• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.331-341
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• 2012

Using data sets for Japan as a whole, as arranged with approximately $10{\times}10$ km squares (a secondary grid), we investigated the relationship between population density and the habitats of threatened vascular plants listed in the Japanese Red Data Book; depopulated areas in the present and future, areas where under-use may be serious, and those with a predominance of elderly people; and the present state of the habitats in terms of a characteristic land use pattern. Regarding the habitats of threatened vascular plants, the progress of deterioration [$(N_{CR}+N_{EN})/(N_{CR}+N_{EN}+N_{VU})$] in depopulated areas has been confirmed, where $N_{CR}$, $N_{EN}$, and $N_{VU}$ are the numbers of species classified as critically endangered, endangered, and vulnerable, respectively. Moreover, in grid squares used by a human such as farmland, the progress of the deterioration simply increases when population density becomes low. However, for many vascular plants, they are particularly endangered in populous areas. Local populations will decrease throughout Japan with the rate of depopulation in and around large cities being relatively slow. We also propose some issues that need further study. The deterioration by human activity may be reduced. On the other hand, some vascular plants may be adversely influenced by depopulation. Additionally, we should keep a close watch on grasslands and water areas in large cities to preserve vascular plants.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.41-54
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to present the fundamental data for conservation and management of wetland ecosystem by surveying and analysing the vascular plants distributed in major wetlands, Gyeongju National Park. The study sites were Tohamsan wetland, Amgok wetland and Namsan wetland. The numbers of vascular plants were summarized as 200 taxa including 70 families, 145 genera, 171 species, 2 subspecies, 23 varieties and 4 forms. The threatened species designated by Ministry of Environment was Utricularia yakusimensis, and the rare plants were 7 taxa including Utricularia yakusimensis, Drosera rotundifolia, Mosla japonica, Utricularia bifida, Pogonia japonica, Utricularia racemosa and Iris ensata var. spontanea. The Korean endemic plants were Lespedeza maritima and Weigela subsessilis. The specific plants by floristic region were 12 taxa including 3 taxa of grade V, 1 taxa of grade IV, 1 taxa of grade III, 2 taxa of grade II and 5 taxa of grade I. The plants with approval for delivering oversea were 9 taxa including Glycine soja, Saussurea pulchella, Habenaria linearifolia and so forth. The naturalized platns were 5 taxa including Rumex obtusifolius, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Bidens frondosa, Erigeron annuus and Erigeron strigosus, the invasive alien plant was Ambrosia artemisiifolia.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.71-91
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to offer the raw data for conservation of natural resources by surveying the flora distributed in Juwangsan National Park. The numbers of flora were summarized as 575 taxa; 99 families, 333 genera, 507 species, 4 subspecies, 56 varieties and 8 forms. The threatened species was Eleutherococcus senticosus, and the rare plants were 17 taxa; Anaphalis sinica, Jeffersonia dubia, Hylotelephium ussuriense, Berchemia berchemiaefolia and so forth. The Korean endemic plants were 13 taxa; Salix pseudolasiogyne, Carpinus laxiflora, Pseudostellaria coreana, Thalictrum actaefolium var. brevistylum, Corydalis albipetala and so forth. The specific plants by floristic region were 69 taxa; 31 taxa of grade I, 16 taxa of grade II, 8 taxa of grade III, 7 taxa of grade IV and 7 taxa of grade V. The naturalized plants were 27 taxa; Fallopia dumetorum, Rumex crispus, Chenopoidum album, Amaranthus patulus, Lepidium apetalum and so forth, and the invasive alien plants were Ambrosia artemisiifolia and Aster pilosus. The target plants adaptable to climate change were 18 taxa; Anemone reflexa, Eranthis stellata, Hylomecon vernalis, Lathyrus vaniotii and so forth. The plants with approval for delivering oversea were 31 taxa; Dianthus longicalyx, Thalictrum ichangense, Spiraea blumei, Glycine soja and so forth.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.167-175
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• 2017

We conducted a total of 28 surveys from March to October 2016 in Gayasan National Park, to identify threatened plants for climate change, as well as for the effective management of biological organisms and resources against climate changes in Korea. Regarding threatened plants for climate change, we identified a total of 39 taxa, with 11 northern, 2 southern, and 26 taxa of concern. Among these taxa, 33 were identified as wild species. The species threatened by climate change located in the subalpine regions of Gayasan National Park were Abies holophylla Maxim., Abies koreana Wilson, Pinus koraiensis Siebold & Zucc., Betula ermanii Cham., Berberis amurensis Rupr., Rhododendron tschonoskii Maxim., Vaccinium hirtum var. koreanum (Nakai) Kitam., Primula modesta var. hannasanensis T.Yamaz., Trientalis europaea var. arctica (Fisch.) Ledeb., Thymus quinquecostatus Celak., Parasenecio firmus (Kom.) Y.L.Chen, and Lilium cernuum Kom. These species are expected to be particularly vulnerable to the effects of global warming, since they were confirmed to have a very narrow vertical distribution range. Moreover, although the following species are not included in the list of plants threatened by climate change, it is assumed that the endemic species that grow at the summit, and Grade V floristics special plants, such as Pedicularis hallaisanensis Hurus., Allium thunbergii var. deltoides (S.O.Yu, S.Lee & W.Lee) H.J.Choi & B.U.Oh, Heloniopsis tubiflora Fuse, N.S.Lee & M.N. Tamura, Aletris glabra Bureau & Franch, and Gymnadenia cucullata (L.) Rich., will also be extremely vulnerable to climate change. Therefore, we believe that measures for the conservation of these species are urgently needed, and also that the definition of species threatened by climate change should be broadened to include more objective and valid taxa through the long-term monitoring of species distributed around the summit area.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.575-589
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to provide the baseline data for conservation and management of the ecosystem of Gyeongju National Park by surveying and analysing the vascular plants distributed in Mt. Manhongbong (522 m). The vascular plants were surveyed form May 2012 to August 2017. The vascular plants on this site was classified as follow. Based on voucher specimens, the vascular plants of this site consisted of 91 families, 292 genera, 397 species, 4 subspecies, 48 varieties and 8 forms. The 2 taxa of threatened species, 11 taxa of rare plants and 14 taxa of Korean endemic plants were investigated. The specific plants by floristic region were totally 39 taxa, which were 3 taxa of grade V, 5 taxa of grade IV, 2 taxa of grade III, 11 taxa of grade II and 18 taxa of grade I. The naturalized plants were identified as 33 taxa and the percentage of naturalized index (NI) was 7.2%, and urbanized index (UI) was 10.3%, respectively. The invasive alien plants were 2 taxa, such as Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. and Aster pilosus Willd.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.314-340
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• 2023

Vascular plants of Yeonhwasan Mt., located in Taebaek-si, Gangwon-do, were investigated. Field surveys were conducted fourteen times between April and September of 2022. A total of 505 taxa were found consisting of 87 families, 282 genera, 441 species, 15 subspecies, 41 varieties, and 8 forma. Among them, the endemic plants of Korea were 22 taxa. The number of threatened and near threatened Red List plants designated by the Korean National Arboretum was four, comprising each one of critically endangered (CN), endangered (EN), vulnerable (VU), and near threatened (NT) species. The number of floristic target plants designated by the Ministry of Environment was 102, including one taxon of level V, 9 taxa of level IV, and 34 taxa of level III. Invasive alien plants were 34 taxa, and three taxa were ecosystem disturbance plants. The urbanization index of investigated site was 12.8%, and the naturalization index was 6.7%. To wisely manage Yeonhwasan, measures for preserving biodiversity and preventing invasive plants are needed.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.388-394
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• 2018

An efficient and reproducible protocol for in vitro germination of seeds of Couroupita guianensis has been developed in the present study. Couroupita guianensis is a medicinally important tree and categorized as threatened plant species by the IUCN. The seeds were surface sterilized using 0.1% $HgCl_2$ and inoculated on MS (Murashige and Skoog) and Woody Plants (Llyod and McCown) medium. The seeds with partially removed seed coat responded better (100%) on half strength MS medium as compared to the full (51%), one-fourth strength MS (79%) and the WP medium. Half strength MS medium conjunct with $2.0mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ indole-3 butyric acid (IBA) was found best among the different types of auxins and cytokinins tested for seed germination, as all the seeds germinated on this medium combination. The seedlings were successfully hardened in the greenhouse and restored in the field with 83% survival rate. The protocol can be used as conservation measure for large scale multiplication of this threatened forest tree species.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.447-476
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• 2014

We have investigated the flora of Daebudo Island in Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do and Seonjaedo Island in Ongjin-gun, Incheon. Thirty-three separate field trips were carried out from March 2012 to October 2013. As a result, 518 taxa including 103 families, 316 genera, 451 species, 9 subspecies, 56 varieties and 16 forms were identified. Among them, a plant protected by the wildlife protection law, 7 Korean endemic plants and 5 threatened plants by National Arboretum and National Institute of Biological Resources were included. The floristic indicator plants were 38 taxa including 3 taxa of grade V, 4 taxa of grade IV, 4 taxa of grade III, 10 taxa of grade II and 17 taxa of grade I. Sixty-seven naturalized plants with naturalization rates of 12.9% were also found.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.106 no.2
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• pp.111-120
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• 2017

The best source of information on the conservation status of species at a global scale is the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Until now, 236 vascular plants from Korean peninsula have been evaluated using the IUCN red list categories and criteria. It indicated that five taxa were considered as critically endangered, 20 as endangered and nine as vulnerable species as a threatened status. On the other hand, the rest (189 taxa) were assessed as a least concern, which did not qualify for threatened species categories. Korea Ministry of Environment published a revised version of 57 species list by re-classifying endangered species with idiosyncratic qualitative criteria for two levels (I and II) followed by status reviews in 2011. However, two thirds species proposed by Ministry of Environment do not qualify as threatened. The major difficulties found in applying IUCN Red List criteria at the global scale was a lack of knowledge on the status of species at broader geographic scales and the perceived difficulty the causes. The lack of consistency between two lists constrains the prioritization of species-based conservation work at the national level. Due to a lack of centralized monitoring data for most species, this status is largely qualitatively and so it carries a high level of uncertainty. This is reflected in the high number of species with an unknown population trend. The current list of endangered species of flora and fauna by the Ministry of Environment should be recognized as the national list (local and population extinction), which is different from the IUCN Red list due to the different geographical contexts. Also, it is necessary to improve the quality of evaluation and conservation management system rather than presenting massive number of endangered species list.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Environment and Ecology Conference
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• 2011.04a
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• pp.50-53
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• 2011