Research

KNA collects and preserves domestic and international useful plant resources from diverse countries, and we endeavor to research on biodiversity conservation.
We consistently conduct co-research and cooperative projects based on scholar relationships with plant research institutions and as well as participating in Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

• Forest Resource and Digitization Research
• Conservation and Potential Use of Forest Biospecies Resources
• Developing the Potential Use of Wild Flowers
• Recreational and Cultural Aspects

• Forest Resource and Digitization Research

  Speciation and Origins Study of Korean Native Plant (2014-2023)

  1) Research Background

  • - Identifying the speciation and origins of Korean native plants through the study on their genetic characteristics.

  2) Research Objectives

  • - Compiling genetic information on Korean native plants in order to protect plant biological sovereignty.
  • - Completing the genome mapping of native plants.

  3) Expected Achievements

  • - Collecting the genetic information and conducting genome mapping of native plant resources.
  • - Identifying the speciation of Korean native plants by utilizing the megadata of the entire dielectric and chloroplast DNA.
  • - Utilizing the entire genome sequence as to developing SSR marker, new varieties and plant breeding.

  Publishing the Silvics of Korea (2015-2024)

  1) Research Background

  • - Plant taxonomical information of Korea remains unchanged as a picture book, a non-technical guide book or a manual while forests cover the 64% of total land and forest resources are key players in the forestry industry.
  • - The paradigm shift from the general flora study to morphological arrangement and revisions or monographs of specific taxa is necessary as the Korean Plant Name Index has been completed.

  2) Research Objectives

  • - Reorganizing the taxonomy and management basis for native trees on the Korean Peninsula through comprehensive research on their characteristics.
  • - Analyzing the morphological characteristics and variation patterns of native trees.
  • - Establishing a search system for native trees underpinned by researching on understanding the key characteristics.

  3) Expected Achievements

  • - Publishing ‘the Silvics of Korea’ in order to systematically manage the Korea plant genetic resources.
  • - Collecting comprehensive data for Korean native trees as to morphology, distribution, growing environment and habitat.
  • - Facilitating a forest related decision making process by providing systematic and reliable information on native trees. /li>

  Developing the Integrated Classification System of Forest Insect Resources(2016-2025)

  1) Research Background

  • - Securing insect sovereignty is vital and urgent followed by the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol. However, only the 38% (6,131 species) of insects are academically known among the 15,000 species of insects living on the Korean Peninsula.
  • - The genetic information of Korean insects is less than 15% of the total number of insects known to the academia.
  • It is extremely difficult to identify the natural enemy insects of forest vermin as they are generally minuscule (less than one centimeter).

  2) Research Objectives

  • - Forming a database for the DNA barcode nucleic acid sequence of forest insects as per their function.
  • - Developing the Integrated Identification System of Korean Insects to provide relevant information service.
  • - Publishing an illustrated guide to forest insects as per their phytophagous, episite and parasitic characteristics.

  3) Expected Achievements

  • - Establishing a more accurate system for identifying the insect taxa based on the database for the barcode nucleic acid sequence.
  • - Completing the phylogeny and species identification of Korean insect taxa through the data on molecular biology and morphology.

  Exploration and Taxonomical Research on Fungi and Lichen Dwell in Urban Habitats and Special Regions(2017-2021)

  1) Research Background

  • - Research on higher fungi (mushrooms and lichens) dwell in urban habitats (parks and gardens) and cultural heritage sites (places, royal tombs and temples) has not been done so far.
  • - Administrative agencies (eg, the Cultural Heritage Administration) have been requesting taxonomical advice from the KNA as a result of the damages caused by mushrooms and lichens dwell within the cultural heritage conservation sites.

  2) Research Objectives

  • - Conducting the distribution research on higher fungi dwell in urban parks, cultural heritage sites and protected trees nationwide.
  • - Collecting ecological and geographical data on the genetic resources information on higher fungi.
  • - Completing the distribution maps of higher fungi as per researched area.
  • - Publishing a field guidebook on the higher fungi of urban areas and special regions.

  2) Research Achievements

  • - Discovering new records and gathering biological resources (specimens and genetic resources) in unexplored areas.
  • - Raising public awareness of mushrooms and lichens.
  • - Devising plans to conserve and protect the special regions.

  Research on Mutual Relation between Forest Insects and Plants 1. Eating Habits (2018-2022)

  1) Research Background

  • - Understanding the eating habits of forest insects (leaf miners, leaf feeders, juice suckers, parasitoids and fungivores) their ecological characteristics is necessary.
  • - Forest health monitoring and climate change research call for understanding and analyzing the taxonomic relationship between forest insects, plants and micro-organism.
  • - Researching on the biodiversity of insects dwell in the KNA and other public and private arboreta nationwide and discovering insect resources as exhibition.

  2) Research Objectives

  • - Compiling an inventory of phytophagous and their host plants.
  • - Compiling an inventory of parasitoid insect resources and their host insects.
  • - Compiling an inventory of fungivore and related micro-organism.

  3) Research Achievements

  • - Providing the information of forest insect resources classified by their eating behavior to the public and publishing related books.
  • - Submitting and publishing the results of research work to academic journals.
  • - Raising public awareness of useful forest insect resources. (e.g. a press release)
  • - Understanding the food chain based on the mutual relation among forest biospecies in the forest ecosystem.

• Conservation and Potential Use of Forest Biospecies Resources

  Biological Trait of Long-horn Beetles and In-situ Restoration

  1) Research Background

  • - Long horn beetles were designated as the Korea Wildlife Natural Monument (25.11.1968) and Endangered Wildlife (31.05.2012)
  • - Not much research has been done on long horn beetles’ biological characteristics.
  • - Gwangneung Forest is the only habitat of long horn beetles in Korea.

  2) Research Objectives

  • - Securing in and ex situ conservation and restoration technology of long horn beetles in Gwangneung Forest.
  • - Analyzing the biological characteristics and developing the conservation system of useful forest insect resources.
  • - Researching on the developing and utilizing of the insect breeding technology.

  3) Expected Achievements

  • - Collecting test insects in order for in and ex situ restoration of long horn beetles.
  • - Developing a stable system for the massive propagation of long horn beetles.
  • - Publishing a manual for managing long horn beetles by their stages.

  Collecting and Developing Useful Plants for Forming a Forest Plant Convergence Platform(2016-2020)

  1) Research Background

  • - The importance of bio resources has been highlighted as utilizing natural ingredient creates high added value.
  • - National competitiveness calls for securing bio resources that have potential high added value. Such resources might play a pivotal role in the bio industry.

  2) Research Objective

  • - Collecting useful plant resources.
  • - Developing massive propagation methods according to the characteristics of related species.
  • - Publishing and distributing a manual that suits users’ needs.

  3) Expected Achievements

  • - Introducing on-site applicable propagation technology.
  • - Providing basic data for utilizing forest resources.
  • - Developing related application fields by collecting species basic data.
  • - Prompt response is available to related institutions and companies regarding developing massive propagation and its method.

  Monitoring for the Primary Succession for Comparative Research on Gwangneung Forest(2016-2025)

  1) Research Background

  • - Forest disturbance is an ecological event that brings positive and negative effects to the forest ecosystem. It is a process of creating a new environment for forest species after a rapid transition of previous forest conditions.
  • - Collecting sufficient data for the changing process of forest stand regeneration and biodiversity considering the fact that there has been little research on the biomass and diversity change after forest disturbance including logging and thinning.

  2) Research Objectives

  • - Identifying the forest biospecies characteristics, interaction, community composition and biodiversity during the primary succession after forest disturbance, logging and thinning takes place.
  • - Community ecological researching on the development and environmental change of forest stand after disturbance, the abundance of understory vegetation community, diversity development and the intensity change between species.
  • - Population ecological researching on the changing process of tree population and species’ abundance and diversity as well as the interaction between flora and fauna.

  3) Expected Achievements

  • - Understanding the short-term biological effects of disturbance in primary succession habitats formed by forest disturbance - logging, thinning and fires - from various ecological perspectives.
  • - Widening the knowledge on the effects of forest disturbance on species interaction and developing the research on the adaptation process of evolutionary ecology by adopting widely known research approaches regarding flora and fauna interaction.
  • - Understanding the change of plant and insect community aw well as population regarding the primary succession process after revealing the annual changes of biodiversity result from eco-friendly cutting.

  Evaluation of Alien Plant Varieties and Risk Factors(2016-2020)

  1) Research Background

  • - Distribution and diversity research on alien plants is needed.
  • - Evaluating the adjacent ecosystem of introduced species from arboreta and botanical gardens is necessary as well.

  2) Research objectives

  • - Collecting data for the distribution and diversity of alien plants on the Korean Peninsula.
  • - Evaluating the adjacent ecosystem of introduced species from arboreta and botanical gardens and proposing managing plans.
  • - Analyzing the adaptability of alien plants and identifying the distribution mechanism.
  • - Compiling an alien plants index, conducting risk assessment and setting priority control targets.

  3) Expected Achievements

  • - Increasing the operational efficiency based on analyzing the adjacent ecosystem of the plant conservation institutions.
  • - Upgrading the operation efficiency of the ecosystem through analyzing alien plants’ adaptability.

  Ex-situ Conservation of Forest Plant Seeds Based on Seed Bank (2017-2021)

  1) Research Background

  • - GSPC - Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, GSPC 2020 - Target 8 stipulates that the 75% of rare and endangered plants are required to be conserved off-site - ex situ conservation.
  • - A national level preparation is necessary to respond to strengthening sovereignty and benefit sharing along with the enactment of the Act on Access to and Utilization of Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing in the Republic of Korea in accordance with the Nagoya Protocol.
  • - Plant protection strategy calls for obtaining results from researching by category on physiology, morphology, hypotonicity and productivity of forest plant seeds.

  2) Research objectives

  • - Preparing a manual for the ex-situ conservation of seed preservation through obtaining results from seed science ? seed characteristics, mechanism and seed banking as to native plants.
  • - Maintaining the diversity of rare and native plants species through collecting seeds from seedlots and reaching the 60% of ex-situ conservation target.
  • - Enhancing the diversity of Korean plant species based on the role of preservation facility.
  • - Collecting the morphological data for forest native plants seeds through studying on the anatomical characteristics on seeds.
  • - Developing schemes to carry out sustainable ex-situ conservation through estimating the long term storage possibility and hypotonicity.

  3) Expected Achievements

  • - Reaching the international target of rare and native species conservation.
  • - Collecting available biological resources based on the sustainable conservation of forest plant seeds.
  • - Efficient preservation of forest biological resources through ex-situ conservation of Korea plant seeds.
  • - Contributing to the worldwide biodiversity conservation campaign based on collecting rare and native plans of Asia.
  • - Developing conservation, use and restoration technology that have high value through expanding research on seed science.

  IUCN Red List Evaluation and Registration (2017-2021)

  1) Research Background

  • - Korean Endangered Plants are necessary to be listed in the IUCN Red List in order to contributing to the Convention on Biological Diversity and provide scientific evidence of nationally protected species.
  • - Developing a species monitoring program for the risk evaluation system of rare plants.

  2) Research objectives

  • - Evaluating and listing Korean endangered plants in the IUCN Red List.
  • - Gathering data for the re-evaluation of IUCN Red List plants.
  • - Publishing a Korean Endangered Species IUCN List.

  3) Expected Achievements

  • - Gathering data for the re-evaluation of IUCN Red List plants.
  • - Providing information on the guideline of Korean rare plants conservation.
  • - Fulfilling the national target of GSPC 2020.
  • - Raising global awareness of Korean rare plants.
  • - Improving the population monitoring program of rare plants.

  Management and Biodiversity of Forest Genetic Conservation Areas (2017-2026)

  1) Research Background

  • - Improving the type and evaluation process of forest genetic resources nature reserves that live up to the international standards and social demand.
  • - Expanding the forest genetic resources nature reserves that includes ecosystem connectivity is necessary in order to preserve biodiversity.
  • - Developing a management basis is required as to maintain the forest genetic resources nature reserves.

  2) Research objectives
  

  • - Collecting a database for biological resources in the forest genetics resources nature reserves.
  • - Completing the research on 80% of plant resources in the reserve.
  • - Identifying the current status of biological resources in specific biodiversity areas.
  • - Completing the research on biological resources of the 25 key air hole sites.
  • - Developing a monitoring system to carry out in-situ conservation as to the 50% of Korean rare plants.
  • - Rearranging the forest genetic resources nature reserves by area.
  • - The 70% of the genetic resources nature reserve is required to be divided into specific areas.

  3) Expected Achievements
  

  • - Using as basic data as to securing forest biospecies habitats and preparing restoration plans for fragmented ecological axis.
  • - Managing the data related to the Korea Biodiversity Information system.
  • - Actively being engaged in in-situ conservation and risk management as well as Improving the growing condition of main protected species.

  Evaluation of the Status and Environmental Adaptability as to Forest biospecies in Gwangneung Forest and the Experimental Forest (2018-2027)

  1) Research Background

  • - Identifying the change and adaptation process of species interaction is necessary based on understanding the biological characteristics ? caused by a wide range of environmental variation such as altitude or environmental fragmentation - of forest biospecies.
  • - Widening the understanding of forest biospecies is required through analyzing the statistical study on species population that needs a long-term approach centered on the experimental forests in Gwangneung Forest.
  • - Providing academic data as to conservation management to related academia and the public is needed based on the compiled research results of young matured stand ? more than ten years ? which is rarely found in Korea.

  2) Research objectives

  • - Promoting understanding with a variety of biological characteristics of forest biospecies caused by multiple factors such as urbanization or altitude.
  • - Researching the year-long process of ecological structure, function and species composition that trees and understory vegetation possess in temperate deciduous oak forests.
  • - Providing academic data as to the conservation and sustainable use of Gwangneung Forest based on researching the ecological process in the forest.

  3) Expected Achievements

  • - Presenting the ecological process that forest biospecies undergo by identifying the adaptability and characteristics of forest biospecies including interaction between species in a variety of environmental factors such as isolation or altitude caused by forest fragmentation.
  • - Researching the difference between ecological disposition and species interaction by comparing the characteristics of biospecies in Gwangnueng Forest with biological populations in a wide range of areas.
  • - Estimating the long-term changes of forest biospecies through adopting conventional but rarely implemented research approaches regarding the adaptability and interaction changes as well as the survival modeling of biological populations.
  • - Evaluating the forest health based on the data collected in Gwangneung Forest and its near experimental forests.

  Plant Restoration in the Invasive Species Environment within the DMZ Ex-situ (2018-2022)

  1) Research Background

  • - As civilian activities have been strictly limited in the DMZ area, it has also provided a safe haven for flora and fauna. Although they flourish within the zone, a number of areas have been turned into wasteland ? environmentally disturbed land ? due to lacking in understanding of its importance and the reform of defense system.
  • - Clearing land for military observation has accelerated the destruction of damaged lands ? environmentally disturbed lands - within the DMZ and a few restoration projects done by army divisions failed to select appropriate plants for the lands in terms of restoration ecology.
  • - Presenting a detailed schemes to preserve the damaged lands within the DMZ is necessary.
  • - Selecting appropriate plants is required to restore the lands in consideration of both military and ecological purposes.

  2) Research objectives

  • - Categorizing the lands in order to restore the ecosystem.
  • - Selecting plants suitable for securing a clear view for military purposes and ecologically appropriate restoration.
  • - Presenting a guideline on ecological restoration by types.

  3) Expected Achievements

  • - Experimenting the adaptability of plants through researching on available plants to the DMZ Botanical Garden.
  • - Adopting technology for the conservation of forest biospecies through collecting a wide range of biospecies within the DMZ.
  • - Developing technology for restoring the ecosystem in North Korea after the unification of the Korean Peninsula and sustainable conservation of the DMZ.

  Unexamined Areas within the DMZ and Monitoring of Primary Management Plant Species

  1) Research Background

  • - The DMZ is considered to be one of the most important areas for the conservation of Korean ecosystem. It has been rarely disturbed by human acitivities thus maintains an excellent example of biodiversity.
  • - The DMZ is a place where temperate central and southern forests meet and northern and southern plants coexist. It includes a variety of forest ecosystem ? seashore, back swamps, farm lands, mountain valleys ? which is the place of outstanding value to nature.
  • - The DMZ includes a wide range of place that has not been thoroughly examined, roughly 55% of the total area.

  2) Research objectives

  • - Collecting data for plants within the DMZ based on researching plant distribution.
  • - Designating priority target plant species of the DMZ and conduct monitoring.
  • - Developing conservation technology by utilizing DMZ species diversity information and designating priority target plants.
  • - Conducting long-term monitoring for maintaining environmental health and conservation of biodiversity in the DMZ.

  3) Expected Achievements

  • - Making a sustainable plan for the DMZ based on systematic research as to the border area.
  • - Developing educational and regional content based on biospecies of the DMZ.
  • - Researching the northern plant resources.
  • - Improving international cooperation with the aim of being designated as a biosphere reserve.

• Developing the Potential Use of Wild Flowers

  Introducing New Materials for the Potential Use of Wild Flowers and Breeding New Species (2017-2021)

  1) Research Background

  • - Developing new ornamental crops and enhancing the efficiency of wild flowers is needed through breeding new species.
  • - Developing species that have high ornamental values and commercial potential is necessary.
  • - Generating income from developing new species is required.

  2) Research objectives

  • - Developing and itemizing new ornamental crops through researching on new plant material.
  • - Increasing the usefulness of wild flowers based on developing new ornamental crops.
  • - Forming a new platform for the commercial potential of wild flowers through research and development.

  3) Expected Achievements

  • - Embarking on a new floricultural crops development of wild flowers.
  • - Holding a wild flower show.
  • - Developing technology to utilize wild flowers.

  Diversification, Year-round Cultivation and Flowering Control Technology for Boosting Wild Flower Industry(2017-2021)

  1) Research Background

  • - Wild flowers only take up 9.8% of the entire flower industry. Conversely, a small proportion of the market means wild flowers are commercially potential.
  • - Plant material consists of 867 billion won in 2014 among the 1.2 trillion won Korean horticultural market.
  • - Plant material sector is thought to be gradually increasing.
  • - Cultivation characteristics of wild flowers limit flowering to a specific time of the year.
  • - As a result of such constraint, speciation and cut flowers are needed to boost the various utilization of wild flowers.

  2) Research objectives

  • - Compiling an inventory based on organizing an advisory panel on wild flowers.
  • - Increasing in incomes from the massive propagation of new plant material and developing new technology for flower farms and related industry, forestry, horticulture and floriculuture.
  • - Operating technology trainings for flower farms and investigating potential challenges through upgrading propagation and growing technology.

  3) Expected Achievements

  • - Developing new floricultural crops of wild flowers.
  • - On-site application of wild flowers based on upgraded propagation and growing technology.
  • - Developing the potential plant material and utilizable technology.

  How to Utilize Wild Flowers Based on Traditional Knowledge(2017-2021)

  1) Research Background

  • - As the Nagoya Protocol takes effect, Korean traditional knowledge on wild flowers is on demand.
  • - According to the Nagoya Protocol, traditional knowledge is required to be proven as an intellectual asset that owned by local communities.
  • - Boosting the local economy is available based on researching potential wild flowers.
  • - Historical and cultural information on wild flowers is insufficient.
  • - Raising public awareness of cultural content and exhibition on traditional knowledge associated with wild flowers.

  2) Research objectives

  • - Minimizing the confusion and misuse of wild flowers when they are commercially utilized by means of identifying wild flowers depicted in ancient documents from modern botanical perspectives.
  • - Developing cultural content based on ancient documents and traditional knowledge.
  • - Developing ways to utilize wild flowers based on ancient documents and traditional knowledge.

  3) Expected Achievements

  • - Conducting ethnobotanical historical research on traditional knowledge.de
  • - Presenting a collaborated developing strategy for wild flowers and local promotion.
  • - The transmission of traditional knowledge on wild flowers for future generation.
  • - Clarifying the mixed plant names, collecting social and scientific information and conducting comparative analyses.
  • - Presenting the potential use of wild flowers by type.
  • - Realizing the traditional knowledge on wild flowers and presenting a modern way of using them.

• Recreational and Cultural Aspects

  Utilizing Education Programs Underpinned by Research Basis of the Arboretum and Gardens

  1) Research Background

  • - Recent forest policies call for forest welfare including forest education.
  • - Developing KNA’s distinctive education programs is necessary.
  • - Existing forest education programs of the KNA are needed to be upgraded to distinguished educational programs that contain arboretum and gardening features
  • - Determining a specific direction for arboretum and garden education through developing and applying educational programs based on the main research backgrounds of the KNA including thematic gardens that owned by regional national arboreta and public and private botanical gardens.

  2) Research objectives

  • - Developing and applying education programs based on research achievements from the Arboretum and gardens.
  • - Increasing the quality of educational part of the KNA.
  • - Contributing to society through the increased quality of educational programs.

  3) Expected Achievements

  • - Diversifying educational programs of the KNA through proposing new informational material from gardens and research facilities.
  • - Raising the reliability of educational programs through affiliated educational programs between research centers and KNA gardens.
  • - Collecting basic data for educational programs of the KNA.