• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.108 no.2
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• pp.189-199
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• 2019

The forest management paradigm has recently shifted from focusing on commercial production to focusing on ecosystem management. Accordingly, a natural seedling regeneration method that has a naturally high affinity has attracted much attention in recent years. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship among various environmental factors, lower stratum vegetation, and seedling regeneration in Pinus densiflora forests. The survey site comprised 50 sectors divided using the line transect method, and the survey data were divided into those from wet habitat (19 sites) and dry habitat (31 sites), depending on the soil humidity, and were analyzed separately to show the close relationship between soil humidity and natural seedling regeneration. As a result, the dry habitat exhibited high seedling density (157,419 trees/ha), with the main species being Quercus serrata, Zanthoxylum piperitum, Smilax china, and Pueraria lobata, while wet habitat exhibited low seedling density (57,895 trees/ha), with the main species being Stephanandra incisa, Castanea crenata, Lespedeza maximowiczii, Lysimachia barystachys, Aralia elata, and Styrax japonicus. The height and root-collar diameter under wet conditions exhibited faster growth than those under dry conditions. Height growth by the root-collar diameter in dry habitat increased faster than that in wet habitat. It was also confirmed that seedling regeneration in wet habitat exhibited a rapid growth pattern 5 years after germination. These results suggest that the seedlings begin to grow more rapidly after a period of suppression by competition with surrounding plants. Considering an ecosystem or ecological management approach, specific practices, such as bush control and vine clearing in wet habitats, should be more intensively conducted, especially at the beginning of the management operations.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2014

Hydraulic habitat analysis of Benthic Macroinvertebrates was performed at Gapyeong stream. Among the kinds of the Benthic Macroinvertebrates, the most representative ones are the Ecdyonurus kibunensis from the clingers, Paraleptophlebia cocorata from the swimmers, Chironomidae spp from the burrowers, Psilotreta kisoensis iwata from the sprawlers. They showed different habitat types by the hydraulic conditions such as flow velocity, depth and particle size of riverbed materials. Habitat conditions of swimmers were determined mainly by the flow velocity rather than flow depth or riverbed materials. Burrowers prefer sand and silt, and inhabited at the riverbed. Sprawlers prefer cobble or boulder and inhabited for velocity of 0.05~0.15 m/s. Clingers prefer pebble or cobble and inhabited for velocity of 0.06~0.15 m/s. Although the habitats of each groups are different by the hydraulic properties, they were found to be different mainly by the water velocity.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.137-144
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• 2010

There is a host of habitat assessment systems available to evaluate and grade tidal flat ecosystems in Korea. Nevertheless, we recognize the need to develop a better ecological scheme to improve reliability and accuracy given the importance of using an empirical approach in assigning grades to indicators and the limitation of current systems which evaluate tidal flats on a regional basis. A preferable system would be one that enables habitat mapping within a tidal flat, provides a diagnosis of ecological stress/health, has a high level of ecological relevance, communicability, and statistical robustness, and enables evaluation of diverse habitats within a tidal flat. The following points should be considered in framing such a system. Indicators should discriminate habitat quality into five to seven grades accomodating diverse characteristics and conservation value of a habitat, and the grading should be made from frequency distribution of indicators based on nationwide data.We suggest the following tasks in crafting such a system: i) The decision on selection of indicators should be made based on accuracy of assessment and practical application; ii) effects of physical habitat conditions on variability of indicators should be reflected; and, iii) further works on stress/health indicators should be addressed for adopting a multiple-indicator approach which reduces misdiagnosis.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.207-215
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• 2011

In order to establish fundamental data for stream restoration and environmental flow, we investigated physical habitat conditions of Korean chub (Zacco koreanus) in the typical streams of Han River. Field monitoring including fish sampling was conducted from September 2008 to April 2010. A total number of fish caught in the 8 sites was 3,421 representing 8 families 31 species, and 17 species (54.8%) including Korean shinner (Coreoleuciscus splendidus) and Z. koreanus were Korean endemic species during the study period. The most frequently found species in number was pale chub (Z. platypus, 25.7%) followed by Z. koreanus (22.8%) and Microphysogobio longidorsalis (16.8%). Numbers of Z. Koreanus ranged from 8 to 10 cm of total length were the highest in size distribution of their population in all sites. They were widely found in ranges of flow velocity (0.2~0.9 m/sec, 89.6%), water depth (0.3~0.9 m, 91.6%), and different types of substrates except for silt, and they tended to prefer run (58.1%) and riffle (33.7%) with cobble bed (47.0%) microhabitat. Most of upper streams in Korea consist of riffles and runs that are repeatedly followed by another one. However, stream channelization and leveling have caused reduction of habitat diversity. Therefore, it is necessary to make an effort on stream rehabilitation with evaluation of physical habitat condition by indicator species in order to maintain biodiversity and perform ecological restoration.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.156-163
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• 2008

This study was to introduce a methodology of ecological health assessment for efficient management and to provide some diagnostic results of the survey. We evaluated ecological health assessment at five sampling locations of Sikjang Mountainous Stream using the index of biological integrity (IBI) and Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) during May - October 2006. The health condition, based on the IBI model, averaged 32 and varied from 27 to 37 depending on the sampling sites. Thus, the stream health was judged as "good" to "fair" conditions. IBI values showed slight differences between upstream and downstream sites. Whereas, QHEI values varied from 75 (fair condition) to 196 (excellent condition) and QHEI at St. 4~5, indicating the downstream reach had significantly lower than the headwater site (St.1). Regression analyses also showed that QHEI values had a linear decrease from the headwater to downstream. This result indicated that habitat quality was rapidly degradated by human influence. Overall, data of IBI and QHEI suggested that the stream health was maintained well in the present but the habitat and biological quality were partially degradated in the downstream. So, the human interference should be minimized to protect the downstream environment.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.27-30
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• 2016

Background : This text was conducted to evaluate the distribution, shape characteristics and habitat condition of Crypsinus hastatus in Buyeo Korea. Methods and Results : In Buyeo, Crypsinus hastatus was distributed at an altitude of 31.2 m, a slope of 82.5% and a distance from river water of 27.2 m. The leaf blade was oblong, 2.7 cm long, 1.2 cm wide with a petiole length of 2.3 cm. The total population comprised 2,100 individuals, with the highest proportion being individuals with a leaf blade of length 0.5 - 1 cm. The temperature and light intensity of the growth point were lower, but the humidity higher, than that of growth around. The chemical properties of the soil were as follows: pH 4.42, organic matter 77.99 g/kg, electrical conductivity 0.50 dS/m, nitrate nitrogen 20.50 mg/kg and available phosphate 165.7 mg/kg. Exchangeable cation content of potassium, magnesium, sodium and calcium was 0.35, 0.70, 0.09 and $2.04cmol^+/kg$, respectively. Conclusions : In Buyeo, Crypsinus hastatus was distributed in $5.3m^2$ area of Nakhwaam, Naeseongri and Jeongamri. However, the population of the medicinal resources seemed to decrease owing to the poor environmental conditions of the habitat.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.28.1-28.12
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• 2018

Intertidal macroalgae are exposed to many abiotic stress factors, and they must regularly react to changes in their environment. We used RNA-seq to describe how Porphyra umbilicalis (Rhodophyta) changes gene expression patterns to interact with different habitats. Tissue samples were taken from a typical habitat along the open-coast of the Northwest Atlantic, as well as from a rare, atypical habitat in an estuarine tidal rapid environment. Differential gene expression analyses suggest that pathogic bacteria and viruses may be a significant factor influencing the transcriptome in the human-impacted estuarine environment, but the atypical habitat does not necessarily induce more stress in Porphyra umbilicalis growing there. We found genes related to nitrogen transport are over-expressed in tissue from the open-coastal site compared to those from the estuarine site, where environmental N levels approach hypertrophic levels. Low N levels impede growth, but high levels are toxic to cells, and we use qPCR to show this species regulates expression of a putative high-affinity $NH_4{^+}$ transporter under low and high N conditions. Differences in expression of this transporter in these habitats appear to be inherited from parent to offspring and have general implications for adaptation to habitat in other species that are capable of asexual reproduction, as well as more specific implications for this species' use in aquaculture.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2022

Among the 13 species of otters in the world, only one Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is found in South Korea. In the Korean Peninsula, otter pelts were historically valuable and expensive commodities used for international trade, and otters have long been poached as hunting animals. Recent rapid economic development in South Korea has increased habitat fragmentation and loss, creating a continuing threat to the natural environment. Otters live only in the area of rivers and streams as a family group and are territorial (linear habitat). Due to these limited conditions of otter habitat, the population size of otter is lower than that of onshore mammals. According to recent research, DNA analyses using microsatellite markers have shown that only approximately 7-21 otter individuals inhabit river systems for a length of 50-230 km. Korea's urban streams are associated with many threats that hinder otters from inhabiting them. Many areas around the urban streams are surrounded by high concrete riverbanks, and the risk of roadkill is also high. Nevertheless, ecological restoration projects in the urban rivers will contribute greatly to the stable inhabitation of otters. Detailed otter conservation strategies, such as the elimination of threat factors, improvement of habitat environment, and restoration of food resources and shelter, will provide a positive restoration effect on otter and river ecosystems as well.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.395-401
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• 2023

In this study, 12 environmental factors were used to evaluate the potential habitat of Pteromys volans living around some development areas. The analyzed value ranged from 0 to 20.1, and the area with a score of 10 or less was analyzed to have a low possibility of inhabiting Pteromys volans. To verify the analyzed results, a field survey was conducted on areas with 10 or more scores, and traces of habitat of Pteromys volans were confirmed in areas with 16 or more scores. All the areas with an evaluation score of 16 or higher showed high crown density and age class. However, despite the high crown density and age class, the evaluation score in some areas was low owing to the influence of other environmental factors. Therefore, in evaluating Pteromys volans habitats, it is necessary to apply various and complex criteria suitable for field conditions rather than applying uniform and fragmentary environmental factors only.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.6B
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• pp.565-575
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the expression of both multi-metric qualitative habitat evaluation index (QHEI) and biological integrity index (IBI) for artificial structures eco-artificial fish reef (EAFR) for fishes asylum and habitat. Especially, both experimental evaluation and biological verification were performed in Water and Environmental Center's outdoor test-bed of Korea Institute of Construction Technology located in Andong-city, Gyeongsangbuk-do. The experimental conditions reflecting the situation of domestic river include the flow rate (e.g., $0.0{\sim}1.5m\;s^{-1}$), the width (e.g., 1.0~3.0 m), the depth (e.g., 0.05~0.70 m), and variable bed materials. Both QHEI and IBI were monitored for 8 months from May to December 2010. Whereas QHEI values were highest at experimental points of the E~F with an average of 83.1, those were lowest at B~C with an average of 78.1. However, QHEI values inside EAFR were more than 98.9, regardelss of space and time, and indicated more than the highest good of the state (Good) in the habitat. Overally, IBI values showed similar trend with QHEI, but were 44.2 in the winter dry season, compared to 32.8 of QHEI values. IBI values Also, IBI values inside EAFR were greater than those at the experimental channel by 5.7 to 11.4% and 18.7 to 34.8% in flow and stagnant conditions, respectively, indicating that EAFR can secure asylum and habitat for fish during the dry season. For comprehensive aquatic ecosystem assessment, the experimental channel showed generally fair conditions (Fair~Good), whereas EAFR showed good conditions (Good), suggesting that EAFR can be applied to aquatic ecosystem restoration and improvement.