A phytosociological study of spring-type rice field vegetation in Angye Plains, South Korea

Abstract

This phytosociological study was carried out on spring-type rice field vegetation in the Angye Plains. Field surveys were based on the method developed by the Zürich–Montpellier School of Phytosociology, which emphasizes species composition and homogeneity of the phytocenosis, and 75 relevés were obtained. We analyzed the species performance of 63 plant species appearing in the obtained relevés through 9 levels of combined cover degree and relative net contibution degree (r-NCD). We classified syntaxa by grouping the relevés. Two associations, one subassociation, and one community were classified: the Stellario-Alopecuretum amurensis (typicum subassociation and persicaretosum hydropiperae subasso. nov. hoc loco), Alopecuro-Ranunculetum scelerati, Hemistepto-Capsellietum drabetosum nemorosae, and Cardamine fallax–Alopecurus aequalis community. This study identified the Stellario-Alopecuretum persicaretosum hydropiperae and Cardamine fallax–Alopecurus aequalis communities for the first time. The spring-type rice field vegetation in the Angye Plains was considered rice field vegetation of the dry type, which reflects impact of frequent human activity and rainless climate of the Daegu regional bioclimatic subdistrict. Keywords: Alopecurion amurensis, Angye Plain, Phytosociology, Rice field, Weed community