Southern Korea evergreen forests
Encyclopedia
The Southern Korea evergreen forests ecoregion
, within the Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
Biome
, is at the southern end of the Korean Peninsula
.
, at the southern margin of the Korean Peninsula, as well as the Gotjawal Forest
on Jeju Island in the East China Sea
, 60 km from the Korean coast.
The climate is humid and temperate. Rainfall averages 1000 mm per year, with two-thirds falling between June and September. Winters are drier and mild, with a mean January temperate of 2 ºC. There are occasional winter snowfalls, but snow rarely accumulates.
, with members of the oak family (Castanopsis cuspidata
, Quercus acuta
, and Quercus myrsinifolia
) and laurel family (Persea thunbergii, Cinnamomum camphora, and others) prominent. Other trees and shrubs include Carpinus laxiflora, Elaeocarpus
, Neolitsea
, Daphniphyllum macropodum, Ilex integra
, Hedera, Eurya japonica
, Pittosporum tobira
, and Viburnum awabuki.
The Bijarim forest on Jeju is home to dense groves of Bija (Nutmeg or Nutmeg yew, Torreya nucifera
)".
The ecoregion is home to four national parks, Dadohaehaesang
, Hallyeohaesang
, and Wolchulsan
on the mainland, and Hallasan
on Jeju.
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
, within the Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
Mixed forests are a temperate and humid biome. The typical structure of these forests includes four layers. The uppermost layer is the canopy composed of tall mature trees ranging from 33 to 66 m high. Below the canopy is the three-layered, shade-tolerant understory that is roughly 9 to...
Biome
Biome
Biomes are climatically and geographically defined as similar climatic conditions on the Earth, such as communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, and are often referred to as ecosystems. Some parts of the earth have more or less the same kind of abiotic and biotic factors spread over a...
, is at the southern end of the Korean Peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
.
Setting
The Southern Korea evergreen forests occupy an area of 14700 square kilometres (5,675.7 sq mi) in South KoreaSouth Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, at the southern margin of the Korean Peninsula, as well as the Gotjawal Forest
Gotjawal Forest
Gotjawal Forest is a naturally formed forest located on the middle slopes of Halla Mountain, Jeju Island in South Korea. It covers the rocky area of ʻaʻā on Jeju Island off the southwestern coast of South Korea. Due to the geographical feature, the region remains largely undisturbed by people...
on Jeju Island in the East China Sea
East China Sea
The East China Sea is a marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1,249,000 km² or 750,000 square miles.-Geography:...
, 60 km from the Korean coast.
The climate is humid and temperate. Rainfall averages 1000 mm per year, with two-thirds falling between June and September. Winters are drier and mild, with a mean January temperate of 2 ºC. There are occasional winter snowfalls, but snow rarely accumulates.
Flora
The natural vegetation is evergreen broadleaf laurel forestLaurel forest
Laurel forest is a subtropical or mild temperate forest, found in areas with high humidity and relatively stable and mild temperatures. They are characterized by tree species with evergreen, glossy, enlongated leaves, known as laurophyll or lauroide...
, with members of the oak family (Castanopsis cuspidata
Castanopsis cuspidata
Castanopsis cuspidata is a species of Castanopsis native to southern Japan and southern Korea....
, Quercus acuta
Quercus acuta
Quercus acuta, the Japanese Evergreen Oak, is an oak native to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and China's Guizhou Province. Due to its foliage and habitat, it looks very unlike an oak....
, and Quercus myrsinifolia
Quercus myrsinifolia
Quercus myrsinifolia is an evergreen Oak tree in the ring-cupped oaks subgenus. It has several common names, including Bamboo-leaf Oak, Chinese Evergreen Oak, and Chinese Ring-cupped Oak. Its Chinese name is 小叶青冈; pinyin:xiǎo yè qīng gāng, which means little leaf ring-cupped Oak...
) and laurel family (Persea thunbergii, Cinnamomum camphora, and others) prominent. Other trees and shrubs include Carpinus laxiflora, Elaeocarpus
Elaeocarpus
Elaeocarpus is a genus of tropical and subtropical evergreen trees and shrubs. The approximately 350 species are distributed from Madagascar in the west through India, Southeast Asia, Malaysia, southern China, and Japan, through Australia to New Zealand, Fiji, and Hawaii in the east. The islands of...
, Neolitsea
Neolitsea
Neolitsea is a genus of 80 species of evergreen shrub and small tree in the laurel family Lauraceae. They range from tropical Asia, Malesia to Australia...
, Daphniphyllum macropodum, Ilex integra
Ilex integra
The Ilex integra or mochi tree is an ornamental tree of the holly genus, which is native to parts of Asia, including Korea; Taiwan; the mid-southern regions of China; and Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu in Japan. Its flower is light yellow...
, Hedera, Eurya japonica
Eurya japonica
Eurya japonica is an ornamental plant in the Theaceae family.-External links:* * :Flavon's Wild herb and Alpine plants...
, Pittosporum tobira
Pittosporum tobira
Pittosporum tobira is a species of flowering plant in the Pittosporum family known by several common names, including Japanese Pittosporum,Japanese mock-orange and Japanese cheesewood. It is native to Japan but it is used throughout the world as an ornamental plant in landscaping and as cut foliage...
, and Viburnum awabuki.
The Bijarim forest on Jeju is home to dense groves of Bija (Nutmeg or Nutmeg yew, Torreya nucifera
Torreya nucifera
Torreya nucifera is a slow-growing, coniferous tree native to southern Japan and to South Korea's Jeju Island. It is also called ' or Japanese nutmeg-yew.-Description:It grows to 15-25 m tall with a trunk up to 1.5 m diameter...
)".
Conservation
The forests are mostly gone, replaced by intensive agriculture. Enclaves exist in the Ulsan, Hampyeong, and Naejang-san national monuments, and on Jeju.The ecoregion is home to four national parks, Dadohaehaesang
Dadohaehaesang National Park
Dadohaehaesang National Park was designated in 1981 as the largest national park in South Korea. The total area is with being marine area and being land area. Main attractions of Dadohaehaesang National Park are Hongdo , Heuksando and Baekdo...
, Hallyeohaesang
Hallyeohaesang National Park
Hallyeo Haesang National Park in South Korea was designated as national park in 1968 in accordance with Natural Park Act. Hallyeohaesang National Park is composed of 6 districts, which are Sangju•Geumsan district, Namhaedaegyo district, Sacheon district, Tongyeong, Hansan district, Geoje,...
, and Wolchulsan
Wolchulsan National Park
Wolchulsan National Park lies in Jeollanam-do province, South Korea. Designated as a national park in 1988, Wolchulsan National Park is South Korea's smallest at only ....
on the mainland, and Hallasan
Hallasan National Park
Hallasan National Park is located in the province of Jeju-do, South Korea. It was designated as the 9th national park in 1970. It features the highest mountain in South Korea, the shield volcano Hallasan on Jeju Island. It was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2002, and a World Heritage...
on Jeju.