Nearly half of pines at Seoraksan face extinction due to global warming: study

Nearly half of the Korean pines, a tree species emblematic of the nation, are at risk of dying at Seoraksan, a recent study revealed Wednesday.

The research, conducted by the Korea National Park Service, examined the state of pine forests across five national parks -- Seoraksan, Odaesan, Chiaksan, Taebaeksan and Sobaeksan -- utilizing satellite imagery, aerial photographs and on-site patrol data.

The findings revealed significant pine tree dieback, with 480 trees affected in Taebaeksan, 41 in Seoraksan, 34 in Sobaeksan, 11 in Odaesan and four in Chiaksan.

The mass dieback of pines in Taebaeksan, for instance, was predominantly observed in 2013. The research identified drought as the primary cause, emphasizing that water stress impeded the trees’ growth and development. “In Korea, a drought during the spring of 2012 likely had a direct impact on pines growing on ridges and mountaintops,” the report stated.

The study also identified vulnerable areas likely to experience further dieback by utilizing various predictive models, which considered factors such as altitude above sea level, slope direction, degree of incline and topography index.

The predicted figures include 26 locations at Seoraksan, 192 for Odaesan, 33 in Chiaksan, 37 in Taebaeksan and 79 in Sobaeksan. Specifically, at Seoraksan, the study forecast that 47.8 percent of the pine forest could wither in the coming years.

The research highlighted altitude as the most significant factor influencing the survival of pine forests. Rising sea levels, driven by global warming, effectively lower the altitude above sea level, disrupting the ecosystems that sustain these trees and threatening the delicate balance of pine forests.

“As national parks hold high ecological value, serving as habitats with rich biodiversity and home to endangered and native wildlife, it is necessary to identify factors affecting the ecosystem, such as pine tree dieback, and develop solutions to address them,” it wrote.