Mulyeongari-Oreum

Mulyeongari-oreum is a wetland located in Jeju island. It is the only wetland in Korea which is located on top of oreum. The oreum is one of the secondary volcanoes around Halla mountain which is the highest mountain in South Korea. Through continuing scientific research, it is thought that Mulyeongari-oreum was formed by volcanic activities continuing for 2500 years. The oreum has kept the original status since it was formed and displays a unique example of wetland type. On top of the oreum, there is a shallow crater lake in which the level of water changes by the seasons and this water is just from rainfalls due to the topographical features of Mulyeongari-oreum.

Characteristics

• Mulyeongari-oreum is located on the Mt. Suryeong (sea level attitude : 508m) on the Halla mountain in Jeju island. It is a typical parasitic cone and the mouth of a volcano has a girth of 300m, 40m in depth and 1,000m in the around the crater. Viewing in summit of a mountain and north of crater, its external shapes have a concentric circle and hollowed surface in the middle of crater respectively.

• The oreum forms a shallow crater lake on top of it. The level of water in the crater-lake changes by the seasons. In the dry season, the crater-lake maintains lower level which makes the area have wetland personalities. The organic materials flow down the slope around the wetland and gather the bottom of the crater which the wetland is located. The wetland displays the distinctive layer of floras. In terms of bio-diversity, the wetland does not show wide bio-diversity.

• The wetland also exhibits the characteristics of the wetlands in temperate climate zone and high moor due to the height of the mountain (508m), which Mulyeongari-oreum is located.

• The wetland forms a closed ecosystem due to the shape of the crate which the wetland is placed. This closed ecosystem present distinctive fauna display. Particularly near the wetland, different plants are growing in concentric circles. Due to the closed circulation of ecosystem, the wetland is claimed to face easy degradation and extinction.

Organisms

Insects

• giant water bug (Lethocerus deyrollei)
• Plateumaris sericea
• Gryllotalpa orientalis
• Anisodactylus signatus

47 insecta (5 order 24 family 47 species) were observed

Amphibians

• boreal digging frog (Kaloula borealis)
• Rana nigromaculata
• Hynobius leechii

2 orders, 3 families, 6species (37 individuals) in amphibians and 1 order, 3 families, 8species (15 individuals) were found and captured

Plants

• Scripus triqueter
• Persicaria thunbergi
• Persicaria nipponensis
• Rosa multiflora
• Rubus coreannus
• Carpinus laxiflora
• Cornus kousa
• Torreya nucifera
• Euonymus fortunei
• Scirpus triqueter
• Persicaria thunbergii
• Rosa multiflora
• Rubus coreannus
• Smilax china

210 plants (74 family 154 genus) were observed

References

Information sheet on Ramsar Wetlands

Korea's Ramsar Wetlands