Growing environment characteristics and vegetation structure of Vaccinium Oldhamii Miq. native habitats in Korea

AbstractIn the present study was surveyed the flora, vegetation structure, growing environment, and soil characteristics in the wild habitats of Vaccinium oldhamii and offered basic information for habitat conservation and restoration.Most of the wild habitats of V. oldhamii were located at altitudes between 5 and 1095 m with inclinations of 2–33°, Dense populations were found around the climbing routes of the north-facing mountain slopes and dry rocky areas along mountain ridges. Vascular plants identified in the surveyed V. oldhamii habitats (28 quadrats in 12 habitat areas) included 129 taxa (50 families, 94 genera, 115 species, 9 varieties, 2 subspecies and 3 forms), of which woody plants accounted for 31.1%. The flora identified in the habitat areas were classified into four community types: Community I (Pinus densiflora – Quercus mongolica), Community II (Pinus thunbergii), Community III (Pinus rigida), and Community IV (Castanea crenata). The differences among communities within V. oldhamii habitat...