• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.569-576
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• 2009

Sediment and nutrient loading caused by the removal of forest cover and alteration of agricultural lands in catchments have led to the deterioration in Lake Shirarutoro. To examine the effects of deforestation and agricultural activities on water quality, I examined changes in total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) of lake water induced by land use change, and compared them with the various research data produced over the years. Our investigation showed that the level of TN and TP in the lake water decreased when forest cover increased but increased when farmland area increased. The concentration of TN and TP was high in Lake Shirarutoro despite that its catchment was surrounded by large forests and small farmlands. This result indicates that land uses near Lake Shirarutoro have affected the quality of the lake water. I have examined the changes of sediment yield in the lake's catchment over the last approximately 300 years. Eleven core samples were obtained from the lake sediment and analyzed to establish a chronology after using two tephra layers (Ko-c2 in 1694 and Ta-a in 1739) and a $^{137}Cs$ peak (in 1963). The average sediment yield under the natural condition during the first two periods was 8.4 tons/$km^2$/year in 1694~1739 and 8.9 tons/$km^2$/year in 1739~1963 respectively. The conversion of the Shirarutoro catchment into agricultural lands and deforestation intensified, leading to an increased sediment yield of 21.1 tons/$km^2$/year during 1963~2007.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.611-618
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• 2009

Road construction has been worked on by focusing on cost effectiveness such as the reduction of construction costs without understanding the natural environment and ecosystems. In addition, since ecosystems have been destroyed and the habitats of animals and plants have been isolated, wild animals have sought other habitats or have moved into isolated habitats. Thus, issues such as roadkills or the extermination of species are increasingly occurring. Based on this background, the development and application of a general assessment method need to be researched in order to verify whether or not spaces or habitats where animals can be inhabited and their species can be maintained exist. The purpose of this study is to develop an ecosystem map where a conservation value evaluation method considering the functions of an ecosystem where animals live as well as the naturalness of ecosystems is used and can be made into a drawing. The items applied to evaluate the habitat conservation values were naturalness, rarity, and functionality, and sub-items for evaluation were created. GIS as well as the evaluation items were used to create a digital map about the level of importance based on the evaluation criteria. The created digital map showed that it was not limited to the adjustment or distribution of the fauna and flora but was applicable for a general ecosystem evaluation method for the conservation of habitats. It is expected that the isolation of habitats would be able to be minimized if the digital map is used for road construction projects. The digital map is deemed to be able to be used for the construction of environmentally friendly roads, which will minimize the destruction of ecosystems and the isolation of habitats for creatures.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.165-172
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• 2016

Mallard and Spot-billed ducks that are typical wintering water birds use the wide rice field in the center of the water system as a wintering ground. I try to figure out the daily movement distance from Home-Range to wintering ground for mallard and spot-billed ducks in Mangyunggang, Dongjingang where located in central region. In 2015 wintering period by using a Cannon-net, I attached WT-300 to 5 mallard and 5 spot-billed ducks. Daily movement distance is an overall average 0.89km, the largest distance was 31.09km. Daily movement distance of mallard was 0.97km, the largest distance was 28.78km. Daily movement distance of Spot-billed ducks was 0.80km, the largest distance was 33.39km. Home-Range analysis is used by the SHP files that is compatible with GIS and ArcGIS 9.0 Animal Movement Extension, it was analyzed using the Minimum Convex Polygon Method (MCP) and the Kernel Density Estimation (KDE). The behavior rights of two kinds of ducks was $490.34km^2$ by Minimum Convex Polygon Method (MCP) ($SD=311.20km^2N=10$), an important habitats Kernel Density Estimation (KDE 50%) was $42.24km^2$. Home-Range of Mallard (MCP) was $568.02km^2$, it is wider than home-range(MCP) of spot-billed duck $397.13km^2$ relatively, the core habitats of mallard is $53.05km^2$, it is wider than mallard's core habitats(KDE 50%) $29.26km^2$ relatively.

• Journal of Korean Society for Geospatial Information Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.101-111
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• 2015

Stream restoration projects have become threats to riparian ecosystem in Rep. of korea. Riparian wildlife becomes isolated and the animals are often experience difficulties in crossing riparian corridors. The purposes of this study is to select suitable wildlife passages for wild animals crossing riparian corridors. Maximum entropy model and snow tracking data on embankment in winter seasons were used to develop species distribution models to select suitable wildlife passages for water deer. The analysis suggests the following. Firstly, most significant factors for water deer's habitat in area nearby riparian area are shown to distance to water, age-class, land cover, slope, aspect, digital elevation model, tree density, and distance to road. For the riparian area, significant factors are shown to be land cover, size of riparian area, distance to tributary, and distance to built-up. Secondly, the suitable wildlife passages are recommended to reflect areas of high suitability with Maximum Entropy model in riparian areas and the surrounding areas and moving passages. The selected suitable areas are shown to be areas with low connectivity due to roads and vertical levee although typical habitats for water deer are forest, grassland, and farmland. In addition, the analysis of traces on snow suggests that the water deer make a detour around the artificial structures. In addition, the water deer are shown to make a detour around the fences of roads and embankment around farmland. Lastly, the water deer prefer habitats around riparian areas following tributaries. The method used in this study is expected to provide cost-efficient and functional analysis in selecting suitable areas.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.459-467
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• 2007

The effects of turbid water on fish community was investigated in a clear reference stream (the Bongsan Steam) and a turbid stream (the Daegi Stream) located in the upstream region of the South Han River, Korea. The stress index (SI) of suspended solids (SS) were calculated during a rain event concentration by the equation SI=LN (SS${\times}$duration). EMC of SS was $1{\sim}13$ mg $L^{-1}$ in the clear stream with a mean SI of 5.2, while SS was $97{\sim}1,150$ mg $L^{-1}$ in the turbid stream with a mean SI of 10.3. Even though the number of species was not much different, the dominant species of the two steams were distinctly different. The reference stream was dominated by upstream species such as Rhynchocypris kumgangensis, Brachymystax lenok tsinlingensis, and Cottus poecilopus which are typical upstream community. Whereas the turbid streams was dominated by Rhynchocypris kumgangensis, Zacco koreanus, and Orthrias nudus which are representatives of middle reache community. Fish density was four times higher in the clear steam than the turbid stream. In the similarity analysis of fish communities the community of the turbid stream showed large dissimilarity with other communities in other streams of similar size. In conclusion, although turbidity might be at the sublethal concentration, fish communities are under stress in some turbid streams of Korea that is strong enough to induce community change. It can be an example of a chronic ecological toxicity of turbidity at the community level.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.625-641
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• 2013

This study is analyzed the environmental ecological status of Suncheon Bay and its applicable possibility to the selection criteria of UNESCO World Natural Heritage (hereafter Criteria). The study shows that the formation process of the tidal-flats in Suncheon bay could apply to the Criteria VIII, "to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history." The landscape pattern of Suncheon Bay is deduced various patterns based on 5 biotope types: tidal-flat, rice-paddy, field area, coniferous natural forest, and broadleaf natural forest. Its landscape characteristic is a harmonized composition of various landscape including mountains, rivers, fields, and tidal-flats. It is judged that the unique landscape of Suncheon Bay falls under the criteria VII, "areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance." In addition, Suncheon Bay, the habitat of the Hooded Crane as internationally endangered species, comes under the criteria X, "the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of threatened species." The study shows, however, that any other designation for protected area including national park or biosphere reserve is a prerequisite for designation of World Nature Heritage. In particular, it could evaluate whether it is qualified of the Criteria after the integrated conservation and management to the Sucheon bay as well as the southwestern tidal-flat is preceded.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.71-80
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• 2011

The fish fauna and characteristics of population of Zacco platypus in the 9 microhabitat at the Tan Stream was investigated from August, 2009 to April, 2010. The collected species during the survey period were 17 species belong to 7 families. Korea endemic species were Hemiculter eigenmanni and Odontobutis interrupta, which showed a ration of 11.8% in collected species. Dominant species was Z. platypus and subdominant species was Carassius auratus. Dominated species of C. auratus was at the dam-type pool, Meander-type pool, run, and rock-type pool, Pseudogobio esocinus was side channel, Rhinogobius brunneus was riffle, and Z. platypus was channel connected pool, substrate-type pool and channel unconnected pool. Length-weight relationship in the population of Z. platypus was 3.29. PCA analysis was in to the 3 groups identified. Bary-curtis cluster analysis indicated that the substrate-type pool and channel unconnected pool 65.9% showed the most similar, riffle, and dam-type 30.4% were identified as the most contrast.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.16-22
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• 1999

The various spatial structure of biological habitat has tighten relationship with biodiversity. Due to increasing of population, development of agriculture and urban structure, various change of landscape has became these days. These change of landscape has raised the decrease of habitat and landscape fragmentation. This paper summarizes research to analysis vegetation index according to P/A ratio, Shape Index, and Fractal dimension using Landsat Thematic Mapper(TM). The analysis of landscape fragmentation using NDVI(Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) 0.5~1 has the most profitable for detection of vegetation fragmentation. The analysis of vegetation index of Seoul and Kyunggi province has also showed that Fractal dimension has the most fragmentation index. In near future, time series analysis is needed for fragmentation of vegetation on the same area, and for various landuse of fragmentation analysis. These researches were carried out for preservation strategy of vegetation and biodiversity.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.375-382
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• 2004

This study is conducted to investigate number of species in various habitat size in the area of urban biotope in Seoul from October to November in 2001 and from May to June in 2002. It is established that habitat size does not significantly affect the number of species in urban biotope. Thirty-two bird species were observed in 54 sites. Thirteen species of birds used sites of up to 1㏊, 29 species from 1 to 10 ㏊, and 8 species in the sites larger than 10㏊. We find that most of species appeared in size (1-10㏊), rather than in size (<1㏊, >10㏊). The cumulative number of species for a given cumulative area was consistently higher when small sites were added first. We think that this habitat size is the actual area to promote number of species within the urban area. Also, there was significant increase of number of species at biotope with water source and multiple vegetation structure. Therefore, if water resources and multiple vegetation structure is maintained, even small area can be helpful to the bird species promotion.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.173-184
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• 2016

Knowledge of the relationships among interspecific competition, spatial distributions and ecological niches plays an important role in understanding biogeographical distribution patterns of species. In this study, the distributional characteristics and ecological niches of the three Viperidae species (Gloydius ussuriensis, G. brevicaudus, and G. saxatilis) in South Korea were determined based on observation data and species distribution model. The effects of interspecific competition on geographical distribution and the division of the ecological niches of the vipers were also examined based on the models of predicted species distribution. The results showed that altitude was the most important environmental variable for their distribution, and the altitudes at which these snakes were distributed correlated with the climate of that region. Although interspecific ecological niches are quite overlapped, their predicted distribution patternsvary by the Taebaek Mountains. When overlaying the distribution models, most of the overlapping habitats were forest areas, which were relatively less overlapped than were the entire research areas. Thus, a parapatric distribution pattern was expected. The abundance of species occurring sympatrically was positively correlated with each other, indicating the lack of serious interspecies competition in this region. In conclusion, although the three Viperidae species in South Korea occupy similar ecological niches, these snakes exhibit parapatric distribution patterns without direct competition. Further research on various geographic variables (e.g., altitude, microhabitat characteristics) using relatively fine grid sizes, as well as further detailed ecological and behavioral research, is needed to determine the causative factors for the parapatric distribution pattern.