• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.351-364
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• 2000

1980년 설치 이후 환경부는 환경정책과 환경관리에 대한 주요 업무 중의 하나로 자연환경의 보전에 주안점을 두고 있다. 또한 자연환경보전법에 의거하여 환경부는 자연환경상태에 대한 전국 단위의 자연환경조사를 실시하고 있다. 제1차 전국자연환경조사는 이미 1986-1990년에 실시하였고, 현재 교수 및 연구진의 참여 하에 제2차 전국자연환경조사(1997-2002)ff 실시하고 있다. 제2차 조사에서는 지형경관에 대한 조사가 포함되어 모든 종류의 지질 및 지형환경에 대한 조사가 이루어진다. 예를 들면 호수와 습지, 해안, 하천, 산지. 평야, 주빙하지형, 화산, 카르스트 및 구조지형 등이다. 조사지역은 육지 206개 소권역, 해안 145개 지점으로 나누고 6년에 걸쳐 매년 약 30개의 팀이 이 프로젝트에 참여하고 있다. 조사결과는 “지형경관도”로 편집, 인쇄될 예정이며 현존식생도, 동식물분포도와 함께 생태자연도로 작성될 예정이다. 제2차 조사에서 얻어진 방대한 양의 환경정보를 합리적이고 효율적으로 이용하기 위해서 환경부는 한경관리를 위한 이용과 응용에 환경정보시스템을 구축하고 있다.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.380-389
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• 2020

Research on diagnosing and predicting the response of ecosystems caused by environmental changes such as artificial disturbance and climate change is emerging as the most important issue of biodiversity and ecosystem researches. This study aims to clean, standardize, and provide the results of National Ecosystem Survey which should be considered fundamentally in diagnosing and predicting ecosystem changes in the form of dataset. To refine and clean the dataset we developed a simple verification program based on the fifth National Ecosystem Survey Guideline and applied that program to the data from the second (1997~2005), third (2006~2013) and fourth (2014~2018) National Ecosystem Survey. Data quality control processes were implemented including (1) standardization of terminology, (2) similar data table integration, (3) unnecessary attribute and error elimination, (4) unification of different input items, (5) data arrangement in codes, and (6) code mapping for input items. These approaches and methods are the first attempt propose an option for ecological data standardization in Korea. The standardized dataset of National Ecosystem Survey in Korea will be easily accessible, reusable for both researchers and public. In addition, we expect it will contribute to the establishment of diverse environmental policies concerning environmental assessments, habitat conservation, prediction of endangered species distribution and ecological risks due to climate change. The dataset through this study is open freely online via EcoBank (nie-ecobank.kr) which is the first ecological information portal system in Korea developed by National Institute of Ecology.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.124-138
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• 2007

In order to characterize the current status and distribution of reptiles currently inhabiting the Republic of Korea, the results of survey data were analyzed in this study. The results of this analysis showed that the reptiles were distributed into two orders, seven families, and 21 species, with the exception of six marine reptiles, including Dermochelys coriacea schlegelii, Chelonia mydas japonica, Caretta caretta, Hydrophis melanocephalus, Hydrophis cyanocinctus, and Pelamis platrrus. Also, the taxonomic revisions of several species were suggested, although this would be ill-advised before further studies can be conducted regarding the current status of marine reptiles in the region.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.160-170
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to perform clustering of the habitat types and to identify the characteristics of species in the habitat types using mammal data (70,562) of the 3rd National Ecosystem Survey conducted from 2006 to 2012. The 15 habitat types recorded in the field-paper of the 3rd National ecosystem survey were reclassified, which was followed by the statistical analysis of mammal habitat types. In the habitat types cluster analysis, non-hierarchical cluster analysis (k-means cluster analysis), hierarchical cluster analysis, and non-metric multidimensional scaling method were applied to 14 habitat types recorded more than 30 times. A total of 7 Orders, 16 Families, and 39 Species of mammals were identified in the 3rd National Ecosystem Survey collected nationwide. When 11 clusters were classified by habitat types, the simple structure index was the highest (ssi = 0.07). As a result of the similarities and hierarchies between habitat types suggested by the hierarchical clustering analysis, the residential areas were the most different habitat types for mammals; the next following type was a cluster together with rivers and coasts. The results of the non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis demonstrated that both Mus musculus and Rattus norvegicus restrictively appeared in a residential area, which is the most discriminating habitat type. Lutra lutra restrictively appeared in coastal and river areas. In summary, according to our results, the mammalian habitat can be divided into the following four types: (1) the forest type (using forest as the main habitat and migration route); (2) the river type (using water as the main habitat); (3) the residence habitat (living near residential area); and (4) the lowland type (consuming grain or seeds as the main feeding resource).

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.155-164
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• 2016

In this study we analyzed the spatial and temporal distribution and preferred habitat type of the Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) based on the 3rd National Ecosystem Survey. Kentish plovers were observed in 97 maps out of a total 842 maps (11.8%) between 2006 and 2012, mainly along the western and southern coasts of Korea. They were also observed in the eastern coast of Korea, inland rivers (Han, Geum, Nakdong, Seomjin, and Yongsan River), the western and eastern coast of Jeju island, and Daecheong Island in the Yellow Sea. The observations were mainly made during the spring breeding season and migration seasons in spring and autumn. The occurrence of kentish plovers was positively influenced by the area of water and wetland according to the middle classification level of land cover type analysis and the area of coastal wetlands in the detailed classification level of land cover types. Most (90%) of the kentish plovers recorded maps had coastal wetlands. Kentish plovers were known to be susceptible to change of habitat. As the occurrence of kentish plovers could be associated with the habitat-change of coastal wetlands and it is possible to estimate the number of individuals, it is recommended that kentish plovers be used as a bioindicator species for the ecological assessment of ecosystem in intertidal zones.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.519-527
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• 2013

The Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea set up 'the $2^{nd}$ Fundamental Plan for Wetlands Conservation' to facilitate systematic surveys and management of various national wetlands and to promote sustainable conservation and use of those wetlands. The mid-term fundamental plan was established in accordance with the Article 5 of the Wetland Conservation Act, which spans 5 years from 2013 to 2017 and covers national wetlands including inland wetlands and coastal wetlands stated in the Act. The fundamental plan aims to promote the wise use of wetlands through establishing policies for sustainable conservation based on the assessment of implementation of the $1^{st}$ Fundamental Plan, setting up a scientific framework for establishment and implementation of national wetland policies by improving wetland survey systems and enhancing basis wetland data, improving the ecological health of wetlands and securing biodiversity conservation of wetlands by strengthening conservation and management system of national wetlands, and through raising public awareness and diversify education and promotion tools. The main objectives of the $2^{nd}$ Fundamental Plan is to revise the entire Wetland Conservation Act, to create a new monitoring system of national inland wetlands, to upgrade the national wetlands inventory, to reflect the 'Ecological Map' for promoting precautionary management of wetlands, to improve the 'Wetland Restoration and Management' system to build wetlands resilience, and to systematize the wise use of wetlands that benefits local people. As the Ministry of Environment plans to establish its other master plan for wetland conservation based on the $2^{nd}$ Fundamental Plan, this document introduces the $2^{nd}$ Fundamental Plan to stakeholder and wetland professions.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.53-63
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• 2024

Biodiversity holds significant importance within the framework of environmental impact assessment, being utilized in site selection for development, understanding the surrounding environment, and assessing the impact on species due to disturbances. The field of environmental impact assessment has seen substantial research exploring new technologies and models to evaluate and predict biodiversity more accurately. While current assessments rely on data from fieldwork and literature surveys to gauge species richness indices, limitations in spatial and temporal coverage underscore the need for high-resolution biodiversity assessments through species richness mapping. In this study, leveraging data from the 4th National Ecosystem Survey and environmental variables, we developed a species distribution model using Random Forest. This model yielded mapping results of 24 mammalian species' distribution, utilizing the species richness index to generate a 100-meter resolution map of species richness. The research findings exhibited a notably high predictive accuracy, with the species distribution model demonstrating an average AUC value of 0.82. In addition, the comparison with National Ecosystem Survey data reveals that the species richness distribution in the high-resolution species richness mapping results conforms to a normal distribution. Hence, it stands as highly reliable foundational data for environmental impact assessment. Such research and analytical outcomes could serve as pivotal new reference materials for future urban development projects, offering insights for biodiversity assessment and habitat preservation endeavors.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.1067-1072
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• 2016

In this study, we determined the ecological characteristics of Strix aluco, which is designated as an endangered category II species. Towards this, we identified the actual home range of Strix aluco that breed in Korea, and collected the data necessary for protecting, preserving and managing owl populations. This study was conducted from April 14 to May 20 of 2016 during the breeding season of Strix aluco as part of the 4th National Ecosystem Survey and in accordance with the Natural Environment Conservation Act. We captured and subsequently released a female owl with a total length of 423.5mm and a weight of 550g in Kyungbuk area, succeeded in tracking it for the first time in Korea and secured 6 points of direct observation and satellite tracking observation. The distance from the nest to the farthest point was 93m. As a result of the analysis of habitat points within a100m-radius during breeding period, it was established that their habitat consists of 34.2% of non-irrigated land, 30.6% of mixed forest land, 10.5% of orchard, and 9.4% of natural grassland. These findings are consistent with the previous estimate of home range studies. Further research based on follow-up studies on males or other individuals is required to develop a stronger basis for protection and conservation of endangered wildlife class II owls.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.193-203
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• 2021

As endangered species are gradually increasing due to land development by humans, it is essential to secure sufficient protected areas (PAs) proactively. Therefore, this study checked priority conservation areas to select candidate PAs when considering the impact of land development. We determined the conservation priorities by analyzing four scenarios based on existing conservation areas and reflecting the development impact using MARXAN, the decision-making support software for the conservation plan. The development impact was derived using the developed area ratio, population density, road network system, and traffic volume. The conservation areas of endangered species were derived using the data of the appearance points of birds, mammals, and herptiles from the 3rd National Ecosystem Survey. These two factors were used as input data to map conservation priority areas with the machine learning-based optimization methodology. The result identified many non-PAs areas that were expected to play an important role conserving endangered species. When considering the land development impact, it was found that the areas with priority for conservation were fragmented. Even when both the development impact and existing PAs were considered, the priority was higher in areas from the current PAs because many road developments had already been completed around the current PAs. Therefore, it is necessary to consider areas other than the current PAs to protect endangered species and seek alternative measures to fragmented conservation priority areas.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.377-384
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• 2020

Korean Sedum formosanum N. E. Br. (Ju-geog-nip-gaet-bi-reum in Korean) was first recorded in 1887, 133 years ago. Since then, the species has not been collected and its current state has remained unclear. However, these plants were collected in 2020 and the corresponding taxonomic entity and distribution status were revealed. It is known to be distributed only in the southern region of Japan, the northern islands of the Philippines, and in Taiwan, with Taiwan being the collection site of the type specimen. However, on the basis of the findings of the fourth national natural environment survey, it has recently been established that this plant also grows in the crevices of rocks along the seashores of the Korean islands of Hataedo Island and Sangtaedo Island, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do. S. formosanum inhabiting Korea is a large succulent biennial that can attain a height of up to 65 cm and differs from its congeneric species in having erect follicles during the fruiting period. Notably, among the Korean Sedum species, S. formosanum is most similar to S. tosaense, although it can be distinguished from this species with respect to its monomorphic leaves that have rounded apices, and it also bears separate flowering and sterile stems. In this paper, we present a description and photographs of the Korean S. formosanum, indicate the differences between this and related species, and provide a key to related taxa.