• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.69-73
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• 2007

The sources and the frequency of disturbances and the responses of shorebirds to disturbances were studied at four roosting sites on Ganghwa Island and Yeongjong Island. The mean frequency of disturbance to roosting shorebirds was 2.7 per hour. Human activities contributed to the disturbance in 65% of all cases. Disturbance frequencies in saltpans were higher than those in the upper tidal zone, fishponds and salt marshes. Response patterns of shorebirds to disturbances were associated with the source of the disturbance. Disturbance caused shorebirds to change their behavior and to reduce roosting time at their roosting sites. Four patterns of responses by roosting shorebirds to disturbance were found, including: (1) leaving the roosts, (2) changing their location within the site, (3) leaving and returning, and (4) remaining in place. In the latter three response patterns, the birds tended to remain in their initial roosting sites, in contrast with the leaving pattern, which involved departing from the roosting area. Factors affecting these response patterns were time from high tide and time of day. When the time from high tide was greater, and the time of day was later, more birds stayed at the roost. The absence of sufficient alternative roosts in the study areas forced the birds to choose between tolerating the current disturbance, or moving to distant roosts.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.73-77
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• 2004

Movement of shorebirds for roosting was studied to find their response to insufficient roosting area on Ganghwa Island. It was taken from two kinds of aspects of population fluctuation and direct observation of movement from March to October in 2002. Based on the data from their weekly fluctuation and flight observation, shorebirds on Ganghwa Island moved to roosts located far away. Shorebirds feeding at southern Ganghwa Island moved to Yeongjong Island for roosting during the spring tide period. High tide count showed that the number of shorebirds on Yeongjong Island increased strikingly, while the number of birds on Ganghwa Island decreased. As the tide level increased, the number of shorebirds on Ganghwa Island decreased in the fall migrating season (r$_{s}$= -0.81, p＜0.001), whereas that on Yeongjong Island was not correlated significantly. Direct observation showed that some of the birds on the upper tidal zone of Ganghwa Island moved directly to the northern mudflat of Yeongjong Island during the flowing tide or dropped by flat zone on Seondu-ri. Insufficient coastal wetlands on Ganghwa Island induced them to move away from the island for roosting place and to endure costly flight energy expenditure. The development of wetlands on the southern Yeongjong Island would make them have no place available to roosts. Therefore this study proposes that shorebird roosts on Ganghwa Island should be created to conserve their habitat.t.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.452-460
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• 2017

Rice fields are important stopover sites for the conservation of shorebirds during long-distance migration. These fields serve as food sources providing energy for the next leg of the journey. Shorebirds are able to change their preferred food source at stopover sites. However, the type and distribution of food resources remain unknown for the shorebirds in the Republic of Korea. Therefore, we studied the type and distribution pattern of food resource (macroinvertebrates, remaining rice, and other seeds) for shorebirds in the rice fields. We have identified potential and actual food sources for shorebirds in the rice fields. The potential food sources were collected by using a core-sampling method and the actual food source was ascertained by observational analysis. As a result, a total 19 species of benthic macroinvertebrates in 15 families were recorded as potential food sources. A total of 9 families in 9 orders of benthic macroinvertebrates known to be actual food sources were also recorded during the study period, including loaches, and a tuber of sea club rush. Also, the distribution of the food source depended on soil conditions generated by cultivation such as plowing, harrowing, and the use of pesticides. In the present study, we identified the type and distribution of food sources for shorebirds. This information can be used as essential primary baseline data for conservation of shorebirds using the rice fields of the Republic of Korea.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1999.10b
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• pp.148.1-148
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• 1999

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.334-343
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• 2014

BACKGROUND: Shorebirds use a variety of wetlands as their stopover sites to replenish energy and nutrient reserves along the migration route. It is increasingly important to understand how birds use the remaining available habitats during migration period, because shorebird stopover sites are often altered and destroyed. Rice fields serve as a major inland stopover site for migrating shorebirds. However, the information on habitat use patterns of shorebirds in rice fields is very limited in Korea. Therefore, we studied the patterns of shorebird abundance and their habitat use in rice fields during spring migration period in western-central Korea. METHODS AND RESULTS: Surveys were conducted at interval of 2-3 days during the spring migration period of 2014 at rice fields of mid-western Korea. We recorded the location of the observed birds on the rice field map according to the local habitat type. The habitat types were divided by physical structure and cultivation methods. Fifteen shorebird species and 7,852 individuals were recorded during the survey period. The number of shorebird species and their abundance began to increase from the beginning of flooding in late-April, and reached a maximum in early-May. After rice transplantation, the number of shorebird species and their abundance dramatically declined. Shorebirds selectively used paddy and levee rather than road and ditch and most species used shallow depth field type. Plowed field types were less attractive to most species. CONCLUSION: Flooding rice fields were functioned as stopover sites for a variety of shorebird species during spring migration period. Furthermore, these results provide that the appropriate agricultural practices can be improving the habitat quality for shorebirds.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.193-198
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• 2004

This study was about heavy metal accumulation in liver and kidney of Shorebirds migrating to yeongjong and Sammok Island. Zinc concentration was highest in liver(76.7 ㎍/wet g) and kidney (65.7 ㎍/wet g) of Limosa lapponica to Yeongjong Island. In case of manganese, the highest accumulation in liver was Tringa nebularia to Yeongjong Island, and in kidney was Charadrius alexandrinus, to Sammok Island, respectively 4.68㎍/wet g, 18.6㎍/wet g. Copper concentration was th highest that in liver(25.4㎍/wet g) was Limosa lapponica to Yeongjong Island, in kidney(11.7 ㎍/wet g) was Tringa cinereus to Sammok Island. Calidris ruficollis to Sammok Island was the highest accumulated lead and concentration was 17.0㎍/wet g in liver, 40.2 ㎍/wet g in kidney. Lead concentration was more in kidney than in liver. Cadmium concentration in liver was the highest accumulated Calidris alpina(0.73±0.26 ㎍/wet g) to Yeongjong Island, in kidney was the highest accumulated Charadrius alexandrinus(4.89±1.49 ㎍/wet g) to Yeongjong Island. Cadmium concentration was higher in kidney than in liver to all species. Therefore, lead and cadmium concentration was more to Yeongjong than to Sammok Island in liver and kidney except Calidris tenuirostris.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.295-303
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• 2003

The tidal flat area of south and west coast consists of 2.4% of total land area of Korea. About 83% of tidal flat is located at the west coast, and the remaining tidal flat is located at the south coast. This tidal flat is also divided for administrative regions which are Gyeonggi Province(35.1%), Chungnam Province(12.7%) Jeonbuk Province(4.7%), Jeonnam Province(44.0%) and Gyeongnam Province(3.5%). The tidal flat of west coast of Korea is one of the most important stopover site for shorebirds on the East Asia-Australia Flyway. The tidal flat is used for feeding and resting place by migratory shorebirds. Generally, waterbirds including migratory shorebirds are considered as key species to show the superiority of wetland. By the criteria of Lamsar Convention in the basis of waterbird, at least 14 coastal wetlands in Korea have to be internationally important wetlands. The factors to affect the distribution of shorebirds at the certain tidal flat are closely related with 1) the distribution of benthic invertebrates, potential prey of shorebirds 2) the availability of roosting site 3) the size of tidal flat 4) the intensity of human disturbance. In this paper, we summarized the regional status of tidal flat of Korea and its conservation methods related with migratory waterbirds.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.178-185
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• 2015

BACKGROUND: The coexisting shorebirds often use various foraging strategies, including feeding methods and habitat use, which are the likely mechanisms to explain the variation of morphological and behavior traits. We studied the foraging behaviors of four shorebirds to define how species separate according to habitat structures in rice fields of western-central Korea during their northward migration. METHODS AND RESULTS: The studied species were Long-toed Stints (Calidris subminuta), Wood Sandpipers (Tringa glareola), Common Greenshanks (Tringa nebularia), and Black-tailed Godwits (Limosa limosa), which were commonly observed in rice fields and represented by a wide range of morphological traits. Habitats were categorized into three types ("plowed with water", "shallow water level after harrowing", and "deep water level after harrowing") according to the irrigation intensity and soil manipulation of the farming practices. Long-toed Stints mainly foraged in the "plowed with water", where they used both visual and tactile searching methods. Wood Sandpipers and Common Greenshanks were frequently observed in "shallow water level after harrowing" They spent a considerable amount of time using a visual searching method. Black-tailed Godwits were selectively attracted to "deep water level after harrowing" and used tactile cues as their predominant feeding technique. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that the water levels related in soil manipulation and irrigation intensity influence the accessibility to foraging sites and the detectability of prey for shorebirds species.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2005.09b
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• pp.1462-1463
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• 2005

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 2003.08a
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• pp.141.3-141
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• 2003

No Abstract, See Full Text