Selection of URBANIZATION Indicator Species Through Naturalized Plant Distribution Analysis

Purpose: As the number of foreign plants adapted to the urban environment increased, urban plants that could grow and adapt to the city appeared. These plants invade the existing ecosystem and provide direct and indirect risk factors to plants and humans, such as vegetation disturbance in nature and cities and pollen allergy. This study is expected to be used as a standard for urbanization indicators by selecting indicator species through distribution analysis of naturalized plants. Method: This study was analyzed based on flora survey data for 12 years from 2006 to 2017, the 3rd to 4th National Natural Environment Survey period, including 1200 places(776 map index system num-bers). For distribution analysis of naturalized plants, matrix analysis was applied. The researchers ana-lyzed the number of species by frequency of appearance in 162 cities and counties and the number of species by frequency of appearance in 1200 places. In addition, this study classified the distribution grades by the matrix analysis and tried to select the urbanization indicator species by conducting the first and second stages of evaluation. Results: As a result of the second stage evaluation, 34 species were selected. There were 28 species with grades 2 to 3 in the distribution grade. There were 6 species with a naturalization rate of 15% or more and an appearance rate of 40% or more. Species with an urbanization index of 15% or more and an appearance rate of 40% or more were analyzed as 15 species. As a result of synthesizing the evaluation items, researchers selected 6 species as urbanization indicators species. Conclusion: The urbanization indicator species had a low distribution grade, and they had a high fre-quency of appearance in 17 administrative districts. Researchers selected species of high appearance rates in areas with high naturalization rates and species of high appearance rates in regions with high urbanization indexes. As a result, 6 species were selected, including Juncea, Supina, Coccinea, Great rag-weed, Common groundsel, and Asper.