• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.234-245
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• 2013

In order to examine the amount and rate of soil erosion on Ridge Traversing Trail in Jirisan National Park, a cross-sectional area of hiking trail were monitored at 16 sites in Nogodan - Samdobong section from November 2011 to April 2012. Although all sites demonstrates an enlarged cross-section of trail, the amount of soil erosion varies from site to site: 54.9 to $908.8cm^2$. It suggests that the erosional rate ranges from $0.1cm^2/day$ to $1.72cm^2/day$. The erosional amount is also varied with a trail type: $109.3cm^2$ for a shallow gully-like trail to $573.2cm^2$ for a unilateral trail. However, the cross-sectional change is larger on a sidewall than a tread irrespective of a trail type. The erosional amounts of November to April are smaller than that of May to October. In particular, the erosional amount of November 2011 to April 2012 is smaller than the depositional amount, implying a reduced cross-section of trail. Pipkrake action puts loose soil particles on a sidewall on March and April, and then rainwash due to a heavy rainfall takes them away after May. It seems to be the most predominant erosional process in Ridge Traversing Trail. A sidewall facing north shows a larger amount of erosion than a sidewall facing south. It also implies a difference in the development of a pipkrake according to an aspect. The small amount of erosion and cross-sectional decrease, which is usually observed on April, results from the combined effect of frost heaving, pipkrake action, a small rainfall and a temporary suspension of trampling. It is necessary to establish the monitoring system of trail erosion in terms of the management of hiking trail in a mountain national park.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.18 no.2 s.23
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• pp.103-104
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• 2004

This paper discuss some results of observed changes of meteorological elements as temperature, precipitation and some extreme indexes in Mongolia. Mongolia is one of the largest landlocked countries in the world. The climate is characterized by a long lasting cold winter, dry and hot summer, low precipitation, high temperature fluctuation and relatively high number of sunny days per year. During last 60 years the annual mean air temperature has risen $1.66^{\circ}C$. Intensive warming of > $2^{\circ}C$ was observed at higher altitudes of high mountains when warming of < $1^{\circ}C$ was observed the Domod steppe and the Gobi Desert. Heat Wave Duration have statistically significant risen trend with increaded number of days by 8-18 at significance level of 95-99.9% depending on geography and Cold Wave Duration have shortened by 13.3 days significance level of 95-99%. In general, by the amount of precipitation, Mongolia falls in semi-arid and arid region. It is 300-350 mm in the high mountain regions while it is only 50-150 mm in Gobi Desert regions. The changes of annual precipitation have very localized character i.e.decreasing at one site and increasing at a sit nearby. Annual precipitation decreased by 30-90 mm in the northern-central region and increased by 2-60 mm in the western and eastern region. The magnitude of alteration changes in precipitation regardless increasing or decreasing is 5-25%. A trends, significant at the level of 90%, found where changes are more than 40 mm or more than 15% of annual mean value. Moreover, the soil moisture resources was decreased in the last 40 years. Specially, moisture contents of the top soil have decreased 2 times(N. Natsagsuren, 2002). Months of June and July in Mongolia is the year that moisture is not inhibiting vegetation growth. Unfortunately, its also found that moisture in this time tends to decrease. Increased temperature, decreased precipitation and soil moisture are most likely resulted in occurences of more intense drought spells that have taken place during the recent years. Intimately, these changes have considerable impact on livestock in Mongolia.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.37-53
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• 2008

This study has developed a water balance model for the catchment of Byungchun river using a BROOK90 4.4e physical deterministic water balance model with the long-term meterological data and stream run off data obtained from the basin of Byungchun river in Korea. It is intended that the validation model with calibrated model fitting parameter can build a long-term water balance plan for a period when meterological data are available but stream runoff data are not. Results of this study have satisfied the first expectation as an experiment for water balance modeling since measured stream runoff data have turned out to be very similar to simulated stream runoff data. Through the confirmation of model fitting parameters and validated simulation, water balance for the period of 1998 to 2006 has been restored. Unless the conditions of geomophology, vegetation, soil and land use change, meterological data alone can produce various hydrometeorological data related to stream runoff amount, soil water amount, and evapotranspiration. This study opens up a new horizon in restoring water balance in the past as well planning water balance in the present. The obtained results from this study are expected to be used in predicting future water balance in the wake of the changes in climate and vegetation in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.222-235
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• 2015

Samples were collected from both places including the coastal area within the height of 5 m above the mean sea level (msl) (DH) and the top of the coastal terrace of 10-15 m msl (KS) high in Gwangseungri, Gochanggun, Korea. To find the origin of the deposit in the coastal area, granulometric analysis and geochemical analysis were performed. The result showed that the DH samples were originated from the reddish soils overlaying weathered bedrock which presented gradual change of chemical composition from the bottom toward the top. Clay minerals were found from the DH samples. These results concluded that the DH samples were found as in-situ weathered materials. The KS samples were originated from the soil layer covering gravel layer at the foot slope of the hill along the coast. The KS samples contained different chemical compositions from the DH. It is inferred that some of this layer was disturbed or experienced the influx of foreign material. The particle size of the KS samples was different from those found on the beach. The particle size of lower parts of KS site was finer than that on the beach, but the particle size of middle part of the site was coarser than that on the beach. The sorting of the KS site was poorer than that on the beach. Thus, it is inferred that some parts of the layer were formed by short-lived high energy event rather than sustained and continuous action of tidal currents and/or waves. Analysis using an optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) method showed that the burial age of samples from KS site were found 0.65-0.71 ka. Though the characteristics of the sediment layer and forming event in this area should be further studied, it can be inferred that this sedimentary layer formed by coastal flooding with storm.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.41-53
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• 2013

This research was carried out to classify erosion shapes and sea-cliff erosion rates were estimated through periodic field survey in Dundu-ri, Anmyeondo. Based on the results of field measurements using the datum-point, the annual sea-cliff erosion rate was estimated about 25~102cm/yr by point. The erosion rate gradually increases from spring to summer, but tends to decrease slightly in autumn. Specifically, the erosion rate between June and July indicated a rather decreasing trend, but showed a sharp increase between July and September. This was attributed to erosion that proceeds more rapidly than during other periods due to severe rainstorms in summer that had a direct impact on the study area as well as storm surges caused by hurricanes. Afterwards, the sea-cliff erosion rate gradually decreased in autumn, but reflected an increasing trend again from December to January. This was attributed to the mechanical weathering that actively progresses as bed rocks on the sea-cliff undergo repeated freezing and thawing in winter. The seacliff in Dundu-ri is divided into three types according to the erosion shape. First, Type A is observed in the sea-cliff composed of the same bed rocks and hard rock stratum. Second, Type B is found in the sea-cliff with a relatively gentler slope compared to Type A, since weathering material including soil is formed on the surface of the sea-cliff consisting of the same bed rocks and hard rock stratum. Lastly, Type C is observed in the sea-cliff where hard rock stratum is mixed with soft rock stratum. In this case, the soft rock stratum slumps and erodes first by precipitation and wave energy, followed by additional slumping of the exposed hard rock stratum.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.127-140
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• 2011

Research achievement of Korean geographers on karst studies was evaluated based on the number of publications for the past fifty years, which were divided into four main periods, including beginning, youth, growth, and maturity stages. The descriptive statistics of research papers published in major geography journals were computed and these articles were classified according to their main subjects and study areas. The role of moisture is particularly important in Karst geomorphology compared to the other geomorphological fields. The morphology, landscape, and formation processes of tropical and temperate karst are different from each other, and the regional and altitudinal characteristics of karst environments are significantly diverse. Thus, it is likely that the detailed records of climatic changes are preserved in the northeast Asian karst landform. Since karst geomorphology can be a major cause of natural hazards, such as collapsed surfaces or subsidence, which are associated with anthropogenic activities, including underground-water pumping and land use, education and training of physical geographers, specializing on monsoon effects, distributions of limestone, and soil characteristics, are critical issues to foster the capacity of disaster management in the nation. Moreover, knowing that the unique and spectacular landscape of karst geomorphology is a valuable, natural resource of tourism and has aesthetic values on its own, contributions of geographers to the introduction, conservation, research, and development of karst environment should be emphasized.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.41 no.2 s.113
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• pp.150-167
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• 2006

This study was conducted to determine the pedogenesis of dense subsurface horizons (denoted either Bx or Bd) observed within closed depressions and in toeslope positions at loess-covered glacial tillplains in southern Wisconsin. Some of these dense subsurface horizons, especially those occurring within depressions, show a close morphological resemblance to fragipans elsewhere, even though the existence of fragipans has not been previously reported in southern Wisconsin. The spatial occurrence of fragipans was first examined over the landscape to characterize general soil-landscape relationships. Detailed physico-chemical and micromorphological analyses were followed to investigate the development of fragipans within a closed depression along a catenary sequence. The formation of fragipans at the study site is a result of sequential processes of physical ripening and accumulation of colloidal materials. A very coarse prismatic structure with a closely packed soil matrix was formed via physical ripening processes of loess deposited in small glacial lakes and floodplains that existed soon after the retreat of the last glacier. The physically formed dense horizons became hardened by the accumulation of colloidal materials, notably amorphous Si. The accumulation intensity of amorphous Si varies with mass balance relationships, which are governed by topography and local drainage conditions. Well-developed Bx horizons evolve at closed depressions where net accumulation of amorphous Si occurs, but the collapsed layers remain as Bd horizons at other locations where soluble Si has continuously been removed downslope or downvalley. Hydromorphic processes caused by the presence of fragipans are degrading upper parts of the prisms, resulting in the formation of an eluvial fragic horizon (Ex).

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.279-289
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• 2012

This study conducted a comparative analysis of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in the Fosu and Benya lagoons in Ghana, based on the anthropogenic effect on the two lagoons. Salinity, oxygen, temperature, conductivity, turbidity and pH were measured, invertebrate richness and species densities were determined. The AZTI Marine Biotic Index (AMBI) and multivariate statistics were used to determine the different responses of fauna to pollution. The fauna were categorized into five ecological groups based on the degree of tolerance of the different species to pollution: disturbance-sensitive species; disturbance-indifferent species, disturbance-tolerant species, second-order opportunistic species; and first-order opportunistic species. The Fosu Lagoon supported more pollution tolerant species, whereas the Benya Lagoon had more species that were sensitive to organic enrichment under relatively unpolluted conditions. Chironomus sp., which is adapted to virtually anoxic conditions, was the most abundant in the Fosu Lagoon whereas Nemertea sp. was the most abundant in the Benya Lagoon. The numerical and relative abundance (%) of all 7 taxa in the Fosu Lagoon was 1,359 and 92.35%, respectively. The numerical and relative abundance (%) of all 34 taxa in the Benya Lagoon was 2,459 and 87.52%, respectively. Expectedly, the level of dissolved oxygen in the less saline Fosu Lagoon was higher than that in the more saline Benya Lagoon. The reduced photoperiod and photosynthetic activities of aquatic plants might account for this trend. There is a need to implement comprehensive monitoring and management initiatives for sustaining the ecological health of coastal lagoons in Ghana in order to support the many people that depend upon these ecosystems for their livelihood.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.568-577
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• 2003

The purpose of this paper is to examine the geomorphic processes of beach and sanddune development in the Chungcheong-Namdo Province. The sands consist mainly of quartz and feldspar with lesser amounts of mica and other heavy minerals. With the exception of those from the granite, the sands have a very fine texture. Another characteristic of the sand grains is low degrees of roundness and grading indicating that source areas for the material were in the vicinity of the accumulating field. Over the years, the beaches have receded as a response to the decreasing amount of depositional materials. The driving force for the formation and transformation of coastal dunes in the study area is dominant winds from the center of the Siberian High. To some extent, the erosion of coastal dunes has been a global phenomenon. The degradation process occurred most actively when spring tides attacked beaches, berms, and foredunes. The relief and shape of present-day coastal dunes is determined initially by the Pleistocene strata underneath. From the fact that the strata contained traces of frozen structure, it can be inferred that sediment once experienced the process of soil formation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.152-161
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• 2006

This study is the primary study for analyzing the classifying characteristics of river wetlands in Korea and China. It is the first step for constructing the wetlands inventories and establishing the wetland conservation strategies in North-Eastern Asia. The case study sites are Han-river which is the representative river of Korea and Tu-men river which is flowing on the borderline of 3 nations, China, North Korea and Russia. The results are as follows : 1. The types of wetlands of Han-river in Korea and Tumen-river in China were classified by the methods of Koo(2002) which is focused on the topography and hydrology and Zhu(2002) which is emphasized the vegetation and habitats. 2. There are three features which are hydrology, topography and soil cover, and vegetation to classify the wetlands into each types. 3. According to the two wetland types by Koo and Zhu, classification system, wetlands in the case study area(Han river and Duman river) were classified by types. 4. In Koo's classifying system(2002), lots of Riverine, Lacustrins and Flat wetlands are found because the topographical and hydrological features are emphasized. On the contrary in Zhu's system(2002), there are lots of Palustrine wetlands because of emphasizing the vegetation. 5. By the topographic and geological characteristics of each sites, there are more wetland types in the lower Tumen river.