• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.27-46
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• 2023

This study examines the possibility of applying Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) to natural heritage sites that are not designated as protected areas for the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP). Firstly, the study investigated the ecological and cultural characteristics associated with a natural heritage site, specifically the natural monument known as Dangsanmok, and synthesized the collected information to assess its conservation value. Subsequently, the study examined the possibility of designating Dangsanmok as an OECM that reflects local communities through the criteria of the IUCN's individual assessment tools. The research findings indicate that Dangsanmok and the associated Dangsanje system are positively evaluated as potential OECMs. Additionally, initiatives such as the "Dangsan Tree Grandfather Program" and the "National Heritage Folk Event Grant Program," implemented by the Cultural Heritage Administration, are seen to have a positive impact on engaging local communities voluntarily. Consequently, based on these results, it is expected that natural heritage sites like Dangsanmok, serving as national indicators, will contribute to the 2030 goals for biodiversity conservation and the 2050 goals for harmonious coexistence with nature as part of NBSAPs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.135-154
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• 2023

Urban wetlands provide various ecosystem services and are subject to restoration and creation projects due to their increased value in the context of climate change. However, the vegetation structure of wetlands is sensitive to environmental changes, including artificial disturbances, and requires continuous maintenance. In this study, we conducted a vegetation survey of three wetlands created as part of a project to restore urban degraded natural ecosystems and monitored the quantitative changes in wetland vegetation structure using an unmanned aerial vehicle. The vegetation survey revealed 73 species in Incheon Yeonhui wetland, and the change in vegetation composition based on wetland occurrence frequency was 11.5% on average compared to the 2018 vegetation survey results. The vegetation survey identified 44 species in Busan Igidae wetland, and the proportion of species classified as obligate upland plants was the highest at 48.8% among all plants, while the proportion of naturalized plants accounted for 15.9% of all plants. The open water surface area decreased from 10% in May 2019 to 6.7% in May 2020. Iksan Sorasan wetland was surveyed and 44 species were confirmed, and it was found that the proportion of facultative wetland plant decreased compared to the 2018 vegetation survey results, and the open water surface area increased from 0.4% in May 2019 to 4.1% in May 2020. The results of this study showed that wetlands with low artificial management intensity exhibited a tendency for stabilization of vegetation structure, with a decrease in the proportion of plants with high wetland occurrence frequency and a relatively small number of new species. Wetlands with high artificial management intensity required specific management, as they had a large change in vegetation structure and a partially high possibility of new invasion. We reaffirmed the importance of continuous monitoring of vegetation communities and infrastructure for wetlands considering the function and use of urban wetlands, and restoration stages. These research results suggest the need to establish a sustainable wetland maintenance system through the establishment of long-term maintenance goals and monitoring methods that consider the environmental conditions and vegetation composition of wetlands.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.173-181
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• 2024

Background: Pollination is an ecosystem service of utmost importance for agriculture. In this context, the study aimed to evaluate the pollination service of naturally occurring bees and after densification with colonies of stingless bees (Nannotrigona testceicornis and Tetragonisca angustula) in commercial strawberry plantation. The study was carried out in the four seasons of the year and under two experimental conditions: natural pollination (NP) and pollination under bee densification. The supply of flowers and bee density were estimated. For bee densification, four boxes of colonies of Iraí bees and four of Jataí bees were placed near the strawberry plantation. Five treatments were established for each condition, considering NP and pollination with bee densification on different days from flower anthesis, ranging from the 1st to the 5th day. Fruits were harvested, quantified, and submitted to evaluations to determine biometry, degree of deformity, and percentage of fertilized achenes. Results: There was a higher density in summer compared to other seasons in both conditions evaluated. The weight was greater (20.19 g) when fruits were pollinated on the first day after floral anthesis under pollination conditions with bee densification. It was observed that free pollination provided fruits with greater a greater of deformation of flowers on the fourth and fifth day after anthesis. However, when bee density became higher, the greatest degree of deformity was observed only in fifth-day fruits. The densification with stingless bees provided a 50% increase in the number of bees present on strawberry plants in summer and also a 15% increase in fruit weight and the occurrence of a lower degree of fruit deformity. Conclusions: Density with stingless bees provided a 50% increase in the number of bees present on strawberry plant in the summer, with an improvement in fruit quality and aggregate commercial value, providing a 15% increase in fruit weight and a lower degree of deformity under the conditions of densification of Iraí (N. testceicornis) and Jataí (T. angustula) bees. Under the evaluated conditions, the introduction of stingless bee boxes in the summer is recommended.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.324-337
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• 2024

Aquatic macrophytes are important factors in determining species diversity and abundance of cladocerans, but the effects of cladocerans on plant species composition or structure have not been fully considered. In South Korea, wetlands and reservoirs that are prone to covering aquatic macrophytes are scattered across the country, so it is necessary to consider on aquatic macrophytes study, when aquatic animals including cladoceran were studied. in this study, the species and abundance of cladocerans community in six microhabitat types are investigated, and based on these results, habitat conservation and efficient management are suggested. The high species numbers and abundance of cladocerans communities were found in mixed plant communities consisting of free-floating, floating-leaved, and submerged plants. The inclusion of submerged plants in plant communities contributes significantly to the complexity of habitat structures, and may increase species and abundance of cladocenran communities. This can be compared to a plant community consisting only of free-floating and floating-leaved plants in the absence of submerged plants, thereby identifying the efficiency of submerged plants. In the mixed plant communities, species diversity was the highest due to the emergence of cladoceran species (Graptoleveris testudinaria, Ilyocryptus spinifer, and Leydigia acanthococcides) absent from other plant communities. The gradual increase in the biomass (g) of submerged plants in the mixed plant communities significantly increased the species numbers and abundance of cladoceran communities (p<0.05). This is strong evidence that the increase of submerged plants in mixed plant communities has a positive effect on efficiency as a habitat for cladocerans. Although submeged plants do not contribute significantly to their landscape/aesthetic value because they are submerged in water, they have the effect of increasing species diversity in terms of biology, so they should be considered important when creating/restoring wetlands.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.2182-2189
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• 2024

The high-purity germanium gamma-ray spectrometer was used to measure the radioisotope in surface water of lakes in a Chinee petroleum industrial area. 92 samples were collected from surface water of three lakes. Activity concentrations of ²³²Th, ²²⁶Ra and ⁴⁰K in three lakes were measured, distributed in the range of 101.8-209.4, 192.1-224.9 and 335.0-548.9 mBq/L, respectively. Results were all within the limits of WHO and China. Potential environmental and health risks were assessed by calculating some radiation hazard indicators, radium equivalent index, annual effective dose, excess lifetime cancer risk, absorbed dose rate, external hazard index, internal hazard index, annual gonadal dose equivalent, activity utilization index and representative gamma index, which ranged 0.38-0.54 Bq/L, 0.06-0.08 mSv/y, 0.23 × 10^-3-0.31 × 10^-3, 0.17-0.24 nGy/h, 1.01 × 10^-3-1.46 × 10^-3, 1.55 × 10^-3-2.02 × 10^-3, 1.16-1.66 μSv/y, 3.13 × 10^-3-4.45 × 10^-3 and 2.60 × 10^-3-3.77 × 10^-3. The results were all at acceptable levels, meaning no impact on human health. The relationship between the electrical conductivity of surface water and the activity concentration of ²³²Th, ²²⁶Ra and ⁴⁰K was evaluated. The electrical conductivity value was 0.241-0.369 mS/cm, showing a significant correlation coefficient between ²²⁶Ra and ⁴⁰K and electrical conductivity. Multivariate statistical methods were used to determine the relationship between the activity concentrations of ²³²Th, ²²⁶Ra, and ⁴⁰K, radiation hazard indicators and electrical conductivity.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.347-366
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• 2023

In the present study, the vegetation was classified using the phytosociological method and canonical-correlation analysis (CCA) was implemented to analyze correlation between community structure and environmental factors in the natural habitats of forest byproducts, especially medicinal plants, such as Cudrania tricuspidata, Sorbus commixta, and Hovenia dulcis, in 2021-2022 to provide primary ecological data to establish environmental conditions for wild vegetable cultivation. A total of 11 plots in five regions, 8 plots in three regions, and 17 plots in 5 regions were selected for the natural habitats of C. tricuspidata in southern Korea, S. commixta in high mountains, and H. dulcis in valleys of central Korea, respectively. The importance value in each community was respectively analyzed as follows, in C. tricuspidata community, the importance value of C. tricuspidata (61.10) was the highest, followed by Celtis sinensis, Pinus thunbergii, Neolitsea aciculata, Styrax japonica, Carpinus coreana, Quercus serrata, and Q. acutissima. In Sorbus commixta community, Q. mongolica (57.21) was the highest, followed by, S. commixta (42.58), Betula ermani, Tilia amurensis, A. pseudosieboldianum, A. tschonoskii var. rubripes, Cornus controversa, Magnolia sieboldii, and Taxus cuspidata. In H. dulcis community, H. dulcis (64.58) was the highest, followed by Zelkova serrata, Cornus controversa, A. mono, Q. serrata, C. cordata, and Juglans mandshurica. As the result of the analysis on DBH of the major species having the high importance value, in C. tricuspidata community, C. tricuspidata, C. sinensis, Neolitsea aciculata, and C. coreana show the density of normal distribution, so the dominant status of these species is likely to continue. In S. commixta community, S. commixta show the density of reverse J-shaped curve, so the dominant status of these species is likely to be stable, and Q. mongolica, B. ermani and T. amurensis, show the density of normal distribution, so the dominant status of these species is likely to continue. In H. dulcis community, C. cordata, and J. mandshurica show the density of reverse J-shaped curve, so the dominant status of these species is likely to be stable, and H. dulcis, Z. serrata, C. controversa and A. mono had a formality distribution, suggesting a continuous domination of these species over the other species for the time being. The results of CCA ordination analysis using 11 environmental factors and 30 communities of three taxa classified by TWINSPAN analysis revealed that the altitude showed the strongest correlation with the vegetation. C. tricuspidata community was distributed on the moderate and gentle northeastern slope at low altitude with the highest pH, C.E.C, Ca²⁺, and Mg² and various P₂O₅, whereas S. commixta community was distributed on the steep slope at high altitude with the highest O.M and T-N and lower P₂O₅, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, C.E.C and pH, which is the opposite tendency of the environment of C. tricuspidata community. H. dulcis community was distributed on the gentle northern slope at lower altitude with an average pH, O.M, T-N, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and C.E.C, except higher P₂O₅.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.351-362
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• 2010

This study was supposed to offer vegetation plans for functional improvement of the recreational forest by researching Mt. Chukryong which is located at Oebang-li Sudong-Myon Namyangju Kyong-gi Province in Korea. In this study, artificial vegetation and natural vegetation near trails in recreational forest were researched through biodiversity analysis. From this analysis process, a typical management improvement of the biodiversity functions were examined by reviewing functions biotope condition, vegetation structure and wild bird community condition. Typical vegetation system was divided into four detail parts: Managed artificial Pinus koraiensis forest, Not managed artificial Pinus koraiensis forest, Natural deciduous forest and Not managed deciduous forest. As a result of the vegetation structure, the numerical value of the deciduous forest species diversity was higher than that of artificial Pinus koraiensis, and the numerical value of the managed condition was higher than that of not managed condition. As a result of a habitat structure analysis of the wild bird community, managed Pinus koraiensis forests were inadequate structure for wild birds to habit in there because the forests had weak structure layers, but unmanaged deciduous forest and unmanaged Pinus koraiensis that had diverse layers was proper places for birds to in habit. Thus, based on the functional analysis of biodiversity, management patterns of the target area were concluded in two manners: conserving management and restoring management. Deciduous forest protection target areas included natural deciduous forest area and managed deciduous forest area, ecological restoration target area included unmanaged artificial Pinus koraiensis area and restoring management target area includes managed artificial Pinus koraiensis.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.679-690
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• 2008

The objectives of this study are to investigate and analyze the vegetation structure and population dynamics of Berchemia racemosa habitats in the Weolmyung park in Gunsan city, and base on that to seek the ecological habitat conservation plan for the Berchemia racemosa. In results, the Berchemia racemosa habitats are located at $81{\sim}93$ meters above the sea level, in steep seaside slope of a mountain. The soil texture are silt loam mainly and soil pH were $4.1{\sim}5$. The vascular plants in the Berchemia racemosa habitats has been analyzed as 61 taxa; 33 families, 51 genera, 54 species, 6 varieties, and 1 forms. Berchemia racemosa as a Specific plant species by floral region was the class V. Berchemia racemosa habitats were classified into 7 vegetation communities of Quercus serrata community(A1), Alnus firm a community(A2), Platycarya strobilacea community(A3), Robinia pseudoacacia community(A4) and 3 Pinus densiflora communities(B1, B2, B3). The importance value of Berchemia racemosa were 30%(A1), 15%(A2), 27%(A3), 65%(A4), 18%(B1), 45%(B2) and 35%(B3) on shrubs layer and 12, 27, 20, 18, 11, 18, 21 % on herb layer. The constant companion species with Berchemia racemosa were Stephanandra incisa and Ligustrum obtusifolium. Total 103 populations appear in the 7 Berchemia racemosa habitats. Their spatial distribution pattern were clumped for the most part. The average height was 133cm, the root color diameter was 4.4cm and the ramification branch number was 9.4. From the results of this study, it is suggested the continued monitoring and the active protection measures for the Berchemia racemosa habitats.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.11-23
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• 2016

An ecological study on subtidal macrobenthic fauna was conducted off the Namhaedo Island, south coast of Korea from July 2012 to April 2013. A total of 247 species of macrobenthos occurred with a mean density of $1,027ind./m^2$ and a mean biomass of $148.7g/m^2$. Polychaetes was the richest and most abundant faunal group that comprised 37% in both total species number and density whereas echinoderms were biomass-dominant faunal group that accounted for 44% of the mean biomass. There was a seasonal variation in the species richness and abundance of macrobenthos with more species in winter and higher density in spring. Mean faunal density was relatively high at the stations near Namhaedo Island, but gradually decreased toward offshore stations. The most dominant species in terms of density was an amphipod species, Eriopisella sechellensis which occurred as a top ranker during three seasons except spring recorded the fourth rank. E. sechellensis showed its high density at the near shore stations of Namhaedo Island, but this species did not occur around the entrance of Gwangyang and Saryang Bays where Theora fragilis and Lumbrineris longifolia showed high densities. In particular, Tharyx sp., recorded high density between Gwangyang Bay entrance and offshore after Sea Prince oil spill, did not occur in the same area during this study period. The bottom temperature and sorting value of the surface sediments were highly correlated to the spatial distribution of macrobenthic fauna from the Bio-Env analysis. From the cluster analysis, the study area has five station groups with more similar faunal affinities from inner area toward offshore area. Based on the SIMPER analysis T. fragilis, Magelona japonica, E. sechellensis, L. longifolia and Paraprionospio cordifolia were mainly contributed to the classification of station groups. From the BPI, benthic communities in the entrance of Gwangyang Bay and Saryang Bay were considered to be in a slightly polluted condition in contrast to the normal healthy community at the offshore of Namhaedo Island. These results suggested that the benthic community of this area should be regularly monitored to assess the health status of this benthic ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.521-529
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• 2008

This research conducted a survey on waterbirds visiting this area four times by season from February to October in 2007 to look into the habitat use of waterbirds, to do a value and grade testing of the tidal flat by dividing the foreshore on Muan Bay located in Jeollanam-do into four areas (Dongam, Guro, Bokryong and Wangsan tidal flats). The survey results revealed that there existed a total of 15,755 individuals of 54 species including 2 species of grebes, 7 species of herons, 7 species of dabbling ducks, 6 species of diving ducks, 20 species of waders, 3 species of gulls and 9 other species and this survey also observed 9,291 individuals of the wading birds as a dominant group on Muan Bay. In these classified groups, the gulls and waders were observed to mostly use Dongam tidal flat as their habitat, while the group using Guro tidal flat as their habitat was mostly grebes, dabbling and diving ducks. As a result of UPGMA clustering analysis in consideration of the species and number of individuals, there appear the close similarities between Dongam and Bokryong tidal flats and so do Guro and Wangsan tidal flats. Taking a look at the grading of tidal flats by setting up ecological indexes, such as diversity index, abundance index, and dominance index, etc. legally reserved species and maximum number of individuals as a standard, the rank for the value and importance degree of Bokryong tidal flat appeared higher than that of the other three tidal flats. Like this, the gradation of tidal flats according to waterbirds are judged to able to suggest objective data on the issue of proper judgment and designation of valuable tidal flat areas and its subsequent effective preservation and management.