• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.208-219
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• 2009

This study is to establish a management method for conservation through comparison and analysis on vegetation structures of Pinus densiflora forest around Beopjusa area for past 17-year. The spatial range of the study was $3.6km^2$ from maintenance office to Beopjusa area. The analysis results of the actual vegetation showed that the ratio of vegetation were composed of 64.7% of Pinus densiflora forest, 3.2% of mixed forest of P. densiflora and deciduous broadleaf trees and 5.9% of deciduous broadleaf tree community out of overall area, 360ha. The type of P. densiflora forest were categorized into four communities; community having high potential of succession, community having low potential of it, the community being in the process of succession and community being in the process of natural selection. The succession tendency was in order of the community having low potential of succession(P. densiflora forest), having high potential of it(P. densiflora forest which is deciduous broadleaf trees are dominating in sub-canopy layer), being in the process of succession(P. densiflora-Prunus sargentii and P. densiflora-Quercus serrata community) and being in the process of natural selection(Q. serrata-P. densiflora and Q. aliena-P. densiflora community). In terms of vegetation management, P. densiflora forest having high potential of succession was needed to remove deciduous broadleaf trees in the sub-canopy layer and the community being in the process of succession was required to be pruning the branch in the canopy layer. Lastly, the community being in the process of natural selection was suggested to let it be in succession, since it is hard to be in the status of P. densiflora Forest.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.109 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 2020

In order to evaluate the vertical distribution and distributional pattern of vascular plants in the Samga district of Sobaeksan National Park, vascular plants were surveyed along a hiking trail from the Samga Tour Support Center to the top of a mountain. The elevation range was divided into 11 sections with 100 m intervals from 400 m to 1439 m above sea level.A total of 375 taxa were listed, comprising 92 families, 235 genera, 332 species, 3 subspecies, 37 varieties, and 3 forms. The pattern of species richness along the elevational gradient showed a reverse hump-shaped trend. The species distribution pattern was positively correlated with the soil exchangeable cations Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, soil pH, available phosphate, and the warmth index. Furthermore, slope, soil moisture content, and soil exchangeable cations were significantly correlated with species distribution. DCA grouped herb species into two groups. Stands of each section were sequentially arranged from 400 m to 1500 m along an altitudinal gradient. Soil moisture content, soil pH, soil K²⁺ and Na²⁺, available phosphate, and slope were significantly correlated with stand distribution. This study provides important data that could be useful for conservation and the sustainable use of biodiversity in the study area. In order to understand the ecological and environmental characteristics and distribution of plant species, it will be necessary to continuously develop relative studies with continuous monitoring.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 1994

Lysimeter experiments were conducted to elucidate the behavior of $NO_3-N$ derived from urea applied at different rates and accompanying cations in soils and to further provide fundamental information of rational nitrogen-fertilizer management. Urea was applied at rates of 0, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35kg N/10a to sandy loam pakced into PVC cylindrical lysimeter(vol. : $0.187m^2$, area $0.43m^2$). Leachates from the lysimeter with or without grass grown were collected periodically and analyzed for $NO_3$ and cations. Grass growth and yield responses to N fertilization were also examined. Dry matter yield and nitrogen uptake increased with the urea application rate. The amount of leachate from the lysimeter was negatively correlated with urea application ratesl($r=-0.95^{**}$). The nitrate leaching loss with grass grown was 230 g N/10a at the maximum rate of 35kg N/10a, but the highest leaching loss was observed as 1,607 g N/10a from the bare plot. Increase in urea application rates decreased significantly leaching losses of Ca, Mg, K and Na(>0.01). The highest leaching loss from the bare plot was observed for Ca but only 6.5% of exchangeable form and 14.0% for K from the grass plot respectively. Equivalent ratio of cations to nitrate leached were 3.2 % for the bare plot and the ratio for the grass plot increased with the urea application rate, ranging from 18.6 to 32.7%.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.15-28
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• 2023

In the Republic of Korea, the target project scope of the small-scale EIA is stipulated as the plan area above around 5,000~60,000m² depending on a type of project and classification of land use. Whereas, the lower limit of the corresponding local government EIA project is generally located above the small-scale EIA's limits, and overlapping ranges exist. This situation has been enlarged since road construction and district unit planning were included as the target projects for small-scale EIA in the "Enforcement Decree of the Environmental Impact Assessment Act", which was partially revised in November 2016, and the current consultation system needed discussion in that small-scale EIA is allowed to be done without gathering review opinions at the local level. In fact, projects subjected to local government EIA but consulted as small-scale EIAs may seem insignificant because of a small number of total cases; however, it is worth paying attention to the fact that a local government may not add a target project due to the small-scale EIA. This study suggested the three policy measures for improving small-scale EIA to enhance the effectiveness of local government EIA: supplementing the institutional arrangements to incorporate the review opinion from the local region in small-scale EIA, giving priority to local EIA for conducing the projects in overlapping ranges with partial amendments on EIA law regarding exceptions to local government EIA, including small target projects (not to be small-scale EIA targets) to the ordinance that are deemed necessary to be conducted as local government EIA. Even though a positive function of small-scale EIA has been confirmed, efforts should be made to improve the situation in which many projects within local governments are consulted without review from the region.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.474-480
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• 2016

In this study, formation background of biodiversity and its changes in the process of geologic history, and effects of climate change on biodiversity and human were discussed and the alternatives to reduce the effects of climate change were suggested. Biodiversity is 'the variety of life' and refers collectively to variation at all levels of biological organization. That is, biodiversity encompasses the genes, species and ecosystems and their interactions. It provides the basis for ecosystems and the services on which all people fundamentally depend. Nevertheless, today, biodiversity is increasingly threatened, usually as the result of human activity. Diverse organisms on earth, which are estimated as 10 to 30 million species, are the result of adaptation and evolution to various environments through long history of four billion years since the birth of life. Countlessly many organisms composing biodiversity have specific characteristics, respectively and are interrelated with each other through diverse relationship. Environment of the earth, on which we live, has also created for long years through extensive relationship and interaction of those organisms. We mankind also live through interrelationship with the other organisms as an organism. The man cannot lives without the other organisms around him. Even though so, human beings accelerate mean extinction rate about 1,000 times compared with that of the past for recent several years. We have to conserve biodiversity for plentiful life of our future generation and are responsible for sustainable use of biodiversity. Korea has achieved faster economic growth than any other countries in the world. On the other hand, Korea had hold originally rich biodiversity as it is not only a peninsula country stretched lengthily from north to south but also three sides are surrounded by sea. But they disappeared increasingly in the process of fast economic growth. Korean people have created specific Korean culture by coexistence with nature through a long history of agriculture, forestry, and fishery. But in recent years, the relationship between Korean and nature became far in the processes of introduction of western culture and development of science and technology and specific natural feature born from harmonious combination between nature and culture disappears more and more. Population of Korea is expected to be reduced as contrasted with world population growing continuously. At this time, we need to restore biodiversity damaged in the processes of rapid population growth and economic development in concert with recovery of natural ecosystem due to population decrease. There were grand extinction events of five times since the birth of life on the earth. Modern extinction is very rapid and human activity is major causal factor. In these respects, it is distinguished from the past one. Climate change is real. Biodiversity is very vulnerable to climate change. If organisms did not find a survival method such as 'adaptation through evolution', 'movement to the other place where they can exist', and so on in the changed environment, they would extinct. In this respect, if climate change is continued, biodiversity should be damaged greatly. Furthermore, climate change would also influence on human life and socio-economic environment through change of biodiversity. Therefore, we need to grasp the effects that climate change influences on biodiversity more actively and further to prepare the alternatives to reduce the damage. Change of phenology, change of distribution range including vegetation shift, disharmony of interaction among organisms, reduction of reproduction and growth rates due to odd food chain, degradation of coral reef, and so on are emerged as the effects of climate change on biodiversity. Expansion of infectious disease, reduction of food production, change of cultivation range of crops, change of fishing ground and time, and so on appear as the effects on human. To solve climate change problem, first of all, we need to mitigate climate change by reducing discharge of warming gases. But even though we now stop discharge of warming gases, climate change is expected to be continued for the time being. In this respect, preparing adaptive strategy of climate change can be more realistic. Continuous monitoring to observe the effects of climate change on biodiversity and establishment of monitoring system have to be preceded over all others. Insurance of diverse ecological spaces where biodiversity can establish, assisted migration, and establishment of horizontal network from south to north and vertical one from lowland to upland ecological networks could be recommended as the alternatives to aid adaptation of biodiversity to the changing climate.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.84 no.2
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• pp.226-238
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• 1995

This research was conducted to investigate the influential factors of the runoff of water and hillslope erosion caused by the large-scale harvesting operation. It was carried out on harvested sites (13ha) and non-harvested sites(13ha) in Seoul National University Research Forest [(Mt.) Paekunsan], from 1993 to 1994. 1. The amount of runoff of water was increased as the unit of rainfall increases, and the amount of runoff on harvested sites was larger than that of non-harvested sites by 28% in the first year and 24.5% in the second year after harvesting. According to the multiple regression equation for surface runoff, unit and number of rainfall, amount of hillslope erosion and soil bulk density showed statistically significance($R^2$=0.91). 2. The amount of hillslope erosion on harvested sites was larger than that of non-harvested sites by 7 times during the first year of harvesting and 2 times during the second year. 3. The multiple regression equations for hillslope erosion showed that soil bulk density, surface runoff of water and unit of rainfall(these factors were not controllable) had statistically significance($R^2$=0.74). 4. Soil runoff in harvested and non harvested sites were maximum 6.7% and 1% of the amount of hillslope erosion, respectively during the first year of harvesting. And the second year of harvesting soil runoff in harvested and non harvested cites were maximum 5.7% and 1.9%of the amount of hillslope erosion. From the above results, when in planning for timber harvesting, the buffer strip-woods zone must be remained to diminish soil and water runoff and to preserve water quality.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.248-256
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• 2018

Reduction in the occurrence of weed and erosion of slope soil by living mulch barley simultaneously sown with soybean were investigated at the Upland Experimental Field in Suwon City in 2013 and 2014. The aboveground dry matter of 200-300, 100-200 kg/10a of living mulch barley was obtained at 40 and 60 after sowing, respectively. The occurrence of weeds was significantly reduced by barley living mulch. The early growth of soybean was reduced significantly because of the competition with barley living mulch, but the late growth of soybean after natural drying of barley living mulch was recovered considerably. The soybean grain yield with barley living mulch was similar to that of the normal soybean cultivation, showing no significant difference between no mulch and living mulch treatments. With respect to soil erosion on the slope soil, the amount of run-off water decreased by 20-50% and the amount of soil loss decreased by 70-90% by barley living mulch. The reduction in soil erosion by the use of plastic film + barley living mulch was similar to that of only barley living mulch. The barley living mulch in soybean production can be a promising cultivation technique as it reduces weed occurrence and soil erosion without grain yield reduction.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.381-402
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• 2017

In order to investigate distribution of vascular plants along elevational gradient in the Nodong valley of Gyebangsan, vascular plants of eight sections with 100-meter-high were surveyed from the Auto-camping site (800 m) to the top of a mountain (1,577 m). There were a total of 382 taxa: 89 families, 234 genera, 339 species, 7 subspecies, 34 varieties, and 2 forms. As a result of analyzing the pattern of species richness, it showed a reversed hump-shaped with minimum richness at mid-high elevation. As a result of analyzing habitat affinity types, the proportion of forest species increased with increasing elevation. But, the ruderal species decreased with increasing elevation, and then increased at the top of a mountain. As for the proportion of life forms, the annual herbs gradually decreased with increasing elevation, but it did not appear between 1,300 m and 1,500 m and then increased at the top of a mountain. The trees gradually increased with elevation and decreased from 1,300~1,400 m. The vascular plants divided into four groups by using DCA. The arrangement of each stands was arranged in order from right to left on the I axis according to the elevation. The distribution of vascular plants is determined by their own optimal ranges of vegetation. Also, rise in temperature due to climate change affects the distribution of vascular plants, composition, and diversity. Therefore, continuous monitoring is necessary to confirm ecological and environmental characteristics of vegetation, distribution ranges, changes of habitat. Furthermore, plans for conservation and management based on these data should be prepared according to climate change.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.99-128
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• 2018

The cultivation area of rice as staple grains is decreasing in the domestic situation in Korea. Import volume of a duty in foreign rice is 409,000 tons for a year regardless increasing of production per unit area and decreasing of rice consumption. The total stock of rice is increasing cumulatively despite the effort for production mediation of rice. Therefore, maintenance of cultivation area and reduction of production are necessary for national foodstuffs security problems. Development of environment-friendly and low-carbon technology as alternative of global warming and aging of farm labor power is very important responsibility for descendants with creation of sustainable agriculture environment. As alternative for demand and supply stabilization of rice from all angles, first stage: extension of environment-friendly cultivation area as 17% Jeollanam-do level with maintenance of cultivation area under the present circumstances, second stage: extension of environment-friendly cultivation area as 25%, third stage: extension of environment-friendly cultivation area as 35%. From above mentioned scenario, reduction of rice production (60,000 tons), increases of production cost (59,200,000,000 Won), and reduction of income (201,500,000,000 Won) are estimated in first stage. Reduction of rice production (90,000 tons), increases of production cost (122,100,000,000 Won), and reduction of income (313,700,000,000 Won) are estimated in second stage. Reduction of rice production (380,000 tons), increases of production cost (222,000,000,000 Won), and reduction of income (464,500,000,000 Won) are estimated in third stage. From analysis results for partial tillage in transplanting cultivation complex (10ha), rice production is decreased 1.3~1.5 ton by complex. Production cost of rice is decreased and increases of income cultivation type. Gradual extension of environment-friendly agriculture and low-carbon partial tillage could be expected for environment maintenance of the territorial integrity, confidence of consumer, and high-efficiency of low-cost.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.18-24
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• 2007

Paddy fields are apparently nonpoint source pollution and influence water environment. In order to improve water quality in rivers or lakes, to low nutrient load from paddy fields are required. To establish comprehensive plan to control agricultural non-point source pollution, it is imperative to get a quantitative evaluation on pollutants and pollution load from paddy fields. A field monitoring study was carried out to investigate the water balance and losses of nutrients from fields in Sumjin river basin. The size of paddy fields was 115 ha and the fields were irrigated from a pumping station. The observed total nitrogen loads from paddy fields were larger than those of the unit loads determined by Ministry of Environment data (MOE). It is because the nitrogen fertilization level at the studied field was higher than the recommended rate and the high irrigation and subsequent drainage amount. On the contrary, total phosphorus loads were less than those addressed by MOE since phosphorus fertilization level was lower than that of standard level. Therefore, it was found that fertilization, irrigation, and drainage management are key factors to determine nutrient losses from paddy fields. When the runoff losses of nutrients were compared to applied chemical fertilizer, it was found that 42 to 60% of nitrogen lost via runoff while runoff losses of phosphorus account for 1.3 to 7.6% of the total applied amount during the entire year.