This study was carried out to classify forest communities and to aggregate forest cover types for the complex and diversified natural forest areas of Hwangaksan, Bakseoksan, Deogyusan, and Jirisan in southern region of Baekdudaegan Mountains. The vegetation data were collected by point-centered quarter sampling method. Eight hundred fifty one sample points were subjected to cluster analysis to classify 18 forest communities, which were aggregated into 7 representative forest cover types on the basis of community similarity from composition of canopy species. They were mixed mesophytic forest cover type, the others deciduous forest cover type, Quercus variabilis-Quercus serrata cover type, Quercus mongolica cover type, Pinus densiflora cover type, Carpinus laxiflora cover type, and Abies koreana cover type. The Quercus mongolica cover type was most widely distributed in the study areas, and this cover type tended to occur in the place of higher altitude as latitude was getting lower. Mixed mesophytic forest and the others deciduous forest cover type were commonly distributed in the areas of valley, on the other hand, Quercus mongolica cover type and Pinus densiflora cover type tended to be distributed in the areas of ridge.

This study was carried out to classify forest communities and to aggregate forest cover types for the complex and diversified natural forest areas of Guryongsan, Sobaeksan, Baekhwasan, Sokrisan, and Baekhaksan in the middle part of Baekdudaegan. The vegetation data were collected by point-centered quarter sampling method. One thousand one hundred fourteen sample points were subjected to cluster analysis to classify 27 forest communities, which were aggregated into 7 representative forest cover types on the basis of community similarity from composition of canopy species. They were Quercus mongolica forest cover type, mixed mesophytic forest cover type, Q. variabilis forest cover type, Pinus densiflora forest cover type, the others deciduous forest cover type, Q. serrata forest cover type, and subalpine forest cover type. The Q. mongolica forest cover type was most widely distributed in the study areas. It was assumed that abundance of Q. mongolica might be negatively associated with species diversity. Mixed mesophytic forest cover type and the others deciduous forest cover type were commonly distributed in the areas of valley, on the other hand, Q. mongolica cover type and P. densiflora cover type tended to be distributed in the areas of ridge.

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