• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 1992

The reconstruction of the vegetational and environmental history of the Korean peninsula by the use of various fossil floral data from the Carboniferous period to the Pre-Holocene is reviewed. Though the oldest plant fossil in Korea (Neuropteris) dates back to the Carboniferous period, the first appearance of many of the present-day floristic genera indeed dates back to the Oligocene (c. 40 to 20 million years B.P.), and includes many thermophilous genera. The presence of thermophilous genera in the Oligocene at up to four degrees north of their present distributional limits implies that the climate of the Oligocene was warmer than that of today. The occurrence of similar thermophilous floristic element at up to six degrees north of their present range during the Middle Miocene suggests a maximum northward expansion of warmth-loving evergreen broadleaved vegetation for, recent Korean vegetation history. The continued occurrence of numerous present-day genera since the Oligocene period indicates a long-term stability of Korean vegetation, along with minor fluctuations within it. The admixture of evergreen coniferous plants and deciduous breadleaved plants, however, indicates a probable temperate climate for much of the Middle Pleistocene. There are couple of evidences which are indicative of an early-stage anthropogenic disturbance of natural vegetation during the Middle Pleistocene of Korea. The presence of cold-episodes during the Upper Pleistocene caused a general expansion of deciduous plants and cryophilous evergreen coniferous, plants. It is likely that the maximum southward expansion of cryophilous arctic-alpine and alpine floras in Korea occured during the penultimate glacial period. The disappearance of some cryophilous genera from 10,000 years B.P. marks the continued climatic amelioration since then, along with minor climatic fluctuations during the Holocene period.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.83-116
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• 2016

This study was carried out to investigate the flora and vegetation of Yokjido Island in Tongyeong-si, Korea. Vascular plants collected six times (from March of 2015 to January of 2016) were identified as 547 taxa in total, including 113 families, 354 genera, 487 species, four subspecies, 50 varieties, four forms and two hybrids. The first records from this region contained 314 taxa. In the flora of this area, endemic Korean species numbered eight taxa, and the red list of vascular plants according to the IUCN valuation basis numbered six taxa. In addition, 86 taxa of floristic regional indicator plants specially designated by the Ministry of Environment are included. Among the species investigated in this survey, 99 taxa were identified as specific species bio-geographically as compared floras of other terrestrial regions; 97 taxa of plants in southern areas and two taxa of limited distribution plants on the Korean Peninsula. In all, 74 naturalized plants were recorded in the investigated area. Samples of the forest vegetation of Yokjido Island were mainly classified as Pinus thunbergii community and the Alus firma community. Vertical structures of the communities were stable, and a DBH-class analysis showed that the dominant tree species would be maintained. If disturbance factors such as thinning could be halted, the composition of woody species and herbaceous species would change.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.255-263
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• 2015

Biological invasion of alien plants is considered to be one of the most serious threats to biodiversity in riparian zones. The effects of two invasive alien plants, Sicyos angulatus and Paspalum distichum var. indutum, on the flora and community structure of the riparian vegetation were investigated at 22 sites at streams in Korea. Sicyos angulatus has invaded the central Korean Peninsula. This alien plant has caused problems to stream managers because of its aggressive vining growth. It had suppressed native vegetation such as trees, shrubs and tall grasses on bank slope and higher floodplains. Paspalum distichum var. indutum has become more widespread in the southern part of Korea. This invasive plant has shallow rhizomes and creeping, extensively branched stolons. It forms a dense mat over lotic or slowly-flowing water and threatens submerged and short emergent hydrophytes. In order to control the introduction and expansion of alien plants, limitation of artificial disturbances and appropriate alien plant management are needed in riparian areas.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.spc
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• pp.74-82
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• 2014

A perennial plant species of Ranunculaceae, Pulsatilla tongkangensis is a very rare species only found in limestone vegetation of South Korea. It is not only rare but also has great value as a horticultural resource, thus resulting in serious problems of overexploitation and habitat disturbance. For the conservation of the rare species and its development as a resource, the study was conducted with the following three aims: first, to investigate any new geographical distribution of the species; second, to identify the site condition and vegetation structure of its habitat; and third, to compare the ecology of P. tongkangensis in other microhabitats such as rock, slope and ridge area. A new distribution was found in limestone vegetation at Danyang-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do. It was, therefore, confirmed that the distribution of P. tongkangensis exactly coincides with the area of distribution of limestone, indicating a possibility that the species might be a calcicole. 87% of the microhabitats found in rocks. Compared to P. tongkangensis, at ridges or slopes, number of P. tongkangensis plants were few in rocks. It is possibly due to the lack of microhabitats that could settle in rocky areas. Once established on rocks, however, plants grew large enough to flower with higher number of leaves and flowers per plant, resulting in higher flowering rate on rocky areas. Cracks in/between rocks are likely to be safe places for the plants with favorable light conditions, abundant fine particles to root down and reduced competition for resources. Yet, further research is necessary in terms of determining whether the species is indeed a calcicole, whether other limiting factors work in its establishment stage, and genetic diversity exists in the population.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.95-104
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• 2006

The DMZ is a 248km long thin green line which has various landscapes of fields, hills and mountains. This study focused on western part of DMZ and vicinity which consist of abandoned rice paddy, wetlands and fields. The main purpose of this study is to detect the vegetation vitality from the western part of MDL to DMZ vicinity and identify and quantify ecological buffer(ecotone) width adopting logistic function derived from 'Vegetation Index-distance curve' using an Landsat ETM+ image acquired on June of 2002. Green leaf vegetation was quantified to identify the ecotone buffer in western DMZ and vicinity(civilian control area: CCA) using Transformed Vegetation Index(TVI) which is one of common measurement among various indices. Vegetation measurement from Military Demarcation Line(MDL) to vicinity area was investigated at 500m intervals to 10kms of southern and northern part of western DMZ and vicinity. The Logistic function models the sigmoid curve of growth with three stages of growth of initial competition and maturity. In the TVI-distance logistic curve, the maturity is high vegetation vitality, the competition is vitality changing, and the initial is low vitality. In the TVI-distance curve, maturity area of high TVI value is core area for ecological conservation, and the competition area between inflection points can be an ecotone(ecological buffer). In case of southern part, maximum TVI value is 221.92 and minimum is 207.16, and maximum TVI of northen part is 215.32 and minimum is 188.35. That means forest devastation of north Korean part of DMZ and vicinity is severer than that of south Korea. The width of core area for ecological conservation is 2,311m, and ecotone in the southern part is 5,339m, so minimum width from MDL for ecological conservation can be computed as 7,651m. In case of Northern part, the width of core area is 1,841m, and ecotone buffer is 5,014m, so ecological conservation width can be estimated as 6,855m. In case of northen part, width of estimated core area is less than that of DMZ width, which means ecological disturbance is very severe in northern part of western DMZ.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.333-345
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• 2009

Carpinus laxiflora communities are known as the climax forest community of the temperate zone of Korea. There are three Carpinus laxiflora communities in Seoul. The purpose of this research is to analyze the characteristics of Carpinus laxiflora communities of Seoul and supply basic data for establishing of a management plan. The research sites are Sahmyook University, Mountain Dobong and Jinkwandong. This study considers investigation and the analysis of communities structure, soil characteristics and the growth increment of trees. As the result of study, we could know that the growth increment of the Carpinus laxiflora trees of Seoul is decreasing recently because of soil acidification and so on. Also the vegetation disturbance is increasing because of naturalized plant. Oak wilt disease has appeared in the oak forest around Sahmyook University that is the largest Carpinus laxiflora communities area in Seoul. For that reason the open gap was appeared in forest, and the spread of naturalized plants has been increasing in the gap. Furthermore, the Carpinus laxiflora trees are affected by the Platypus koryoensis which is a kind of oak wilt disease. And so, Unless there is a specific management plan, the survival of Carpinus laxiflora communities are uncertain in Seoul. Therefore the management plan of Carpinus laxiflora communities is necessary such as precise investigation, annual monitoring, etc. For the conservation of the Carpinus laxiflora communities, it is necessary to establish the management plan of the biodiversity for Seoul area.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.45-59
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• 2016

This study introduced wood waste into revegetation base materials for recovery of highway cut slope. The object of this study is to derive the mixing ratio of wood waste, kaoline and silica by conducting a test installation, monitoring, analysis and evaluation. The following items were investigated and analyzed each experimental zone to deduce the mixing ratio of wood waste, kaoline and silica on slope revegetation base materials: the physical and chemical properties of the vegetation base materials, soil-hardness, soil-humidity, collapse and eroded spots, established number of trees, existing species of grass and tree species, vegetation coverage ratio, pest status, and invasion of disturbance species. The revegetation method was evaluated in each experiment zone which had different mixing ratios. As a result, experiment zone C scored 47 points out of 60 as the best revegetation method. However, this result has been derived from just one construction and short-term monitoring. In order to derive the suitable and dependable mixing ratio, conducting an objective revegetation method evaluation and long-term experimenting and monitoring is required.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.47-57
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• 2016

In the recent years, the incidence of abandoned concrete roads have been increasing rapidly due to road improvements and facilities route construction, these abandoned expressway and unused roads are scattered throughout the country but the management system is not clear, they does not be an effectively managed because there is no maintenance cost. In response to these social concern and expectation, the Korea Expressway Corporation that is management authority of the expressway is developing policy initiatives and various projects to restore the closed road to ecological for eco-friendly projects of the existing expressway. And as part of these projects, Hwanggan IC unmanaged abandoned concrete roads restoration project was done and it was conducting monitoring for ecological restoration that is not one-off but sustainable. After test construction over seven years at the time, test construction of four ways enforced but the boundaries have become blurred over time. And Pinus koraiensis, Callicarpa dichotoma and Sorbaria stellipilla var. typica planted in the site are dominating, else Amorpha fruticosa and Indigofera pseudotinctoria sowed are dominating. Invasive species is that Robinia pseudoacacia was growing in the colony. Over monitoring result time, the vegetation was taking root and the ecosystem was being restore. But the disturbance of vegetation happens due to planting of tree species that doesn't fit in the restoration area and advent of ecosystem Disturbing Species. The study will be providing a basic data that identify change of plant environment by monitoring of the site and soil environment during June to November 2016 and secure an objective evaluation data by analyzing the effects of ecological restoration for revegetation test bed evaluation for ecological restoration of expressway in ecological restoration construction in later.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2017.05a
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• pp.518-518
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• 2017

Since Korea lunched the 4 Major River Restoration Project, the hydrological regime which is one of the major determinants for riverine condition have actually changed. It also important to connect hydrological characteristics and vegetation. The objective of this study is to investigate the influence of hydrological regime on riverine vegetations and its successions. Iunundated exceedance probability concept are suggested to estimate rehabilitated and succession on the Binae island in the Han River. The result shows that the P=0.08 or lower IEPs should have the disturbance for vegetations, or should be changed to a hydrophilic ones. Therefore, agency which is mainly responsible for river and flow may have to be changed and considered flow regulation standard to conserve riverine zone.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.229-245
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• 2018

This study aims to investigate the changes in the riparian vegetated area in the Naeseong stream, an unregulated river, in order to analyze the main factors leading to these changes. For this purpose, the land surface cover in the channel area of the Naeseong stream was classified into 9 categories using past aerial photographs collected between 1970 and 2016, which recorded the long-term changes of the Naeseong stream. The increase or decrease in the vegetated area was calculated for each category using a pair of before and after images. The changes in the vegetated area were divided into 6 periods: the unvegetated channel period (1970 - 1980), the first rapid increase (1980 - 1986), the period of decrease due to flood (1986 - 1988), the period of repetitive man-induced disturbance and vegetation increase (1988 - 2008), the period of gradual vegetation increase (2008 - 2013), and the period of second rapid increase (2013 - 2016). Multiple regression analysis was performed using independent variables representing hydrology, climate, and geomorphology. The major variables found to be involved in the changes in the vegetated area of the Naeseong stream were the discharge during June - July, channel width, and temperature during April - June. Among the three variables, discharge and temperature were respectively the main independent variables in the downstream and the upstream reaches as per a single variable model. Channel width was the variable that distinguished the upstream and downstream reaches of the stream. The implication of the long-term increase in the vegetated area in the Naeseong stream was discussed based on the result of this study.