• Title/Summary/Keyword: Ecological Roles

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Riparian Area Characteristics of the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Nakdong River, Korea (낙동강 중·하류 지역의 수변 특성에 관한 연구)

  • Kang, Dae-Seok;Sung, Ki-June;Yeo, Un-Sang;Chung, Yong-Hyun;Lee, Suk-Mo
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.17 no.3
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    • pp.189-200
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    • 2008
  • As a transition zone between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, riparian areas of rivers and streams play significant roles in production and decomposition for river and stream systems. Understanding of the physical and ecological characteristics of riparian areas are, therefore, important for the management of river and stream systems. It is especially important to understand the characteristics of riparian areas for the Nakdong River in Korea which has a large watershed area and diverse land uses. This study aimed at collecting field data, according to stream types, which are essential for the management of riparian areas of the middle and lower reaches of the Nakdong River, Korea. Most riparian areas surveyed in this study had roads within 100 meters from river edges. Distances from water edge to banks were less than 1m for most riparian areas neighboring agricultural lands, indicating that those areas might be very vulnerable to pollutant inputs from non-point sources. Water quality data indicated that soil erosion in the riparian areas could be a major source of phosphorus input to the Nakdong River and land use patters might have a significant influence on nitrogen concentration in the river. Heavy metal concentrations in soils of the riparian areas of the river were below soil quality standards, except arsenic and chromium. Vegetation surveys showed that therophytes were the most frequently occurred riparian plants in the Nakdong River. Number of aquatic plant species increased downstream, with the most diverse aquatic plants observed in wetlands and irrigation canals of the West Nakdong River. Occurrence rate of naturalized plants and urbanization index were high in the survey sites adjacent to urban and agricultural areas.

New Insights into mTOR Signal Pathways in Ovarian-Related Diseases: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Ovarian Cancer

  • Liu, Ai Ling;Liao, Hong Qing;Li, Zhi Liang;Liu, Jun;Zhou, Cui Lan;Guo, Zi Fen;Xie, Hong Yan;Peng, Cui Ying
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.17 no.12
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    • pp.5087-5094
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    • 2016
  • mTOR, the mammalian target of rapamycin, is a conserved serine/threonine kinase which belongs to the phosphatidyl-linositol kinase-related kinase (PIKK) family. It has two complexes called mTORC1 and mTORC2. It is well established that mTOR plays important roles in cell growth, proliferation and differentiation. Over-activation of the mTOR pathway is considered to have a relationship with the development of many types of diseases, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and ovarian cancer (OC). mTOR pathway inhibitors, such as rapamycin and its derivatives, can directly or indirectly treat or relieve the symptoms of patients suffering from PCOS or OC. Moreover, mTOR inhibitors in combination with other chemical-molecular agents may have extraordinary efficacy. This paper will discuss links between mTOR signaling and PCOS and OC, and explore the mechanisms of mTOR inhibitors in treating these two diseases, with conclusions regarding the most effective therapeutic approaches.

On Texts Refering to Soil animals in Textbooks of Primary, Junior High and Senior High schools (초.중등학교 교과서에 나타난 토양 동물에 관한 내용 연구)

  • 임길영
    • The Korean Journal of Soil Zoology
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    • v.1 no.1
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    • pp.56-61
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    • 1996
  • At present, 51 textbooks from 6 kinds are adopted at primary and secondary schools in Korea. According to results of content analysis related to soil animals, their bionomics and the ecological roles were mentioned limitedly in only one or two pages. Since mere 7 phyla and 24 kinds of soil animals have been appeared, it is demended that more of subjects concerning soil animals especially in relation to environment should be introduced in school textbooks near in the future.

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The Effects of Ecological Variables on Volunteering among Older Adults: The Applications of General Ecological Theory of Aging (노인자원봉사활동에 있어서 생태환경 변수의 효과: 노화의 일반생태학 이론을 적용하여)

  • Lee, Hyunkee
    • 한국노년학
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    • v.32 no.3
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    • pp.777-800
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    • 2012
  • This paper aims to estimate the effects of environmental variables on volunteering among older persons and decide relationships between independent and dependent variables. The thesis conceptually points out that the integrated theory of resources too much emphasizes the important roles of human, social and cultural capital, but overlooks the influences of ecological environments in explaining volunteering among the older persons. And the thesis tries to apply the general ecological theory of aging to explaining volunteering of older people together with resource frameworks, and to estimate the effects of ecological environment variables on volunteerism for senior citizens. Using a micro data of 2009 National Social Survey by Statistics Korea, the paper screens out 10,268 subjects who are believed to socially retire and be above 55 years older. The multiple OLS regression and binomial logistic regression techniques are used to estimate the effects of ecological environments and resources on volunteering. The analysis results show that all of environmental and resource variables are related to volunteering at the level of p<.000. This means that environmental variables have independent effects on the volunteerism, controlling for resource variables. This results suggest that both theories have empirical evidences in explaining volunteerism in Korea. Also, at the end of paper, theoretical and policy implications for practices and future studies are discussed.

An Analysis of the Native North Americans' Environmental Views by Reorganized Ecocentrism and the Implications for Environmental Education (생태주의 환경관의 재구성을 통한 북미 원주민의 생태주의 환경관 분석과 환경교육점 시사점)

  • Park, Mee-Hwa;Kim, Kee-Dae
    • Hwankyungkyoyuk
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    • v.22 no.3
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    • pp.49-62
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    • 2009
  • This study started from the need to change the technocentric view of environment into the ecocentric one to overcome ecological crisis today. Thus, the purposes of this study are to reorganize characteristics of ecocentrism, to analyze ecocentrism of Native North Americans as a realistic model, and to finally find suggestions to environmental education. The results of this study can be summarized as follows; Frist, the ecocentric perception on relationship between human beings and nature pursues co-existence through harmony and balance based on holistic understandings. And the ecocentric perception on relationship among human beings attempts to preserve environment by overcoming rule structure among them. The ecocentric perception on relationship between human beings and spirituality is to set life goals to achieve spirituality rather than to pursue material life. Second, Native North Americans have a holistic world view that human beings and nature are an inseparable one through the symbol of 'the Sacred Circle'. They also lived simple lives which satisfies vital needs instead of pursuing material lives in terms of the perception on relationship among human beings. When it comes to the perception on relationship between human beings and spirituality, they feel sacredness from all things in daily life and want to have peaceful relationships with their own inside through spirituality toward 'Mother Earth'. Third, the ecocentrism of Native North Americans make suggestions that environmental education confirm again what roles of human beings are in ecosystem, and that it helps students develop ecological sensitivity by giving them many opportunities to go to field trips. Furthermore, environmental education helps them positively think about and actively choose simple life. In addition, it has to be designed to help students seek sacredness in daily life through ecological imagination. This study has values of newly organizing characteristics of each ecocentric idea by integrating it from complementary aspects, and pursuing direction of ecocentrism and its realistic possibility by analyzing the ecocentrism of Native North Americans as a model of ecological life.

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Influences of Termite Activities on Ecosystem Carbon Cycle: Focusing on Coarse Woody Debris Decomposition (흰개미가 생태계 탄소 순환에 미치는 영향: 고사목 분해를 중심으로)

  • Kim, Seongjun;Lee, Jongyeol;Han, Seung Hyun;Chang, Hanna;Lee, Sohye;Yun, Hyeon Min;Son, Yowhan
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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    • v.105 no.1
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    • pp.1-11
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    • 2016
  • Globally, there are more than 2600 species of termites which adapted plenty of terrestrial ecosystems by various strategies such as making termite nest and society. Various studies were recently carried out on termites because they play significant roles in the context of carbon (C) cycle of terrestrial ecosystems. According to the results of previous studies, termite activities influenced the amount of soil organic C, methane emission, and organic matter decomposition. Termite nests, where termite biomass was concentrated, exhibited 1.8 times higher soil organic C concentration than reference soils, and emitted $0.0-6.0kg\;ha^{-1}year^{-1}$ of methane in tropical forests and savannas. Feeding activity of termites, in addition, accelerated coarse woody debris (CWD) decomposition by increasing the surface area to volume ratio of CWD. Especially, CWD decomposition induced by the Rhinotermitidae family appeared to be significant for the C cycle in temperate forests. However, more studies should be conducted on termite-induced CWD decomposition in temperate forests because few studies have dealt with it. The termite-induced CWD decomposition could be measured by preparing disc-shaped CWD samples, excluding access of termites to the CWD samples, and comparing the decomposition rate of the CWD samples with and without the termite exclusion treatment. Studies on the termite-induced CWD decomposition would contribute to further elucidation of the C cycle in temperate forests.

Zonation and soil factors of salt marsh halophyte communities

  • Lee, Jeom-Sook;Kim, Jong-Wook;Lee, Seung Ho;Myeong, Hyeon-Ho;Lee, Jung-Yun;Cho, Jang Sam
    • Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.40 no.1
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    • pp.20-23
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    • 2016
  • Background: The structures and soil factors of Suaeda glauca-Suaeda japonica zonal communities and Phragmites australis-S. japonica zonal communities were studied in salt marshes of west and south coasts of South Korea to provide basic data for coastal wetland conservation and restoration. Results: S. glauca community mean length was 67 m and S. japonica community mean length was 567 m in zonal communities, and P. australis and S. japonica community mean length were 57 m and 191 m in zonal communities. Regarding the electrical conductivity, sodium content, and clay contents in Upnae-ri, Shinan-gun, there were significant differences among zonal communities at significance level of 0.05 for two-sided t test. However, other factors were not significantly different. Conclusions: The results indicate that multiple factors such as electronic conductivity, total nitrogen level, clay, and sodium might play important roles in the formation of zonal plant communities of salt marshes.

Theoretical Consideration of the Plan for Environmental-Friendly Applications of Flood Plain around Dam (댐주변 범람지의 환경친화적 활용방안에 관한 이론고찰)

  • Shin, Byung-Chuel;Lee, Eun-Yeob
    • Journal of Environmental Science International
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    • v.12 no.2
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    • pp.185-193
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    • 2003
  • The purpose of this study was attempted to establish concepts of environmental-friendly applications of flood plain and to suggest the application plans. The results of this study can be summarized as follows; 1. Roles of flood plain as biotop (restoration, preservation, and creation of stream corridor ecosystem) should be considered. 2. Application methods considering environmental and scenic values should be reviewed. 3. Application methods reflecting values as regional ecological resources should be planned. 4. Preservation and application should be considered together, and obtaining a means of living for regional residents and creation of economic profits should be considered together. 5. Land application and approach method by usages (integrated management model) should be applied to utilize and manage flood plain efficiently. 6. Flood plain application programs should be designed reflecting opinions of regional residents. 7. With respect to space planning of flood plain, introduction of facilities focused on ecosystem preservation/ecosystem restoration/experiences/observation/learning/culture/ recreation/water purification could be reviewed positively.

Isotopic Assessment of Ecological Function of a Transplanted Macroalgal Habitat (Grateloupia asiatica) (안정동위원소 분석을 이용한 이식된 지네지누아리의 생태학적 기능 평가)

  • Chun, Chan-Kil;Kim, Hyung-Geun;Park, Hyun Je
    • Journal of Environmental Science International
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    • v.29 no.11
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    • pp.1089-1098
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    • 2020
  • To assess the trophic function of an artificial macroalgal habitat, we compared the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of two amphipods (Caprella sp. and Ampithoe sp.) and their potential food sources in a transplanted macroalgal habitat (Grateloupia asiatica) with those in a natural habitat. There were no significant differences in the isotopic values of both consumers and their potential food sources between the transplanted and natural habitats. Such isotopic similarities between the two sites indicate a comparable resource consumer relationship. Additionally, our results showed similar isotopic niche areas and high dietary overlap (>65%) of the two amphipods between the transplanted and natural sites, suggesting that the transplanted habitat plays ecological roles similar to the natural habitat. Overall, isotopic assessment can provide information on the trophic function of diverse transplanted macroalgal habitats and improve post-monitoring efforts in the management of artificial ecosystems.

Roles of Park and Green Space Planning for Establishing Livable Communities in the Environmental Age through Encouraging Linkage of Academic and Practical Approaches

  • Yoritaka Tashiro
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture International Edition
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    • no.2
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    • pp.74-80
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    • 2004
  • The significance and means of parks and green space planning have been changed dramatically in this century in Japan. The first priority must be given to define the means and purposes of planning., especially the role of ecological, social and economical management with the increasing trend of environmental concern, and the method to estimate values of park and green space from the point of view of regenerative society development. The role of planning parks and green space is reviewed in the following three aspects; as tools for land use control (master plan), as tools for finding appropriate lands for purchasing land (development plan) and tools for application of individual development technique of green space and landscapes(site plan and design). It is a serious issue that the existence of parks in urban setting which used to be considered as a top priority, is now being challenged in terms of economical, social and environmental benefits. In such processes, the most important issue is to define what makes parks and green spaces attractive and ecological to obtain social support to be developed.

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