Wildlife of South Korea

Flora

South Korea hosts 8,271 species of plants, consisting of 4,662 vascular species and 3,609 non-vascular species. Wild plants include species native to Korea such as Pentactina. Ecosystems are unstable because of land development. 67 km² of forest disappear each year, accounting for 0.1% of South Korean forests.

Distribution

Korea can be divided into three biozones by plant distribution: warm-temperate forest, temperate forest and subalpine forest. Evergreen broad-leaved trees grow in warm-temperate forests. Warm-temperate forests include the southern coastal region, Jeju Island and several islands of the southern sea which are below 35°N.

Warm-temperate forest

Species include Quercus myrsinaefolia, Quercus acuta, Quercus salicina, Daphniphyllum macropodum, Castanopsis cuspidata, Ligustrum foliosum nakai, Machilus thunbergii.

Ulleungdo: A sort of tree that reseeds with Mt. Seonginbong as a center at approximately 600 m altitude. Altitudes below 600 m have wild plants in the Southern province such as magnolia, Euonymus japonicus, Camellia japonica, Hedera rhombea, Ardisia japonica, Vitex rotundifolia and others. Above 600 m Fagus crenata and Sorbus commixta can be found.

Jejudo can be divided into coast and mountain. Coast vegetation consists of Sinomenium acutum, Machilus thunbergii, Daphniphyllum macropodum, Camellia japonica, Vitex rotundifolia, Centella asiatica. Reynoutria elliptica, Hydrangea serrata, Eleutherococcus senticosus, Aconitum napiforme, Schisandra repanda and others.

Temperate forest

Temperate forests dominate South Korea, occupying 85% of its territory, including land between the Korean Demilitarized Zone and the northern part of 35°N. Common species are Carpinus laxiflora, Carpinus tschonoskii and Quercus mongolica.

Subalpine forest

South Korea lowlands have no boreal forests. However subalpine coniferous forest is found in highland or mountainous districts. Part of Hallasan, part of Seoraksan, fir forest of Jirisan and Gotjawal Forest in Jeju Province are the subalpine forests. At 1200 m–1500 m altitude in Hallasan, a coniferous forest consists of pine, juniper, and a Korean fir. Fruticeta is formed in 1500 m–1700 m and the alpine zone spread out above 1850 m. South-facing slopes have more mild weather than north-facing slopes. Therefore, its height extends a little more on the south side.

Endangered plants

Endangered plants are divided into first and second grades. Species are selected by the Environment Minister after a consultation with the Minister of Central Administration.

First grade endangered wild plants species have populations significantly reduced by natural causes or artificial factors. First grade endangered wild plants include:

• Malus komarovii (이노리나무): This plant is also found in China. It reaches 5m in height. It grows deep in the mountain.
• Cypripedium japonicum ((광릉요강꽃(광릉복주머니란) 난초과)): It can found in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province.
• Aerides japonicum Reichb. fil (나도풍란 난초과): It can be found in Jeju Province or South Jeolla Province, Koreas' warmest region. It has an aerial root. The length of the leaves is 8 cm~15 .
• Euchresta japonica Hook. f. (만년콩 콩과): It grows in valleys in Jeju Province.
• Diapensia lapponica L. (암매(돌매화나무) 암매과): It is found in Mt. Hallasan in Jeju Province.
• Cymbidium lancifolium (죽백란 난초과): It can be found in Mt. Hallasan in Jeju Province.
• Neofinetia falcata (풍란 난초과): It is found in the southern island and Japan.
• Cymbidium kanran (한란 난초과): It grows in the southern Jeju Province.

Second grade endangered wild plants are also significantly reduced by natural causes or artificial factors. These plants may become extinct in the foreseeable future.

• Euryale ferox (가시연꽃 수련과): It can be found in Gyeonggi Province and Gangwon Province, but water pollution has caused a crisis of extinction. It grows in ponds or swamps.
• Siberian ginseng (가시오갈피나무 두릅나무과): It is found in Gyeonggi, Gangwon, and North Gyeongsang Province. It grows in high mountain forests.
• Plagiorhegma dubium (Jeffersonia dubia) (깽깽이풀 매자나무과): It is an ornamental plant whose root is used in herbal medicine.
• Sundew (끈끈이귀개): It grows on beaches in the South Jeolla Province.
• Rhododendron aureum (노랑만병초): It grows in alpine region.
• Iris odaesanensis Y. N. Lee (노랑무늬붓꽃): An endemic species, it grows in the South Gyeongsang Province mountains such as Odaesan and Taebaeksan.
• Aster altaicus var. uchiyamae (단양쑥부쟁이): It can be found in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, and Danyang County, North Chungcheong Province.
• Ranunculus kazusensis (매화마름): It lives in the southern province and west coast.
• Isoetes (물부추): It grows in shallow water. It was found in Pyeongtaek in 1942; it went extinct in Korea but grows in Japan.
• Vexillabium yakushimense (Yamamoto) F. Maekawa (백운란): It grows in mountains and forests in South Jeolla Province and North Jeolla Province.
• Saururus chinensis (삼백초): It grows in well ventilated valleys, in Jeju Province and Mt.Jirisan.
• Viola raddeana Regel (선제비꽃): It grows in a brook in South Gyeongsang Province and Gyeonggi Province.
• Lilium cernuum Kom (솔나리): It grows in mountainous regions.
• Psilotum nudum (솔잎란): It grows on the coast in the southern part of Jeju Province.
• Wisteriopsis japonica (Sieb. et Zucc.) A. Gray (syn. Millettia japonica) (애기등): It grows in South Jeolla Province and South Gyeongsang Province.
• Viola websteri Hemsl. (왕제비꽃): It grows in areas that have a lot of moisture. It flowers white in April or May. It grows to 40 ~ 90 cm. It is found in Gapyeong County in Gyeonggi, Sambang County in South Hamgyong Province (North Korea), and Paektu Mountain (North Korea). It is endemic.
• Cyrtosia septentrionalis (으름난초): Called 'Gaecheon-ma', it grows in forests in Jeju Province.
• Polygonatum stenophyllum Maxim (층층둥굴레): It grows in mountains and pastures.
• Mankyua chejuense (제주고사리삼): Endemic to Jeju Province.
• Leontice microrhyncha S. Moore (한계령풀): It grows to 30 ~ 40 cm. It is found in penumbra or fertile region in high mountain. It has three leaves. It flowers in July and August. It is used as an ornamental plant.

Demilitarized Zone

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is the unmanned strip of land that separates North and South Korea. Since the Armistice that ended combat in 1953, its ecosystem has reverted to its natural state due to the absence of human activity. The DMZ and Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) (a buffer to the DMZ) support many rivers and abundant diverse ecosystems hosting plant, mammal, fish and bird species, many of which are globally endangered.

Over 5,000 species of plants and animals have been identified as living in the DMZ, including many on the endangered species list. These include: Siberian musk deer, white-naped crane, red-crowned crane, Asiatic black bear, cinereous vulture and the long-tailed goral.

Preserving biodiversity

DMZ and the CCZ are bordered by land mines that prevent human activities. It is part of the East Asia flyway system of birds migrating from Russia to Australia. The white-naped crane and red-crowned crane populations are most affected.

This area is home to many other endangered animal species, including the Asian black bear, which is rated threatened on the endangered species list due to people harvesting their stomach bile and using it for Chinese herbology.

The South Korean Ministry of Environment works to keep the DMZ untouched by people to safeguard biodiversity.

Controversies

The Han River ecosystem is endangered because the water flow changed due to water blocking construction at Ilsan Bridge. Deposition of materials in the river caused environmental damage. The Korean Association for the Protection of Wild Birds pushed to remove the structure, which possibly destroyed the natural ecology and caused the bank to overflow.

Media

The Nakdong River Basin Environmental Office set up an unmanned camera and successfully captured images of wildlife. Wild animals are shown moving around the alpine wetlands and displayed actions such as hunting and territory marking. Martens were rated endangered as apex predators. This footage is the first to document local wildlife in real time. In addition, it offers scientists and government officials the opportunity to address preservation of the alpine climate.