No abstract

No abstract

The population of the Korean fir, Abies koreana, is declining at an accelerating rate, and the average mortality rate in 2019 exceeded 36.43% on Mt. Hallasan in Jeju Island, Republic of Korea. Several prior studies have reported different reasons with various interpretations, indicating that additional data, such as data on microbial communities that promote plant growth and resistance to abiotic stresses, are required to understand the phenomenon further. This is the first investigation that documents the changes in the soil microbial and fungal community and soil physicochemical properties resulting from the death of the Korean fir. In our case, high throughput sequencing data have been provided for the soil microbiome and mycobiome of Korean fir trees, identifying the microbial composition differences before and after the decline in the health of Korean fir trees. The results showed that the soil fungal community was considerably shaped in response to the decline in the health of Korean fir rather than the soil bacterial community. The decline in health or the death of Korean fir trees contributed to the decrease in diversity and dominance of symbiotic fungi such as Russula, Sebacina, and Phenoliferia in the forest ecosystem. It also weakened the complexity and ecological competition of the fungal co-occurrence network. Structural equation modeling showed that the death of Korean fir was strongly associated with the concentrations of soil nutrients such as available phosphorus (P2O5) and potassium ion (K+) concentrations and low moisture content, adversely affecting the symbiotic relationship with ectomycorrhizal fungi. Our findings shed light on the critical taxa of mycobiome of live and dead A. koreana plants and their relationship with ecological edaphic factors, highlighting their potential role as biomarkers for the death of Korean fir.

This paper aims to identify the impact of Geotrails and 'Geobranded' activities on economic regeneration and public attitudes to conservation of geological heritage within the Jeju Island UNESCO Global Geopark. Prior to becoming Geopark sites, Suwolbong Peak Geotrail and the Gyorae Forest Geotrail were respectively in fishing and upland farming communities rarely visited by tourists. This paper outlines the changes experienced in the villages following Geotrail establishment and the operation of 'Geobranded' activities, which are resident-led programs operated in partnership with local enterprises and organizations under the Geopark Geobrand. Triangulated data from participant surveys, provincial statistics, and interviews with locals indicate that Geotrails contributed to increased local tourism revenue and economic activity, which was part of a wider increase in local households. Furthermore, event observations and survey data indicate that community participation, particularly through the Geoschool and Geoguide programs, contributed to increased local pride and awareness of geological heritage. A synergistic effect is observed between Geotrail activation, community participation, awareness of local geoheritage, and willingness to protect local Geosites. If implemented alongside education programs and efforts to maximize community participation, Geotrails could help establish a virtuous cycle between trail activation, community participation, and pride in geological heritage, helping inform how other Geosites utilize Geobrands for sustainable development.

No abstract