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Rocky vegetation in South Korea and their relation to the whole Korean Peninsula

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Abstract

In 2006 and 2007, the mountain rock vegetation of the central and southern part of the Korean Peninsula (Republic of Korea) was studied using the traditional Zürich-Montpelliér school approach. Based on the classification of 223 phytocoenological relevés, twelve associations and three communities were identified in the study area. Within the Selaginello tamariscini-Potentilletea dickinsii class, the Selaginello stauntonianae-Buxetalia koreanae order, with an alliance of the same name was newly described for limestone rock plant communities. Five new associations have recently been described for the whole Korean Peninsula and simultaneously for the territory of South Korea: Pyrrosietum linearifolio-petiolosae, Astilbo chinensis-Chrysosplenietum flagelliferi, Meehanio urticifoliae-Selaginelletum stauntonianae, Junipero rigidae-Buxetum koreanae, and Patrinio rupestris-Mukdenietum rossii. A total of seventeen associations, nine subassociations and six communities included in four alliances and three orders were recently found on the territory of the Korean Peninsula. All units were documented by phytocoenological tables, descriptions of the floristic composition and structure, their habitat, the synecological characteristics and the yet known distribution.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported partly by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Grant (F01-2009-000-10022-0). The authors thank † Prof. Jiří Váňa (Prague) for determination of bryophytes and † Dr. Ivan Pišút (Bratislava) for lichens. Special thanks go also to Dr. Mária Šibíková (Bratislava) for maps processing. The language was officialy corrected by American Journal Experts (https://www.aje.com/en).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pod Stadiony 2719/19, 150 00, Prague 5, Czech Republic

    Jiří Kolbek

  2. Institute of Botany, CBRB SAV, Dúbravská 9, 845 23, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Ivan Jarolímek & Milan Valachovič

  3. 201-1102, 227, Gwangmyeong-ro, Andong-si, Gyeongbuk, 36657, South Korea

    Jong-Suk Song

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  1. Jiří Kolbek
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  2. Ivan Jarolímek
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  3. Jong-Suk Song
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  4. Milan Valachovič
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Correspondence to Milan Valachovič.

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Appendix

Appendix

Full names of the infra-specific taxa given in the nomenclatural sources:

Agropyron tsukushiense var. transiens

Gollania neckerella var. coreensis

Hydrangea serrata var. acuminata

Marsupella emarginata ssp. tubulosa

Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum

Prunus serrulata var. spontanea

Rhizomnium punctatum var. elatum

Sasamorpha purpurascens var. borealis

Solidago virgaurea var. asiatica

Aggregate species (agg.) and their content:

Astilbe chinensis agg. – rare includes also A. chinensis (Maxim.) Franchet & Savatier var. chinensis and mostly A. chinensis Maxim ex Franch. & Sav. var. davidii Franch. (Anonymous 1972–1976, Lee T. B. 1999, Lee Y. N. 1999, 2006).

Carex lanceolata agg. – includes C. lanceolata Bott ex A. Grey and Carex humilis Leyss. var. nana (H. Lév & Vaniot) Ohwi. The last species is known also as C. lanceolata var. nana Lév & Van., C. nanella Ohwi, C. lanceolata Franch, and C. humilis ssp. lanceolata (Anonymous 1972–1976, Lee Y. N. 2006, Oh 2006).

Chrysanthemum zawadskii agg. – includes difficult to distinguish varieties of the species Chrysanthemum zawadskii Herbich as Ch. zawadskii var. alpinum (Nakai) Kitamura, Ch. zawadskii var. latilobum (Maxim.) Kitamura and Ch. zawadskii var. lucidum (Nakai) T. Lee.

Rubia cordifolia agg. – includes mostly R. cordifolia var. pratensis Maxim.

Appendix 1
figure 4figure 4figure 4figure 4

Distribution of rock vegetation relevés in Korea. a Localities North Korea (1 – 5): 1 – Myohyang-san; 2 – Lyongak-san; 3 – Kumgang-san; 4 – Suyang-san; 5 – Chonma-san; Localities South Korea (6 – 20): 6 – Seorak-san; 7 – Odae-san; 8 – Gangneung; 9 – Duta-san + Donghae, Mureung Valley + Samcheok, Singi-myeon; 10 – Jeongseon; 11 – Yeongwol; 12 – Taebaek-san; 13 – Sobaek-san + Bonghwa, Baekcheon Valley; 14 – Worak-san; 15 – Mungyeong; 16 – Andong + Uiseong, Gounsa Temple; 17 – Juwang-san; 18 – Deogyu-san; 19 – Gaya-san; 20 – Jirisan. Explanations: Small dot = 1 relevé, medium dot = 2 – 5 relevés, big dot = ≥ 6 relevés. Plant communities: b Davallietum mariesii (localities 4, 5, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20). c Amitostigmato gracilis-Sedetum polytrichoidis (3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 17, 20). d Sedetum sarmentoso-middendorfiani (1, 3, 13, 16, 19). e Pyrrosietum linearifolio-petiolosae (11, 13). f Lepisoro ussuriensis-Selaginelletum tamariscinae (1, 2, 3, 9, 16, 17). g Woodsia manchuriensis community (9, 12, 13, 16, 19). h Dennstaedtia hirsuta community (14, 16, 19, 20). i Astilbo chinensis-Chrysosplenietum flagelliferi (7, 13, 17, 20). j Dryopterido saxifragae-Saxifragetum fortunaei (1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 13, 18, 19, 20). k Mukdenio rossii-Selaginelletum rossii (1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 17, 19). l Patrinio saniculaefoliae-Mukdenietum rossii (3, 6, 19). m Patrinio rupestris-Mukdenietum rossii (10, 11). n Junipero rigidae-Buxetum koreanae (8, 10, 11, 12). o Meehanio urticifoliae-Selaginelletum stauntonianae (2, 11). p Parthenocissus tricuspidata community (6, 10, 11, 13, 16)

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Kolbek, J., Jarolímek, I., Song, JS. et al. Rocky vegetation in South Korea and their relation to the whole Korean Peninsula. Biologia 75, 2103–2146 (2020). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-020-00509-8

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