• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.115-133
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• 2011

Yamada's mountain ordering is to be said as an upward system, because the area and volume of the mountains become the larger as more than two lower order mountains constitute the higher order mountain. However, his mountain ordering shows some limitations to totally understand the mountain systems and to systematically manage the various kinds of mountainous informations. Because the independent third, fourth and so on, as well as the second lower order mountains are included in the higher order mountain. In order to solve the problem above, the downward system is suggested as the alternative of his upward system. The downward system means that the higher order mountain is classified into the second lower order mountains, and the second lower order mountain is classified into the third lower order mountains and finally the 2nd order mountain classified into the 1st order mountains. The method to classify a certain mountain systematically into all mountainous elements and the new nomenclature to be used for the classified elements are developed, using the downward system above. And the structure of database could be also suggested for the integrated and systematic management of mountain informations.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.1-13
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• 2010

The technique of mountain ordering developed by Yamada(1999) has been tested to two small islands (Namhaedo: 301km², Geojedo: 378km²). The results and experiences above were extended and applied to the whole area of the southern part of Korean Peninsula. Three areas such as Seorak-Taebaek Mountains, Jiri-Deogyu Mountains, and Youngnam Alps are identified as the highest, 5th order mountains. 10 areas are classified as the 4th order and 87 areas as the 3rd order. It is suggested that the 5th order mountains are related to the axis of uplift and the 4th and 3rd order mountains have the same direction (NE-SW) as that of the secondary mountain systems in the Korean Peninsula. The logarithmic values of number, area, and relative altitude of the ordered mountains have the linear relationship with the order, as the laws of stream order. The several mountains which are not included in the existing mountain systems could be identified among the ordered mountains, and those mountains could be used as the basis to understand the geological structure of the Korean Peninsula. Most of the National Parks and the Provincial Parks are distributed on the 3rd, 4th, 5th order mountains. It is especially confirmed that the Songnisan National Park take a role to link the Seorak-Taebaek Mountains and Jiri-Deogyu Mountains as a important ecological axis. Therefore, it would be validated that the technique of mountain ordering has the practical values as well as the geomorphological significances.