• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.108 no.2
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• pp.177-188
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• 2019

The aim of our study was to identify the changing trends in the composition, structure, and spatial distribution of forest vegetation in Apsan Park, a representative urban forest in Daegu, South Korea. A vegetation survey was conducted in 1997 and 2016 using phytosociological methods, and a detailed vegetation map was created using the physiognomic dominant species. There were 22 vegetation types in both 1997 and 2016, but two of those types increased and two decreased. The total coverage per unit area ($100m^2$) of the component vegetation species increased from 163% in 1997 to 182% in 2016, and natural vegetation tended to be more than twice that of artificial vegetation. The average number of species decreased by seven from 25 in 1997 to 18 in 2016. Species diversity (H') increased only slightly from 1,654 in 1997 to 1,680 in 2016, while species dominance (D) decreased by 9% from 0.304 in 1997 to 0.276 in 2016. The similarity in the composition of the forest vegetation was about 78%, which was nearly the same. The life form spectrums of vascular plants changed from '$G-R_5-D_4-e$' in 1997 to '$MM-R_5-D_4-e$' in 2016 and the central dormancy type changed from geophytes (G) to megaphanerophytes (MM). The spatial distribution of the forest vegetation was reduced by approximately four times that of artificial vegetation. The number of forest landscape elements (patches) increased from 269 in 1997 to 294 in 2016, while the average area decreased by 12% from 5.8 ha in 1997 to 5.1 ha in 2016.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.245-265
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• 2019

Biotope, which represents the characteristic habitats of living organisms, need to be identified as essential for the efficient creation and sustainable management of urban ecosystems. This study was carried out to provide the basic information for ecological urban planning by analyzing types and attributes of the biotop established throughout the whole area of the Pohang city, a representative industrial city in Korea. The biotop established in Pohang city is composed of 12 types including forests (coniferous, deciduous, and mixed forests), agricultural fields (rice paddy and upland field), green facilities, river, reservoir, bare ground, residential area, public facilities, commercial area, industrial area, roads, and schools. As a result of analyzing the properties according to biotop types, industrial, commercial and residential areas, which represent urban areas, was dominated by introduced vegetation. Moreover the introduced vegetation is usually composed of exotic plants or modified forms for landscape architecture and horticulture rather than native plants, which reflects ecological property of both region and site. As the distance from the urban center increases, the agricultural field showed a form of typical farmland, whereas the closer it is, the more form of greenhouse farming. Natural green spaces were divided into riparian vegetation established along the stream and forest vegetation. Forest vegetation is consisted of secondary forests (seven communities) and plantations (three communities). The urban landscape of Pohang city is dominated by the industrial area. Among them, the steel industry, which occurs large amounts of heat pollution and carbon dioxide, occupies a large proportion. On the other hand, green space is very insufficient in quantity and inferior in quality. This study proposed several restoration plans and further, a green network, which ties the existing green spaces and the green space to be restored as a strategy to improve the environmental quality in this area.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.108 no.1
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• pp.88-96
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to understand when forest fire as a natural phenomenon becomes constructed as social issues in Korea; how the forest fire-related discourses in the editorials reflecting the social perceptions have been changed regarding the principal subject and the measures of the forest fire management; and whether the social perception on the forest fire affects the forest fire policy of the state. From the analysis of a total of 44 editorials related to forest fires from 1988 to 2017. By the using, in the forest fire-related editorials the social perceptions on forest fires are forest fire editorials categories, main keywords, contents of social perception on 'the main subject responsible for forest fire management,' 'forest fire prevention measures,' categorization, frequency analysis and context analysis of words used. It is found that in the first-period forest fire management measures were recognized as a part of the overall forest management. In the second period, the approaches of ecological management emerged on the part of forest fire management. As forest fires were managed as a type of social disaster during the third period, such perceptions were gradually reinforced that the state should protect the people from the forest fire. In the 3rd, 4th, and 5th National Forest Plan, the forest fire management policy of each period was focused in enlightening the general public, protecting forest resources ecosystems, and preventing loss of lives, respectively. As a result of the analysis of social perceptions and comparing them to the forest fire policies through the analysis of editorials on forest fires, it is found that the social perception on the forest fire and forest fire management plan has changed having interconnections.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.549-561
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• 2020

This study aimed to assess the performance and life of nine natural mineral dancheong pigments: Seokganju, Jinsa, Hwangto, Jahwang, Wunghwang, Seokrok, Noerok, Seokcheong, and Baekto. The design of the accelerated weathering test considered the domestic climate characteristics and the location of Dancheong. Outdoor weathering tests were conducted at the Research Institute in Daejeon and the Sungnyemun Gate in Seoul to confirm the field reproducibility of the accelerated weathering test. Monitoring of the physical changes in pigments through accelerated and outdoor weathering tests are based on ultraviolet exposure dose. Despite small cracks at the beginning of the tests, the monitoring showed that Seokganju and Baekto had no marked physical changes, but the surface cracks of Jinsa and Seorok continue to expand. Hwangto and Noerok were marked with water or were resin stained, and the particles of Jahwang, Wunghwang, and Seokcheong had lost their luster. Despite the absolute difference in color change in each test, the final chromaticity change patterns of pigments were similar in that the color difference between Baekto and Noerok was below five, and Jina was above 28. The physical and surface color pigment changes were more concentrated in outdoor weathering tests than in accelerated tests, and the Seoul site was more intense than the Daejeon site. This is because outdoor weathering tests are exposed to severe variations of temperature and moisture or deposition of dust particles and, in the case of Seoul, the site is more exposed to the external environment than the Daejeon site.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.100 no.2
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• pp.226-231
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• 2011

Ulmus davidiana var. japonica is a deciduous tree species used for traditional medicine. This study was conducted to investigate the variation of samara, seed, germination and growth characteristics among populations and among individuals within five natural populations of U. davidiana var. japonica distributed in Korea. The ten characteristics of samara and seed, the three germination behaviors as well as the two growth traits were studied in samaras collected from total 32 trees. Statistical analysis of all characteristics showed that there were significant differences among populations as well as among individuals within populations. In this study, the mean characteristics of this species were 13.0 mm in samara length, 9.7 mm in samara width, 1.37 in samara index, 0.015 g in samara weight, 3.07 mm in samara stalk length, 3.85 seed length, 2.66 mm in seed width, 1.46 in seed index, 1.29 mm seed thickness, 0.0062 g in seed weigh, 34.8% in germination percentage, 8.6 days in mean germination time, 3.5 ea./day in gemination rate, 37.7 cm in height and 4.90 mm in root collar diameter. Especially, coefficients of variations in samara weight, germination percentage, germination rate, height and root collar diameter were relatively high (${\geq}30.0%$) compared to other traits. There was no significant relationship between population association and geographical distribution. The results of principal component analysis for 15 characteristics showed that primary four principal components (PC's) explained 100% of the total variation. The first PC accounted for 41.8% of the variability which correlated with morphological traits, the second PC accounted for 32.9% of the variability which correlated with germination behaviors and the third PC accounted for 16.3% of the variability which correlated with growth traits.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.100 no.4
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• pp.577-584
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• 2011

To estimate level of genetic variation and genetic differentiation among populations of 3 populations in Abies koreana and 5 populations in Abies nephrolepis, 5 nSSR markers were analyzed. Except 1 locus where too many alleles were observed excessively, population genetic parameters were recalculated with 4 loci. Mean expected heterozygosities ($H_e$) were 0.292 in A. koreana and 0.220 in A. nephrolepis, respectively. In both species, positive fixation coefficient was estimated (F=0.065 for A. koreana and F=0.095 for A. nephrolepis), which suggests that there is an excess of homozygotes relative to Hardy-Weinberg expectations within populations. Relatively high degree of population differentiation was observed in A. koreana ($F_{ST}=0.063$). compared to that of A. nephrolepis ($F_{ST}=0.039$). From 3-level Hierarchical estimation of F-staticstics, only 4.9% of the genetic variation was allocated between species ($F_{PT}$), which suggested that most of genetic variation was shared between two species. On the basis of results from analysis of genetic relationships among populations, 2 populations of A. koreana (Mt. Halla and Mt. Deogyu) were genetically distinct from the populations of A. nephrolepis but a population of Mt. Jiri was allocated within a group of populations of A. nephrolepis. Populations of both species seemed to have undergone genetic drift due to gradual decrease in population size induced by global warming after the last glacier, which resulted in increase of homozygotes by inbreeding. It could be also postulated that these species might be diverged recently and It is likely that the two species have not fully speciated yet.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.100 no.4
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• pp.609-615
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• 2011

Forsythia saxatilis is a Korean endemic plant designated as rare and endangered by the Korea Forest Service (KFS). Growth and physiological characteristics of F. saxatilis were investigated under two different light intensities in order to figure out an appropriate growth environment for conservation and restoration of the species in its natural habitat. Shoot length, leaf size and weight, photosynthetic pigment content and photosynthetic parameters were measured for F. saxatilis grown at two experimental plots under relative light intensities (RLI) of 20% and 60% of the full sun, respectively. Fresh leaf weight of plants grown under high relative light intensities (RLI-60) exceeded that of plants grown at 20% RLI. The ratio of fresh leaf weight to leaf size at RLI-60 was 1.47 times superior comparing to that recorded at RLI-20. The content of photosynthetic pigments such as chlorophyll a, b and carotenoid were higher in plants grown at RLI-60, whereas the ratio of total chlorophyll to carotenoid content was higher in the leaves at RLI-20. Photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate at RLI-60 were, respectively, 2.5, 2.65 and 1.79 times higher comparing to those recorded at RLI-20. Water use efficiency, however, was higher at RLI-20. The chlorophyll/nitrogen ratio was 1.83 times higher at RLI-20 than at RLI-60. In contrast, the ratio of net photosynthesis to chlorophyll content at RLI-60 was 2.58 times higher than that of RLI-20. In conclusion, light intensity might be the major factor affecting growth and physiological characteristics of F. saxatilis grown under canopy of tall tree species.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.733-743
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• 2020

We estimated the carbon storage of coal mines reclaimed using Betula platyphylla (BP), Pinus koraiensis (PK), and Pinus spp. (PS, Pinus densiflora, Pinus rigida, and Pinus thunbergii). The carbon storage of tree biomass (TB), forest floor(FF), mineral soil (MS), and the total forest were quantified. Reclaimed sites were located in Gangwon-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and Jeollanam-do; reclamation was conducted at various times in each region. The carbon storage (ton C ha^-1) in FF (BP: 3.31±0.59, PK: 3.60±0.93, PS: 4.65±0.92), MS (BP: 28.62±2.86, PK: 22.26±5.72, PS: 19.95±3.90), and the total forest(BP: 54.81±7.22, PK: 47.29±8.97, PS: 45.50±6.31) were lower than that of natural forests (NF). The carbon storage in TB was lower in BP (22.57±6.18) compared to NF, while those in PK(21.17±8.76) and PS (20.80±6.40) were higher than in NF. While there were no significant differences in the carbon storage of TB, FF, and the total forest among tree species, results from MS showed a significant difference among species. TB and the total forest carbon storages in all sites increased after reclamation. Soil pH and cation exchange capacity values in BP and PS were lower than in NF. Amounts of labile carbon, available phosphate, and microbial biomass carbon in reclaimed sites were less than half of NF. There are a number of methods that could increase the reclamation efficiency. Applications of lime or organic fertilizers, as well as tillage operations, may improve soil properties in reclaimed coal mines. Additionally, pruning and thinning would increase tree growth thereby increasing carbon storage.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.274-291
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• 2020

This year is the 50th anniversary of the adoption by UNESCO in 1970 of the Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export, and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (the '1970 Convention'). Since its ratification of the 1970 Convention in 1983, the Republic of Korea has domestically implemented the Convention through its Cultural Heritage Protection Act, which was first enacted in 1962. This is a different form of implementation than is normally used for other UNESCO Conventions on cultural heritage, in that the Republic of Korea has recently adopted special acts to enforce the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage and the 1972 Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. In addition, the 1970 Convention has been developed further through the introduction of new Operational Guidelines in 2015 for the concrete enforcement of the Convention, which has provided momentum for the Republic of Korea to analyze its current national legislation related to the 1970 Convention as well as consider its amendment in the future. Overall, the Cultural Heritage Protection Act of the Republic of Korea effectively reflects the duties of States Parties under the 1970 Convention. These include measures to introduce export certificates, prohibit the import of stolen cultural property, return other state parties' cultural property, and impose penalties or administrative sanctions in the event of any infringements. Indeed, the Republic of Korea's implementation of the 1970 Convention was introduced as an example of good practice at the Meeting of State Parties in 2019. However, changes in the illegal market for cultural property and development of relevant international law and measures imply that there still exists room for improvement concerning the legal implementation of the 1970 Convention at the national level. In particular, the Operational Guidelines recommend States Parties to adopt legal measures in two respects: detailed criteria for due diligence in assessing bona-fide purchasers, referring to the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects, and measures to address the emerging issue of illegal trade in cultural property on internet platforms. Amendment of the Cultural Heritage Protection Act and other relevant laws should be considered in order to duly reflect these issues. Taking that opportunity, concrete provisions to facilitate international cooperation in respect of the implementation of the 1970 Convention could be introduced as well. Such measures could be expected to strengthen the Republic of Korea's international legal cooperation to respond to the changing environment regarding illicit trafficking of cultural property and its restitution.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.97-109
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• 2022

This study focused on the physicochemical effects of bottom ash dissolved precipitation on the soil and groundwater environment. The iced column and percolation experiments showed that most of the bottom ash particles were drained as the ash-dissolved solution, while the charcoal powder was filtered through the soil. Ion species of Al, As, Cu, Cd, Cr, Pb, Fe, Mn, Ca, K, Si, F, NO₃, SO₄ were analyzed from the eluates collected during the 24 h column test. In the charcoal powder eluates, a high concentration of K was detected at the beginning of the reaction, but it decreased with time. The concentrations of Al and Ca were observed to increase with time, although they existed in trace amount. In the bottom ash eluates, the concentrations of Ca and SO₄ decreased by 30 mg·L^-1 and 67 mg·L^-1, respectively, over 24 h. It is regarded that the infiltration patterns of the bottom ash and biochar in the unsaturated zone were different owing to their particle sizes and solvent properties. It is expected that a significant amount of the bottom ash will mix with the precipitation and percolate below the water table, especially in the case of thin and highly permeable unsaturated zone. The biochar was filtered through the unsaturated zone. The biochar did not dissolve in the groundwater, although it reached the saturation zone. For these reasons, it is considered that the direct contamination by the bottom ash and biochar are unlikely to occur.