Daegwallyeong is a mountain pass at an altitude of 832 m, which has been designated a conservation area because of its essential role in Korea’s forest ecosystem. Simultaneously, this area is considered a suitable place for forest grazing due to the cool temperature during the summer. Some areas have been converted to grassland for livestock feeding, and the scale has continued increasing. Although livestock in a forest area is more ecofriendly than industrialized facilities, it could impact the native ecosystem, especially in terms of the flora and vegetation. We investigated the changes in flora and vegetation of Daegwallyeong before and after the grassland formation. The total number of vascular plant species changed throughout the survey period. It was decreased by thinning and forest floor removal in 2015. However, it bounced back to the original number in 2016, even after grazing. However, there was a dramatic decrease after the second forest floor removal and 3 months of grazing in 2017. The number of flora slightly increased after the fallow of grazing in 2019, but it did not fully recover. Although the number of flora seemed back to normal, the composition of the flora in 2019 was significantly changed from the forest without disturbance in 2014. First, there was the invasion of naturalized plants such as Taraxacum officinale and Barbarea vularis, as well as ecosystem-disturbing flora such as Carex callitrichos var. nana and Rumex acetosa. Second, the coverage of those species expanded after thinning and grazing. Most importantly, we lost five valuable rare species, Anemone koraiensis, Viola diamantiaca, Chionanthus retusus, Scopolia japonica, and Streptopus ovalis, from the area. Additionally, the ground condition of the area was severely damaged, and plants no longer grow in some areas. The survey and analysis of plants in this study showed the adverse effects of forest grazing practices on rare plants in Daegwallyeong. Forest grazing practices should be carefully conducted to preserve vulnerable plant species and a healthy ecosystem.

This study was conducted to classify the types of degraded land in the Taebaeksan region within the Baekdudaegan mountain range in Korea using image analysis and to assess the degree of degradation through a detailed survey of each type. Based on the findings, candidate tree species for restoration and strategies for land rehabilitation were proposed. The analysis identified 1589 degraded sites, classified into nine types of degradation. Using the Self-Organizing Map (SOM) method, these sites were further categorized into six environmental types. A survey was conducted on 25 degraded sites (encompassing 73 specific locations) in the Taebaeksan region, revealing that the sites fell into seven out of nine degradation categories: grassland, agricultural land, forest roads, ranches, cemeteries, logging sites, and abandoned quarries. The excluded categories were buildings and military facilities. A more focused survey was conducted on the 73 largest sites across the degradation types, with a reference ecosystem selected based on topographic analysis and succession processes. Diagnostic evaluations identified logging sites and severely degraded areas as the most urgent priorities for rehabilitation. Candidate tree species for restoration were proposed for each degradation type and environmental condition, based on ecological importance and reference ecosystem characteristics. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of degradation types following ecological restoration procedures and offers valuable baseline data for selecting restoration species and designing restoration strategies in conjunction with reference ecosystem studies.

Sophora koreensis Nakai, listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List, is a species native to Korea, specifically found in parts of Gangwon-do. Recent research highlights its potential in hangover relief and as an antioxidant source, sparking interest in enhancing its components through mutation for commercial purposes. Given its limited distribution, micropropagation of S. koreensis is essential for its economic exploitation. This study focuses on in vitro culture to develop an elongation system for micropropagation. The hormonal combination of 6-benzylaminopurine (2 μM), thidiazuron (2 μM), and indole-3-butyric acid (0.5 μM) produced the highest number of shoots (14) with an average length of 0.7 cm compared to the control. Additionally, adjusting photoperiod conditions under specific culture media further increased shoot length to 0.6 cm, which was also higher than that of the corresponding control group under standard light conditions. However, survival rates were generally low across all treatments during subculture. Isolating and individually culturing induced explants resulted in shorter shoots and lower survival rates. Improvements were noted when explants with 10 shoots were subcultured, achieving an 83% survival rate, with an average of 4.93 shoots at 0.95 cm in length. Rooting was most successful with 10 μM IBA, also showing the highest root number, indicating a potential pathway for enhancing micropropagation efficiency.

This study evaluated the floristic characteristics and ecological conditions of disturbed sites within the Baekdudaegan Protected Area by analyzing species occurrence and ecological indices according to the region and disturbance type. A total of 515 vascular plant species were recorded, including rare species, alien species, and Korean endemic plants. To assess ecological patterns, the Naturalization Index (NI), Urbanization Index (UI), and Sørensen similarity index were applied. The results showed that Mt. Seoraksan, Mt. Deogyusan, and Mt. Taebaeksan had relatively high NI and UI values, while Mt. Jirisan showed a comparatively low UI value. Among disturbance types, the hiking trail (HT) type, located in a high-altitude area with limited accessibility, also recorded lower values. Floristic similarity with reference ecosystems was higher in Mt. Jirisan, Mt. Deogyusan, and Mt. Taebaeksan, whereas Mt. Seoraksan exhibited the lowest similarity. The overall similarity between disturbance types was low, and the composition of plant species varied across disturbance types. These results suggest that differences in disturbance intensity, driven by the disturbance type and topographic conditions, influences the floristic composition. The findings of this study can serve as baseline data for developing site-specific restoration strategies for disturbed sites in the future.

This study examined short-term vegetation responses across operational restoration-intensity levels in areas affected by the 2022 Uljin wildfire, Korea. Using 104 vegetation relevés from 52 fixed plots surveyed in 2024 and 2025, we analyzed species- and community-level vegetation patterns based on phytosociological data. Species-level attributes were assessed using species richness, diversity, evenness, importance values, life-form composition, habitat-affinity composition, and alien plant occurrence, while community-level patterns were evaluated using Bray–Curtis-based multivariate analyses, SIMPER, and indicator species analysis. A total of 159 vascular plant species was recorded across the two survey years. Species richness generally increased or was maintained, whereas diversity, evenness, and dominance patterns varied among operational restoration-intensity levels. Annual and alien plant occurrence generally decreased, while perennial and some forest-associated species increased. Community composition differed among operational restoration-intensity levels, with species compositional and dominance changes tending to be more pronounced in levels involving greater restoration intervention. These findings indicate that short-term vegetation patterns differed among operational restoration-intensity levels, while temporal effects between the two survey years were comparatively limited.