• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.65-98
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• 2007

Wetland provides various environmental services as well as marketable goods to human society. This paper presents a meta-analysis of the wetland valuation studies conducted in Korea during the past decade. Meta-analysis is a technique of summarizing research results from the separate but related studies using statistical methods. The objectives of the paper is to identify the main factors affecting the wetland values and to examine the applicability of meta-regression analysis for summarizing the information from valuation studies of natural ecosystem. The total of 64 observations from 24 studies are assembled, and we observe significant differences in wetland values depending on the characteristics of the studies. With the statistical significance, our results indicate that the method employed affects the wetland values while the wetland function evaluated affects little. In addition, we found that the size of wetland is negatively associated with the values, implying that wetland values exhibit the decreasing returns to scale. The evidences from our empirical analysis suggest that the meta-analysis has a potential as a tool to synthesize the research results from valuation studies and to provide useful information to policy makers. However, this study acknowledges that more effort should be dedicated toward the construction of DB on valuation studies as well as the research on the model improvement to enhance the validity and reliability of meta-analysis.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.55-65
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• 2018

This study was conducted to clarify diet items and predatory behavior of American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) according to the sex, maturity and season from April to September 2014 at Gahang wetland of Changnyeong-gun, Gyeongsangnamdo province, Korea. We examined the stomach contents of L. catesbeianus using a gastrectomy technique and identified the contents to a genus or species. The examination showed that large and heavy individual of L. catesbeianus fed on larger amounts of food. However, there were no statistically significant differences in predation amount according to the sex and maturity of L. catesbeianus. The main diet item of during the study period was mostly Insecta (average population rate of 65.5%), followed by Crustacea (13.5%) and Gastropoda (7.9%). The most preferred diet item of L. catesbeianus was Muljarus japonicus. Surprisingly, L. catesbeianus also foraged Parus major, Apodemus agrarius, and Crocidura lasiura. Ths findings showed that L. catesbeianus directly disturbed the wetland ecosystem. We expect the results will be the important reference data for checking the impact of L. catesbeianus, which is designated as invasive species by the Ministry of Environment, on wetland ecosystem.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.224-233
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• 2021

This study analyzed global Knowledge Sharing Platforms and collected stakeholder's suggestions to develop the "Korea-ASEAN Wetland Knowledge Sharing Platform (KSP)." As a result of the analysis, ① financial support and ② knowledge outcomes are essential to maintain the KSP and conduct the platform sustainably. Stakeholder suggest three significant projects (① comparative analysis of the inventory of wetlands in the Korea-ASEAN region, ② knowledge gap analysis in wetland research trends, and ③ establishing a web infrastructure for wetlands information sharing). The "Korea-ASEAN Wetland KSP" defined to be consistent with the international conventions (e.g., Ramsar Convention, Convention on Biological Diversity) goals by comprehensively considering the literature analysis and stakeholder suggestions. Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) selected as the fundamental model of the KSP. As with IPBES, knowledge management and assessment, capacity building, policy support, communication and participation adopted as the platform's core objectives. The KSP will be able to share knowledge related to the same type of wetland ecosystem within the Korea-ASEAN region and provide necessary information for establishing science-based policies.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.177-188
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• 2008

Attempts to develope designation criteria for ecological protected areas were made for rational and scientific designation and management of 'ecosystem and landscape conservation areas', 'wetland protection areas', 'special islands protection areas', and 'wildlife protected areas' which have been designated and managed by the Ministry of Environment. Through analysis of the requisites and criteria of IUCN, UNESCO, Natura 2000, the Ramsar convention, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Germany as well as various academic researches, evaluation items of the protected areas were classified into naturalness, biodiversity, ecosystem, and scientific values. These classification titles are reflection of Korean laws concerning the 4 protected areas described above. Of these items 'naturalness' is composed of 3 factors of wilderness, geomorphology and landscape, and vegetation. 'Biodiversity' is composed of the 5 factors of species diversity, endangered species, rare species, indigenous biological resources, and habitat of wetland wild animals. 'Ecosystem' is composed of 5 factors of typicalness, diversity, rarity, restoration ability, and degree of interference. All factors are scored using a 3 point scale of high, middle, or low and are then transformed into the numerical index for designating and zoning purposes. Conclusively, it is expected that the developed methodology will be highly applicable with field verifications.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.132-144
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• 2015

Yongneup wetland protected area, the only high moor in Korea, is a core area to conserve biodiversity. Even though the Yongneup wetland protected area is relatively small, various plant species are distributed in the Yongneup wetland protected area because it includes various habitats showing different environmental gradients. Vascular plants distributed in the Yongneup wetland protected area were identified as a total of 376 taxa that is composed of 73 families, 217 genera, 322 species, 3 subspecies, 44 varieties and 7 forms. For endangered plants designated by the Ministry of Environment, 5 species including Trientalis europaea var. arctica, Lilium dauricum, Halenia corniculata, Lychnis wilfordii and Menyanthes trifoliata were found and 34 taxa were confirmed to be distributed only in the mountainous wetland habitats. Regarding naturalized plants, a total of 11 taxa were distributed, but most of them were distributed in the areas where artificial interference has occurred. And in areas inside the wetlands that are relatively well preserved, 2 species of Bidens frondosa and Erigeron annuus were observed. In this study, the occurrence and distribution of Pseudostellaria baekdusanensis M. Kim, which was recently found in Mt. Baekdu and reported as a new species, were identified in the Yongneup wetland protected area. A wetland is a very vulnerable area to drastic environmental changes and damages to its ecosystem could cause the extinction of rare plant species which are distributed only in the wetlands. Therefore, it is mandatory that current status of the Yongneup wetland protected area is evaluated and actions to prevent rapid environmental changes are taken. Fourteen separate investigations were conducted in 2013 and another four in 2014, to evaluate current status of the Yongneup wetland protected area. These investigations have provided us the basic information for future actions of conservation and restoration.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.105-116
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• 2021

Background: The creation of the National Institute of Ecology began as a national alternative project to preserve mudflats instead of constructing the industrial complexes by reclamation, and achieve regional development. On the other hand, at the national level, the research institute for ecology was needed to cope with the worsening conditions for maintaining biodiversity due to accelerated climate change such as global warming and increased demand for development. In order to meet these needs, the National Institute of Ecology has the following objectives: (1) carries out studies for ecosystem change due to climate change and biodiversity conservation, (2) performs ecological education to the public through exhibition of various ecosystem models, and (3) promotes regional development through the ecological industry. Furthermore, to achieve these objectives, the National Institute of Ecology thoroughly followed the basic principles of ecology, especially restoration ecology, in the process of its construction. We introduce the principles and cases of ecological restoration applied in the process. Results: We minimized the impact on the ecosystem in order to harmonize with the surrounding environment in all the processes of construction. We pursued passive restoration following the principle of ecological restoration as a process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem degraded for all the space except in land where artificial facilities were introduced. Reference information was applied thoroughly in the process of active restoration to create biome around the world, Korean peninsula forests, and wetland ecosystems. In order to realize true restoration, we pursued the ecological restoration in a landscape level as the follows. We moved the local road 6 and high-voltage power lines to underground to ensure ecological connectivity within the National Institute of Ecology campus. To enhance ecological diversity, we introduced perch poles and islands as well as floating leaved, emerged, wetland, and riparian plants in wetlands and mantle communities around the forests of the Korean Peninsula in the terrestrial ecosystem. Furthermore, in order to make the public aware of the importance of the intact nature, the low-lying landscape elements, which have disappeared due to excessive land use in most areas of Korea, was created by imitating demilitarized zone (DMZ) landscape that has these landscape elements. Conclusions: The National Institute of Ecology was created in an eco-friendly way by thoroughly reflecting the principles of ecology to suit its status and thus the impact on the existing ecosystem was minimized. This concept was also designed to be reflected in the process of operation. The results have become real, and a result of analysis on carbon budget analysis is approaching the carbon neutrality.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.65-77
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• 2014

The ecosystem of Jaemin stream, flowing into the center of Gongju-si, had been damaged by low water quality and lack of water quantity of the steam. However, after applying the SSB (Sustainable Structured wetland Biotop) system to the flood plain and the upstream of Jaemin stream, the efficiency of ecological water purification and ecological restoration are as follows. Through the constant maintenance and monitoring from year 2009 to year 2013 after restorative design and construction the average influent concentration of BOD5 was 4.2 mg/L, and the average effluent concentration was 1.8 mg/L, reaching ecological water purification rate of 57%. As for the T-N, the average influent concentration was 9.983 mg/L, and the average effluent concentration was 6.303 mg/L, showing the rate of 37%. For the T-P, the average influent concentration was 0.198 mg/L, and the average effluent concentration was 0.098 mg/L, being the rate of 51%. The vegetation of Jaemin stream monitored for 2 years after the restoration was composed of 51 species in 28 families which show high ratio of planted native species. As for the animals in the site, 5 species in 3 families of reptiles and amphibians, 34 species of 23 families of birds, and 3 species in 2 families of mammals were monitored, indicating that the bio-diversity of the site has improved, as well.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.31-48
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• 2014

This study is carried out to offer the raw data for conservation and management of tidal flat ecosystem by surveying and analysing the flora distributed in Daesong tidal flat wetland, Ahnsan-si, Gyeonggi-do coast, Korea. The results of surveying the flora were recorded as 186 taxa including 45 families, 121 genera, 170 species, 14 varieties and 2 forms. The halophytes checked around this site were 20 taxa including Atriplex gmelinii, Salicornia europaea, Suaeda glauca, Suaeda japonica, Phragmites communis, Carex scabrifolia and so forth. Polygonum bellardii that species had ecological value was the specific plant by floristic region. The growth locations of halophytes were 11 taxa of upper, 4 taxa of high tide line and 5 taxa of lower. The naturalized plants were 42 taxa including Phytolacca americana, Chenopodium glaucum, Melilotus alba, Veronica persica, Bidens pilosa, Leptochloa fusca and so forth. Because Aster subulatusand Leptochloa fusca grew a upper tidal flat wetland, they had the characteristics of halophytes. The focuses on the management of Daesong wetland were halophytes and naturalized plants. Firstly, to maintain a halophytes communities, we will sow the halophytes seeds and plant the individuals. And In-Situ conservation was applied to Polygonum bellardii habitat. Secondly, to prevent the genesis of naturalized plant, we will don't disturb around the wetland environment. The invasive alien plant, Lactuca scariola, was removed by periodic monitoring and purification activity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.92-100
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• 2009

This study was surveyed from May to October, 2008 in order to classify type distribution and evaluate the function of inland wetland as a ecological axis in Chungnam province. Assessment was done by modified-RAM (Rapid Assessment Method). RAM is consisted of total 8 functions and divided into high, moderate, low. The conservation grade of RAM is divided into 4 grades; absolute conservation, conservation, improvement and restoration. Throughout survey on total 13 wetlands of Lacustrine, Palustrine wetland which are distributed in Chungnam province, their function was assessed. As result, the 2 wetlands were judged as absolute conservation grade by assessment of 8 functional contents, and 7 sites were improvement wetlands and 4 sites were conservation wetlands. The function of wetlands assessed as conservation grade showed high in water quality protection and improvement. Also, showed high in vegetation diversity, wildlife habitat and aesthetic recreation. Meanwhile, showed low in Water quality purification, Shoreline/Stream Bank Protection. Of wetlands evaluated as conservation grade, Jeong-juk Ji and Dun-ri reservoir were assessed as absolute conservative area. These wetlands are essential to be managed continuously as a area having high ecological value. Farther, these wetlands will be done as a axis of ecological network related to 'Kumbuk jeongmaek' ecosystem.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 2012

The performance and characteristics of nutrient removal in wetlands influenced by plant type. We tested a floating plant, Eichhornia crassipes, and a submerged plant, Ceratophyllum demersum, under the same environmental conditions to understand the differences in nutrient uptake by these different plant forms. The total nitrogen and phosphorus in the water decreased in the following order: Water Only < Water + Soil < Floating Plants ${\approx}$ Submerged Plants and Water Only < Water+Soil < Floating Plants < Submerged Plants. Nitrogen and phosphorous concentrations increased in both plants; however, the phosphorous concentration was greater in C. demersum than E. crassipes. The submerged plant exhibited higher phosphorus uptake per unit biomass than the floating plant, but nitrogen uptake did not differ significantly. These results suggest that the presence of soil influences nitrogen and phosphorus removal from water, and that wetland plants play an important role in the assimilation and precipitation of phosphorus. Understanding the differences in contaminant removal performance and characteristics of various plant forms can help in the selection of diverse plants for constructed wetlands to improve water quality and provide ecosystem services such as wildlife habitat and landscape enhancement.