• Title/Summary/Keyword: Plant geography

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Biogeographic Feature of North Korean Ecosystem (북한 자연생태계의 생물지리적 특성)

  • Kong, Woo-Seok
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.11 no.3
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    • pp.157-172
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    • 2002
  • This work aims to collect a biogeographic informations on the biota, alpine ecosystem, nature reserves, forest ecosystem of North Korea, and also to accumulate a basic data on the current situation and problem of the natural ecosystem of North Korea for the preparation of future cooperation and exchange between South and North Koreas. The obtained findings are as follow. First, North Korean biota contains 18,013 species, and consists of 6,710 plant species, including 3,860 species of vascular plants. Secondly, urgent investigation on the biogeographically important arctic-alpine and alpine plants and ecosystem, those are known to be endangered due to environmental change and global warming, is required. Thirdly, the conservations of diverse nature in North Korea are conducted by the introduction of various systems, such as nature preservation region, reserves for plant, animal and sea bird, and natural monuments. Fourthly, out of 9.5 million hectares of forest, one million hectares have already faced forest denudation, thus caused lots of damages for forest ecosystem. Sharp decline of North Korean forest land are due mainly to the expansion of terraced dry-field farming and deforestation. Recovery of denudated forest land should be approached by both South and North Korean sides to solve the problem of shortage of foods and restoration of natural ecosystem of North Korea.

A Mobile Application for Navigating the Optimal Escape Route in Accidents and Emergency Situations (모바일 어플리케이션을 이용한 재난상황 발생 시 최적 대피경로 설정)

  • Cho, Sung Hyun;Joo, Ki Don;Kang, Hoon;Park, Kyo Shik;Shin, Dong Il
    • Korean Journal of Hazardous Materials
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    • v.3 no.1
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    • pp.28-36
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    • 2015
  • In early 2011, the Fukushima nuclear power plant had greater damage due to earthquake in Japan, and the awareness of safety has increased. In particular, special response systems should be required to handle disaster situations in plant sites which are likely to occur for large disasters. In this study, a program is designed to set up optimum escape routes, by a smart phone application, when a disaster situation occurs. This program could get information of the cumulative damage from sensors and display the escape route of the smallest damage in real-time on the screen. Utilizing our application in real-time evacuation has advantage in reducing cumulative damage. The optimal evacuation route, focusing on horizontal path, is calculated based on getting the data of fire, detected radioactivity and hazardous gas. Thus, using our application provides information of optimal evacuation to people who even can not hear sensor alarms or do not know geography, without requiring additional costs except fixed sensors or server network deployment cost. As a result, being informed of real-time escape route, the user could behave rapidly with suitable response to individual situation resulting in improved evacuation than simply reacting to existing warning alarms.

Seasonal Variations in Voluntary Intake and Apparent Digestibility of Forages in Goats Grazing on Introduced Leymus chinensis Pasture

  • Sun, Zewei;Wang, Zaisen;Zhong, Qingzhen;Zhou, Daowei
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.27 no.6
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    • pp.818-824
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    • 2014
  • The nutrient composition of pasture, voluntary intake and digestibility of diet ingested by goats grazing on an introduced Leymus chinensis pasture were measured across spring (May), summer (July), autumn (October) and winter (March). In each season, 12 Inner Mongolian Cashmere goats (6 wethers and 6 does with an average live weight of $22.2{\pm}1.3$ kg and $19.5{\pm}0.8$ kg, respectively) were used to graze on a 2 hectares size paddock. Diet selection was observed and the plant parts selected by grazing goats and whole plant L. chinensis were sampled simultaneously. The alkane pair $C_{32}:C_{33}$ and $C_{36}$ were used to estimate intake and digestibility, respectively. The results showed that the plant parts selected by goats had higher crude protein (CP) and lower acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) than the whole plant, especially in the autumn and winter. The voluntary intake of dry matter (DM), CP, ADF, NDF, and metabolizable energy (ME) by goats was highest in summer (p<0.05). The goats ingested more CP, ME, and less ADF in spring than in autumn (p<0.05). The intakes of DM, CP, and ME were lowest in winter (p<0.05). There were significant differences in nutrient intake between wethers and does in each season, except for the ADF and ME intake per metabolic weight ($LW^{0.75}$). The nutrient digestibilities were higher in spring and summer, and decreased significantly during the autumn and winter (p<0.05). Goats, especially wethers, had a relative constant NDF digestibility across seasons, however, the apparent digestibility of CP in both wethers and does, decreased to negative values in winter. The grazing goats experienced relatively sufficient nutrients supply in spring and summer, and a severe deficiency of CP and ME in winter.

The vascular plants of Chujado Island (Jeju-do), Korea (추자도(제주도) 지역의 관속식물)

  • SUN, Eun-Mi;PARK, Yu Chul;LEE, Kang-Hyup;SONG, Kuk Hwa;SON, Dong Chang
    • Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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    • v.49 no.4
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    • pp.345-370
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    • 2019
  • To identify the flora of the vascular plant on Chujado Island in Chuja-myeon, Jeju-si, Jeju Province, Korea, eleven field surveys were conducted between April to September of 2013 and from May to September of 2018. The results of the surveys identified 558 taxa, with 97 families, 311 genera, 481 species, two subspecies, 65 varieties, and ten forms of vascular plants on Chujado Island. Of the 558 taxa identified, seven were endemic species and eight were rare plants according to the Korea Forest Service. Furthermore, 109 of the taxa identified were from floristic environments, while 62 were considered to be naturalized plants, with three of these considered to be invasive and causes of ecosystem disturbances. The highest degree of similarity among the plants from seven sites adjacent to Chujado Island was found on Saengil Island, at 51.7%.

Biogeographical Studies in Korea (한국의 생물지리학 연구)

  • Park, Jung-Jae
    • Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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    • v.47 no.4
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    • pp.514-521
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    • 2012
  • In this paper, three general academic issues in Korean biogeographical studies were comprehensively reviewed: 1) relationship between environmental factors and plant distribution, 2) past vegetation and climate 3) interaction between humans and environment. Biogeography in Korea is poorly developed field and has been generally ignored by geographers in Korea. The future for biogeography in Korea however seems promising and Korean biogeographers have a great opportunity to develop their field. To attract more prospective graduate students into biogeography and train them would be very important for the gradual and persistent development of geographical biogeography in Korea.

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Ecosystem Vulnerability Assessment of Local Government Due to Climate Change (기후변화에 따른 지자체의 생태계 취약성 평가)

  • Kong, Woo-seok;Lee, Slegee;Park, Heena;Yu, Jeong Ah
    • Journal of Climate Change Research
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    • v.3 no.1
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    • pp.51-69
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    • 2012
  • This work aims to propose a vulnerability assessment methodology of ecosystem at present time, and an to suggest an adaptation strategy of ecosystem in the future for local government, in the fields of plant, animal and conservation area, which would occurred due to climate change. Vulnerability assessment in ecosystem includes first, tree growth and distribution part, mainly for conifers, secondly, insect part for pest and bee, and thirdly conservation area management part, especially at the national parks. To evaluate the degree of vulnerability of each substitute variables, such as exposure of climatic element, sensitivity, and adaptation ability, are respectively selected. Vulnerabilities of conifer growth and distribution, pest and bee, and national park management seem to be strongly influenced by the exposure of climatic element than other factors, such as sensitivity and adaptation ability. With time regional gaps of ecosystem vulnerability are expected to be greater in both conifers growth and distribution, and national park management, but reduced in pest and bee in 2100 in comparison with present time.

Revealing hidden diversity in the Sheathia arcuata morphospecies (Batrachospermales, Rhodophyta) including four new species

  • Vis, Morgan L.;Tiwari, Sunil;Evans, Joshua R.;Stancheva, Rosalina;Sheath, Robert G.;Kennedy, Bryan;Lee, Janina;Eloranta, Pertti
    • ALGAE
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    • v.35 no.3
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    • pp.213-224
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    • 2020
  • The freshwater red algal genus Sheathia contains species with heterocortication (both bulbous and cylindrical cells covering the main axis) and homocortication (only cylindrical cells). When the genus was proposed, the species with heterocortication were revised, but all specimens with homocortication were assigned to Sheathia arcuata with the caveat that it may represent a species complex. Recent studies have described new species with homocortication and S. arcuata has been rendered paraphyletic. In the current study, new sequences of the rbcL and 5′ region of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I markers were combined with previously published data to construct a robust phylogeny and circumscribe new species. Four new species, S. abscondita, S. californica, S. plantuloides, and S. transpacifica are proposed. Examination of morphological characters among homocorticate species show no diagnostic characters to distinguish among species, whereas S. plantuloides is only known from sporophytes (chantransia) so it lacks the typical morphological characters derived from the gametophytes for comparison. Although DNA sequence data would be needed to make a positive species identification, geography could be employed to narrow the identification to one or two species. The genus is geographically widespread having been recorded from oceanic islands and five continents, whereas the individual species typically occur on a single continent. With this study, the number of species recognized in Sheathia is raised to 17; seven heterocorticate and 10 homocorticate, making this genus one of the most species rich in the Batrachospermales. As well, the resulting phylogeny provides insights into the evolution of heterocortication in Sheathia.

Island-Biogeographical Characteristics of Naturalized Plant in Jeollanamdo Islands (전라남도 도서지역 귀화식물의 도서생물지리학적 특성)

  • Kim, Hyun-Hee;Kim, Da-Bin;Jeon, Chul-Hyun;Kim, Chan-Soo;Kong, Woo-Seok
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.26 no.4
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    • pp.272-289
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    • 2017
  • This study analyzed the status of the naturalized plants in islands in Jeollanamdo from an island biogeographic perspective. As a result of a floristic analysis at 47 inhabited islands and 194 uninhabited islands, 30 families and 134 species naturalized plants are reported. The most commonly occurring naturalized plant from 141 islands was Rumex crispus. The average number of naturalized plants by islands is 20.6 species (${\pm}14.22$) at the inhabited islands and 3.7 species (${\pm}3.89$) at the uninhabited islands. Presence of fifty nine naturalized species at Geumodo in Yeosu-si is the largest in number. The naturalization ratio, which is the ratio of naturalized plants to native plants, is 7.66% (${\pm}3.96$) in the inhabitable islands and 4.97% (${\pm}3.70$) in the uninhabitable islands. The naturalization ratio among islands of the West Sea in Jeollanam-do is 5.92% (${\pm}4.49$), and it is higher than 4.96% (${\pm}2.15$) in islands in the South Sea. Especially, the naturalization ratio at the inhabitable islands, i.e., 8.39% (${\pm}4.37$) at the islands of the West Sea is higher than 5.80% (${\pm}1.41$) at islands in the South Sea. The naturalization ratio of naturalized plants at the islands shows positive correlation with the size of the island (r=0.412, p<0.01), but the correlations with distance from the mainland and altitude above sea level are not significant. Eight ecosystem disturbing species designated by law are reported, and each species shows distinct distributional ranges. The regional differences in the number of naturalized plant species seem to be a result of the complex reflection of natural and human environmental factors, such as the degree of traffic between mainland and islands, degree of cultivation activities, along with the physical environmental differences. Since islands have limited habitats and resources, islands could be more vulnerable to the incoming species from outside, and environmental changes than mainland. Therefore, continuous monitoring and management against the naturalized plants in islands are needed.

GIS-Based Methods to Assess the Population Distribution Criteria for Undesirable Facilities: The Case of Nuclear Power Plants (비선호 시설의 인구분포 관련 입지기준 평가를 위한 GIS-기반 방법론 연구 -원자력 발전소의 경우-)

  • Lee, Sang-Il;Cho, Daeheon
    • Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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    • v.47 no.5
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    • pp.755-774
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    • 2012
  • The main objective of the study is to propose GIS-based methods to assess the population distribution criteria for undesirable facilities such as nuclear power plants. First of all, a review of the relevant criteria was conducted for the official documents compiled by such institutions as IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), U.S. NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission), and some national institutes including the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety. It is informed from the review that the fundamental principle underlying the various criteria is to maximize the distance between a plant and the nearest population center. It is realized that two interrelated GIS-based techniques need to be devised to put the principle into practice; sophisticated ways of representing population distribution and identifying population centers. A dasymetric areal interpolation is proposed for the former and cell-based and area-based critical density methods are introduced. Grid-based population distributions at various spatial resolutions are created by means of the dasymetric areal interpolation. By applying the critical density methods to the gridded population distribution, some population centers satisfying the population size and density criteria can be identified. These methods were applied to the case of the Gori-1 nuclear power plant and their strengths and limitations were discussed. It was revealed that the assessment results could vary depending upon which method was employed and what values were chosen for various parameters. This study is expected to contribute to foster the applications of methods and techniques developed in geospatial analysis and modeling to the site selection and evaluation.

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Political Geography of Ulsan Oil Refinery (울산공업단지의 서막, 정유공장 건설의 정치지리)

  • Gimm, Dong-Wan;Kim, Min-Ho
    • Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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    • v.49 no.2
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    • pp.139-159
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    • 2014
  • This study problematizes the dominance of developmental state theory and its negative influences in the field of Korean studies, in particular, dealing with the industrialization during the developmental era, 1960s~70s. As is generally known, the theory has been in a position of unchallenged authority on the industrialization experience of East Asian countries, including South Korea. However, at the same time, it has also misled us into overlooking strategic relations that had articulated the state forms at multiple scales. This study aims to reconstruct the historical contexts by the theorizing prompted by recent work on state space. I shed light on the multiscalar strategic relations that had shaped the Ulsan refinery plant as a representative state space of the South Korean industrialization during two decades after liberation. Specifically, the study illustrates the features and roles of Cold War networks and multiscalar agnets such as Nam Goong-Yeon. By identifying the plant as a result of sequential articulations between Ulsan and other scales, this study concludes by suggesting to reframing the strategic relational spaces, beyond the view of methodological nationalism, in the perspective of multiscalar approach.

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