• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.169-178
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• 2021

BACKGROUND: The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is promoting agri-environment conservation program to induce farmers to participate in agricultural environment improvement and conservation activities. However, assessment tools based on scientific evidence are needed to determine the effectiveness of the program objectively and quantitatively. Therefore, this study was performed to develop plant indicators in order to efficiently evaluate the effects of the agri-environment conservation program promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. METHODS AND RESULTS: The survey was conducted in five regions (Hampyeong, Boryeong, Mungyeong, Hongseong, and Sangju) participating in the agri-eonvironment conservation program. In each region, twenty paddy fields were investigated (ten paddy fields included in the program and ten paddy fields not included in the program). A total of 231 taxa vascular plants were identified in the paddy fields that were included in the agri-environment conservation program, and a total of 177 taxa were identified in the paddy fields that were not included. The average species number occurred on each field was 55.8 taxa in the fields included in the program, and 35.0 taxa in the fields not included in the program. The difference in occurring plants between two groups was found to be more higher in perennial plants than in annual plants. We selected the six groups as indicator plants through five criteria such as perennial plants and broadly occurring species, etc. to verify the effectiveness of the agri-environment conservation program: Taraxacum spp., Ixeris spp., Viola spp., Platago spp., Calystegia spp., and rare and endagered species. There was a high positive correlation between the score calculated using these indicator plants and the total number of plants species. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that it is possible to evaluate the agro-ecological environment by using indicator plants. The selected indicator plants can be effectively used to verify the effectiveness of projects such as agri-environmental conservation programs in the future.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.79-87
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• 2021

Because active interactions occur among vegetation, hydrology, and geomorphology in riparian systems, any changes in one of these factors can significantly affect the other two. In this study, we evaluated these interactions at four sites (two in Gajeong and two in Hahan) along the Seomjin-gang River that was substantially devastated by an extreme flood in 2020. We examined the relationship between the riparian vegetation and the hydraulic characteristics of the flood using remote sensing, hydraulic modeling, and field surveys combined. The evaluation results showed that the floods caused a record-breaking rise of up to 43.1 m above sea level at the Yeseong-bridge stage gauge station (zero elevation 27.4 m) located between the Gajeong and Hahan sites, with the shear stress being four times higher in Hahan than in Gajeong. Additionally, the water level during the flood was estimated to be a maximum of 1 m higher depending on the location in the presence of riparian plants. Furthermore, both sites underwent extensive biological damage due to the flood, with 78-80% loss in vegetation, with preferential damage observed in large willow species, compared to Quercus acutissima. The above findings imply that all plant species exhibit different vulnerabilities towards extreme floods and do not induce similar behavior towards events causing a disturbance. In conclusion, we developed strategies for effectively managing riparian trees by minimizing flood hazards that could inevitably cause damage.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.297-312
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• 2007

This study is conducted to evaluate economical value of Jeju grassland and validity of its preservation, and draw up several measures to support. To measure its economical value, this study examined its environmental value and social and cultural value. For environmental value, this study used replacement method while it applied CVM method, a widely used method, to assess social and cultural value and two-level two-best choice selection method, which ask questions by assuming virtual circumstances to avoid reflecting some biased opinions. Jeju grassland has multiple functions-environmental functions such as preventing soil corrosion and flood, handling animal excrement, and purifying air, and social and cultural functions such as promoting physical and mental health and providing recreation places. From the results of the feasibility study, Jeju grassland's annual multiple functions are assessed to have a total $397,115{\sim}418,995$ million won worth. In addition, it is found that Jeju visitors recognize Jeju grassland for its functions to contribute to public interests. That is, they think it can provide attractive views and educational and recreational places and promote emotional development. Especially, many people presented their ideas that it be continuously preserved since it is worthwhile for us and our next generations. To preserve grassland's cultural resource, which create a huge economic value like this, the Government has to support a certain amount of financial aid for turning to a better grassland environment and its maintenance to realize environment-friendly livestock farming on Jeju Island and promote its tourism industry and consequently, add more value to Jeju.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.654-663
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• 2019

Pollinators, which are important organisms in pollination ecology, have been highly valued for their economic contributions to crop production in the agricultural and biotechnology industries. As the production of over 70% of farm products, such as fruits, are mediated by pollinators, bees are important and useful insects to humans. However, pollinators are now seriously threatened with their numbers decreasing annually and their biodiversity being negatively affected by ongoing climate change, misuse of land, change of geographical features, and use of pesticides to increase agricultural production. Thus, surveys and analyses of the emergence and distribution of wild bees are important for conservation and management practices designed to help them continue to play their ecological and agricultural roles despite negative pressures, such as climate and topography changes. We surveyed pollinators, especially wild bees, at 51 research sites in South Korea every two to four weeks for two years from 2017 to 2018 using ez-Malaise traps and analyzed the temporal and spatial distribution of wild bees. The bees showed a normal temporal distribution that peaked between July and August. The bees' working period lasted until November. The spatial distribution of wild bees showed a significant correlation with latitude, and different bees were identified depending on the local habitat. No significant correlation was found for longitudinal distribution with regression analysis (p > 0.05), but this study identified locally specific wild bees. Although we could not predict significant distribution according to longitude, Further studies should be able to analyze the difference in the distribution of wild bees according to the climate, topography, and land-use patterns by humans. The results of this study provide basic information on pollinator distribution, which can be useful in agriculture and for the conservation and management of biodiversity in South Korean pollination ecology.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.229-237
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• 2015

This study aims to offer basic data to effectively preserve and manage pine forests using more precise pine forests' distribution status. In this regard, this study predicts the geographical distribution change of pine forests growing in South Korea, due to climate change, and evaluates the spatial distribution characteristics of pine forests by age. To this end, this study predicts the potential distribution change of pine forests by applying the MaxEnt model useful for species distribution change to the present and future climate change scenarios, and analyzes the effects of bioclimatic variables on the distribution area and change by age. Concerning the potential distribution regions of pine forests, the pine forests, aged 10 to 30 years in South Korea, relatively decreased more. As the area of the region suitable for pine forest by age was bigger, the decreased regions tend to become bigger, and the expanded regions tend to become smaller. Such phenomena is conjectured to be derived from changing of the interaction of pine forests by age from mutual promotional relations to competitive relations in the similar climate environment, while the regions suitable for pine forests' growth are mostly overlap regions. This study has found that precipitation affects more on the distribution of pine forests, compared to temperature change, and that pine trees' geographical distribution change is more affected by climate's extremities including precipitation of driest season and temperature of the coldest season than average climate characteristics. Especially, the effects of precipitation during the driest season on the distribution change of pine forests are irrelevant of pine forest's age class. Such results are expected to result in a reduction of the pine forest as the regions with the increase of moisture deficiency, where climate environment influencing growth and physiological responses related with drought is shaped, gradually increase according to future temperature rise. The findings in this study can be applied as a useful method for the prediction of geographical change according to climate change by using various biological resources information already accumulated. In addition, those findings are expected to be utilized as basic data for the establishment of climate change adaptation policies related to forest vegetation preservation in the natural ecosystem field.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.212-222
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• 2011

Estuaries have been used competitively and exploited for the past decades in Korea. To preserve the environment of the estuaries from the integrated perspective, new policies have started to change such exploitative development in 2000s. Due to the poor knowledge-base, however, there has been a lack of support system which enables to execute such policies effectively. The present study was conducted to figure out the limits of the estuarine management research projects in Korea, which is being performed to overcome these limitations. It was studied through Gap Analysis between domestic and foreign advanced practices as well as Analytical Hierarchy Process on expert survey in terms of the three aspects: how well the estuarine management research projects in Korea meets the demands of policy making and administration; raises the awareness of citizens about the merit of environmental preservation; and establishes knowledge-based support system. This project turned out to reflect adequately the development of programs for building estuarine management systems. But consideration of other ministries was relatively scarce. But the contents which directly support community-based activities and educational programs to improve citizens' awareness were judged to be insufficient. According to the results of Gap Analysis, research about the structure and function of estuarine ecosystems, which can support to develop policy alternatives in detail, was relatively more necessary. Therefore, to support estuarine policy management effectively, the development of a realistic plan, which can overcome fundamental issues inherent in the Korean environmental management system and the limitation of the estuarine management research projects in Korea itself, is needed.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2018.05a
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• pp.480-480
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• 2018

전 세계적으로 자연 친화, 하천생태계 보전, 친수하천 등을 조성하기 위한 대대적인 하천 정비사업이 활발히 진행 중에 있다. 최근 홍수로 인한 제방 붕괴에 대응하기 위한 제방의 안정화 및 개선을 위한 방법으로 기존의 시멘트와 같은 혼합물질을 사용하지 않고 환경 친화적이고 지속 가능한 대안에 대한 수요가 증가되고 있는 추세이며 현재 노후화 된 불안정 제방에 대한 보강대책을 수립해나가는 과정으로써 친환경 신소재를 활용하여 제방을 보호하는 연구가 수행되고 있다. 제방사면에 적용되는 신소재는 바이오폴리머를 활용한 재료로써 공동연구기관 카이스트에서 개발된 환경 친화적인 물질로 미생물에 의해 유도된 고인장 및 인체 무해성 등의 특성을 갖고 있으며 경제적 타당성인 측면에서 시멘트와 비교 분석 되어야 하고 실제 현장에서의 적용 가능성, 신뢰성 및 내구성 검토 등 성능을 보장하기 위한 지속적인 연구가 필요한 상황이다. 이에 본 안동하천실험센터에서는 중규모 제방을 직접 제작하여 수리모형실험을 통한 친환경 신소재 활용 제방의 안정성 및 성능 평가를 실시하였다. 수리실험 조건은 카이스트에서 제시된 레시피를 기반으로 먼저 분말형태의 바이이폴리머를 물과 희석하여 만들어진 바이오폴리머 용액을 흙과 혼합한 뒤 제방표면에 직접 미장작업을 수행하여 실험조건에 따라 일정한 두께(1cm, 3cm, 5cm)로 피복하였다. 이후 월류 붕괴 실험이 가능한 3 - 5일 정도의 양생기간을 거쳐 실험을 진행하였다. 실험결과는 다수의 고프로(GoPro) 및 비디오 카메라 등 다양한 영상장치를 이용하여 픽셀기반의 영상분석기법을 활용한 시간 흐름에 따른 제방 사면에서의 붕괴규모를 산정하여 신소재의 피복 두께에 따른 제체의 붕괴 거동 및 안정성을 평가하였으며, 또한 제방 파괴부에서의 흐름 상황 및 유속이 붕괴 발달에 미치는 영향을 분석하기 위하여 PIV 분석을 실시하였다. 이번 연구의 최종목표는 지속적인 예비실험을 수행하여 월류 및 침투, 파이핑 등 파괴 인자 별 신소재의 성능 개선 및 개발된 새로운 공법에 대한 효과 검토를 통한 최적안을 도출함으로써 향후 실규모 실험실증을 통한 신소재 시공 및 공법에 대한 현장적용 가능성 검증을 거쳐 최종적으로 신소재 제방 공법 설계 기술, 신소재 및 공법 표준안, 제방공법 안정성 평가 가이드라인 등을 제시하고자 하며, 이러한 실험데이터를 축적함으로써 실제 제방 붕괴 시 비상대처계획 수립에 필요한 기초자료로 활용이 가능할 것으로 사료된다.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.335-340
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• 2010

The paper describes the objectives of Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecosystem (YSLME) project, focusing on procedural and practical aspects. YSLME is a highly productive sea yet possibly one of the most impacted large marine ecosystems, in terms of anthropogenic stressors, due the enormous coastal population. The aim of the YSLME project is the reduction of ecosystem stress through identification of the environmental problems in the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) that are then addressed in the Strategic Action Programme (SAP). One of the major problems found to be affecting biological diversity is habitat modification through wetland reclamation, conversion and degradation. Since the early 1900's more than 40% of intertidal wetlands have been reclaimed in Korea, and 60% of Chinese coastal wetlands have been converted or reclaimed. Damaging fishing practices, pollution and coastal eutrophication have further degraded the coastal environment reducing the biological diversity. To combat this loss, the YSLME project has mounted a public awareness campaign to raise environmental consciousness targeted at all different levels of society, from politicians at parliamentary workshops, local government officer training events, scientific conferences and involvement of scientists in the project research and reporting, to university and high school students in our visiting internship programmes and environmental camps. We have also built networks through the Yellow Sea Partnership and by liaising and working with other environmental organizations and NGOs. NGO's are recognised as important partners in the environmental conservation as they already have extensive local networks that can be lacking in international organisations. Effective links have been built with many of these NGOs through the small grants programme. Working with WWF's YSESP project and other academic and research institutions we have conducted our own biodiversity assessments that have contributed to the science-based development of the SAP for the YSLME. Our regional targets for biodiversity outlined in the SAP include: Improvements in the densities, distributions and genetic diversity of current populations of all living organisms including endangered and endemic species; Maintenance of habitats according to standards and regulations of 2007; and a reduction in the risk of introduced species. Endorsement of the SAP and its successful implementation, during the proposed second phase of the YSLEM project, will ensure that biological diversity is here to benefit future generations.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.73-82
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• 2008

The resource plants of the Mt. Geonji was listed 354 taxa; 92 families, 242 genera, 303 species, 48 varieties and 3 forms. 354 taxa listed consists of 205 taxa of edible plants(57.1%),234 taxa of medicinal plants(65.2%), 167 taxa of ornamental plants(46.5%) and 218 taxa of the others(60.7%). Specific plant species by floral region were total 22 taxa; Trapella sinensis var. antennifera in class IV, Iris ensata var. spontanea in Class II, 16 taxa(Salix glandulosa, Alnus hirsuta, Chrysosplenium flagelliferum, Mallotus japonicus, Ilex macropoda, Grewia biloba var. parviflora, Vaccinium oldhami, Lysimachia barystachys, Fraxinus mandshurica, etc.) in class I. The naturalized plants in this site were 12 families, 23 genera, 28 species, 2 varieties, 30 taxa(Bromus unioloides, Phytolacca americana, Oenothera erythrosepala, Ipomoea hederacea var. hederacea, Aster pilosus, Erechtites hieracifolia) and naturalization rate was 8.5% of all 354 taxa vascular plants. Wild plants disturbing ecosystem like Solanum carolinense and Ambrosia artemisiifolia var. elatior have been increasing. So, it needs continuing control and conservation measures on the plant ecosystem.

• Clean Technology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2021

Due to the negative impacts of microplastics (MPs) on the ecosystem, the investigation of its occurrence and its treatment from sewage and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have received a lot of attention in the recent years. Most MPs are precipitated and removed with the sludge during the treatment process. Proper sludge management is immensely necessary to avoid MP exposure in the environment. However, the domestic research on this aspect is limited. This study reviews appropriate sludge management approaches to decrease environmental MP exposure. This can be achieved through investigating sludge generation and treatment, regulation laws and government policy trends with an emphasis on WWTPs. The ratio of sludge in sewage treatment plants has been observed to be highest in recycling followed by incineration and landfills. Recycling is the highest in fuel followed by construction materials and composting. For WWTPs, the highest ratio is in recycling followed by fuel and landfills, and recycling is confirmed in the following order: incineration > after composting > after solidification > earthworm breeding. Treatment approaches that can increase the exposure of MPs to the ecosystem are considered to be used in landfills and agricultural fields. However, this method is not appropriate given the insufficient capacity of domestic landfills and the sufficient supply of existing chemical and animal manure fertilizers. Instead, it would be rational in terms of environmental preservation to expand the use of fuel and energy in connection with the new and renewable energy policy, and to actively seek the use of sub-materials for construction materials. In order to secure the basic data for the effectiveness of future planning and revision of related laws, it is required to perform an in-depth investigation of the sludge supply and demand status along with the environmental and economic effects.