• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.437-448
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• 2006

Bare-topped thufur is called as frost scars, implying the rupturing stage of vegetated mounds, Field observations and measurements provide empirical information on the process and factors of thufur disintegration in Mt. Halla, Initial bare patches on mound apexes are scaled up by continuous removal of soil and vegetation, resulting in the formation of crater-like thufur, Frost action plays a primary role in thufur disintegration, In particular, pipkrake loosens soil particles within the bare patches and subsequently accelerates the degradation of vegetated mounds during periods with frequent diurnal freeze-thaw cycle and high soil moisture, Deflation also has an impact on thufur breakup in that the bare patches usually lack upper dark brown soil and are covered with granules, Withered shrubs such as Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii are frequently observed in frost scars and disrupted mounds, indicating that thufur disintegration has been probably influenced by global warming.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.41 no.6 s.117
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• pp.657-669
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• 2006

Rates and processes of bare patch denudation were observed at Janggumokoreum(1,710m) and Minoruem(1,600m) in order to clarify some characteristics of turf exfoliation in the subalpine grassland of Mt. Halla. The bare patches have marginal terrace fronts with a maximum height of 85 cm. The terrace risers usually develop an overhanging edge 2 to 38 cm long that eventually hangs down and protects the riser beneath. The patches are largely covered with angular pebbles and cobbles. The mean rate of riser retreat for the period 2002-2004 is 39.2 mm, equivalent to 19.6 mm/yr. However, there is a disparity of the rate of riser retreat at individual sites. The maximum rate is 131 mm measured at Janggumokoreum patch while the minimum rate is 0 mm at Minoreum patch. The rate of riser retreat also varies with seasons. The thawing season of April exhibits a maximum rate of retreat. The freezing season of October and November and the rainy season of June and July show relatively high rates of retreat. Several Processes such as frost action, aeolian deflation, rainwash, rainsplash and fauna activity cause the denudation of bare patches. In particular, the needle ire action which is combined with rainwash or deflation plays a primary role in turf exfoliation due to the diurnal freeze-thaw cycles occurred over 100 days, melted snow and strong wind in the subalpine zone of Mt. Halla. Rainwash is also an important contributing process in the rainy season because Mt. Halla has the highest precipitation in Korea. By contrast, rainsplash erosion has a minor effect on the bare patch denudation due to the overhanging edge of terrace risers. Recent increase in roe deer appears to be responsible for turf destruction.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.416-431
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• 2011

Hiking trails in Mt Jiri, and Mt Halla, National Park have been examined in terms of their degrading factors. The trails are deteriorated by natural erosion processes as well as human trampling. Trail deterioration is classified into tread lowering, sidewall retreat, path widening and divergence based upon a place where erosional processes occur. Tread lowering and sidewall retreat is generally produced by natural erosion factors, whereas path widening and divergence is generated by human trampling. Rainwash is the most contributing process to tread lowering. By contrast, several processes such as rainwash, needle ice action, deflation, tree falling and animal activity play a major role in sidewall retreat according to physical conditions of a hiking trail. Path widening and divergence could be classified by a factor producing human trampling. There are lots of cases related to rainwash such as the tree root, gravel, and bedrock, exposed by a surface flow lowering a tread and the riser produced by tread scouring. A puddle of rainwater on a flat tread and a fallen tree of Abies koreana in a forest region are also major factors to cause path widening and divergence. A paved tread with stones encourages a hiker to walk out of a trail. Taking a shortcut also results in path widening and divergence without a factor giving a hiker inconvenience on a trail.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.296-311
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• 2008

In order to examine the rates and factors of path widening in Mount Halla, the retreat of path sidewalls was monitored at 32 sites of Seongpanak Hiking Trail located between 875 m and 1,400 m in elevation. The mean rate of sidewall retreat for the period 2002-2008 is 50.6 mm, equivalent to 10.0 mm/yr. The retreat rate of frozen period is 19.3 mm/yr, while the rate of unfrozen period is 4.3 mm/yr. The latter is divided into the rainy and dry periods that exhibit the retreat rates of 5.9 mm/yr and 2.9 mm/yr, respectively. The retreat rate of sidewalls is also varied with seasons; winter shows the maximum rate of 42.2 mm/yr, while summer exhibits the minimum rate of 1.3 mm/yr. Spring and fall show the intermediate rates of 13.9 mm/yr and 6.4 mm/yr, respectively. Soil hardness and elevation are not closely related to the retreat rate of sidewalls, even though the retreat rate is larger at the north-faced sidewalls than the south-faced sidewalls during the frozen period. Pipkrake is likely to be the most important factor contributing to the path widening in that the retreat of winter months accounts for 76.7% of the total retreat. The hiking trail is placed under the climatic conditions which develop pipkrake in 85 days annually. In addition, it is usual to observe the path sidewall covered with pipkrake in the freezing month of December and the thawing months of March and April. On the other hand, deflation and rainsplash erosion are not important due to the weak wind speed and the forested trail. Rainwash is also insignificant in that the path has been almost paved to mitigate trampling effects. Although biological activity is not dominant, hikers cause a large retreat of sidewalls in the thawing months since they would walk on the sidewalls to avoid snow-melting pools on the path.