협소분포 고산식물 암매와 한라솜다리의 보전 현황 진단 = Assessment of the conservation status of narrowly distributed alpine plants, Diapensia lapponica var. obovata and Leontopodium coreanum var. hallaisanense

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Climate change threatens the survival of alpine plants that have adapted to extreme environmental conditions such as low temperature, strong winds, and high ultraviolet radiation. This study was conducted to assess the conservation status and provide implications for management by investigating 1) population distribution and habitat conditions, 2) the relationship between the cover area of Diapensia lapponica var. obovata and the number of co-occurring species, 3) geomorphic changes in the habitat of Leontopodium coreanum var. hallaisanense, and 4) floral biology of both species over a three-year period on the summit area of Hallasan Mountain, South Korea. Field surveys and small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) mapping revealed that D. lapponica var. obovata was concentrated on the northern and northwesten slopes at altitudes of 1,778-1,927 m, with a total of 504 recorded locations, while L. coreanum var. hallaisanense was observed with seven individuals at four sites along the southern cliff at an elevation of 1,903 m. The negative binomial generalized linear model revealed a significant positive relationship between the cover area of D. lapponica var. obovata and the number of co-occurring species within quadrats (p < 0.001). Comparision of digital elevation models (DEM) obtained from airborne laser scanning (ALS) between 2017 and 2022 revealed elevation changes of more than 1.5 m across approximately 100㎡ around the habitat of L. coreanum var. hallaisanense, and field observations confirmed the loss of rocks, soil and vegetation. The flowers of D. lapponica var. obovata were protogynous, and four potential pollinator taxa – beetles, bees, and flies – were identified. In L. coreanum var. hallaisanense, female florets on the periphery of the capitula bloomed first, followed by hermaphroditic florets exhibiting second pollen presentation in the center. Despite the extremely small population, five insect taxa (bees, butterflies, and flies) made 20 visits during a 1-hour observation. This findings suggest that D. lapponica var. obovata may function as a potential ecological facilitator that enhances species richness of surrounding plants, whereas L. coreanum var. hallaisanense requires urgent conservation measures due to its minute population size, competition from surrounding vegetation, and rapid geomorphic changes. This study highlights the importance of baseline assessments and information gathering for alpine plants with extremely narrow distributions vulnerable to climate change.