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Home Ecology
White Paper of DMZComposition
of ecosystemAmphibia
& Reptilia |
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1)
Interview of Dr. Shim Jaehwan, Amphibians/ Reptiles
specialist |
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The DMZ and the nearby regions is a zone of
importance considering its ecological significance
and for preparing unification. This region
was restricted to civilians after 1950, the
Korean war. Surrounded by wire entanglements,
no one, humans or wild animals, can cross.
Korea is a peninsula and the middle pathway
were the subtropic organism and the boreal
plant crosses was interrupted separating them
for about 50 years. This is one of the few
difficult investigation regions in the world,
considering the biogeographic characteristics
or the migration pathways. |
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2)
The East coast region |
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| 23 species of amphibians and reptiles
were found at the coastal areas. The coast reagion
holds the river, lakes and marshes and freshwater
turtles (snapping turtle, Reeve¡¯s turtle) were observed.
Among the total of 23 species, 1 endangered species,
the Russian ratsnake and 2 protected species, the
Reeve¡¯s turtle and short-tailed viper snake were
found. |
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Reeve¡¯s turtle |
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Russian ratsnake |
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Short-tailed
viper snake |
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3)
Mid-west inland region |
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The trees at the rigdeline area
from Jinburyeong to Hyangrobong have been removed
for restrictions for the military operations. The
habitat environment for the amphibians and reptiles
is well conserved since the entrance to the valley
is fully restricted because of the laying mine,
even to the military officers. Also, the environment
itself is quite favorable with abundant individuals
of each species. In the case of amphibians, the
Korean salamander was observed at places where clean
water is gathered in the lowlands. In the valleys
Nikko frog groups were increasing in number and
several Korean fire-bellied toads were observed
in streams of lowlands to the highlands were mosses
were growing. The Korean water toads were collected
by lifting stones where the water flowed slowly
at the valley and also on the path up the mountain.
For the Anura, among the amphibians, Nikko frog
and Korean fire-bellied toad were the dominant species,
followed by tree frog, wrinkled frog, and Korean
water toad. Asian toad was the scarcest species.
Agkistrodon caliginosa was the dominant species.
After the Agkistrodon caliginosa, cat snake, Natrix
tigrina lateralis, short-tailed viper snake, Dinodon
rufozonatus showed dominance. The Natrix vibakari
ruthveni and the Russian ratsnake were the scarcest
species. From the pass of the mountain crossing
Yanggu to Heanmyeon to the ridge at Gachilbong,
the military operation road was built destroying
vegetation. But the natural forest is relatively
well conserved at the valley region providing preferable
habitat environment for amphibians and reptiles
increasing in the number of individuals for each
species. However, among the reptiles, snakes, specifically,
the Russian ratsnake, cat snake, Natrix tigrina
lateralis, red-backed ratsnake, Dinodon rufozonatus
are poor in number of individuals compared to other
regions by the overhunting of inhabitants. Especially
at the 6) (upper marsh) of Daeam Mountain, the living
Korean salamander and Nikko frog could be observed.
3 individuals of long tailed lizard among the reptiles
were collected at the stone crack near the road.
The Agkistrodon caliginosa was the dominant species
of the snakes, and following were the cat snake,
Natrix tigrina lateralis, red-backed ratsnake in
the order of dominance. The Dinodon rufozonatus,
viper, short-tailed viper snake, Russian ratsnake
were scarce in number.
Among the Urodela, the Korean salamander itself
and its eggshell was observed in the pools of water
area near Gobangsan-ri, Dutayeon. The 1-year old
Korean clawed salamander was observed at the mountain
stream of each valley where gravels were abundant.
A large number of Anura were found at small ditches
at valleys and roads and tadpoles of Nikko frog
were also found at pools of water near the road.
In addition, young tree frog that has gone through
metamorphosis was found at the rice field at the
lowland and the cry of the adult tree frog was heard
at night. The Asian toad and the Korean water toad
were collected near the road and the wrinkled frog
was captured as it swam into the crack of a stone
at Dutayeon riverside. Among reptiles, the long-tailed
lizard was collected at the stone crack near the
road. The Agkistrodon caliginosa was the dominant
species of snakes, followed by the Natrix tigrina
lateralis and cat snake but Dinodon rufozonatus,
Russian ratsnake, viper were scarce in number.
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Korean fire-bellied
toad |
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Wrinkled
frog |
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Cat snake |
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Natrix tigrina
lateralis |
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Viper |
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4)
Mid-west inland region |
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| The unconfirmed
mine-laying region with the exception of the farmland
in the Cheorwon plains form a typical wet land providing
the best conditions for the habitat environment
of the amphibians. However the habitat environment
for reptiles (except for red-backed ratsnake and
Natrix tigrina lateralis) is unfavorable resulting
in poor number of species or individuals compared
to other regions. The northern DMZ was developed
as natural wetland. The Korean clawed salamander,
which is an alpine among amphibians, could not be
observed in this region. However there were many
reservoirs and wetlands with more individuals than
other regions. As for the Anura, the alpine Korean
water toad could not be observed, and the tree frog
was the dominant species in this region. Several-wrinkled
frogs were collected at the upper stream of Hantan
river at Galmaleup Jeungyeon-ri. |
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tree frog |
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5)
West coast region |
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| The total of 22 species and 198
individuals, of 10 species of amphibians, 12 species
of reptiles were found at the whole area of Paju.
The list and the number of individuals are presented
in Table 3. The region of investigation was mostly
of low-wetlands and rice fields with tree frog (30%),
Black-spotted pond frog (24%), Nikko frog (24%)
being the dominant species. Since these 3 species
of amphibians are the favorite food for reptiles,
the fact that the 3 species make up 78% of the total
means that, the snakes are abundant in the region.
This region of investigation is infrequently visited
by people and has been damaged in small amounts
by agricultural chemicals. The red-backed ratsnake,
few in number all over the country is sometimes
discovered at this region proving the cleanness
of this area. In addition, 1 species of endangered
wild Russian ratsnake, according to the Natural
Environment Conservation Law revised in the year
1997, Reeve¡¯s turtle (Gegokri Eoryonggae reservoir)of
the protected species, and 2 species of Narrow-mouth
frog were found. The red-eared sliders (so-called
red eared slider), which are introduced species,
were also found to broaden their habitat to the
Jangdan peninsula downstream following the Imjin
river. |
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