Current Status of Alien Plants in the Reservoir Shoreline in Korea

Abstract

The reservoir shores seem to be vulnerable to biological invasion. The purpose of this research was to find out the floristic composition of alien plants and their relationship between environmental factors on reservoir shorelines in Korea. We investigated flora of alien plants and environmental factors of geomorphology, hydrology, water quality and soil on the shoreline of a total of 35 reservoirs with different water level managements. There were 56 species of alien plants, which was 15% of the total plant species identified in the study of reservoirs. A total of 57% of these alien species were the species which were introduced shortly after opening the port from 1876 to 1921 in Korea. More than 80% of the alien plants on the reservoir shores originated from America and Europe. The current distribution of Ambrosia trifida and Paspalum distichum were restricted in the central part and the southern region of the Korean Peninsula, respectively. The water level fluctuation, flood frequency at the median water level, water pollution index, coverage of rock exposure and mean degree of shoreline slope were determined as important environmental factors that have an effect on the characteristics of shoreline alien flora. Our results suggest that the reservoir shore was in danger of being invaded by alien plants due to the water level management and other human disturbances. For effective conservation of the reservoir ecosystem, periodic monitoring systems are required for the early detection of alien species on the reservoir shore.