The flora of land plants (bryophytes and vascular plants) in Wangpicheon Ecosystem and Landscape Conservation Area (ELCA), Korea

Abstract

This study presents the flora of nonvascular plants (bryophytes) and vascular plants within the Wangpicheon Ecosystem and Landscape Conservation Area in Korea. The time of the survey was divided into four seasons. The fieldwork was conducted for a total of 18 days from November of 2016 to October of 2017. The land plants in the Wangpicheon conservation area were identified as 758 taxa with 164 families, 455 genera, 698 species, 10 subspecies, 47 varieties and 3 forms. Among them, bryophytes amounted to 122 taxa and vascular plants numbered 636 taxa. Native plant amounted to 693 taxa. In total, there are 113 floristic target species in Korea, including one level V taxon, in this case Swertia wilfordii; six level IV taxa; 31 level III taxa; 38 level II taxa; and 37 level I taxa. There are nine endemic plants, including Sillaphyton (=Peucedanum) podagraria, which is the endemic genus; two rare plants; fifteen northern plants; and one southern plant as target plants adaptable to climate change. Also, there are forty-six naturalized plants and five ecosystem-disturbance organisms. The results of this study suggest several species that should be preserved and can serve as basic information with which to establish conservation and management plans for the Wangpicheon conservation area.