• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.320-333
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• 2016

This study was carried out to elucidate the development of unprecedented water-bloom caused by a single species of colonial green algae Eudorina elegans in the upstream area of the Seungchon weir located in the Yeongsan River from late April to May 2013. The Yeongsan River is typically regulated system and the waterbody is seriously enriched by both external and internal sources of nutrients. Seasonal algal outbreaks were highly probable due to various potential factors, such as the excessive nutrients contained in treated wastewater, slow current, high irradiation and temperature, in diatom (winter), green algae (spring) and bluegreen algae (summer). Spring green-tide was attributed to E. elegans with level up to $1,000mg\;m^{-3}$(>$50{\times}10^4cells\;mL^{-1}$). The bloom was exploded in the initial period of the algal development and after then gradually diminished with transporting to the downstream by the intermittent rainfall, resulting in rapid expansion of the distribution range. Although the pulsed-flows by the weir manipulation was applied to control algal bloom, they were not the countermeasures to solve the underlying problem, but rather there still was a remaining problem related to the impact of pulsed-flows on the downstream. The green-tide of E. elegans in this particular region of the Yeongsan River revealed the blooming characteristics of a colonial motile microalga, and fate of vanishing away by the succeeding episodic events of mesoscale rainfall. We believe that the results of the present study contribute to limno-ecological understanding of the green-tide caused by blue-green algae in the four major rivers, Korea.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.169-198
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• 1996

The objectives of this investigation are : 1. To analyze spectral signature and the associated vegetation index for geometric illumination conditions inf1uenced by low solar elevation and high slope orientations in mountainous forest. 2. To assess the accuracy of the spectral angle mapper classification for the a winter land cover in comparison with the maximum likelihood classification. 3. To produce the image of water quality and water properties that could be used to estimate the water pollution sources and the tide-included by turbid water in estuarine and coastal areas. These objectives are to characterize environmental and ecological monitoring applications of the Nak-Dong River Basin by using Fuyo-1 OPS VNIR data acquired on December 26, 1992. The results of this paper are as follows : 1. The spectral digital numbers and vegetation indexes (NDVI and TVI) of mountainous forest are higher on the slope facing the sun than on the slope hidden the sun under low sun elevation condition. 2. The spectral angle mapper algorithm produces a more accurate land cover classification of areas with steep slope, various aspects and low solar elevation than the maximum likelihood classifier. 3. The maximum likelihood classification images can be used for identifying the location and movement of both freshwater and salt water, regardless of geometric illumination conditions. 4. The color-coded density sliced image of selected water bodies by using the near-infrared band 3 can provide distribution of the water quality of the Lower Nak-Dong River. 5. The color-coded normalized difference vegetation index image of the selected mountain forest is suitable to classify winter vegetation cover types, i.e., forest canopy densities for slope orientations.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.204-219
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• 2021

This study was conducted to investigate and analyze the characteristics of the plant community structure of vegetation distributed on the western slope and ridge connecting Mt. Noja to Mt. Gara. This basic research was executed not only to restore and manage forest vegetation, but also to monitor the trend of change in the long term. As a result of classifying the communitise in 86 survey quadrats, the Pinus thunbergii-Platycarya strobilacea comm. and P. thunbergii-P. densiflora comm. were distributed around the lowlands. The Carpinus tschonoskii-Deciduous broad-leaved comm., Styrax japonicus-Deciduous broad-leaved comm., Acer pictum subsp. Mono-Deciduous broad-leaved comm., Deciduous broad-leaved comm., and Zelkova serrata comm. appeared in the valley and all stone areas. Quercus serrata comm., Q. serrata-S. japonicus comm., S. japonicus-Carpinus cordata comm., Euonymus oxyphyllus comm. were classified as being distributed on steep slopes with relatively high altitude. According to the succession trend of the forest, evergreen conifers will be transition to deciduous broad-leaved trees. However, deciduous broad-leaved arboreous forests, such as Carpinus tschonoskii, zelkova serrata, and Acer pictum subsp. Mono, were considered to maintain their current succession stage because not only the stratified structure was developed over about 50 years tree age, but also ecologically stabilized. As environmental factors, it was analyzed that altitude, pH, content of clay and silt, Mg⁺⁺, Ca⁺⁺, etc. directly or indirectly affect the distribution of plant communities.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.100-116
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• 2019

Urban green spaces, as a means to mitigate social problems and environmental risks, are getting more attention in evaluating urban environment. The inequity of green space distribution is becoming a major issue in urban planning and management. This study investigated the characteristics of green space in 3 districts (Jung-gu, Dongdaemun-gu, Seongdong-gu), that are composed of 46 administrative divisions in central Seoul, to analyze the environmental equity of urban green spaces. The correlations between the amount of green space, including the coverage of street trees, and the socioeconomic status of each administrative division were analyzed. To deduce the effects of plant coverage on the urban temperature regime, the relationship between the normalized difference of vegetation index (NDVI) and land surface temperature (LST) was analyzed. The research revealed that the mean NDVI of an administrative division was negatively correlated with the percentage of basic living recipients and disabled people. The LST of a division with low NDVI was higher due to the lack of green coverage. Such environmental inequities were closely related to residential building type, which was strongly affected by the economic status of residents. The LST of an apartment area was $2.0^{\circ}C$ lower than that of single-family houses and multi-housing areas. This is expected as the average NDVI of the apartment area was more than twice as high as the other environments considered in this study. The inequity can be exacerbated without urban planning which is deliberately designed to reduce it.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.43-60
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• 2019

Background: Tropical montane forests played an important role in the provision of ecosystem services. The intense degradation and deforestation for the need of agricultural land expansion result in a significant decline of forest cover. However, the expansion of agricultural land did not completely destruct natural forests. There remain forests inaccessible for agricultural and grazing purpose. Studies on these forests remained scant, motivating to investigate biomass and soil carbon stocks. Data of biomass and soils were collected in 80 quadrats ($400m^2$) systematically in 5 forests. Biomass and disturbance gradients were determined using allometric equation and disturbance index, respectively. The regression modeling is employed to explore the spatial distribution of carbon stock along disturbance and environmental gradients. Correlation analysis is also employed to identify the relation between site factors and carbon stocks. Results: The result revealed that a total of 1655 individuals with a diameter of ${\geq}5cm$, representing 38 species, were measured in 5 forests. The mean aboveground biomass carbon stocks (AGB CS) and soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks at 5 forests were $191.6{\pm}19.7$ and $149.32{\pm}6.8Mg\;C\;ha^{-1}$, respectively. The AGB CS exhibited significant (P < 0.05) positive correlation with SOC and total nitrogen (TN) stocks, reflecting that biomass seems to be a general predictor of SOCs. AGB CS between highly and least-disturbed forests was significantly different (P < 0.05). This disturbance level equates to a decrease in AGB CS of 36.8% in the highly disturbed compared with the least-disturbed forest. In all forests, dominant species sequestrated more than 58% of carbon. The AGB CS in response to elevation and disturbance index and SOC stocks in response to soil pH attained unimodal pattern. The stand structures, such as canopy cover and basal area, had significant positive relation with AGB CS. Conclusions: Study results confirmed that carbon stocks of studied forests were comparable to carbon stocks of protected forests. The biotic, edaphic, topographic, and disturbance factors played a significant variation in carbon stocks of forests. Further study should be conducted to quantify carbon stocks of herbaceous, litter, and soil microbes to account the role of the whole forest ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.638-646
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the long-term habitat morphological alteration resulting from a large dam and weirs in the Tamjin River. To achieve this, we carried out a hydrograph analysis and a substrate size distribution analysis. We also estimated the channel width, bar area and vegetation encroachment using aerial photographs taken before and after the construction of the dam and weirs. The result of the hydrological analysis showed that flooding downstream was greatly reduced with small peaks occurrence after the dam construction. Interestingly, normal hydrographs in the main channel appeared just after tributary conjunction. There was a similar pattern in the substrate size analysis. Despite coarsened substrate just downstream of the dam site, more sand appeared again after introduction of the tributary. However, there was an increase in the bar area downstream of the dam's channels with most bars covered with vegetation. The channel width increased at the upper area of weirs through impoundment, but decreased downstream because of vegetation encroachment. This study indicate that unregulated tributary plays an important role in restoring hydro-physical habitat conditions in mainstream channels below a large dam. However, numerous weirs could be a causal factor to accelerate habitat deterioration in the dam downstream channels.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.408-423
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• 2021

We established and monitored survey sites in seven regions of Mt. Jiri to investigate population decline and change of the Korean fir (Abies koreana) over a ten-year period from 2009 to 2018. With the exception of one site (Seseok), the six remaining ones all showed a four-layer stratification structure. The importance value of Korean firs in all of the survey areas decreased significantly by 28.5%, from 55.7% in 2009 to 39.8% in 2018. The average population of objects with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of 5cm or more in all survey sites was 711 objects/ha in 2018, and the cumulative death rate from 2009 to 2018 was 10.8%. Among the death types, DS (dead standing) was the most dominant, comprising 82.4% of the total survey area. However, in Banyabong 1, which had a high gradient of 35°, the death types other than DS accounted for 44.2%. We estimate that A. koreana can maintain a stable population as its distribution type for each diameter class in the Saeseokpyeongjeon site showed a reverse-J shape. The average annual ring growth in all survey sites was 1.09 mm/year, with the most abundant growth observed in the Seseokpyeongjeon site, which was formed mainly by a subtree layer. The growth ring survey showed the estimated average age of A. koreana population in the Byeoksoryeong and Banyabong 1 sites to be 102 and 91 years, respectively, a general downward trend of vitality since 2013.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.426-433
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• 2019

Objectives: Zooplankton communities play important roles in aquatic ecosystems as secondary producers that graze on phytoplankton and in turn are preyed upon by planktivorous and juvenile fish. They can shift their distribution, species composition, and abundance in response to environmental changes. Therefore zooplankton communities are important for understanding the energy flow in aquatic ecosystems and can be valuable indicators of environmental conditions. However, zooplankton in streams are still not well-studied, especially in northern Gyeonggi-do Province. This study aims to investigate the zooplankton communities in major streams in northern Gyeonggi-do Province. Methods: Zooplankton is important in the nutrient cycle and energy flow of aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, we surveyed zooplankton and measured temperature, DO, BOD, COD, T-N, T-P, and Chl-a in major streams (Sincheon, Gongneungcheon, Wangsukcheon, and Gapyeongcheon Streams) and stagnant water (Gomoji Reservoir). Results: The water quality in Gapyeongcheon Stream was the highest grade, while that of Gomoji Reservoir was mesoeutrophic and eutrophic during the research period. In the zooplankton community, Nauplius, Rotaria, and Monostyla spp. were dominant in Sincheon, Gongneungcheon, and Wangsukcheon Streams, and the dominance index was also high. In the case of Gapyeongcheon Stream, it was found that water quality and aquatic ecosystem health were good, and the lowest dominance index reflected this. In Gomoji Reservoir, Polyarthra spp., Nauplius, and Bosmina longirostris, which can be easily observed as eutrophication progresses, showed a high dominance rate. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the progress of eutrophication in further research. Conclusions: We collected data on the zooplankton communities in streams and investigated their characteristics. As a result, specific species were found to be dominant at each survey sites and some of them are known to be observed as eutrophication progresses. Therefore, we should investigate the zooplankton community of streams around us and apply ecological stream management.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.379-406
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• 2019

A floristic study on the vascular plants from Juwangsan National Park was conducted 13 times in total, from March to October 2017. Based on the voucher specimens and pictures, it was revealed that the vascular plants in this region comprised 758 taxa: 112 families, 399 genera, 672 species, 4 subspecies, 72 varieties, and 10 forma. Among these plants, 221 taxa were recorded for the first time from this region. The taxa in category II of endangered plants designated by the Korean Ministry of Environment were two taxa, including Eleutherococcus senticosus (Rupr. & Maxim.) Maxim. and Epilobium hirsutum L. The rare plants numbered 5 taxa designated by National Institute of Biological Resources were also found. 20 taxa of Korean endemic plants including Corydalis alata B.U.Oh & W.R.Lee, Iris odaesanensis Y.N.Lee, and Scrophularia cephalantha Nakai were investigated in this region. 40 taxa of floristic regional indicator plants in the 3rd to the 5th degrees were identified. Naturalized plants of 55 taxa were recorded, and 3 taxa of ecosystem disturbance plants, which were Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Aster pilosus Willd., and Lactuca scariola L., also found.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.122-132
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• 2021

We reviewed the methods employed in Korean tidal flat surveys to measure the local abundance of the endangered wildlife and marine protected species, the fiddler crab, Austruca lactea. A complete census for infinite population is impossible even in a limited habitat within a tidal flat, and density estimates from samples strongly vary due to diverse biological and ecological factors. The habitat boundaries and areas shift with periodicities or rhythmic activities of organisms as well as measurement errors. Hence the local abundance calculated from density and habitat areas should be regarded as transient. This conjecture was valid based on the spatio-temporal variations of the density averages, standard error ranges, and spatial distribution of the crab, A. lactea observed for 3 years (2015-2017) in Songdo tidal flat in Incheon. We proposed the potential habitat areas using the occurrence probability of 50% from logistic regression model, reflecting the importance of habitat conservation value as an alternative to local abundance. The spatial shape of potential habitat predicted from a generalized model would remain constant over time unless the species' critical environmental conditions change rapidly. The species-specific model is expected to be used for the introduction of desired species in future habitat restoration/creation projects.