• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.107 no.4
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• pp.361-377
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• 2018

The aim of this study was to examine whether the guideline by the Ministry of Environment (ME) successfully and appropriately applied the IUCN Red List criteria at regional level and the rare and endangered national list considered eligible. A certain number of vascular plants, which are widely distributed in the world or in east Asia, deemed to be ineligible for assessment at a regional level as Not Applicable category (NA), because it occurs at very low numbers in South Korea. Among 377 vascular plant taxa evaluated by the ME, NA included 238 species, which represented 63.1%. The number of synonymized species or illegitimate name species were 13 species, which accounted for 3.4%. 21 species (9.3%) were threatened at global level and 103 species were possibly candidates species list for Red List assessments at regional level in the near future. The proportion of NA or waiting list was 66.6% among the list assessed by the ME. The most common errors involved incorrectly application of species extinction in case of population extinction in South Korea to the assessment and provided incorrect interpretation of the Red List criteria at regional level. The most assessments proposed by ME were not backed up without quantitative data quality, justifications, and sources. It is suggested that the risk of extinction should be reassessed at least in the Korean peninsula within the light of their overall distribution including far eastern Russia and North eastern China in north and for Japan and Taiwan in south for regional assessment. The results obtained here using the IUCN criteria at regional level showed that the list proposed by the ME produced an overestimation of the number of threatened vascular plants. Also, the misapplication of the term 'species extinction' for regional assessment was open to some degree of subjectivity and misinterpretation.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.90-109
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• 2016

This study aims to investigate the flora of Mt. Cheonma (Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea), including Korean endemic, rare and endangered plants. To support the biodiversity and usefulness of this investigation, we checked the red list plants, floristic regional indicator plants, climate change adaptation target plants and naturalized plants, and compared composition of plant species in Mt. Cheonma with nearby mountains. Totally, we performed 22 field investigations from April 2012 to October 2014. The number of vascular plants in this region is 433 taxa and comprised of 94 families, 266 genera, 378 species, 2 subspecies, 46 varieties, and 7 forms. Among them, there are 13 endemic plants designated by Korean Forest Service, whereas only 10 taxa are endemic species by Korean Ministry of Environment (KME). According to the IUCN criteria, there are 12 rare and endangered plants composed of 9 Least Concerned (LC), 2 Vulnerable species (VU), and one Endangered species (EN) found by Korea National Arboretum (KNA). Meanwhile, 8 taxa including 7 Least Concerned (LC) were found in Red List of KME. The floristic regional indicator plants designated by KME were 49 taxa. In addition, there are 14 taxa in The Adaptable to Climate Change Plant List designated by KNA, while only 19 taxa are naturalized plants. Generally, there are 190 common taxa in Gwangju Mountains area, and only 51 taxa are distributed in Mt. Cheonma.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.116-125
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• 2012

The distribution, vegetation characteristics and an assessment of the conservation status of the Korea endemic species Coreanomecon hylomeconoides Nakai were investigated to collect biological basic data to formulate a conservation strategy. According to the distribution map of C. hylomeconoides based on the literature, specimen information, and local field surveys, natural populations of C. hylomeconoides are intensively distributed in the Southern regions of the peninsula, around Gyeongsangnam-do and Jeollanan-do. C. hylomeconoides was distributed in the middle and low slope adjacent to a valley. The altitude ranged from 227 m to 744 m, with inclinations of $5-10^{\circ}$. As a result of a vegetation survey within natural populations, a total of 238 taxa were identified from 29 quadrates in 8 natural populations. The importance value of C. hylomeconoides is 25.34% based on the coverage and frequency of the herbaceous layer with in the populations. The species diversity of the occurrence of the species in 8 natural populations was 1.52, while the averages of species evenness and the dominance values were calculated to be 0.83 and 0.17, respectively. As a result of assessing the conservation status through IUCN Red List criteria, C. hylomeconoides was evaluated as Near Threatened (NT). Conservation strategies are also discussed for the sustainable conservation of C. hylomeconoides.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.129-133
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• 2018

Ceratopteris thalictroides is a semi-aquatic fern with a circumtropical distribution. Because this species is designated internationally on the IUCN Red List as requiring at least some concern, Korean populations are of great concern for the species' long-term survival, as they are at the northern limit of the species distribution. To establish an effective conservation strategy for those populations at the genetic level, we used the Mi-Seq platform to develop three sets of 25 polymorphic microsatellite markers for C. thalictroides, which is endangered in Korea. In populations sampled from Busan and Gochang, the number of alleles ranged from 2 to 13 (average of 5.64), and plants presented an expected heterozygosity of 0.000 to 0.860. These markers will be useful for evaluating the genetic status and conserving Korean populations of C. thalictroides more effectively.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.521-547
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• 2018

To provide fundamental information to areas that lack data on the plant resources and the ecosystem, this study conducted a survey on the vascular plants in Mt. Jigisan in Hongseonggun. The vascular plants identified during the six-round field surveys were a total of 443 taxa: 96 families, 286 genera, 391 species, 7 subspecies, 40 varieties, 3 forms, and 2 hybrids. On floristic regional of Korea, Mt. Jigisan is deciduous broad-leaved and conifer-mixed forest which is south province of Korean peninsula. 4 taxa of Korean endemic plants such as Populus ${\times}$ tomentiglandulosa, Forsytsythia koreana, Forsytsythia ovate, and Iris rossii var. latifolia were collected. The vascular plants on the red list according to IUCN evaluation basis were found to be 6 taxa: Vulnerable (VU) species of Forsytsythia ovata, Least Conern (LC) species of Chionanthus retusus, Pseudoraphis ukishiba, and Cymbidium goeringii, and Not Evaluate (NE) species of Panax ginseng, and Fimbristylis verrucifera. The floristic regional indicator plants were found 27 taxa: 2 taxa of grade V, 3 taxa of grade IV, 6 taxa of grade III, 4 taxa of grade II, and 12 taxa of grade I. The specific distribution plants were found 27 taxa: 4 taxa of northern part of plants, 12 taxa of southern part of plants, 10 taxa of isolation distribution of plants, and 1 taxon of recently reported Viola betonicifolia var. albescens. The invasive alien plants were identified as 67 taxa. The naturalized index (NI) was 15.12%, and urbanization index (UI) was 20.9%, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.548-557
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• 2021

Cypripedium japonicum Thunb. is an endemic plant in East Asia, distributed only in Korea, China, and Japan. At the global level, the IUCN Red List evaluates it as "Endangered Species (EN)," and at the national level in Korea, it is evaluated as "Critically Endangered Species (CR)." In this study, we investigated the characteristics of the age structure and the sustainability of the population based on the data obtained by demographic monitoring conducted for seven years in the natural habitat. C. japonicum habitats were observed in 7 regions of Korea (Pochoen, Gapyeong, Hwacheon, Chuncheon, Yeongdong, Muju, Gwangyang), and 4,356 individuals in 15 subpopulations were identified. The population size and structure differed from region to region, and artificial management had a very important effect on the size and structural change of the population. Population viability analysis (PVA) based on changes in the number of individuals of C. japonicum showed a very diverse tendency by region. And the probability of population extinction in the next 100 years was 0.00% for Pocheon, 10.90% for Gwangyang, 24.05% for Chuncheon, and 79.50% for Hwacheon. Since the above monitored study sites were located within the conservation shelters, which restricted access by humans, unauthorized collection of C. japonicum, the biggest threat to the species, was not reflected in the individual viability. So, the risk of extinction in Korea is expected to be significantly higher than that estimated in this study. Therefore, it is necessary to reflect population information in several regions that may represent various threats to determine the extinction risk of the C. japonicum population objectively. In the future, we should expand the demographic monitoring of the C. japonicum population known in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.229-248
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• 2019

This study was carried out to investigate the flora of Mt. Jaamsan on the Gyeongsang supergroup, Korea. From the results of eight field surveys from March to October 2017, we have identified 530 total taxa, representing 483 species, eight subspecies, 35 varieties, two forms, and two hybrids, which were placed in 325 genera and 110 families. The plant formation of Mt. Jaamsan is the deciduous broad-leaved and conifer mixed forests, which are the common ones in the middle part of the Korean Peninsula. Most of the mountain is covered with young secondary forest, which is mainly composed of Quercus spp., and Pinus. Out of these 530 taxa, 12 are endemic to Korea, 17 taxa are listed on the Korean Red List of threatened species, 65 are floristic target species, and 55 are invasive alien species. The percentage of naturalized index(NI) and urbanization index (UI) were 10.4% and 17.2%, respectively. Mt. Jaamsan has a high plant diversity, including endemic and rare species, which consist of geomorphological landscapes. We considered that the composition and distribution of species are affected by the different environmental factors according to the sedimentary rocks, drying ridges, valleys, and streams. Together with the rocks and soils were the substrate type that play a major role in providing the unique habitats for sun plants in the area.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.614-640
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• 2022

We investigated vascular plants of Bigeumdo and Dochodo Island in Shinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea. By referring to 4 field surveys between June and September in 2021, a total of 490 taxa were identified and grouped into 113 families, 332 genera, 452 species, 6 subspecies, 27 varieties, and 3 forms. Among those observed, 232 taxa comprising 84 families, 189 genera, 220 species, 4 subspecies, 8 varieties, 4 forms were observed in Bigeumdo, 428 taxa comprising 107 families, 305 genera, 397 species, 5 subspecies, 23 varieties and 3 forms were observed in Dochodo. Among them, 7 taxa were Korean endemic plants. Protected species designated by the Ministry of Environment were 2 taxa of level II. In terms of threated plants according to the IUCN Red List Categoty, there were 5 taxa, consisting of 1 endangered species (EN), 3 vulnerable species (VU), 1 Near Threatened (NT). In total, there are 36 taxa of floristic regional indicator plants, including 1 level V taxa, 5 level IV taxa, 28 level III taxa. In Korea, 3 taxa were the northern distributional limit to Bigeumdo and Dochodo. Alien plants were 58 taxa.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2023.04a
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• pp.9-9
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• 2023

한국 특산 식물인 미선나무 (Abeliophyllum distichum)는 IUCN Red List의 EN (위기종) 등급에 지정되 어 보호받아 왔다. 미선나무는 국내 자생지 6곳을 포함하는 13개의 서식지에서 생육되고 있다고 알려져 있다. 2017년 이후, 국내에서는 지속적인 보전과 관리하에 법정보호종에서 해제되어 멸종위기종 복원 성 공 사례의 귀감이 되었으나 국내를 제외하면 미선나무의 활용은 아직 어려운 현실이다. 미선나무는 1속 1종이지만 종 내에서 다양성이 존재한다. 꽃의 형태적 특징에 따른 다양한 분류가 이루어지며, 옥황1호을 포함한 분홍, 상아, 연녹색, 흰색 등으로 구분된다. 유전체 연구 및 성분 분석을 통해, 각 표현형마다 유전 정보와 유효 성분의 차이가 존재한다는 것이 알려졌다. 활용 가치를 높이려면, 유전적으로 안정되고 표준화가 가능한 원료가 필요하며, 이는 신품종을 이용하거나 새로운 개발이 필요하다는 것을 내포한다. 일반 식품으로의 활용은 어려우나 기능성 화장품의 원료 등으로 활용되고 있으며, 이러한 활용들은 미선나무의 높은 활용 가치를 투영한다. 활용 가치 평가를 위해 수행된 DNA 손상, 멜라닌 생합성, 항염증, 항산화, 항암 억제 등의 연구를 통해 다양한 약리학적 효능을 가진다는 결과들이 도출되었고, 많은 문헌들이 그 근거를 뒷받침한다. 또한, 유효 성분의 합성경로를 재정립하고 RNA 분석을 통해 그 양상을 예측하기 위한 연구가 진행 중에 있다. 미선나무에서 유래한 식물조직 배양체인 callus의 유도 및 배양이 진행되고 있으며, 옥황1호 유래 callus를 활용하여 다양한 연구를 수행하고 있다. 앞서 언급한 미선나무 연구 및 개발에 대한 한계를 파악하고, 천연 식물 자원으로의 미선나무에 대한 지속적인 관심과 지원을 통해 나고야의정서에 대응하는 전략적 접근이 필요하다.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.189-203
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• 2016

This study was carried out to investigate the flora of Jingangsan Mt. (Ganghwa-gun). The vascular plants identified during the 11 round field surveys were a to total of 560 taxa: 114 families, 336 genera, 495 species, 7 subspecies, 53 varieties, 4 forms and 1 hybrid. A high plant diversity were Poaceae (11.0%), Asteraceae (10.8%), Cyperaceae (8.8%), Rosaceae (4.6%) and Lamiaceae (4.3%) in regular order. The four taxa of Korean endemic plants such as Viola seoulensis Nakai, Salix koriyanagi Kimura ex Goerz, Hemerocallis hakuunensis Nakai and Polygonatum infundiflorum Y. S. Kim, B. U. Oh & C. G. Jang were collected. The vascular plants on the red list according to IUCN evaluation basis were found to be four taxa: Near Threatened (NT) species of Delphinium maackianum Regel, and Not Evaluate (NE) species of Mosla japonica (Benth. ex Oliv.) Maxim., Carex paxii Kük. and Polygonatum infundiflorum Y. S. Kim, B. U. Oh & C. G. Jang. The floristic regional indicator plants found in this area were 28 taxa comprising two taxa of degree IV, three taxa of degree III, eight taxa of degree II, and 15 taxa of degree I. In addition, the naturalized plants were identified as 44 taxa and the percentage of naturalized index (NI) was 7.9%, and Urbanization Index (UI) was 13.7%.