본 충청남도 가야산의 산림식생을 대상으로 2006년 4월부터 2005년 10월까지 100개의 방형구를 설치하여 Z-M 식물사회학적 방법으로 식생구조의 유형분류를 실시하였던바 가야산의 산림식생은 소나무군락군 유형, 층층나무군락군 유형, 인공식재림 유형으로 대별되었다. 소나무군락군은 철쭉군락, 갯버들군락, 합다리나무군락, 소나무전형군락으로 분류되어졌으며, 철쭉군락은 돌양지꽃군(소사나무소군과 대나물소군으로 세분됨)과 철쭉전형군으로 세분되었다. 층층나무군락군은 헛개나무군락 갈참나무군락, 명자순군락, 층층나무전형군락으로 세분되었다. 인공식재림 유형은 일본잎갈나무군락, 리기다소나무군락, 밤나무군락으로 분류되었다. 따라서 본 조사지역의 식생유형은 3개 군락군, 11개 군락, 2개 군, 2개 소군으로 분류되었고, 총 13개의 식생단위로 나타났다. 이 중에서 소사나무소군과 합다리나무군락은 한반도 산림분포대 및 식생체계의 정립시 난대림 유형과 그 분포지에 대한 기초정보를 제공해 줄 수 있는 식생단위로 보이며. 헛개나무군락은 중요한 유전자원으로 보호 관리되어져야 할 것으로 사료되었다.
This study was carried out to classify forest vegetation structure of Mt. Gaya from April to October in 2006 using phytosociological analysis methodology of Z-M schools. One hundred study sites(quadrat) were surveyed in the area. The forest vegetation was classified into 3 community groups such as Pinus densiflora community group, Cornus controversa community group and artificial forest group. P, densiflora community group was subdivided into 4 communities such as Rhododendron schlippenbachii community. Salix gracilistyla community, Meliosma oldhamii community and P. densiflora typical community. R. schlippendbachii community was subdivided into Potentilla dickinsii group(subdivided into Carpinus coreana subgroup and Melandrynum firmum subgroup) and R. schlippenbachiitypical group. Cornus controversa community group was also subdivided into 4 communities such as Hovenia dulcis community, Quercus aliena community, Ribes maximowicianum community and C. controversa typical community. Artificial forest type indicated 3 communities such as Larix leptolepis community, Pinus rigida community and Castanea crenata community. Accordingly, the vegetation pattern of the surveyed areas were classified into 3 community groups, 11 communities, 2 groups, and 2 subgroups and the forest vegetation was classified into 13 units in total. It is also believed that C. coreana subgroup and M. oldhamii community could be a source for a significant basic data for making vegetation hierarchy and forest distribution zone in the Korean peninsula. H. dulcis community was also considered to be one of the important genetic resources; therefore, those distribution areas are required to be institutionally protected and managed in the near future.