Ecological Characteristics and Changes to the Forest in the Rear Garden at Changdeokgung, a World Cultural Heritage Site

Seok-Cheol Park,Jeong-In Kwak,Bong-Ho Han,Jong-Yup Kim

doi:10.3390/f12060774

Abstract

The forest at the Changdeokgung Rear Garden is under ecological threat from factors such as soil acidification due to the growing influence of nearby metropolitan Seoul. It is difficult to maintain biodiversity in forests without first setting a clear direction for ecosystem management. Conservation and management should be based on the history and natural ecological succession of the Rear Garden forest. This study classified the ecology of the Rear Garden at Changdeokgung, a world cultural heritage site, based on soil characteristics, actual vegetation, and plant community structure and identified ecological changes over time (1986–2018) through the analysis of past survey data. The soil pH in the forest of the Changdeokgung’s Rear Garden has decreased over time, and the organic matter content has also decreased. Changdeokgung’s Rear Garden was first created and managed as a Pinus densiflora forest, and subsequently as a Quercus aliena forest. It includes a series of Quercus spp., predominantly Q. serrate. The plant community in the forest is unstable due to the absence of deciduous broad-leaved trees in the understory layer in most of the regions of the garden. Therefore, vegetation management is required in areas with high densities of Acer pseudosieboldianum, Acer palmatum, and Sorbus alnifolia to ensure stability of the ecosystem.

Highlights

IntroductionThe forest in the Rear Garden at Changdeokgung dates back to the construction of Changdeokgung Palace in 1405 (the 5th year of King Taejong’s reign)
Accepted: 7 June 2021The forest in the Rear Garden at Changdeokgung dates back to the construction of Changdeokgung Palace in 1405
The Rear Garden at Changdeokgung is an area with high conservation value as it has a large number of old trees, including the natural monuments Juniperus chinensis, Sophora japonica, Actinidia arguta, and Morus alba, and a wide range of good Quercus aliena and Quercus serrata colonies

Summary

Introduction

The forest in the Rear Garden at Changdeokgung dates back to the construction of Changdeokgung Palace in 1405 (the 5th year of King Taejong’s reign). The forest was left unattended for 20 years after the Japanese invasion of Korea but was restored during the reign of the Gwanghaegun of Joseon. Because the Changdeokgung served as the royal palace during the Joseon dynasty, public access to the Rear Garden was prohibited for many years, but the garden was opened to the public by the Japanese colonial government in 1912. The Rear Garden at Changdeokgung is an area with high conservation value as it has a large number of old trees, including the natural monuments Juniperus chinensis, Sophora japonica, Actinidia arguta, and Morus alba, and a wide range of good Quercus aliena and Quercus serrata colonies. A 2001 Seoul investigation on superb biotope areas noted that the forest had trees that were large in diameter, old in age and of high conservation value

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