Classification of Wetland in Korea

초록

A primary goal of wetland classification on a national scale is to impose boundaries on natural ecosystems for the purpose of inventory, evaluation, and management. We tried to define the different type of wetlands in Korea and to construct a hierarchical classification system based on hydrological condition, soil characteristics, and vegetation structure. At the broadest level Korean wetlands investigated at 145 sites were grouped into coastal wetlands and inland wetlands by salinity.The coastal wetlands were classified into salt marshes, lagoons, and estuarine wetland and the inland wetlands into riverine, lacustrine, and palustrine wetlands. Detrended canonical correspondence analysis by species and environmental factors showed spatially distinct pattern; wetland vegetation structure was significantly correlated with water content, organic matter, total nitrogen, eletric conductivity and cation exchange capacity.