• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.110 no.4
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• pp.577-589
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• 2021

Soil seed bank community contributes to the long-term conservation of plant diversity and vegetation dynamics, and their decreasing diversity and density with soil depth provide critical perspectives (deterministic and stochastic) for understanding the community disassembly process. We analyzed changes in species composition and diversity and structuring patterns by soil layer (top and bottom), including surface vegetation, in Gwangneung Forest, a mature forest with a vegetation climate in the temperate central part of the Korean Peninsula. From two layers of soil collected with a vertical difference of 10 cm, 934 specimens of 27 families, 40 genera, 44 species, three varieties, and 47 taxa, germinated. Although species diversity and germination density decreased in most comparative characteristics, including growth type, there was no statistical significance due to large deviations. Within-group variability of species composition was similar in the upper and lower soils, as was the decline pattern in co-occurred species (ζ-diversity) and change in species retention probability. The structuring process of the community composition in the two soil layers was fitted with an exponential correlation rather than a power function, demonstrating the dominance of the stochastic process. The pattern in diversity and species turnover according to soil depth in Gwangneung Forest was discovered to be structured by stochastic random events, such as seed vertical movement rather than interaction with trait characteristics.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.497-504
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• 2006

Biodiversity is closely related to the conservation of ecosystems. Ecosystems provide more subtle, but equally essential, services. Microorganisms decompose human's waste and renew the soils that produce our food crops. Biodiversity in Korean paddies encompass 54 families and 107 species of freshwater invertebrates. In terms of the number of aquatic insects affected by different sources, the order starting with the highest population was swine slurry > chemical fertilizer > fresh straw with reduced fertilizers > control. The number of freshwater invertebrate and aquatic macro-invertebrate in surface water of the plots without insecticidal application were 2 and 2.1 times greater than in fields receiving insecticide applications, respectively. The soil microfungal flora of the 85 isolates paddy fields in Korea was 30 species in 13 genera and 11 isolates were unidentified yet. Agricultural policy should be changed to assist the conservation of biodiversity because until now the agricultural ecosystems have been negatively affected from the development of high-yield varieties to enhance food production, and the expansion of fertilizer and chemical use. For the conservation of agricultural ecosystems, agricultural practices with less investment and more resource saving, as well as enhancing the safety of agricultural and livestock products are essential. Finally, this paper was written for the contribution for the development of environmentally friendly farming systems with neighboring or whole ecosystems.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.180-193
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• 2022

The East Nine Royal Tombs is a representative place in the Royal Tombs of Joseon (a World Heritage Site). It consists of 1,289 stone artifacts including 979 related stone structures, 310 stone statues, and objects. Most of the stone structures in the East Nine Royal Tombs are composed of biotite granite, but some tombs are composed of light red granite. As a result of magnetic susceptibility measurement, the average data from Geonwolleung to Mongneung, excluding Hyeolleung, were similar, so it is estimated that stones were obtained from the same quarry. In the case of Sungneung, Sureung, and Gyeongneung, the range of susceptibility measurement is widely distributed. It assumed that the newly produced stones were mixed in the moving and construction process. Also, stones might be gathered from different quarries. As a result of a conservation status investigation, both the mound member and the ridge stone had the highest damage rate due to peeling and granular decomposition according to surface weathering. In the case of surface discoloration, yellowing and soils were found in the burial mound members. Yellowing, blackening, and soil were identified in the ridge stone structures. Bio-degradation is the major factor of deterioration of the East Nine Royal Tombs and the conservation status of the tombs were detected as grades 4 to 5. It seems that it is easy for the environment of the royal tombs to form soil for the microorganisms and fine conditions for continuous moisture. In the case of structures, they are in relatively good condition. As a result of a comprehensive damage rating for each tomb, the overall condition is good, but the Geonwolleung Royal Tomb and Hyeolleung Tomb, which were created in the early period, had relatively high weathering ratings. Stone objects in East Nine Royal Tombs have lost many pieces and gateway members due to surface deterioration. Also, secondary damage is ongoing. Each damage factor of the stone artifacts of the East Nine Royal Tombs combines to cause various and continuous damages. Therefore, it is necessary to establish regular conservation status data of the stone artifacts for efficient management after processing as well as conservation treatment of the royal tombs, and specific management manuals and systems. This study investigated the conservation status of stone structures in the East Nine Royal Tombs, a World Heritage Site, and systematically classified them to provide priority and necessity for conservation processing. We look forward to establishing a plan for the conservation and management of the East Nine Royal Tombs with this database in the future.

• 보존과학연구
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• s.36
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• pp.74-85
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• 2015

An ox bone object was excavated from the wetland at the excavation site in Bogam-ri tumulus, Naju. It was only able to identify the full image of the shape. Bogam were deteriorated and cracked due to the soil pressure and the repeated cycle of freezing and melting. They were also fragmented in pieces and powdered. In situ, bones were dewatered, consolidated and wrapped together with surrounding soils not to lose the fragmented bone pieces. Unpacking was carried out in the conservation lab and the treatment was processed. Soils on the reverse were removed and then the surface was consolidated and reinforced. Then, soils on the excavated side was cleaned and the surface was consolidated. The object was placed in the produced storing box. When the ox bone object was excavated, it did not have its head and was in the shape of tieing all its legs up. This shows that the animal had been tied up during a ritual and then buried. During the treatment, the importance of the burial purpose and maintaining the shape at the time of excavation was considered. Therefore, the shape of the object at the time of excavation was maintained rather than dismantling all these fragile bones and finding the shape of an ox. This conservation of ox bone object shows that conservation treatment methods have to be vary depending on characters and conditions of objects. In addition, it is expecting that this writing could be the reference to bone and horn objects excavated in the future for the whole process from the excavation to the conservation treatment.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.627-636
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• 2020

Background: Cultivation of medicinal crops, which synthesize hundreds of substances for curative functions, was focused on the synthesis of secondary metabolites rather than biomass accumulation. Nutrition is an important restrict factor for plant growth and secondary metabolites, but little attention has been given to the plasticity of nutrient uptake and secondary metabolites synthesis response to soil nitrogen (N) change. Methods: Two year-field experiments of Sanqi (Panax notoginseng), which can synthesize a high level of saponin in cells, were conducted to study the effects of N application on the temporal dynamics of biomass, nutrient absorption, root architecture and the relationships between these parameters and saponin synthesis. Results: Increasing N fertilizer rates could improve the dry matter yields and nutrient absorption ability through increasing the maximum daily growth (or nutrient uptake) rate. Under suitable N level (225 kg/ha N), Sanqi restricted the root length and surface and enhanced the root diameter and N uptake rate per root length (NURI) to promote nutrient absorption, but the opposite status of Sanqi root architecture and NURI was found when soil N was deficient. Furthermore, increasing N rates could promote the accumulation of saponin in roots through improving the NURI, which showed a significant positive relationship with the content of saponin in the taproots. Conclusion: Appropriate N fertilizer rates could optimize both root architecture and nutrient uptake efficiency, then promote both the accumulation of dry matter and the synthesis of saponins.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.435-449
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• 2010

Soils in the sloping uplands in Korea are subject to intensive land use with high input of agrochemicals and are vulnerable to soil erosion. Development of the environmentally sound land management strategy is essential for a sustainable production system in the sloping upland. This report addresses the status of upland agriculture and the best management practices for the uplands toward the sustainable agriculture. More than 60% of Korean lands are forest and only 21% are cultivating paddy and upland. Uplands are about 7% of the total lands and about 62% of the uplands are in the slopes higher than 7%. Due to the site-specificity of the upland, many managerial and environmental problems are occurring, such as severe erosion, shallow surface soils with rocky fragments, and loadings of non-point source (NPS) contaminants into the watershed. Based on the field trials, most of the sloping uplands were classified as Suitability Class III-V and the major limiting factor was slope and rock fragments. Due to this, soils were over-applied with N fertilizer, even though N rate was the recommendation. This resulted in decreases in yield, degradation of soil quality and increases in N loading to the leachate. Various case studies drew management practices toward sustainable production systems. The suggested BMP on the managerial, vegetative, and structural options were to practice buffer strips along the edges of fields and streams, winter cover crop, contour and mulching farming, detention weir, diversion drains, grassed waterway, and slope arrangement. With these options, conservation effects such as reductions in raindrop impact, flow velocity, runoff and sediment loss, and rill and gully erosion were observed. The proper management practice is a key element of the conservation of the soil and water in the sloping upland.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.379-383
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• 2015

Indicators of environmental conditions describe the state of the environment and the quantity and quality of natural resources. This study deduced the evaluation items to assess each sub-indicator for agricultural water quality and conducted the surveying using the Delphi method based on agricultural water quality experts. Considering its importance, environmental, state, and management indicators showed that state indicator such as COD concentration for surface water and $NO_3-N$ concentration for groundwater was ranked as first and followed by amount of fertilizer. Its indicators were correlated with state and environmental indicators in surface water and groundwater. The best management indicators were calculated to assess the agricultural surface water and ground water quality. The indicator could be used in established policies for management and conservation of water resources.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.75-80
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• 2002

Enormous volumes of mining wastes from the abandoned and closed mines are disposed without a proper treatment at Southeastern part of Kangwon Province. Erosion of these wastes contaminates soil, surface water, and sediments with heavy metals. Objectives of this research were to fractionate heavy metals in the mine waste and to assess the potential S. P. A. G.(Soil Pollution Assesment Guidance) of each metal fraction. Mine wastes analyzed for physical and chemical properties. pH of wastes ranged from 3.3 to 8.0. Contents of total N and loss on ignition matter were in the ranges of 0.2~5.6%, and 0.8~15.3%, respectively. Heavy metals in the wastes were higher in the coal mines than those in the other mine wastes. Total concentrations of metals in the wastes were in the orders of Pb > Zn > Cu > Cd, exceeded the corrective action level of the Soil Environment Conservation Law and higher than the natural abundance levels reported from uncontaminated soils. Relative distribution of heavy metal fractions was residual > organic > reducible > carbonate > adsorbed, reversing the degree of metal bioavailability. Mobile fractions of metals were relatively small compared to the total concentrations. Soil Pollution Assesment Guidance(SPAG) values were ranged from 0.08 to 9.14 based on labile fraction of metal concentrations. SPAG values of labile concentration were lower than those of total concentration.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.425-431
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• 2014

Most fields in highland areas are covered with rye or hairy vetch for conservation during a fallow. However, using cover crops needs an effort to sow, and this makes top soil more vulnerable to loss due to surface disturbances. The aims of this study were to develop an automatic seeding-regulator device using a low-price, extensive-use GPS sensors and a DC motors and to evaluate a working efficiency of it after adaptation to partial tillage machine for reducing seeding effort. The amount of runoff water and soil loss was evaluated with partial tillage and simultaneous-seeding after harvesting soybean, in 17% slope lysimeters. In results, the seeding amount with the machine speed was stable between $0.5{\sim}0.8m\;s^{-1}$ of working sections. The automatic control device of seeding-rate could be enough to solve the slip problems of power selecting supply system or five four-wheel drive device. In partial tillage and simultaneous seeding, runoff water was 11.6% ($1.8m^3ha^{-1}$) of the scatter-seeding control ($15.5m^3ha^{-1}$) and soil loss was 13.2% ($7kg\;ha^{-1}$) of the scatter-seeding control ($53kg\;ha^{-1}$). These results suggest that partial tillage and simultaneous-seeding methods are very effective in decreasing work effort and soil loss of sloped land.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.556-562
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• 2013

The blueberry eco-friendly farming requires the soil condition of pH 4.2 ~ 5.2 and high in organic matters for stable growth. Most of soil types of blueberry-growing land in Korea, however, belongs to alkaline soils with low organic matter content. As a result, the eco-friendly blueberry growers use peat moss and sulfur powder heavily to improve the soil condition, but the guideline on the effective use of organic materials was not established yet. Therefore, this sturdy was performed to investigate the effect of increasing soil acidity and organic matters by using organic materials. Among 5 organic materials, the pH of soil was lowest in degradable sulfur + bentonite (pH 4.1) and followed by Peat moss+Chaff+Pine Needlesmixtures(pH 4.5), OrganicAcid +vinegar (pH 4.7), Sulfur powder (pH 4.8), Temperature response Elutioner (pH 5.2). The soil organic matter content were increased in the following order: Peat moss+Chaff+Pine Needlesmixtures (8.4%) > degradable sulfur + bentonite (7.8%) > Organic Acid + vinegar (7.2%) > Sulfur powder ${\fallingdotseq}$ Temperature response Elutioner (6.3%). Although different in the degree, all organic materials treated was recognized a good material for improving soil pH and organic matter content. The plant height and stem diameter of blueberry were no clear difference among 5 organic materials. Another study was carried out to investigate amending soils with organic matter by soil mulching with pine needles for soil surface management in blueberry organic cultivation. The effect of increasing the soil pH by pine needle mulching in blueberry eco-friendly farming was recognized in four test fields. Pine needle mulching for soil surface management in blueberry appeared several advantages, such as improving of soil pH and organic matter content. Therefore, pineneedle mulching in blueberry organic farming is considered as the most efficient means of mulching cultivation for amending soil pH, weed suppression and moisture conservation among mulching materials.