• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.384-401
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• 2016

The vegetation assessment indicator has been developed recently as a biological part of the integrated assessment system for river environment to improve the efficiency of river restoration projects. This study carried out to test the vegetation assessment indicator and to reset its grade criteria on experimental streams. We classified and mapped vegetation communities at the level of physiognomic-floristic composition by each assessment unit. A total of 204 sampling quadrats were set up on the 68 assessment units at 5 experimental streams. By analyzing the vegetation data collected, we examined the appropriate numbers of sampling quadrats, the criteria of vegetation index score, classification of vegetation community, and grade criteria for vegetation assessment. The developed vegetation assessment indicator composed with the vegetation complexity index (VCI), the vegetation diversity index (VDI), and the vegetation naturalness index (VNI) was proved to reflect the current conditions of the streams sufficiently. The contribution of vegetation naturalness index to grading by vegetation assessment indicator was larger, but three indexes were closely correlated to each other. Also there was more clearer discrimination of grading with the application of adjusted criteria of vegetation assessment indicator and the standardized classification of vegetation community, but the stream segment type did not influence the vegetation assessment grade significantly.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2013

The entire land of Southern Iran faces problems arising out of various types of land degradation of which vegetation degradation forms one of the major types. The present work introduces a model developed for assessing the current status of hazard of vegetation degradation using Geographic Information System (GIS). This kind of assessment differs from those assessments based on vulnerability or potential hazard assessments. The Sadra watershed which covers the upper reaches of Marharlu basin, Fars Province, has been chosen for a hazard assessment of this type of degradation. The different kinds of data for indicators of current status of vegetation degradation were gathered from collecting of field data and also records of the governmental offices of Iran. Taking into consideration three indicators of current status of vegetation degradation the model identifies areas with different hazard classes. By fixing the thresholds of severity classes of the three indicators including per cent of vegetation cover, biomass production and ratio of actual biomass to potential biomass production, a hazard map for each indicator was first prepared in GIS. The final hazard map of current status of vegetation degradation was prepared by intersecting three hazards in the GIS. Results show areas under severe hazard class have been found to be widespread (89 %) while areas under moderate and very severe hazard classes have been found less extensive in the Sadra watershed. The preparation of hazard maps based on the GIS analysis of these indicators will be helpful for prioritizing the areas to initiate remedial measures.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.388-408
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• 2022

This study was conducted to select the indicator species (plant) according to the topographical characteristics in the Picea jezoensis forests, endangered subalpine coniferous trees. In South Korea and China (close to Baekdusan), the southern tree line limit of Picea jezoensis has meaningful geographical and latitudinal values for analyzing the ecological characteristics of P. jezoensis forests. Latitude greatly affects the geographical values of plant ecology, and the difference in latitude and habitat affects the change in species composition in forests. With prolonged environmental change, the habitat of subalpine plants will become smaller, and the plants may become extinct. As the P. jezoensis forests of South Korea and China, in particular, are in danger of disappearing without protection, it is important to monitor the population and develop a conservation strategy. Eighty-seven circular plots were established in P. jezoensis forests in South Korea and China. Through processes such as MRPP-test and NMS ordination, indicator species were selected based on this, and basic data for biodiversity assessment were presented. As a result of the Indicator Species Analysis (ISA), 5 taxa were selected from the upperstory vegetation and 18 taxa from the understory vegetation at the altitude(p<0.05). Indicator species by aspect were analyzed as 3 taxa for upperstory vegetation and 16 taxa for understory vegetation (p<0.05). In the case of indicator species according to the slope, 6 taxa for upper vegetation and 24 taxa for understory vegetation were selected(p<0.05). As for the indicator species according to their habitat, 8 taxa in upper vegetation and 65 taxa on understory vegetation were selected. As a result of MRPP-test, it was analyzed that the species composition was heterogeneous in the group of understory vegetation than that of upperstory vegetation. As a result of NMS ordination, the correlation with environmental factors of indicator species was analyzed by rock exposure for upperstory vegetation and latitude for understory vegetation (cut off level=0.3).

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2011

This study was carried out to suggest the baseline data necessary for vegetation restoration at riverine wetland within stream corridor. We used the prevalence index for wetland assessment by applying the method of weighted averages with index values based on five hydrophyte indicator status as defined by estimated probability occurred in wetland. We selected near nature and urbanized reach of Gap and Yanghwa streams as experimental site. Although two sites have some different disturbance and characteristics of watershed, they showed that similarity of vegetation community including three dominant species - Salix koreensis, Phragmites communis, Miscanthus sacchariflorus - was very high. But in case of Yanghwa stream, various kinds of emergent plants along wetted condition were distinctly occurred, resulted from difference of hydrological regime and substrate, etc. Degree of naturalness of vegetation at the sampled areas indicated that near nature area of Gap stream and all area of Yanghwa stream were fitted as riverine wetland, while urbanized area of Gap stream has changed into upland condition. In conclusion assessment system using prevalence index would be considered an effective method for evaluating of natural states of riverine wetland, but further integrated consideration of physical, hydrological, and biological factors of stream process, and also with considering the difference between those qualitative data of vegetation community.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.52 no.spc2
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• pp.765-776
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to provide the legal and institutional guidelines and standards that can be used in the whole river restoration project and to analyze and evaluate the performance of the river project. We constructed an assessment system of four biological taxa that can represent the river environments, namely, evaluation indexes and standards of vegetation and birds, benthic invertebrates and fishes. Specifically, the assessment indicator and criteria of biological characteristics are summarized, so that in case of vegetation community, vegetation diversity, vegetation complexity, and vegetation naturalness can be quantitatively assessed through the combination of three indices. Based on the scientific basis of the advanced techniques, benthic invertebrates, fishes, and birds were proposed to quantitatively evaluate assessment grades according to the classification of biological data. In order to evaluate biological characteristics, which are a part of river environmental naturalness, we proposed a comprehensive biological index and evaluation grade applying the weight of these four biological taxa, and it clearly reflects the characteristics of river environment in test bed.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.393-405
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• 2023

This study was conducted to select indicators for assessing national biodiversity. For this purpose, 140 biodiversity-related indicators were identified as a result of inventorying biodiversity-related indicators used in Korea and abroad, and when these indicators were applied to the pressure, status, and response indicator system, it was found that status indicators accounted for the largest number of indicators, with 29 pressure, 59 status, and 44 response. We also categorized the status indicators into genes, species, habitat, function, and quality, and found that species and habitat indicators accounted for the majority. Pressure indicators were categorized into direct exploitation, pollution, alien species, climate change, and habitat change. As a result, it was found that direct exploitation and pollution accounted for most of the pressure indicators. In addition, this study used internationally used indicator selection criteria to establish criteria for selecting domestic biodiversity assessment indicators. Using this list of indicators and indicator selection criteria, we evaluated the prioritization of domestically applicable biodiversity indicators through relevant expert consultations. 1) Vegetation class, 2) Land cover indicators, and 3) Change of protected area ranked highly. In fact, these indicators have been used in many studies due to the availability of assessable data. However, most of the highly scored indicators are based on ecosystem area, and further consideration of ecosystem functions and components(species) is needed.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.155-163
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• 2021

The number of trees to be removed trees (ART) in the environmental impact assessment is an environmental indicator used in various parts such as greenhouse gas emissions and waste of forest trees calculation. Until now, the ART has depended on the forest tree density of the vegetation survey, and the uncertainty of estimating the amount of removed trees has increased due to the sampling bias. A full-scale survey can be offered as an alternative to improve the accuracy of ART, but the reality is that it is impossible. As an alternative, there is an individual tree detection using aerial image (ITD), and in this study, we compared the ARTs estimated by full-scale survey, sample survey, and ITD. According to the research results, compared to the result of full-scale survey, the result of ITD was overestimated by 25. While 58 were overestimated by the sample survey (average). However, as the sample survey is an estimate based on random samples, ART will be overestimated or underestimated depending on the number and size of quadrats.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.393-398
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• 2021

Current risk assessment of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) transportation has the problem of the incomplete risk factors consideration and the general particle diffusion model utilization. In this paper, the accident frequency calculation and the detailed simulation of the accident consequences are coupled by the integrated risk assessment method. The "man-machine-environment" three-dimensional comprehensive risk indicator system is established and quantified to characterize the frequency of the transportation accidents. Consideration of vegetation, building and turbulence effect, the standard k-ε model is updated to simulate radioactive consequence of leakage accidents under complex terrain. The developed method is applied to assess the risk of the leakage accident in the scene of the typical domestic SNF Road Transportation (SNFRT). The critical risk factors and their impacts on the dispersion of the radionuclide are obtained.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.699-713
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• 2012

Palustrine wetland is often used for development work and green area creation. However, the ecological characteristic of vegetation is not frequently considered in planning. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate vegetation characteristic according to land-use of palustrine wetland and to provide basic materials in assessment of palustrine wetland and restoration and creation of wetland. Survey sites were caterogized into paddy, field, and mountain. Each category had two sites, so total 6 survey sites were investigated for vegetation. As a result, with a range of 61~92 species, total 216 taxa were confirmed, consisting of 71 families, 168 generic, 187 species, 2 variety 1 forma 1 subforma. Mountain received a high score in the evaluation score range of floristic regional indicator plants, and it was found that there were 10 families and 28 species of naturalized plant. Mountain showed low appearance, and fiddy and field showed relatively high appearance. Naturalized plants with slightly high vegetation cover ratio are Erigeron annuus, Amorpha fruticosa, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca arundinacea, Eragrostis curvula, Trifolium repens, Erigeron Canadensis, Ambrosia trifida, Oenothera odorata, Bidens frondosa, etc. Such naturalized plants should be removed to prevent terrestrialization of wetland and its harmful damages. Long-term monitoring and proper management of naturalized plants are expected to improve palustrine wetland into high quality biotope of rural area in the future.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.99 no.5
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• pp.770-776
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• 2010

This study was conducted to assess the existing flora and fauna, and to develop a spatial map of Alapang communal forest located in the province of Benguet, Philippines. A total of 52 species belonging to 27 families were identified during the inventory in this communal forest using the quadrat method while a total of 30 species belonging to 18 families were recorded using line intercept technique for the assessment of grasses, herbs, vines and other low-lying vegetation. The diversity index of the species in Alapang communal forests using the quadrat method was 2.6649 while for the line intercept technique it was 2.5446. The most dominant species in this area was found to be Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon (Benguet pine) under Family Pinaceae with an importance value of 106.74%. In the faunal assessment, four species of birds and a small mammal particularly a rodent were identified during the study. Aside from the high species diversity of this communal forest, the presence of endemic and indicator species in the area denotes that this forest was still in good condition hence must be protected. Spatial maps and database system were generated based from data gathered in the field using Geographic Information System (GIS).