• ALGAE
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.379-388
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• 2005

Seagrass bed is an important component in coastal and estuarine ecosystems, providing food and shelter to a wide variety of fauna. Recently, seagrass coverage has declined significantly due to anthropogenic influences such as reclamation, dredging, and eutrophication and consequently, necessity of seagrass habitat restoration is rising. Transplantation experiments with Zostera marina using TERFS, staple method, and shell method have been conducted at Dadae Bay, Kosung Bay and Jindong Bay on the south coast of Korea to select an optimal transplanting method for restoration of Z. marina habitat. Three experimental sites located at the vicinity of natural Z. marina beds with an average water depth of about 4m. Z. marina plants, which were collected from donor bed in Koje Bay were also transplanted at 7 different time from October 2003 to July 2004 to find appropriate transplanting time. Density of Z. marina was monitored monthly at both transplanted areas and natural beds. Transplantation using the staple method showed the highest survival rate of transplant. Shell method was also an effective transplanting method at muddy areas in Kosung Bay and Jindong Bay, but not suitable at sandy areas in Dadae Bay. These results suggest that sediment composition of transplanting areas should be considered for the selection of the optimal transplanting method. Z. marina transplanted during fall usually showed the highest survival rate, while most Z. marina plants transplanted in summer died due to high lethal temperature during this period.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.406-414
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• 2022

Bolboschoenus planiculmis has been acknowledged as a key species in whooper swans (Cygnus cygnus) habitat by providing food for this migratory waterfowl. B. planiculmis wetlands are being degraded by water shortages and salinization caused by anthropogenic activities and climate changes. In 2004, the distribution of B. planiculmis in the tidal flats of the Nakdong Estuary was 2,475,568 m², and in 2021, the distribution area was 798,731 m², which decreased by 32.3%. In order to restore the degraded B. planiculmis wetlands, shoot transplantation and seed sowing were tentatively used in three places with different salinity and water levels. The average density per unit area in September at the optimal growth period after planting were A (fresh water level 50 cm) 58±15.65 m^-2, B (brackish water level 0~5 cm) 188±63.83 m^-2, C (brackish water level 0 cm or less) 188±45.13 m^-2. The tubers were observed as A 0 g dw m^-2, B 25.32±2.94 g dw m^-2, and C 13.39±0.91 g dw m^-2. Tubers were distributed in the soil, with only 3.0% at the 10~20 cm depth but 97.0% at the 0~10 cm depth. In contrast, the germination rate of B. planiculmis seeds was observed to be 0%. Results of this study provide technical support for the restoration of B. planiculmis wetland and the improvement in the quality of whooper swans habitat.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2002

Eelgrass, Zostera marina L. widely spreads throughout all the coastal areas of the Korean Peninsula. However, some previously reported eelgrass populations disappeared. The disappearance was probably caused by anthropogenic disturbance such as reclamation and pollutant or exceeded nutrient release. Eelgrass beds occurred from the intertidal to the subtidal zone, mainly in lagoon, estuaries, ports, barrier reef and bays. Eelgrass beds were also found at the intertidal mud and sand flats, subtidal mud and sandbank in more exposed areas. Habitat characteristics of eelgrass beds distributed on the coasts of the Korean Peninsula varied among coast areas. Eelgrass distributed constantly throughout the southern coast of Korea, while the distribution was limited at lagoon, bay, port, or barrier reef on the eastern coast, because of steep water depth and high wave energy in that coast. On the western coast, eelgrass mainly appeared at the intertidal and subtidal zones in islands. Sediment characteristics of the Z. marina beds varied with locality, tidal current and water motion. Sediments of Z. marina beds were composed of sand, muddy sand, sandy mud and mud. Mean grain size ranged from 1.5 to 4.1 phi.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2016

Declines in amphibian populations are occurring worldwide, and have been attributed to many factors, including anthropogenic environmental changes. One of the ramifications of such declines is abnormalities in many amphibian species. A strong association has been detected between human activities and abnormalities in amphibian populations, but studies on this association are largely focused on lentic species. In this study, it was analyzed whether the degree of local human activity was associated with the rate of abnormalities in Bombina orientalis which inhabited lotic environments. We found that the proportions of abnormalities in wild populations of B. orientalis increased, when i) the closest human land use was located within 100 m from the frogs' habitat, and ii) the proportion of human land use within a 300-m radius was high. Our findings suggest that human activity has a negative impact on the fitness of nearby amphibian populations, and that wild populations very close to human-induced disturbance are affected.

• ALGAE
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.141-146
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• 2007

Seagrass bed is an important component in coastal and estuarine ecosystems, providing food and habitats to a wide variety of marine organisms. Recently, seagrass coverage has declined significantly due to anthropogenic impacts such as cultural eutrophication and reclamation, and thus efforts are under way to prevent further losses and restore disturbed seagrass habitats worldwide. Seagrass transplantation techniques for habitat restoration include vegetative and seed-based methods. Seagrass seeds can be collected easily, and sowing seeds is an economically effective method for large-scale restoration. However, large numbers of seed can be lost by seed predation and physical disturbance in the planting areas. In the present study, Zostera marina seeds were coated with loess to reduce seed loss by predation and sweeping away by the water currents, and germination rates of coated seeds and seedling growth were examined to assess the feasibility of the seed-coating method for large-scale restoration. Germination rate of the coated seeds with loess was significantly higher than that of the uncoated seeds. Additionally, seedling growths were not significantly different between the coated and the uncoated seeds. These results suggest that coating of eelgrass seeds with loess enhances success of seed germintion with no harmful effects on seedling growth. Therefore, the seed coating method using loess may be an effective and applicable seedbased transplanting technique for large-scale restoration.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.149-162
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• 2012

Habitat loss and fragmentation are ongoing major anthropogenic impacts on landscapes, which can strongly affect ecosystems, populations and species. The studies on forest fragmentation have been progressed, but the studies on definition of forest fragmentation and their synthetic trend in South Korea still leaves much to be desired. Therefore we set the definition of forest fragmentation and reviewed the related papers. We can give a definition that forest fragmentation is not only a process of spatial landscape transformation, but also a process of ecosystem change by it. The trend of studies on forest fragmentation divided into two fields, landscape and ecosystem changes. Forest fragmentation caused by land change altered the composition and configuration of forest patches. Most studies related on that analyzed the change using landscape index. The effects of forest fragmentation on ecosystem subdivided into three fields : biodiversity, edge effects, and invasive species, but the studies in South Korea is short. The study on relations between forest fragmentation and ecosystem change is necessary to face the Convention on Biological Diversity in South Korea. In addition, the fundamental studies on biodiversity is important to mitigate against forest fragmentation.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.31-41
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• 1995

Floral analysis about vegetation of Kimpo landfills and its periphery region was carried out. The study area was defined to a square $(81km^2)$ of which center was located at 250m in front of Andongpo, Komdan-myon, Kimpo-gun in the northwest part of the Kyunggi Province. This study was accomplished by analyzing five qualitative traits such as ecological strategy, reproductive strategy, distribution type, native/foreign division and life-form throughout actual investigation of the flora. The flora was composed of 536 taxa which comprise 105 families, 343 genera, 458 species, 1 subaspecies, 70 varieties and 7 forms (including 92 species of horticultural plant). Lythrum salicaria community, Spiraea salicifolia community, ottelia alismoides community and woods of Alnus japonica were recorded ？ 새 retrictive distribution according to habitat characteristics. Owing to severe anthropogenic interferences such as construction of the Kimpo landfills in the study areas, a high proportion of ruderal plants and neophytes in the floral composition was recognized. The proportion of individual distribution type and therophyte was very high throughout whole study areas, and plant communities in the reclaimed areas were characterized by high proportion of phalanx plant species. Analysis of the correlations between meshes with ecological traits of plant species showed that Kimpo landfills and its periphery region was divided into two vegetation types, coastal type and inland type, as a result of possible saline effects.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.580-587
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• 2023

Androsace septentrionalis is a grass species restricted to North Korea; however, it is at the brink of extinction due to habitat loss and environmental changes caused by natural disasters and anthropogenic activities. This study was conducted to characterize the dormancy conditions of A. septentrionalis in an effort to conserve this North Korean plant resource. For this purpose, the morphological characteristics and vigor of A. septentrionalis seeds were examined, and its germination characteristics under different temperature conditions (15/6℃ and 25/15℃ ), low-temperature stratification, and gibberellin (GA₃) treatment were determined. The results revealed that A. septentrionalis exhibits non-deep type morpho-physiological dormancy, and low-temperature stratification treatment was not effective in breaking the dormancy of A. septentrionalis seeds. Meanwhile, GA₃ treatment significantly increased the mean germination time, rate, and speed of the seeds. The optimal conditions for the germination of A. septentrionalis seeds were 25/15℃ fluctuating temperature and 500 mg·L¹ GA₃ treatment. The results of this study are useful for the mass propagation of A. septentrionalis.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2020

In fluvial and riparian ecosystems, biogeomorphological research has considered the complex, multi-way relationships between biological and hydro-geomorphological components over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. In this review, we discussed the scope and processes of fluvial biogeomorphology by explaining (1) the multi-lateral interactions between organisms and hydrogeomorphic conditions, (2) the relationships between biodiversity and habitat heterogeneity, and (3) the effects of disturbance on ecosystem patterns. Over time, an organism-landform complex along streams transitions in the sequences of geomorphic, pioneer, biogeomorphic, and ecological stages. Over space, water flow and sediment distributions interact with vegetation to modify channel topography. It is the habitat heterogeneity in streams that enhances riparian biodiversity. However, in the areas downstream of a dam, habitat types and conditions are substantially damaged and biodiversity should be reduced. In South Korea, riparian vegetation flourishes in general and, in particular, invasive species actively colonize in accordance with the changes in the fluvial conditions driven by local disturbances and global climate change. Therefore, the importance of understanding reciprocal relationships between living organisms and hydrogeomorphic conditions will ever increase in this era of rapid climate change and anthropogenic pressure. The fluvial biogeomorphic framework reviewed in this article will contribute to the ecological management and restoration of streams in Korea.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.275-285
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• 2020

Background: In Korea, Symplocos prunifolia Siebold. & Zucc. is only found on Jeju Island. Conservation of the species is difficult because little is known about its distribution and natural habitat. The lack of research and survey data on the characteristics of native vegetation and distribution of this species means that there is insufficient information to guide the management and conservation of this species and related vegetation. Therefore, this study aims to identify the distribution and vegetation associated with S. prunifolia. Results: As a result of field investigations, it was confirmed that the native S. prunifolia communities were distributed in 4 areas located on the southern side of Mt. Halla and within the evergreen broad-leaved forest zones. Furthermore, these evergreen broad-leaved forest zones are themselves located in the warm temperate zone which are distributed along the valley sides at elevations between 318 and 461 m. S. prunifolia was only found on the south side of Mt. Halla, and mainly on south-facing slopes; however, small communities were found to be growing on northwest-facing slopes. It has been confirmed that S. prunifolia trees are rare but an important constituent species in the evergreen broad-leaved forest of Jeju. The mean importance percentage of S. prunifolia community was 48.84 for Castanopsis sieboldii, 17.79 for Quercus acuta, and 12.12 for Pinus thunbergii; S. prunifolia was the ninth most important species (2.6). Conclusions: S. prunifolia can be found growing along the natural streams of Jeju, where there is little anthropogenic influence and where the streams have caused soil disturbance through natural processes of erosion and deposition of sediments. Currently, the native area of S. prunifolia is about 3300 ㎡, which contains a confirmed population of 180 individual plants. As a result of these low population sizes, it places it in the category of an extremely endangered plant in Korea. In some native sites, the canopy of evergreen broad-leaved forest formed, but the frequency and coverage of species were not high. Negative factors that contributed to the low distribution of this species were factors such as lacking in shade tolerance, low fruiting rates, small native areas, and special habitats as well as requiring adequate stream disturbance. Presently, due to changes in climate, it is unclear whether this species will see an increase in its population and habitat area or whether it will remain as an endangered species within Korea. What is clear, however, is that the preservation of the present native habitats and population is extremely important if the population is to be maintained and expanded. It is also meaningful in terms of the stable conservation of biodiversity in Korea. Therefore, based on the results of this study, it is judged that a systematic evaluation for the preservation and conservation of the habitat and vegetation management method of S. prunifolia should be conducted.