Degradation problems of the land/water ecotones in China and their ecological impact to water systems

--Present work aims to designate the alpine and subalpineplants and landscapes, and also to analyse the species composition,physiognomy, attitudinal ranges as well as formation processes ofKorean alpine and subalpine belts and their geoecology. The alpine and subalpine floras of Korean mountains areevidently descended from immigrants from NE Asia during the epochsof the Ice Age. These plants, which are very intolerant ofcompetition in warm and mild climates, have been able to persist inalpine and subalpine belts thanks to their harsh climaticconditions, sterile soil, rugged topography and cryoturbation. Continuing works on the palaeoenvironment and thermalamplitude of alpine and subalpine elements on Korea high mountainsmay be enabled to understand better on the geoecology and naturalhistory of the Korean Peninsula, as well as the structures,functions, mechanism and dynamics of alpine and subalpine plants and landscapes.