Abstract
BackgroundTo investigate the trends of succession occurring at the Pinus thunbergii forests on the lowlands of Jeju Island, we quantified the species compositions and the importance values by vegetation layers of Braun-Blanquet method on the Pinus thunbergii forests. We used multivariate analysis technique to know the correlations between the vegetation group types and the location environmental factors; we used the location environment factors such as altitudes above sea level, tidal winds (distance from the coast), annual average temperatures, and forest gaps to know the vegetation distribution patterns.ResultsAccording to the results on the lowland of Jeju Island, the understory vegetation of the lowland Pinus thunbergii forests was dominated by tall evergreen broad-leaved trees such as Machilus thunbergii, Neolitsea sericea, and Cinnamomum japonicum showing a vegetation group structure of the mid-succession, and the distribution patterns of vegetation were determined by the altitudes above sea level, the tidal winds on the distance from the coast, the annual average temperatures, and the forest gaps. We could discriminate the secondary succession characteristics of the Pinus thunbergii forests on the lowland and highland of Jeju Island of South Korea.ConclusionsIn the lowland of Jeju Island, the secondary succession will progress to the form of Pinus thunbergii (early successional species)→Machilus thunbergii, Litsea japonica (mid-successional species)→Machilus thunbergii (late-successional species) sequence in the temperate areas with strong tidal winds. In the highland of Jeju Island, the succession will progress to the form of Pinus thunbergii (early successional species)→Neolitsea sericea, Eurya japonica (mid-successional species)→Castanopsis sieboldii (late-successional species) sequence in the areas where tidal winds are weak and temperatures are relatively low. However, local differences between lowland and highland of Jeju Island will be caused by the micro-environmental factors resulting from the topographic differences and the supply of tree seeds. From the characteristics of succession study, we could properly predict and manage the Pinus thunbergii forest ecosystem on lowland and highland of Jeju Island.
Highlights
To investigate the trends of succession occurring at the Pinus thunbergii forests on the lowlands of Jeju Island, we quantified the species compositions and the importance values by vegetation layers of BraunBlanquet method on the Pinus thunbergii forests
The main distribution areas of warm temperate evergreen broad-leaved forests in South Korea are centered on the south coast and island areas and reach Chun Island in Ulsan, Gyeongsangnamdo, and Ulleung Island in Gyeongsangbukdo in the east coast and Baengnyeong Island, Daecheong Island, and Socheong Island in the west coast (Kim and Oh 1996)
Jeju Island is a representative island located in the southernmost of South Korea and is a warm temperate evergreen broadleaved forest area when seen in terms of vegetation belts (Cha 1969)
Summary
To investigate the trends of succession occurring at the Pinus thunbergii forests on the lowlands of Jeju Island, we quantified the species compositions and the importance values by vegetation layers of BraunBlanquet method on the Pinus thunbergii forests. The main distribution areas of warm temperate evergreen broad-leaved forests in South Korea are centered on the south coast and island areas and reach Chun Island in Ulsan, Gyeongsangnamdo, and Ulleung Island in Gyeongsangbukdo in the east coast and Baengnyeong Island, Daecheong Island, and Socheong Island in the west coast (Kim and Oh 1996). Jeju Island is a representative island located in the southernmost of South Korea and is a warm temperate evergreen broadleaved forest area when seen in terms of vegetation belts (Cha 1969). Since the low temperatures in winter due to the effects of the oceanic climate limit the distribution of Pinus thunbergii, lowlands at levels below the altitude above sea level of 500 m can be seen as the main distribution areas of Pinus thunbergii.
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