• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.233-242
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• 2018

This study explored the richness patterns of vascular plant species and evaluated the effects of the climatic and habitat variables on the observed patterns along elevational gradients on the Mt. Baekhwa, South Korea. Plant data were recorded from 70 plots and a total of 187 plant species with 78 woody and 109 herbaceous species were recorded along two study transects, the Banyasa and Bohyunsa transects, on the Mt. Baekhwa. A total of 154 plant species with 66 woody and 88 herbaceous species and 131 plant species with 58 woody and 73 herbaceous species were recorded along the Banyasa and Bohyunsa transects, respectively. We used simple ordinary least squares regression model, multi-model inference and variation partitioning to analyze the relative contribution of climatic and habitat variables on the elevational richness patterns. Species richness pattern for vascular plants along the Banyasa transect monotonically decreased with elevation, whereas plant species richness showed reversed hump-shaped pattern along the Bohyunsa transect. Although the elevational patterns of species richness for vascular plants were different between the both transects, habitat variables are more important predictors than climatic variables for the elevational patterns of plant species richness along our study transects on the Mt. Baekhwa. These results indicate that elevational diversity patterns of vascular plants may be different even between nearby elevational transects in a mountain ecosystem but the diversity patterns may be controlled by same drivers.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.53-63
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• 2024

Biodiversity holds significant importance within the framework of environmental impact assessment, being utilized in site selection for development, understanding the surrounding environment, and assessing the impact on species due to disturbances. The field of environmental impact assessment has seen substantial research exploring new technologies and models to evaluate and predict biodiversity more accurately. While current assessments rely on data from fieldwork and literature surveys to gauge species richness indices, limitations in spatial and temporal coverage underscore the need for high-resolution biodiversity assessments through species richness mapping. In this study, leveraging data from the 4th National Ecosystem Survey and environmental variables, we developed a species distribution model using Random Forest. This model yielded mapping results of 24 mammalian species' distribution, utilizing the species richness index to generate a 100-meter resolution map of species richness. The research findings exhibited a notably high predictive accuracy, with the species distribution model demonstrating an average AUC value of 0.82. In addition, the comparison with National Ecosystem Survey data reveals that the species richness distribution in the high-resolution species richness mapping results conforms to a normal distribution. Hence, it stands as highly reliable foundational data for environmental impact assessment. Such research and analytical outcomes could serve as pivotal new reference materials for future urban development projects, offering insights for biodiversity assessment and habitat preservation endeavors.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.562-581
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• 2018

This study was designed to predict the changes in species richness of plants under the climate change in South Korea. The target species were selected based on the Plants Adaptable to Climate Change in the Korean Peninsula. Altogether, 89 species including 23 native plants, 30 northern plants, and 36 southern plants. We used the Species Distribution Model to predict the potential habitat of individual species under the climate change. We applied ten single-model algorithms and the pre-evaluation weighted ensemble method. And then, species richness was derived from the results of individual species. Two representative concentration pathways (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) were used to simulate the species richness of plants in 2050 and 2070. The current species richness was predicted to be high in the national parks located in the Baekdudaegan mountain range in Gangwon Province and islands of the South Sea. The future species richness was predicted to be lower in the national park and the Baekdudaegan mountain range in Gangwon Province and to be higher for southern coastal regions. The average value of the current species richness showed that the national park area was higher than the whole area of South Korea. However, predicted species richness were not the difference between the national park area and the whole area of South Korea. The difference between current and future species richness of plants could be the disappearance of a large number of native and northern plants from South Korea. The additional reason could be the expansion of potential habitat of southern plants under climate change. However, if species dispersal to a suitable habitat was not achieved, the species richness will be reduced drastically. The results were different depending on whether species were dispersed or not. This study will be useful for the conservation planning, establishment of the protected area, restoration of biological species and strategies for adaptation of climate change.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.453-465
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• 2014

Hotspots are top sites in terms of species diversity as the most threatened and most diverse sites which have been used to select priority areas for reserves. The purpose of this paper is to identify biodiversity hotspots through analyzing nationwide spatial patterns of species richness and rarity of Korean mammals. Four endangered mammals and eleven common mammals were selected as target species. Environmental variables as model input data were consisted of topography, distance, and vegetation structure etc. and Maxent was used to develop species distribution models for target species. Species richness and rarity were used as index of biodiversity. The results of this study were as follows. Firstly, hotspots of species richness for endangered mammals were in high elevation and steep mountain areas. However, species richness for whole mammals were high in low elevation of mountains. Secondly, distribution pattern of species rarity for endangered mammals were similar as richness. However, hotspots of species rarity for whole mammals were a little different from species richness. Species rarity was high in both low and high elevation of mountain areas. This study will provide the useful information for a biodiversity assessment, a habitat conservation, a national ecological network plan, and the management of protected areas.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.363-374
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• 2023

The limitation in deriving the species richness representing the entire country of South Korea lies in its relatively short history of species field observations and the scattered observation data, which has been collected by various organizations in different fields. In this study, a comprehensive compilation of the observation data for plants held by agencies under the Ministry of Environment was conducted, enabling the construction of a time series dataset spanning over 100 years. The data integration was carried out using minimal criteria such as species name, observed location, and time (year) followed by data verification and correction processes. Based on the integrated plant species data, the comprehensive collection of plant species in South Korea has occurred predominantly since 2000, and the number of plant species explored through these surveys appears to be converging recently. The collection of species survey data necessary for deriving national-level biodiversity information has recently begun to meet the necessary conditions. Applying the Chao 2 method, the species richness of indigenous plants estimated at 3,182.6 for the 70-year period since 1951. A minimum cumulative period of 7 years is required for this estimation. This plant species richness from this study can be a baseline to study future changes in species richness in South Korea. Moreover, the integrated data with the estimation method for species richness used in this study appears to be applicable to derive regional biodiversity indices such as for local government units as well.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.363-376
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• 2010

Vegetative communities of created wetlands often display lower species richness, less cover, higher occurrence of non-native or invasive species, and fewer obligate wetlands species than those in natural wetlands, thus failing to meet basic success criteria for wetland mitigation. This study examined the effects of two design elements, disking-induced microtopography and hydrologic regime, on the first year vegetation development pattern of a mitigation wetland newly created in the Virginia piedmont. Elevation and species cover were measured along replicate multiscale circular transects in two adjacent wetland sites that are different in their hydrologic regime. Two microtopographic indices, tortuosity (T) and limiting elevation difference (LD), were calculated from the elevation measurements. Both indices were higher in disked plots than non-disked plots, showing the effect of disking on microtopography. Out of forty-one vegetation taxa observed in the wetland, 29 taxa were naturally colonized and 12 taxa were seeded. All plots except one non-disked plot were dominated by wetland vegetation. Species richness and diversity were higher in disked than in non-disked plots. Vegetation community development seemed also influenced significantly by hydrologic regime of the site. The effect of microtopography on species richness and diversity was more pronounced in a relatively dry site compared to a wet site. In addition, percent cover, species richness and diversity of vegetation were positively correlated with microtopographic indices such as T and LD. Two design elements, microtopography and hydrologic regime, should be considered and incorporated in wetland creation to enhance plant community development.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.1-23
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• 1999

The objective of this study is to examine the media richness theory and the social information processing model by analyzing the effect of media experience on media perception and communication process. To accomplish this objective, a laboratory experiment was conducted. The independent variable was text medium experience and a face-to-face medium was added as a control group. The dependent variables were medium perception and communication process. Medium perception includes perceived richness, medium feeling, task satisfaction, and communication satisfaction. Communication processes were also analyzed to compare each treatment group. The results can be summarized into two facts. First, face-to-face group showed higher perceived richness than text medium group. And experienced text medium group perceived their text medium richer than inexperienced text medium group. Second, experienced text medium groups showed more interactions between subjects than inexperienced text medium group. Experienced text medium group also showed more agreements and meta-communication which could be found in face-to-face group. The result of this study supported media richness theory by finding that face-to-face medium was perceived richer than text medium, And the results also proved social information processing model by comparing experienced text medium group and inexperienced text medium group. The text medium, although thought to be the leanest one, could be perceived richer if users had lots of experience on it.

• ALGAE
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2016

The clonal seaweed Chondrus crispus (Rhodophyta, Gigartinales) forms extensive stands at low intertidal elevations on wave-sheltered rocky shores of the North Atlantic. This study investigates if this bushy alga acts as a foundation species in such habitats. The abundance (percent cover) of C. crispus, all other algae, and invertebrates was measured in 390 quadrats spanning 350 km of coast in Nova Scotia, Canada. In these low-intertidal habitats, fucoid algae are the largest organisms and can form extensive canopies, but their cover was unrelated to benthic species richness and to C. crispus cover. Species richness, however, increased with C. crispus cover from low to intermediate cover values, showing little change towards full C. crispus cover. Species composition (a combined measure of species identity and their relative abundance) differed between quadrats with low (0-1%) and high (60-100%) cover of C. crispus. High C. crispus cover was associated to more invertebrate species but fewer algal species than low C. crispus cover. However, the average abundance of algal and invertebrate species occurring in both cover groups was often higher under high C. crispus cover, contributing to a higher average richness at the quadrat scale. Overall, only 16% of the observed variation in species richness was explained by C. crispus cover. Therefore, this study suggests that C. crispus acts as a foundation species but with a moderate influence.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.21-30
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• 2016

For the elderly with declining sensory due to aging, various sense stimulation factors provided in indoor environment is desirable healing environment. This study aims to propose the direction of sensory healing environment by adapting the richness of natural environment in indoor place based on the biophilic design theory with implementation method of sensory richness environment. The healing environment was limited to the ward in the beginning, but it has widened its range to the whole place, and the lobby is considered quiet important to healing. Therefore, this study selected lobby space of geriatric hospital as study subject. As for the study method, we deducted the analytic matrix focusing on the property and elements of the direct and indirect experience of nature appearing in the biophilic design theory, and analyzed the field investigation of subject space. Also, this study paid attention to point where the hotel lobby leads the change of emotional environment, and conducted analysis and comparison by deciding this is what the hotel and geriatric hospital should direct to. As the result, the biophilic design factor of hotel is actively expressed by complex direction of various factors, but as for the geriatric hospital, it was rather passive and simple in expression. The adaptation ratio between hotel and geriatric hospital was almost more than twice times difference in average.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.95 no.5
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• pp.595-600
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• 2006

The plot design influences the budgets and the precision of forest inventory results. The objective of this study is to determine the efficiency of estimating forest variables such as tree density, basal area, volume, and species richness based on various plot sizes using fixed-area plot sampling in the natural deciduous forest of Pyeong-Chang County, Gang-won Province, Korea. In this study, 108 reference plots were established with a fixed plot size and shape of 0.09 ha ($30m{\times}30m$). In order to determine the optimal plot size for the interest of variables, each sample plot was established using different shapes (square, circle, and rectangle) and was divided into different plot sizes from 100 to $900m^2$. The mean relative difference (MRD) for the sum of the basal area and volume, and tree density per hectare decreased as plot size increased. But the MRD for three variables were only below 13% at the plot size of $500m^2$. Species richness for each reference stand observed ranging from 2 to 15 species, demonstrated highly positive significant relationships with plot size. The minimum plot size for the estimation of tree density, the sum of the BA and volume was determined to be about $400m^2$, whereas the estimation of species richness required a minimum plot size of $500m^2$.