Recent Vegetation History and Environmental Changes in Wangdeungjae Moor of Mt. Jiri

Abstract

To reveal vegetation history and environmental changes in Mt. Jiri, sediment cores were collected from Wangdeungjae moor of Mt. Jiri. Overall dry matter accumulation rates and sedimentation rates by <TEX>$^{14}C-dating$</TEX> were 0.027 <TEX>$kg{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}yr^{-1}$</TEX> and 0.184 mm/yr since 1250 (<TEX>$760{\pm}40$</TEX> yrs BP, 14 cm in depth). There are three pollen zones; the first zone is below 14 cm depth where Quercus dominated, the second zone is from 14 cm to 6 cm depth where Gramineae increased and Quercus and Salix dominated and the third zone is from 6 cm depth to the top where Pinus and Quercus dominated. Total pollen concentration gradually increased from bottom to the top of sediment core, which implies wet, anaerobic and cool condition during covered period by the core. Calcium and magnesium contents had increased since 14 cm depth, with peaks at 13 and 20 cm depths. This indicates that groundwater had recently become relatively more important than surface water as water source of Wangdeungjae moor Exotic plant or Chenopodiacea pollen was less than 1%. There was little variation in total N and P contents along the length of the core. These results support that Wangdeungjae moor has been little affected by anthropogenic activities. Also, nutrients and heavy metal contents indicate the baseline condition of Wangdeungjae moor.