Subalpine South Korean temperate rainforests
Roe deer browsing of seedlings and saplings on Mt. Hallasan, Jeju island has significantly impacted regeneration of Korean firs in their natural habitat. Warming temperatures is also causing destruction of Korean firs on Mt. Jiri. The Korean fir is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. [1] [2]
"In Korea, villagers traditionally planted village groves (Maeul-soop) based on cultural guidelines, e.g., native beliefs, feng-shui, and Confucianism, when they founded a new community. Village groves were cooperatively owned, managed, and conserved by villagers and played an important role in a village’s social activities by serving as a meeting and resting place. However, their main purpose was to regulate water and wind for the villages." [3]
A popular ornamental plant. Korean fir essential oil has antimicrobial properties. [4] [5]
Sources
[1] Kim, E. S., Lee, J. W., Choi, I. J., Lim, W., Choi, J., Oh, C. H., ... & Kim, Y. S. (2017). Disturbance in seedling development of Korean fir (Abies koreana Wilson) tree species on higher altitude forests of Mt. Hallasan National Park, the central part of Jeju Island, Korea. Journal of Ecology and Environment, 41(1), 22.
[2] Sung Si-Yoon (2016). Korean pines are dying off on Jiri Mountain. Korea JoongAng Daily. http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=3023709
[3] Lee, E., and M. E. Krasny. 2015. The role of social learning for social-ecological systems in Korean village groves restoration. Ecology and Society 20(1): 42. http://dx.doi.org/10.5751/ES-07289-200142
[4] Lee, J. H., & Hong, S. K. (2009). Comparative analysis of chemical compositions and antimicrobial activities of essential oils from Abies holophylla and Abies koreana. Journal of microbiology and biotechnology, 19(4), 372-377.
[5] Woo, S. Y., Lim, J. H., & Lee, D. K. (2008). Effects of temperature on photosynthetic rates in Korean fir (Abies koreana) between healthy and dieback population. Journal of integrative plant biology, 50(2), 190-193.
