Ecological Characteristics of Evergreen Forest in Yesong-ri, Wando-gun (Natural Monument No. 40)

Abstract

Background and objective: Evergreen broad-leaved forests native to the islands of the southwest coast have been adapted to a range of climatic or geographical environmental factors. Although they are of high importance as cultural and ecological landscape resources, they have been damaged by tourism and climate change, and thus measures to protect and manage them are required. This study was conducted to suggest the characteristics of the vegetation structure and management plan of the evergreen forest in Yesong-ri, Natural Monument No. 40.Methods: Twenty-three quadrats were established in the vegetation communities where broad-leaved evergreens dominate or appear in the canopy, understory, and shrub layers, and the area where the vegetation was restored after the buildings was demolished. Based on survey data on the vegetation, the characteristics were identified after classifying the communities using TWINSPAN and DCA ordination techniques.Results: The plant communities were classified into a total of 5 dominant groups: <i>Castanopsis sieboldii-Camellia japonica, C. sieboldii, Celtis sinensis, Neolitsea sericea, Camellia japonica</i>, and <i>Machilus thunbergii-Quercus glauca</i>. The study site was a windbreak forest that has been protected and managed by the villagers for a long time. As time passes, broad-leaved evergreens including <i>N. sericea, Q. acuta</i>, and <i>C. sieboldii</i> have flowed into and spread to the surrounding area. It seems that a similar but unique ecosystem was formed. Looking into the relationship between environmental factors and vegetation distribution, it was analyzed that the slope, clay, and Na<sup>+</sup> had direct or indirect effects on the vegetation distribution.Conclusion: The width of the windbreak forest was narrow, and the continuity was interrupted by the indiscriminate activities of tourists, installation of facilities, expansion and construction of warehouses and commercial facilities, and the destruction of peripheral and understory vegetation was in progress. To maintain the integrity of the forest, it is necessary to purchase and demolish buildings and facilities belonging to the interior after establishing boundaries and spheres of influence, and to restore it to a good evergreen broad-leaved forest using a reference model for areas with damaged vegetation and manage it.