A Phytosociological Study of the Forest Communities on Mt. Kwanak, Seoul

관악산의 산림군락에 관한 식물사회학적 연구

As part of the study of the structure and the successional trends of our temperate forests, a quantitative survey was made of the relatively well conserved forest stands on Mt. Kwanak, Seoul. Three community types were observed; the Pinus densiflora-Quercus mongolica community, the Pinus densiflora community, and the Quercus mongolica community. Evidence suggests that the dominance of Pinus densiflora and quercus mongolica will continue in the Pinus densiflora-Quercus mongolica community, however, in the Pinus densiflora community the dominant species, Pinus densiflora, is now being replaced by Quercus mongolica. The trend toward an increased in Acer pseudo-sieboldianum var. koreanum, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, Carpinus cordita, and Acer mono is observed in the Quercus mongolica community. An analysis of the overall composition of the forest reveals that the upper story is mostly occupied by Quercus mongolica and Pinus densiflora, the shrub layer by Rhododendron schlippenbachii and Lespedeza maximowiczii, and the herb layer by Spodiopogon cotulifer and Artemisia keiskeana. Quercus mongolica may cover most part of the forest, gradually excluding Pinus densiflora. Acer pseudo-sieboldianum var. koreanum, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, Carpinus coradata, and Acer mono are increasing in importance with the potentiality of developing into major canopy components. With the diversification of the physical habitat Cephalotaxus koreana and Magnolia sieboldii, the species which had almost completely been eliminated form the forest through the severe interferences, have reappeared.