• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.257-270
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• 2023

The paddy environment is classified as a wetland and occupies a very large proportion of the freshwater environment. It is also ecologically important as a habitat and spawning ground for many aquatic insects and amphibian larvae. However, due to climate change and indiscriminate spraying of pesticides, the rice field ecosystem is continuously threatened. In order to restore ecologically damaged rice paddies in the future, information on organisms living in the rice paddy ecosystem, which can serve as a restoration standard, is needed. The eDNA metabarcoding analysis method is a very effective means of accumulating information on many organisms living in the rice field ecosystem because it can indirectly identify the existence of taxa that are no longer found in the target ecosystem due to different adult life periods or metamorphosis. In this study, genes of four species of frogs and nine species of aquatic insects were also discovered, and some taxa were directly discovered in the field. A large number of taxa have been discovered only by DNA searches, and traditional survey methods have only been able to identify very limited taxa. This eDNA-based paddy field biosearch is expected to be very useful in the investigation of biodiversity in agricultural ecosystems due to its strong analytical resolution.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.67-78
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• 2024

The term ecosystem services refers to natural ecosystems' benefits to humans. Various models have been developed and applied to quantify ecosystem services. Habitat quality assessment is a widely used leading InVEST ecosystem service model. In Korea, habitat quality assessment is conducted for national parks. For habitat quality assessment, the initial value of habitat quality must be used to assess the sensitivity to threats, which varies depending on the country and application field. Therefore, an expert survey (AHP) was conducted based on previous habitat quality assessments in national parks to adjust the sensitivity, the initial value for the habit quality assessment. As a result of the AHP, 18 items were adjusted, including 10 items, such as natural grassland and unarranged fields, upward and 8 items, such as rivers and ponds, downward. Based on the adjusted sensitivity results, the habitat quality of Bukhansan National Park and Gyeryongsan National Park (urban type), Gyeongju National Park (historic type), Hallyeohaesang National Park (ocean type), and Jirisan National Park and Seoraksan National Park (mountain type) were adjusted. The results of the analysis showed that the habitat quality of urban dry areas and water bodies distributed in the national parks was reflected in the habitat quality assessment. In the future, it will be possible to evaluate the habitat quality of natural parks using this standard.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.24
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• pp.37-42
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was a biota research and analysis for Close-to-nature stream restoration planning of Shinchun. The summary of this study is as follows; 1) The vascular plants in research area recorded of 45 species and insect fauna recorded of 34 species of 8 orders. As a result of table of community classification, the communities were two group; Quercus variabilis community(I), Pinus densiflora-Quercus variabilis-Quercus dentata community(II). 2) As a result of analysis on correlation of tree species, the level of significance in positive correlation between Quercus dentata and Corylus heterophyll aindicated 1% and between Pinus densiflora and Lespedeza bicolor also indicated 1%. 3) As a result of DBH analysis, it is expected that Quercus variabilis and Quercus dentata will dominateover other species in competition and its succession continuously maintains from now on in community I. In community II, it is assumed that there is a high possibility of changing into community of Quercus such as Quercus mongolica, Quercus dentata, and Quercus variabilis. 4) As a result of analysis on insect fauna, insect fauna consists of 94% of whole species as 32 species, 23 families, 8 orders. And 7 species, 7 families 4 orders was found in highly urbanized area, the vicinity of Sang-Dong bridge. 5) As mentioned above, Based on A biota fundamental research, Close-to-nature stream restoration planning were full of suggestions: i) Designating ecosystem preservation area, ii) Making Close-to-nature stream revetments, iii) Making pool-and-riffle, vi) Making decks for observation and walks for nature experience, v) Creating wetland biotope. Through these methods, it is necessary to promote bio-diversity and lead people to the space for eco-learning.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.203-214
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• 2013

Knowing how many species live in a ecosystem is a major work because of the distributions of species are determined by the environmental condition. This study was carried out to investigate the distribution of vascular plants of Gonggeom-ji, located in Sangju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, from April to October on 2012. The vascular plants were summarized as 240 taxa including 69 families, 176 genus, 204 species, 2 subspecies, 29 varieties, and 5 forma. Among the investigated taxa, 3 taxa of Korean endemic plants were included. Based on the list of specially designated plants by Ministry of Environment, 11 taxa including Alisma orientale, Monochoria korsakowii and Nymphoides peltata were recorded. The naturalized plants were identified as 26 taxa and the ratio of naturalized index (NI) was 10.8% of vascular plants recorded. 31 taxa of hydrophytes showed 17.8% of Korea. To conservation of wetlands, we suggest that it is required to minimize for unnecessary disturbance of human and to make a strategy for effective management by continuous monitoring for ecosystem alteration.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.85-97
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• 2011

The tidal flats of Korea today have reduced by 40% in size compared to 1964. To manage this important habitat properly, development of well-organized and nationwide-applicable grading systems is required. There have been several assessment systems proposed previously in Korea, but they are critically flawed in that selected biological indicators are not adequate and grading criteria are obscure and arbitrary. We reviewed the indicators used in these previous evaluation systems (e.g., diversity indices, quantity and quality of benthic macrofauna, halophytes, water birds, etc.) and subsequently proposed new indicators and an improved grading scheme. For the quantitative assessment of macrobenthic community, biomass reflecting production and ecosystem function is recommended over density, which is much less discriminatory among habitats. Of biodiversity indices used, within-, between-habitat and regional biodiversity indices that accurately reflect sampling efforts are suggested. In addition, we proposed to include species rarity, ecosystem engineers, and the ecological quality index ISEP (Inverse function of Shannon-Wiener Evenness Proportion). As for halophytes, their low spatial coverage on benthic habitat suggests that their presence can be used as an ecological indicator of benthic habitat, regardless of their protective status. We stress the need to introduce 1) quantile approach for quantitative indicators (e.g., diversity, biomass, etc.) in relation to grading, 2) presence-absence approach for spatial or aggregate indicators (e.g., boundaries of halophytes and feeding ground of water birds) and 3) benthic habitat mapping that combines all of these indicators.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.136-159
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• 2019

This study was carried out to investigate the flora of six islands belonging to the Gogunsan Archipelago (i.e., Sinsi-do, Seonyu-do, Munyeo-do, Yami-do, Bian-do, and Duri-do) in the Korean Peninsula. As results of five field surveys from March to October of 2016, we have identified 575 total taxa, representing 527 species, five subspecies, 42 varieties, and one hybrid, placed in 358 genera and 118 families. Of these 575 taxa, four are endemic to Korea, six taxa are listed on the Korean Red List of threatened species, 67 are floristic regional indicator plants, and 74 are invasive alien species. In this study, we compared species richness among the islands, and find that the larger the islands, the higher the species richness. In the case of habitat affinity types, forest species were most common, followed by farmland, seacoast, bare ground and wetland species. From similarity analyses based on the composition of vascular plants, each island did not exhibit either local specificity or unique diversity. On the contrary, the proportion of invasive alien and ruderal species may increase by human activities. Investigations and analyses of island flora such as this are important to assess the current status of the flora, predict future vegetation patterns and the spread of the alien species, and establish managment plans of plant diversity.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.226-236
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• 2023

As climate change intensifies, the importance of studying plant phenology has increased, leading to a surge in research employing automated video recording devices like Phenocams. In this study, using the Phenocams operated by the National Institute of Ecology, we examined the trends in plant phenological changes across diverse ecosystem types in South Korea and analyzed their correlations with climate factors. The patterns of plant phenological changes varied by region and tree species. Pinus thunbergii and Pinus densiflora typically show an overall increase in their growth period, positively correlating with temperatures and precipitation during winter. However, uniquely, for Abies koreana on Hallasan Mt., a higher amount of precipitation in August leads to an earlier end of season (eos), and the correlation analysis with the recent phenomenon of dying A. Koreana seems necessary. beyond the analysis, solutions for handling missing data issues during the data collection process were proposed. Furthermore, to expand future research scope and encompass diverse ecosystem types, a suggestion to combine Phenocam research with satellite observations was presented.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.114-125
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• 2024

Wetlands in the living area are important ecological resources that are the basis for the daily life or farming activities of local residents, and have high ecological value such as ecosystem services and green infrastructure. This study was carried out to develop a functional evaluation methodology optimized for small-scale wetlands(RAMS). Based on on-site evaluation by experts, surveys and in-depth interviews, four functional items, including biodiversity, health, hydrophilic culture and ecology, water circulation, and carbon absorption, and 15 detailed indicators, and the evaluation grade for each detailed indicator, were developed on a 5-point scale. The evaluation methodology optimized for small-scale living areas wetlands (RAMS) proposed as a result of this study can be used as basic data for conservation and restoration and management of small-scale living areas wetlands at home and abroad.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.3
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• pp.313-320
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to provide basic data for preserving forest ecosystem with understanding forest wetland condition of Mt. Cheongok. It was found from this research that vascular plants of surveyed area were composed of 72 families, 167 genera, 209 species, and 2 subspecies, 27 varieties, 5 formae. totaling 243 taxa. Among the investigated vascular plants, Korea endemic plants were 9 species, rare plants 15 species, and naturalized plants 8 species, respectively. According to the occurrence frequency within the wetland investigated, obligate upland plants (OBU) accounted for 75.72% (184) among the total species investigated, wherea obligate wetland plant (OBW) were four species (4.65%). There were 26 of hygrophyte plants and 2 of emergent plants in the research area according to wet degree. According to habitat category, the most frequently occurred habitat was forest (136 species, 55.97%), and the others were in the order of meadow and shrubland (70 species, 28.81%), wet meadow (35 species, 14.40%), and aquatic environment (2 species, 0.82%), respectively. In the result of analysis of important value, Fraxinus rhynchophylla and Carex pseudosinensis was the highest as 22.17% and 10.40%. It was confirmed that the species diversity was relatively high. Shannon-Wiener's species diversity index was calculated as 2.507. Based on these results, long-term monitoring survey should be urgently needed for ecological restoration and recovery.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1-19
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• 2017

This study set out to identify problems with amphibian habitation by the wetland types and improve their habitation environment in urban forest wetlands, thus creating a habitat for amphibians. Study site include forest swamps in Jatjul Park as well as Yeoji neighborhood Park in Guro-gu, and in Choansan neighborhood Park in Dobong-gu. The forest swamp in Jatjul Park gets its water from Mt. Maebong and it is a former escalated farmland-turned wetland. The swamp area is $2,500m^2$, a forest zone and a landscape planting site are 83.27% and 6.70% each. Target species Seoul pond frogs are inseparable from rice fields because they live in a short radius of and lay eggs in or near paddy fields, and Rana nigromaculata have similarities with Rana plancyi chosenica in choosing their habitats. There was need for paths that would lead to other paths so amphibians would spread to other parts of the forest and for measures to secure open water. Modifying a variety of routes for water, human and animals along with building a buffer to keep the core habitation zones were required. The forest swamp in Yeonji neighborhood Park used to be a water reservoir on the foot of Mt. Gunji. The swamp area is $1,980m^2$, a forest zone and farmland account for 80.61% and 4.88% each. Non-point pollutants from upstream along run into the subject forest marsh, bare ground on the around swamp and steep stone embankments obstructed amphibians. Target species was Bufo gargarizans that live in forests and edges of hills and spawn in deep water. The forest swamp in Choansan neighborhood Park gets its water from Mt. Choan and it is close to its water source that it is a mountain stream forest wetland. The basin and the swamp are $35,240m^2$ and $250m^2$ in size respectively. A forest zone accounts for 90.20%, high stone embankments laid in refurbishing the valley obstruct amphibians and there is water shortage in times of droughts. Target species were Rana coreana, Rana dybowskii and Hynobius leechii that live in mountain valleys, streams and wetlands and lay eggs in forest marshes and rocks in valleys. Looking into the three swamps of amphibian habitation, I came to conclusions that those wetlands were suitable for their amphibians but man-made facilities blocked their corridors leading to other corridors and even killed off target species in some parts of those swamps by destroying those parts. Amphibians live in water, on ground and underground at different stages of life. Hence, we should take this fact into consideration when planning their habitats and design core habitation zones, buffers zone and use zones accordingly. Buffer zones ought to be between core habitation zones and surrounding trees. Aiming at protecting core habitation zones, buffers should be in harmony with habitation zones. Use zones should be minimized in size and not in direct contact with core habitation zones.