in the areas where artificial interference has occurred. And in areas inside the wetlands that are relatively well preserved, 2 species of Bidens frondosa and Erigeron annuus were observed. In this study, the occurrence and distribution of Pseudostellaria baekdusanensis M. Kim, which was recently found in Mt. Baekdu and reported as a new species, were identified in the Yongneup wetland protected area. A wetland is a very vulnerable area to drastic environmental changes and damages to its ecosystem could cause the extinction of rare plant species which are distributed only in the wetlands. Therefore, it is mandatory that current status of the Yongneup wetland protected area is evaluated and actions to prevent rapid environmental changes are taken. Fourteen separate investigations were conducted in 2013 and another four in 2014, to evaluate current status of the Yongneup wetland protected area. These investigations have provided us the basic information for future actions of conservation and restoration. KEY WORDS: FLORA, ENDANGERED PLANTS, HIGH MOOR, BIODIVERSITY INTRODUCTION heterogeneity among them. In particular, if the area includes various habitats, plant diversity is relatively high Plant diversity in protected areas is due to spatial (Whittaker, 1972; Pickett and Thompson, 1978). Ecological 1 Received 27 January 2015; Revised (1st: 08 April 2015); Accepted 10 April 2015 2 Department of Biology, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung(220-711), Korea 3 Research Institute of Natural Sciences, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung(220-711) 4 Biological and Genetic Resources Utilization Division, National Institute of Biological Resource, Incheon(404-708), Korea 5 Wonju Regional Environmental Administration, Wonju(220-170), Korea 6 Korea Botanic Garden, Pyeongchang(232-941), Korea a This study was conducted by the project of basic research for the conservation of Yongneup wetland protected area, supported from Wonju Regional Environmental Administration, Ministry of Environment * Corresponding author: Tel: +82-33-640-2311, Fax: +82-33-640-2867, E-mail: [email protected] Floristic characteristics of vascular plants and first distributional report of Pseudostellaria baekdusanensis M. Kim in Yongneup wetland protected area 133 niche differentiation is one of the key principle for the taxa in 2007 and 2012 respectively, according to an plant diversity (Hutchinson, 1957; Chesson, 2000; Holt, 2009; "intensive survey on the wetland protected areas" it carries Pearman et al., 2008). However, because plants continuously out every five years. In 2009, the Wonju Regional compete with each other for limited resources such as Environmental Office of the Ministry of Environment light, nutriment, water and space, plant diversity in a region reported on 341 taxa after conducting a survey. The cannot be explained with only ecological niche differentiation. difference in the survey results could be due to the In adition to ecological niche differentiation, habitats different survey periods, time spent on survey, researchers diversity is a highly important concept in explaining and the area of study site. In particular, there is a big regional plant diversity (Whittaker, 1972). difference among the research papers on the number of A wetland is a special ecosystem different from other taxa in Yongneup. To overcome this problem and provide habitats and it provides different ecological niche and accurate information on the flora, the most important space. Furthermore, it supports various plant species by information of an ecosystem, Choung et al. (2009) compared providing different environmental gradients within its and discussed 18 controversial taxa. However, some taxa environment. Due to such characteristics, wetlands are still remain controversial. highly important at the regional and national levels for Because the ecological niche breadth of plants that the maintenance and preservation of various plant species inhabit wetlands is relatively very narrow, they are relatively (Whittaker, 1972; Ministry of Environment, 2012a). Most easily influenced by the external environment (Choung et of peatlands in the world are distributed in high-latitude al., 2009). In particular, peatlands like Yongneup can be regions: Russia, Northern Europe, North America, etc. easily affected by changes in the environment due to (Lappalainen, 1996; Montanarella et al., 2006). However, they eutrophication and inflow of soil, and artificial disturbance are very rare in Korea due to its cool temperate climate was observed in some areas in the past. However, at and geological factors. In case of peatlands in Korea, there present Yongneup is relatively well preserved owing to are Yongneup of Mt. Daeam, Mujechineup, Hwaeomneup, the control of access to the area by a military base and Mt. Sinbul Wetland, Sajapyeong Alpine Wetland and the management agency Wonju Regional Environmental 1,100 Altitude Wetland, but Yongneup of Mt. Daeam is Administration of the Ministry of Environment, and the only high moor among them (Ministry of Environment, vegetation restoration for the prevention of soil inflow. 2012a). Yongneup of Mt. Daeam was designated as a natural A considerable time has passed since the flora of reserve in July 1973 owing to its rarity and unique plant Yongneup was first reported by Lee (1969), and there is species, and in March 1998, it was registered on the a possibility of a change in the flora due to environmental Ramsar wetland list as the first Korean wetland (Ministry changes (Choung et al., 2009). However, it is difficult to of Environment, 2007). In August 1999, Yongneup was simply compare the lists in the papers that have reported designated as a wetland conservation area in accordance with on the flora. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to the Wetlands Conservation Act. It was also designated as secure basic data on vascular plants that inhabit the Korean Natural Monument No. 246 by the Cultural Yongneup wetland protected area. Also, this study aims Heritage Administration, and as a protected area for forest to provide data for the preservation and management of genetic resources managed by the Korea Forest Service Yongneup by surveying the current distribution status of (Ministry of Environment, 2012a). Various studies were endangered wild plants, specific plants and naturalized conducted on Yongneup due to its importance. Among plants, as well as the basis for a soundness assessment, them, Lee (1988) studied plants distributed in Yongneup and an introduction to the information on the habitat of and reported on 200 taxa; Lee et al. (2003) reported on 218 Pseudostellaria baekdusanensis M. Kim for the first time. taxa in Keun-Yongneup and 139 taxa in Jageun-Yongneup based on a "research on the flora in the natural reserves MATERIALS AND METHODS of Mt. Daeam and Mt. Daewoo"; Kim et al. (2005) reported 63 taxa. The National Institute of Environmental Research 1. Survey Site Information of the Ministry of Environment, reported on 251 and 233 134 Young-Chul Kim, Hyun-Hee Chae, Sang-Heock Oh, Seung-Ho Choi, Moon-Pyo Hong, Gi-Heum Nam, Jae-Yoon Choi, Hyun-Sook Choi, Kyu-Song Lee, Kil-Dong KimKorean J. Environ. Ecol. 29(2) 2015 The Yongneup wetland protected area in Mt. Daeam is peatlands in Keun-Yongneup (30,820 ㎡), Jaegeun-Yongneup located in Seoheung-ri, Seohwa-myeon, Inje-gun, Gangwon-do (11,500 ㎡) and Aegi-Yongneup (12,000 ㎡) and the (Figure 1). Its total area is 1.36 ㎢ after a new wetland, which surrounding mountainous areas (Ministry of Environment, was found on the north side of the existing wetland protected 2012a). It was reported that Yongneup of Mt. Daeam was first area, was annexed to it and designated as a wetland protected created about 4,000 years ago (Kang, 1976), and according area in 2010 (Ministry of Environment, 2012a). It is 1,050 to a recent study result, it is estimated to have first been m∼1,280 m above sea level, and is composed of the created about 5,900 years ago (Kang et al., 2010). Figure 1. The locality of investigation area and subdivided with 5 zones. A: Keun-Yongneup, B: Surrounding Keun-Yongneup, C: Jageun-Yongneup and surrounding Jageun-Yongneup, D: Aegi-Yongneup, E: Surrounding Aegi-Yongneup Table 1. The climatical condition of near investigated area, Inje meteorological station Elements Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Ann. Av. 30's -5.2 -2.2 3.5 10.6 15.7 20.0 23.1 23.3 18.1 11.6 4.5 -2.0 10.1 Mean Temp.(℃) 2013 -6.4 -2.4 4.6 8.3 17.0 22.0 24.8 25.6 19.0 12.7 5.2 Av. 30's 1.0 4.2 10.0 18.0 22.9 26.6 28.1 28.7 24.5 18.9 10.7 3.7 16.5 Max.