• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.261-273
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• 2010

This study intended to investigate the environmental factors including soil and vegetation in order to understand the environmental and ecological characteristics of seven different habitats of Viola websteri. These habitats, according to investigations, are mostly located on the slope of mountains facing north at an altitude of 343 m to 991 m above sea level with angle of inclination from 1 degree to 33 degrees. The type of soil is mostly sandy loam and the average field capacity of soil is 28.97%. Their average organic matter is 16.63%, soil pH 5.62, and available phosphorus is 14.75%. A total of 133 vascular plants are identified in 18 quadrates of seven habitats. Dominant species of woody plants in seven habitats are represented as Acer pictum subsp. mono and Quercus mongolica in tree layer, and Acer pictum subsp. mono in subtree layer. Importance value of Viola websteri is 9.66%, as regards the herbaceous layer, and five highly ranked species such as Meehania urticifolia(8.53%), Pseudostellaria heterophylla(6.51%), Hylomecon vernalis(5.15%), Oxalis obtriangulata (4.52%), and Pseudostellaria davidii(4.15%) are considered to be an affinity with Viola websteri in their habitats. The degree of their average species diversity is 1.32, and that of dominance and evenness are 0.08 and 0.89, respectively. Correlation coefficients analysis based on environmental factors, vegetation and soil analysis shows that the coverage of Viola websteri is correlated with silt and sand ratio, and coverage of tree layers are correlated with species richness and altitude. Cluster analysis based on vegetation structure of each habitats are forms a three groups.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.353-361
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• 2015

Spatio-temporal variation in fruit set in orchids would affect long-term population viability and will influence genetic diversity over many generations. The aim of this study was to examine the breeding system of the nectariferous terrestrial orchid Epipactis thunbergii, to specifically determine levels of fruit set in terms of time and space under natural conditions. We examined pollination under natural conditions and conducted hand pollination experiments during a 2-year survey in four populations located along 1.5 km of coastal line in Jinguiri (rual village) [Jeollanam-do (province), southern Korea]. We found that, over a 2-year period, levels of percentage of fruit set were similar within patches of the four populations. By contrast, we detected significant differences in the percentage of fruit set among patches. We also found that plants with larger inflorescence size produced significantly more fruits than plants with fewer flowers. Over a 2-year period, the percentage of fruit set for E. thunbergii was similar but low (14.1%) compared to that averaged for eighty-four rewarding species (37.1%). However, an increase in fruit set was achieved by hand-pollinations: artificial self-pollination (90.5-95.2%), artificial geitonogamy (94.7-95.0%), and cross-pollination (artificial xenogamy, 91.3-91.4%). No emasculated flowers produced fruits and no automatic pollination was found in E. thunbergii. Our findings suggest that E. thunbergii is a self-compatible terrestrial orchid that depends on pollinators (insects) to achieve fruit set in natural habitats, and that local environmental conditions were similar over a period of 2 years in the study area. Our results also highlight the cryptic variation of fruit production in time, but more pronounced variability in space.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.72-83
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• 2015

A plant diversity, which consists of indigenous plant community with Orientla thuja community (Natural monument no. 1) in Dodong, Daegu, is identified and analyzed as ecological characteristic to consider worth plants and vegetation resource of the region. The vascular plants of Thuja orientalis community were listed as 219 taxa (3.7% of all 4,881 taxa of Korean vascular plants); 67 families, 147 genera, 199 species, 16 varieties, and 4 forms. Vulnerable species (VU) and least concerned species (LC) were recorded based on IUCN standard; Koelretueria paniculata (VU), Thuja orientalis (LC), and Exochorda serratifolia (LC). Although the study site is a non-limestone area, a total of 15 taxa of calciphilous plants were identified; Cheilanthes argentea, Hypodematium glandulosopilosum, Asplenium retamuraria, Thuja orientalis, Spiraea blumei, Smilax sieboldii, etc. A total of 4 taxa endemic plants were identified; Prunus mandshurica for. barbinervis, Lespedeza maximowiczii var. tomentella, Forythia koreana (artificial origin), and Veronica pyrethrina. Among the list, 8 taxa of naturalized plants were identified; Fallopia dentatoalalta, Rumex crispus, Nasturtium officinale, Bidens frondosa, Erigeron annuus etc. Naturalization rate (NR) was 3.6%, of all 219 taxa of vascular plants and urbanization index (UI) was 2.2% of all 321 taxa of naturalized plants. Thuja orientalis occupies a lot of indigenous landscape in this study area which is the southern-limited part of a natural distribution where it can survive. The T. orientalis community, where indigenous plants have formed a characterful species composition based on habitat, has been confirmed as a worth national vegetation resource in an indigeous flora. It has been considered of plans for persistent conservation.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.624-637
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• 2020

High-quality and high-phytonutrient watermelon fruits have strong market opportunities besides their health related benefits. Hence, investigating quality and nutritional related traits of watermelon genetic resources could provide important baseline data in breeding for increased lycopene content thereby increasing the marketability of watermelon. To this end, we have examined some fruit morphological traits and lycopene content of 105 genetic resources. Seeds, originally obtained from 22+ countries, were obtained from the National Agrobiodiversity Center, Jeonju, South Korea, grown in an experimental field and harvested at a fully mature stage. The size of pistil scar (SPS), the width of stripes (WS), weight of fruit (WF), length of fruit (LF), width of fruit (WIF), the thickness of pericarp (TP), soluble solids content (SSC), fruit shape in longitudinal section, ground color of skin, the intensity of the green color of skin, fruit shape at the apical part, grooving distribution, conspicuousness of stripes, and main color of the flesh were recorded on the field and inside laboratory and the lycopene was measured using spectrophotometric and HPLC methods. Watermelon fruits have shown a diverse morphological characters. Red and pink fleshed fruits dominated in the entire collections. Fruits with higher thickness of rind were found to exhibit less soluble solid content (SSC). Korean origin fruits were characterized by intermediate SSC while the United States of America (USA), Russia (RUS), Tajikistan (TJK), Turkmenistan (TKM), Taiwan (TWN), and Uruguay (URY) originated fruits had the highest SSC. The lycopene content varied between 41.37 and 182.82 ㎍/g, 2.81 and 163.72 ㎍/g, and 3.54 and 255.47 ㎍/g using HPLC, UV-Vis spectrophotometer, and microplate reader spectrophotometer, respectively. Red- and pink-fleshed fruits had the highest levels of lycopene content compared to the yellow- and orange-fleshed. Lycopene content had a significant positive correlation with SSC, however, no correlations were detected between lycopene and other quantitative fruit morphological characters. Our study demonstrated high diversity exists in fruit morphological traits and lycopene content of the germplasm collections which provide beneficial baseline data for a future breeding program and utilization of watermelon germplasm collections in gene banks for the maintenance and improvement of the current levels of production, marketability, and health-related benefit of watermelon fruits.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.82-90
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• 2012

In this study, we investigated the environmental factors and growth characteristics of Sasa borealis community inside a temperate deciduous forest and reviewed its effect on the lower vegetation and natural regeneration. The S. borealis community in the Jungsan-ri region of Jirisan National Park was chosen as the study area, and the vegetation and the environmental factors were investigated. The dominance value, height and foliage layer thickness were investigated as the growth characteristics of S. borealis in the area. As the environmental factors, we investigated the photosynthesis photon flux density (PPFD) of the shrub and ground layers as well as the chemical characteristics of the soil. Additionally, we investigated the flora on the ground layer of the area as well as the number and height of woody plants. The result showed that the height and foliage layer thickness of the S. borealis was closely related to the light conditions but the distribution was not determined simply by the effect of the environment or vegetation of the particular area. This may be deeply related with the unique survival strategy of S. borealis, a vegetably propagated plant, that it can extensively distributed on a heterogeneous resources environment in a forest as multiple culm are interconnected with each other through the rhizomes. The dense dominance and great height of S. borealis reduced the plant species diversity in the ground layer by decreasing the PPFD on the ground surface.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.165-175
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• 1985

The natural forest vegetation of the Piagol, Mt. Chiri, was classified into five major communities, i.e. Quercus mongolica, Carpinus laxiflora, C. tschonoskii, Q. serrata and Fraxinus mandshurica community. C. tschonoskii, C. laxiflora and Q. mongolica characteristically were dominated in the range of 500∼700 m, 700∼900 m and 900∼1,400 m in altitude, respectively. Abies nephrolepis and Rhododendron schlippenbachii in the ridge of Nogodan-Nalnaribong, and F. mandshurica and Q. serrata in the Yongsuam ravine were found as the dominant species. The transition between C. tschonoskii and C. laxiflora communities was relatively wide. The boundary between F. mandshurica, in the conglomerated zone, and the other communities surrounding its community was fairly abrupt. In Q. mongolica community, the canopy was relatively opened and the oak young tree of undergrowth was fairly dense. In the community of C. laxiflora and C. tschonoskii, the species composed of their understory was rich while their coverage was lower than that of Q. mongolica community. Shannon's diversity index was decreased in order of C. tschonoskii, C. laxiflora and Q. mongolica community, while their Simpson's dominance index increased conversely. Judging by the DBH-class distribution showing the negative exponential curve, these communities were considered as the climax forest. In Polar Ordination used samples (quadrats), the vegetation of the Piagol was divided into five groups, which was coincided with five communities classified by Braun-Blanquet system. In the ordination, the first axis and the second axis may be considered soil conditions and thermal conditions, respectively. It seems that two different methods, phytosociological method in macro level and ordination techniques in micro level, are useful for the vegetation classification.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.31-45
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• 1981

The purpose of this study aimed to study effects of fire on vegetation and soil properties after the first growing season in Mt. Chiak. 1. With the basis of importance value of species in each stand, status of species was assessed for three categories; Increaser species, Decreaser species, and Neutral species. 2. Biomass was 2.2 times higher on burned area than unburned. This indicates that biomass was remarkably increased after fire. 3. To evaluate similarity, coefficients of similarity among communities were obtained, and correlation coefficients were also estimated. These indices showed that burned and unburned community were markedly different.. $B_1$-stand and $B_1$-stand appeared most similar to each other among stands. 4. Species diversity was greater in burned than unburned stands. 5. Soil pH value and organic matter content in burned area were significantly higher than those in unburned area. However, soil water content was lower in burned area. There was no effect of burning on soil pH value and water content at 15~20 cm depth of soil. 6. All chemical compositions except sodium were much higher in soil surface. The decreases in sodium levels at surface were probably resulted from the rapid leaching due to the increased solubility and decreased capacity for adsorption of sodium in comparison with potassium or calcium. Among chemical compositions of soil amount of nitrogen showed least difference between the burneb and unburned surfaces soil.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.517-522
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the morphological and anatomical characteristics of needle and the genetic diversity of Pinus pumila Regel which is a unique and the southern peripheral population in South Korea. ANOVA test showed that there were significant differences among individuals within population in all 8 needle characteristics. Average characteristics of 66 individuals were 53.59 mm in needle length, 0.78 mm in needle width, 68.98 in needle index, 0.65 mm in needle thickness, 4.56 ea. in maximum stomata row, 3.80 ea. in minimum stomata row, 8.36 ea. in total stomata row and 1.71 ea. in resin canals, respectively. Resin canal per needle of this species ranged from one to three, depending on external type. Especially, arrangement types were 69.47% in two resin canals and 30.45% in a single resin canal. A total of 78 bands was generated from 9 selected I-SSR primers. The estimates of genetic variation were 61.5% in proportion of polymorphic bands (P), 1.698 in effective number of alleles ($A_e$), 0.388 in expected heterozygosity ($H_e$) and 0.567 in Shannon's information index (S.I.), respectively.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.spc
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• pp.74-82
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• 2014

A perennial plant species of Ranunculaceae, Pulsatilla tongkangensis is a very rare species only found in limestone vegetation of South Korea. It is not only rare but also has great value as a horticultural resource, thus resulting in serious problems of overexploitation and habitat disturbance. For the conservation of the rare species and its development as a resource, the study was conducted with the following three aims: first, to investigate any new geographical distribution of the species; second, to identify the site condition and vegetation structure of its habitat; and third, to compare the ecology of P. tongkangensis in other microhabitats such as rock, slope and ridge area. A new distribution was found in limestone vegetation at Danyang-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do. It was, therefore, confirmed that the distribution of P. tongkangensis exactly coincides with the area of distribution of limestone, indicating a possibility that the species might be a calcicole. 87% of the microhabitats found in rocks. Compared to P. tongkangensis, at ridges or slopes, number of P. tongkangensis plants were few in rocks. It is possibly due to the lack of microhabitats that could settle in rocky areas. Once established on rocks, however, plants grew large enough to flower with higher number of leaves and flowers per plant, resulting in higher flowering rate on rocky areas. Cracks in/between rocks are likely to be safe places for the plants with favorable light conditions, abundant fine particles to root down and reduced competition for resources. Yet, further research is necessary in terms of determining whether the species is indeed a calcicole, whether other limiting factors work in its establishment stage, and genetic diversity exists in the population.

• FLOWER RESEARCH JOURNAL
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.179-185
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• 2008

This study was conducted to determine the characteristics and utilization of pruned kiwifruit branches as wreath materials. Amount of pruned branches produced from one 11~15 year-old kiwi plant cv. 'Hayward' can be used for one wreath with 76cm in diameter. Making a wreath with 76cm in diameter with the pruned kiwifruit branches required 75 branches with 31~40cm length. And the cost to make a wreath with 76cm in diameter for the Keaki and the paper bush were cheeper than those of winged spindle tree and Korean dogwood. Floral designers evaluated that the glossy, the delicacy and the unique form of cut branches, and their various hue were lower than that of the commonly-used cut branches, however, the beauty of curved line, the characteristics after drying, and the utilization and prospect of pruned kiwi branches were higher by 'over good' than that of the commonly-used branches. Consequently, it was assumed that the utilization of pruned kiwifruit branches can be contributed to the improvement of side income for a farm household, and the diversity wreath materials.