History of Temperate Deciduous Forests in South Korea
Temperate forests began developing with the cooling of the Earth. As the Earth’s temperature began decreasing, the hot and wet climate was only restricted to areas near the Equator. With increasing latitudes, the temperature began to get colder. With this change in temperature, many of the tree species that were adapted to hot and wet climates died out and new species dominated the temperate regions. Regions where the climate remained fairly similar to the tropical climates of the past maintained its plant and animal life. However, other regions that moved away from the previous tropical climates and had colder winters, the evergreens died out and deciduous trees took root ("Temperate forest").
Korea is an example of how the change in climate brought about the deciduous trees. Korea enjoys its hot and wet summer days. Various species of animals and plants thrive during the summer. However, during the winter, cold air comes and causes the climate to be much colder and dryer. The deciduous trees change color and lose its leaves as winter draws closer ("Eastern Asia: Central Korean Penninsula"). The reason for dropping the leaves is to reduce the need for water. Without the leaves, the tree can survive with less water during the cold and dry winter months.
Ice ages and interglacial periods were important for the development of temperate forests in many parts of the world. Large number of tree species had to migrate frequently to find the most suitable climate during the glacial periods and during the process, many European and North American species died out ("Temperate forest"). Unlike Europe and North America, glacial activity in Korea is not evident except for tops of mountains. However, postglacial period in Korea was studied using pollen. Postglacial period is assumed to be around 10,000 BCE. From 10,000 BCE to 6000 BCE deciduous broadleaved forests dominated parts of Korea while there was a decline in the number of pines or evergreens. After that deciduous trees thrived while the evergreens started to come back (Stanturf and Madsen 218).
Current Human Use and Impacts on the Ecosystem in South Korea
Temperate deciduous forests are important for human populations. The main use of the forest is agriculture. The soil is very fertile and abundant with nutrients that various populations including Koreans have cleared the land for agricultural use. The land is usually used for farming or simply as a place to live on. In addition, deciduous trees are much harder and denser than coniferous trees which is why people seek for deciduous wood. The wood collected from these trees are then used for different purposes, but mainly for fuel. Other uses include providing clean air and preventing soil erosions ("Benefits of Biodiversity").
Just like countries in other parts of East Asia,
people have converted ‘low lying’ plains into land for agriculture. The
expansion and constant use of monocultures, repeated damages caused by pests
and fire, increasing air pollution in large cities, and practice of converting
forests for other purposes have impacted the performance and health of the
deciduous forests in South Korea (Yim 273). Specifically, in the 1970s, South
Korea started industrialization and developed exponentially. Placing much
emphasis upon infrastructure and industrial manufactures, the government
concentrated upon economic development while disregarding environmental protection.
People practiced clear-cutting for many decades in order to use trees in the
forests as firewood or building materials (Sanders). Water pollution due to
release of sewage and industrial effluents, drift net fishing, and acid rain
also contributed to the damages on deciduous forests in South Korea (“South
Korea”).
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Clear-cut Forest
Image by Jaime
McGeathy, "Stop Clear-Cutting Old Growth Forest" |
Thus, rapid industrialization resulted in merciless clear-cutting and over-use of water resources, which all contributed to the loss of animal habitats, destroyed forests, and poor air quality (Sanders). From 1990 to 2000, South Korea lost 7,100 hectares of forests per year on average (“South Korea”). From 1990 to 2005, it lost 12.8% of its woodland habitat and forest (“South Korea”). The average growth rate of carbon emissions in Seoul was 1.63 percent annually in 2003 (Dhakal et al), and per capita carbon emission levels increased exponentially in the 1990s, at the time when CO2 Cities were "centers of high living standards, population density, pollutants of air and water, and producers of solid wastes" and also centers of massive consumerism and infrastructure development (Dhakal et al.).
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Destruction of Forest due to
Industrial Pollution
Image by
"Threats to Ecosystems"
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Graphs/Tables with Data on Current Human Impacts on
Ecosystem in South Korea and Prediction of Future Prospects
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Distribution of South Korea CO2
Emissions Chart
Image by David Hone,
"Korean and Australian Dance to the Same Tune"
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South Korea CO2 Fuel Emissions
Graph
Image by Meeyoung
Cho, "South Korea Unveils CO2 Target Plan"
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Prediction of Development of CO2
emissions in South Korea
Image by "Energy
Blue Print Team: Development of CO2 Emissions" |
Works Cited
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Dhakal, Shobhakar, Shinji Kaneko, and Hidefumi Imura. "CO2 Emissions from Energy Use in East
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Workshop on Policy Integration Towards Sustainable Urban Energy Use for Cities in Asia.
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"Eastern Asia: Central Korean Penninsula." WorldWildlife.org. World Wildlife Fund, n.d. Web.
27 Nov. 2015.
"Energy Blue Print Team: Development of CO2 Emissions." Energy Blue Print Team: Development
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Hone, David. "Korean and Australia Dance to the Same Tune." Web log post. David Hone South
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Lee, Phill. Sulaksan. Digital image. Flickr. N.p., 19 July 2014. Web.
McGeathy, Jaime. "Stop Clear-Cutting Old Growth Forest." ForceChange.com. ForceChange, n.d.
Web. 25 Nov. 2015.
Photo and Share CC. Sulaksan. Digital image. Flickr. N.p., 25 Oct. 2013. Web.
Sanders, Christopher. "Korea: Environmental Problems & Solutions." Korea: Environmental
Problems & Solutions. Business & Technology, 1 Feb. 2010. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.
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n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.
Stanturf, John A., and Palle Madsen. "Restoration and Rehabilitation in the Republic of Korea."
Restoration of Boreal and Temperate Forests. 2nd ed. Boca Raton: CRC, 2004. 218-221. Print.
"Temperate forest". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia
Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 26 Nov. 2015
"Threats to Ecosystems." Enviropol - Together, for the Environment. Enviropol, n.d. Web. 25 Nov.
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Yim, Y.J. 1977. Distribution of forest vegetation and climate in the Korean peninsula: IV
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