• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.357-370
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• 2002

Present work aims to investigate the species composition, physiognomy and distribution of arctic-alpine and alpine plants(AAP) of the Korean Peninsula. The dominance of AAP in the northern Korea may be due to the frequent exchanges of floras with circumpolar regions for the seek of the glacial refugia during the alternate Pleistocene glacial epochs. The post-glacial climatic amelioration pushed AAP back northwards and upwards, so they now shows disjunctive distribution on separate mountain tops. The diverse morphological adaptations of AAP to severe environmental conditions, viz. the dominance of perennial species, stunted tree growth, multiple protection of leaves, krummholz, and dwarf shrubs, are the result of long-term graduall development which have safeguarded the survival of AAP in a such a harsh cryo-climatic area. The appearance of the Korean endemic AAP reflects the long-term isolation of species in Korea, and the local environmental diversities which have both accentuated this isolation and aided the development of genetic diversity. Evergreen broad-leaved AAP at c. 1,500m to 1,800m and above are now endangered because of the competition from down-slope plants, and from the global warming.

• 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.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 1991

The distribution of cryophilous arctic-alpine and alpine plants in Korea is reviewed in connection with palaeoenvironment, along with a discussion to their origins, patterns of migration, and their refugia. At present, the estimated number of Korean arctic-alpine and alpine species is 419, and this includes 75 arctic-alpine species, 239 alpine species and 105 Korean endemic alpine species. The disjunctive distribution of cryophilous arctic-alpine and alpine plants is likely to be due to first, the downslope and southward expansion of those species towards the Korean peninsula as a primary refugia from the arctic region as the Pleistocene glacial phases approached, and then their subsequent isolation upslope in mountain areas toward a secondary refugia as the interglacial and post-glacial climatic ameliorations followed; secondly, the expansion of forest tree communities on lowland and montane areas subsequent to the end of the Pleistocene has had the effect of dividing formerly high mountains as a result of the increased competition; and thirdly, the general disapperance or restriction of available habitats for arctic-alpine and alpine species because of post-glacial climatic amelioration. The existence of 139 alpine species exclusively in the north of Korea may be due to the following reasons; first, frequent exchanges of alpine floras with other neighbouring East Asian regions would have been facilitated; secondly, there are numerous high mountains available for the alpine plants to survive and prosper during the post-glacial period; thirdly, the existence of easy accesses between mountains within the north, which has enabled alpine floras to migrate when necessary; and finally, the availability of diverse environments and habitats for the alpine flora of the north. However, the continued survival of those species in Korea at the world's or East Asia's southernmost limits of their distribution for many species is in danger if global warming associated with the greenhouse effect takes place.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 1992

The reconstruction of the vegetational and environmental history of the Korean peninsula by the use of various fossil floral data from the Carboniferous period to the Pre-Holocene is reviewed. Though the oldest plant fossil in Korea (Neuropteris) dates back to the Carboniferous period, the first appearance of many of the present-day floristic genera indeed dates back to the Oligocene (c. 40 to 20 million years B.P.), and includes many thermophilous genera. The presence of thermophilous genera in the Oligocene at up to four degrees north of their present distributional limits implies that the climate of the Oligocene was warmer than that of today. The occurrence of similar thermophilous floristic element at up to six degrees north of their present range during the Middle Miocene suggests a maximum northward expansion of warmth-loving evergreen broadleaved vegetation for, recent Korean vegetation history. The continued occurrence of numerous present-day genera since the Oligocene period indicates a long-term stability of Korean vegetation, along with minor fluctuations within it. The admixture of evergreen coniferous plants and deciduous breadleaved plants, however, indicates a probable temperate climate for much of the Middle Pleistocene. There are couple of evidences which are indicative of an early-stage anthropogenic disturbance of natural vegetation during the Middle Pleistocene of Korea. The presence of cold-episodes during the Upper Pleistocene caused a general expansion of deciduous plants and cryophilous evergreen coniferous, plants. It is likely that the maximum southward expansion of cryophilous arctic-alpine and alpine floras in Korea occured during the penultimate glacial period. The disappearance of some cryophilous genera from 10,000 years B.P. marks the continued climatic amelioration since then, along with minor climatic fluctuations during the Holocene period.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2023.04a
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• pp.24-24
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• 2023

본 실험은 한반도 극지 고산식물인 진퍼리꽃나무[Chamaedaphne calyculata (L.) Moench] 종자의 형태적 특성을 조사하고 변온조건과 저온처리 및 GA3 처리가 발아에 미치는 영향을 구명하고자 수행하였다. 진퍼리꽃나무 종자는 국립수목원 전시원에서 채종 후 4℃에 저온건조 저장하였으며 전자현미경(DVM6, Leica Microsystems GmbH, Wetzlar, Germany)을 이용하여 종자와 배의 길이를 측정하였다. 2022년 3월에 growth chamber 내에서 32일간 15/6℃, 25/15℃ 변온조건하에 배양하였으며, 저온층적처리(0, 40일) 및 GA3 처리(0/500/1,000mg·L^-1) 처리에 따른 발아 특성을 구명하였다. 진퍼리꽃나무 종자의 최종발아율(FGP)은 25/15℃ GA3 1000mg·L^-1 처리에서 42.2%로 가장 높게 조사되었다. 평균발아일수(MGT)는 15/6℃ 저온층적 처리에서 22.3일로 가장 높았으며, 대부분 15/6℃ 변온조건에서 25/15℃ 변온조건보다 6∼8일 높았다. 최종발아일의 평균은 약 12일로 확인되었다. 저온 층적처리 결과, 최종발아율(FGP)은 온도조건 25/15℃, 15/6℃에서 각각 32.2%와 11.1%를 보여 무처리구에서 조사된 24.4%와 10.0%보다 각각 7.8%, 1.1% 높게 나타났다. 호르몬처리 결과, 동일한 발아조건에서 GA3 500mg·L^-1 처리보다 1000mg·L^-1 처리에서 더 높은 발아율을 보였다. GA3 1000mg·L^-1 처리에서의 최종발아율(FGP)DKSH은 25/15℃, 15/6℃ 각각 42.2%와 30.0%를 보여 무처리구 보다 각각 17.8%, 20% 높게 나타났다.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.530-536
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• 2006

Hardwood cutting propagation and early growth characteristics were investigated in order to develop the method of cutting propagation and to find out growth characteristics in the low altitude for in situ and ex situ conservation of Empetrum nigrum var. japonicum K. Koch, which is typical arctic alpine plants on Mt. Halla. The growth of roots and shoots was different depending on hormone concentrations or soil conditions. The survival rate, rooting rate, root growth, number of root and shoot growth increased with treatment of 100 mg/l or 500 mg/l NAA. Consequently, optimum condition of hardwood cutting was at treatment with 100 mg/l or 500 mg/l NAA. When plantlets from hardwood cuttings were exposed to the field condition, after 7 months survival rate was 73.3% without shading while $91.1{\sim}94.4%$ at shading conditions. In the green house, however, survival rate of plantlets were $95.6{\sim}97.8%$ without shading. The growth of plantlets was different depending on sites and shading conditions. Particularly, the best growth was obtained when the plantlets were grown in shading conditions. It indicates that relative humidity and light intensity are correlated with the growth in the low altitude area.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.89-101
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• 2018

In Mt. Halla, an arctic-alpine plant Diapensia lapponica var. obovata largely clings to rock surfaces. We observed the rock-surface temperatures of a rocky ridge on the summit area of the mountain from late April 2009 to early May 2010 in order to examine the diurnal and annual temperature variations and the thermal amplitude. We also investigated temperature regimes such as the frequency of freeze-thaw cycles and the temperature change, which might endanger the habitat through frost weathering. For comparison of slope aspects, temperature monitoring was carried out on the north and south faces of the same rocky ridge. The south face experiences the high daily maximum rock-surface temperatures and the high thermal amplitudes during the unfreezing season of May to November 2009. The temperature regimes are considered to exert physiological stress to the arctic-alpine plant. In addition, the south face shows the high frequency of freeze-thaw cycles during the seasonal freezing period of December 2009 to April 2010. This indicates that the south face is susceptible the exfoliation and granular disintegration of rock surfaces, which results in habitat destruction. As a consequence, the south face is believed to be less favorable for the establishment and growth of the arctic-alpine plant than the north face on the summit area of Mt. Halla.