• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.368-382
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• 2005

This paper deals with the village names in Geoje City[Geoje Island], Hundreds of village names in the city are found to be based on some environmental features such as landforms, weather, and soil of the island. A considerable number of village names in the city are derived from the mountainous landforms with steep slopes or from the extremely indented coastlines with many small islands, and some village names are originated from the weather and soil. In this paper, it is realized that the village names often reflect the environments perception of the residents and that they can give some clues to the environment's changes of the places.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.429-446
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• 2009

To understand the sulfur flux and cycle in the forest catchment, the hydrological processes and chemical variation of soil solution, groundwater and stream water were analyzed at the Matsuzawa catchment located in the Kiryu Experimental Basin, Shiga Prefecture, central Japan. Unsaturated soil layer at the upper slope of catchment was the source area of ${SO_4}^{2-}$, and deep soil layer and groundwater were the sink zone of ${SO_4}^{2-}$. The vertical distribution of ${SO_4}^{2-}$ concentrations in groundwater affected seasonal variation of ${SO_4}^{2-}$ concentrations in stream water, as groundwater level changed. It is reasonable to assume that each hydrological processes in the forest catchment play an important roles in the retention and discharge of ${SO_4}^{2-}$.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.377-394
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• 1998

The magnetic record of loess deposits may be one of the most detailed and useful records of Quatermary climate change on the continents. Stratigraphic variations of magnetic parameters define alternating zones of high and low concentrations of magnetic minerals. All the concentration-sensitive magnetic parameters show an increase within the interstadial Gilman Canyon Formation and interglacial Brady soil and a systematic decrease within the Wisconsinan Peoria loess. The influence of climate change on magnetic records is confirmed by a high correlation between the magnetic parameters and biological proxies. Rock magnetic data appear to be better correlated with temperature-sensitive biological proxies than does a precipitation-sensitive index such as the aridity index derived from opal phytoliths. Simultaneous, higher resolution sampling of magnetic and biological proxies proved to be a better sampling tactic, and enhanced the feasibility of rock magnetic parameters as independent climate proxies.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.437-448
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• 2006

Bare-topped thufur is called as frost scars, implying the rupturing stage of vegetated mounds, Field observations and measurements provide empirical information on the process and factors of thufur disintegration in Mt. Halla, Initial bare patches on mound apexes are scaled up by continuous removal of soil and vegetation, resulting in the formation of crater-like thufur, Frost action plays a primary role in thufur disintegration, In particular, pipkrake loosens soil particles within the bare patches and subsequently accelerates the degradation of vegetated mounds during periods with frequent diurnal freeze-thaw cycle and high soil moisture, Deflation also has an impact on thufur breakup in that the bare patches usually lack upper dark brown soil and are covered with granules, Withered shrubs such as Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii are frequently observed in frost scars and disrupted mounds, indicating that thufur disintegration has been probably influenced by global warming.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.122-145
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• 2009

Terrain parameters calculated from digital elevation models (DEM) have become increasingly important in current spatially distributed models of earth surface processes. This paper investigated how the ability of upslope area for predicting the spatial distribution of soil properties varies depending on the selection of spatial resolutions of DEM and algorithms. Four soil attributes from eight soil-terrain data sets collected from different environments were used. Five different methods of calculating upslope area were first compared for their dependency on different grid sizes of DEM. Multiple flow algorithms produced the highest correlation coefficients for most soil attributes and the lowest variations amongst different DEM resolutions and soil attributes. The high correlation coefficient remained unchanged at resolutions from 15 m to 50 m. Considering decreasing topographical details with increasing grid size, we suggest that the size of 15-30 m may be most suitable for soil-landscape analysis purposes in our study areas.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.851-864
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• 2004

A coastal dune field, located at Kimnyong-Wolchung beach in Jejudo, Korea, extends alongshore for about 4 km, with dunes extending inland about 6 km. Detailed geomorphological analysis of the area was carried out by using areal photography and Landsat images. Samples were collected across two transects, and physical and chemical properties are analyzed to detect the variation of both properties depending on distance form the beach. Paleosol layers found during the field trip suggest that dune emplacement is episodic. Radiocarbon dates from nearby Hyupjae beach indicate that dunes have been formed during the late Holocene by the disturbance of calcareous materials.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.93-101
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• 1995

Nam Khane watershed, in the Northern Laos, consists of limestone plateau surrounded with steep slope(above 1000m), wide piedmont hill land(300-700m) and narrow alluvial plain. Opium on the plateau and up-land rice on the hill-side are cultivated for each, but its shifting agricultural activity, which degrades the forest and soil, has caused the serious environmental problems. MOS-1 satellite image and 40 points of soil samples are analyzed to identify the distribution of the shifting cultivation and to evaluate the environmental problems for Nam Khane watershed. The land use classification map is presented on the photo 2, and the value of each land use area by elevation level and soil property are showed on the table 2 and 3, respectively. Excessive agricultural activity of shifting cultivation in the Nam Khane watershed not only decreased the forest area, but also changed the primary forest of tree into secondary woodland of shrub. On the phase of soil property, it accelerated the soil and gully erosion, and acidification. To solve these environmental problems, the most important step is to settle the agriculture from shifting cultivation to permanent cropping.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.495-513
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• 2004

The shape of land surface work as a cradle for various environmental processes and human activities. As spatially distributed process modelings become increasing important in current research communities, a classification system that delineates land surface into characteristic geomorphological units is a pre-requisite for sustainable land use planning and management. Existing classification systems are either morphometric or generic, which have limitations to characterize continuous ecological processes over the landscape. A new classification system was developed to delineate the land surface into different geomorphological units from Digital Elevation Models(DEMs). This model assumes that there are pedo-geomorphological units in which distinct sets of hydrological, pedological, and consequent ecological processes occur. The classification system first divides the whole landsurface into eight soil-landscape units. Possible energy and material nows over the land surface were interpreted using a continuity equation of mass flow along the hillslope, and subsequently implemented in terrain analysis procedures. The developed models were tested at a 12$\textrm{km}^2$ area in Yangpyeong-gun, Kyeongi-do, Korea. The method proposed effectively delineates land surface into distinct pedo-geomorphological units, which identify the geomorphological characteristics over a large area at a low cost. The delineated landscape units mal provide a basic information for natural resource survey and environmental modeling practices.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.898-913
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• 2007

We examined soil properties and provenance of loess-paleosol sequences at the Daebo Granite area of Buan, Jeonbuk Province, South Korea. The section consists of the surface layer, Layer 1(paleosol), Layer 2(loess), Layer 3(paleosol), Layer 4(loess), and Layer 5(paleosol), from top to bottom and thickness of the exposed section is approximately 280cm. The magnetic susceptibility values show the distinct variations between the loess- and the paleosol layer. Even though pH, ORP, water content, and soil hardness do not display the obvious differences in the section, the organic content indicates the variation similar to those of the magnetic susceptibility. In the respect of the soil colors measured under 3 conditions, although the variations of the wet soil color exceedingly reflect the difference of the layers, these variations are obscure in some points in the section due to the characteristics of the Munsell color system. Based on the geomorphological properties, sedimentary structure, the difference of the major element composition and the condrite-normalized rare earth element(REE) patterns showing the clear difference from the adjacent bedrocks and stream sediments and the similarity to those of the Chinese Loess Plateau, it is suggested that the section was formed by the material originated from the Chinese Loess Plateau and peripheral areas. However, because the material experienced the alteration after sedimentation under the environment of the sediment area, it has the properties different from the material in the provenance areas. This phenomenon may result in the climatic condition of Korea, especially in precipitation.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.81-98
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• 2012

This research aims 1) to analyse the spatial occurrence of red soils, in Korea 2) to predict their spatial distribution using terrain analyses, and 3) to interpret results from the perspective of pedogeomorphological processes. Red soils (often called red-yellow soils) in Korea are frequently found on welldrained plains and gently sloping areas. These soils are widely believed paleo-soils that were formed under hot and humid climatic conditions in the past. The spatial distribution of red soils was derived from the soil map of Korea, and a DEM based soil prediction was developed, based on a continuity equation to depict water and material flows over the landscape. About 64.5% of the red soil occurrence can be explained by the prediction. Close examinations between surveyed and predicted red soil maps show few distinctive spatial features. Granitic erosional plains at the inland of Korea show comparatively low occurrence of red soils, which might indicate active geomorphological processes within the basins. The occurrence of red soils at limestone areas is more abundant than that of the predicted, indicating the influence of parent materials on the formation of red soils. At and around lava plateau at Cheulwon and Youncheon, the occurrence of red soils is underestimated, which might partly be explained by the existence of loess-like surface deposits. There are also distinctive difference of prediction results between northern and southern parts of Korea (divided by a line between Seosan and Pohang). The results of this research calls for more detailed field-based investigations to understand forming processes of red soils, focusing on the spatial heterogeneity of pedological processes, the influence of parent materials, and difference in uplift patterns of the Korean peninsula.