• The Journal of Fisheries Business Administration
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.41-61
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• 2011

Marine protected Areas(MPAs) are specially designated zones of the sea that are designed to secure operation of ecosystem function and to restore marine ecosystem to the original state by excluding all detrimental human activities. MPAs have been proposed in many countries as means of realizing sustainable fisheries and recently MPAs are newly receiving attention as precautionary measure for global warming and climate change. The purpose of this paper is to examine the possibility of MPAs as fisheries management tools through a wide range of literature analysis and to suggest necessity of fisheries purpose of MPAs in Korea. Establishment of marine protected area can accompany various economic benefits such as restoration of marine environment, preservation of habitats, promotion of marine tourism and so on. Especially, a lot of case studies suggested that MPAs may bring out benefits to the fishing industry as a result of enhanced stocks. Fisheries benefits of MPAs on targeted species include increased abundance, increased mean individual size and age, increased reproductive output, enhanced recruitment inside and outside refuge, maintenance of genetic diversity of stocks, and enhanced fishery yields in adjacent fishing grounds, so called spill-over. MPAs for ecosystem conservation and protection of coastal wetland have been applied appropriately and effectively, however, the Korean MPAs system is still detective due to absence of fisheries purpose MPAs. Finally, suggestions for Korean MPAs can be summarized as following four recommendations; to establish number of small-scale MPAs rather than few large MPAs, to designate island and its surrounding areas as reserve, to consider MPA design with stock enhancement program, and to undertake co-management with Eochon-Gye, the traditional coastal community in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.387-398
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• 2010

SWAT model would be applied to evaluate the pollutant removal capacity with various best management practices (BMPs) in Kyongan stream watershed which plays an important role in water quality conservation and improvement of Paldang reservoir. The methods for the representation of various BMPs scenarios with SWAT is developed and evaluated. Riparian buffer strip, agricultural conservation practices to reduce fertilizer, sediment, and nutrients occurring from farm field (Grassed swale, Contour farming/Parallel terrace, Field border, Farm retention pond, Grade stabilization structure), and washland such as wetland and pond to extend detention and improve water quality are represented in SWAT. And to represent the expansion of existing Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTPs) in Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), reduction effect for point source pollutants was simulated. As the result of simulation, the removal rates of SS, TN, TP from scenarios of Kyongan stream watershed are the average annual SS yield by 5.2% to 69.2%, the average annual TN yield by 0.5% to 26.3%, and the average annual TP yield by 1.3% to 32.5%, respectively. This study has demonstrated that the SWAT is a very reliable and useful water quality and quantity assessment tool, and the BMPs representation in SWAT for watershed management is able to effectively simulate in Kyongan Stream watershed.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.249-256
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• 2009

The amount of nutrients from the effluents of rice culture - free-range ducks (RCFD) paddy fields and the effects of natural wetlands located at downstream of RCFD on water quality and aquatic plants was evaluated. This was carried out in a 61.9 ha paddy fields in Ulsan, Gyeongnam, where downstream is a 5.9 ha natural wetland, 61% of which was covered with well-developed aquatic plants. The amounts of T-N and T-P in the effluent from paddy field with RCFD were 13.7 and $2.5kg\;ha^{-1}$, respectively, which is 1.2~2.5 times higher than those observed in conventional rice culture practice. The amount of runoff from the RCFD area, calculated using the revised TANK model, was $543mm\;ha^{-1}$ with 808 kg of T-N and 130 kg of T-P during rice cultivation period. The dominant aquatic plants in the wetland includes Phragmites communis, Zizania latifolia, Persicaria thunbergii. etc. The nutrient contents of the aquatic plants which amounted to 761 kg of T-N and 103 kg of T-P were almost equivalent to 94% and 79% of the T-N and T-P in RCFD and CRC effluent. Therefore, the use and maintenance of wetlands in RCFDs area could be a good solution to management the non-point pollution from duck feces in RCFD paddy fields.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.165-176
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• 2022

This study surveyed the characteristics of fish communities in Hwapocheon Wetland, Korea, from May to September 2020. The survey collected 735 objects in 21 species belonging to 7 families from 8 survey stations. The dominant and subdominant species were Hemiculter eigenmanni(23.8%) and Micropterus salmoides(10.3%), respectively. The next most abundant species were Zacco platypus(9.5%), Carassius auratus(9.4%), Pseudorasbora parva(9.0%), Squalidus chankaensis tsuchigae(6.7%), Acheilognathus macropterus(5.4%), Lepomis macrochirus(5.2%), Pseudogobio esocinus(4.1%), Opsariichthys uncirostris amurensis(3.7%), and Carassius cuvieri(3.3%). Among the fish species collected, one species, Culter brevicauda, was class II endangered wildlife designated by the Ministry of Environment, and one species,S. c. tsuchigae(4.8%), was endemic to Korea.Additionally, three exotic species (M. salmoides, L. macrochirus, and C. cuvieri) and one landlocked species (Rhinogobius brunneus) were collected. Compared to previous studies, the proportion of fish living in the running water area tended to decrease, the proportion of fish living in the water purification area tended to increase, and ecosystem-disturbing species (M. salmoides and L. macrochirus) tended to increase gradually. Results of fish community analysis showed that the mainstream stations (St. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8) had low dominance, but high diversity and richness, and other stations (St. 2 and 7) had high dominance but low diversity and richness. The river health (index of biological integrity) evaluated using fish was assessed as bad (6 stations), normal (1 station), and very bad (1 station). The water quality grade was assessed as slightly bad due to the chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic content (TOC), suspended solid (SS), and total coliforms (TC). The annual water quality showed a gradually increasing trend of biological oxygen demand (BOD), COD, SS, and chlorophyll-a. The stable life of fish and the improvement of river health in Hwapocheon Wetland require water quality improvement and the systematic management of ecosystem-disturbing species (M. salmoidesand L. macrochirus).

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.189-200
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• 2008

As a transition zone between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, riparian areas of rivers and streams play significant roles in production and decomposition for river and stream systems. Understanding of the physical and ecological characteristics of riparian areas are, therefore, important for the management of river and stream systems. It is especially important to understand the characteristics of riparian areas for the Nakdong River in Korea which has a large watershed area and diverse land uses. This study aimed at collecting field data, according to stream types, which are essential for the management of riparian areas of the middle and lower reaches of the Nakdong River, Korea. Most riparian areas surveyed in this study had roads within 100 meters from river edges. Distances from water edge to banks were less than 1m for most riparian areas neighboring agricultural lands, indicating that those areas might be very vulnerable to pollutant inputs from non-point sources. Water quality data indicated that soil erosion in the riparian areas could be a major source of phosphorus input to the Nakdong River and land use patters might have a significant influence on nitrogen concentration in the river. Heavy metal concentrations in soils of the riparian areas of the river were below soil quality standards, except arsenic and chromium. Vegetation surveys showed that therophytes were the most frequently occurred riparian plants in the Nakdong River. Number of aquatic plant species increased downstream, with the most diverse aquatic plants observed in wetlands and irrigation canals of the West Nakdong River. Occurrence rate of naturalized plants and urbanization index were high in the survey sites adjacent to urban and agricultural areas.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.135-151
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• 2015

DMZ is considered as an ecologically sensitive landscape and one of the highest biodiversity regions in the Republic of Korea. There have been, albeit the significant value, increased interests in developing this region for a variety of purposes including tourism and commemorative events. As this region has been already facing a range of problems derived from previous development, natural disaster and invasive species, the necessity for active management of ecological health within this region has been increased, which weighs the importance of executing ecological restoration. The objective of this study was to develop evaluation indices as an effective management means of properly evaluating ecological restoration and sustainably maintaining the restored conditions on a long-term scale. Through literature review existing evaluation indices related to restoration were collected, and then the most suitable indices were selected based upon two interviews and one questionnaire survey targeting experts in the relevant field to ecological restoration. They were categorized by two major division and their subclasses (Ecological base - vegetation structure & composition, habitat characteristics, soil environment; landscape ecology - connectivity, landscape patch, boundary & surrounding) and 40 indices. These indices were considered helpful to comprehensively evaluate ecological restoration on degraded environments within ecologically sensitive areas, and sustainably manage target areas by employing a long-term monitoring approach. As this result played a meaningful role in providing the fundamentals of evaluating ecological restoration, it should develop a suitable evaluation system through further research.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.81-101
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• 2011

This study was conducted to understand the environmental and ecological function of habitat through evaluation of water environment, soil environment, vegetation characteristics, macro-invertebrate characteristics, and visual habits environment evaluation (SVAP) in Hongdong stream located in Hongseong-Gun, Chungnam Province, and hereafter to utilize the results for the habits reconstruction and improvement project. As the results of water quality analysis, BOD, COD, T-P was almost below the standard quality from upper stream to down stream. The construction of small reservoir, wetland and water purification facility, and the management of non-point pollution are proposed to improve these problems. The soil texture was sandy soil, which is unfitted with vegetation development. The construction of shallows and bogs, and induction of soil sedimentation and biotope formation are proposed to improve these problems. In the plant flora, total 90 kinds were observed with 81 species and nine varieties in total 36 families and 85 genera, and the naturalization rate was higher at down area than upper area. As the results of macro-invertebrate fauna survey, total 26 species and 297 individuals in 20 families and 22 genera were collected. Peltodytes sinensis, Chironomidae sp., and Culicidae sp., which are observed at polluted environment, were collected as dominant species. An appropriate vegetation management party idea is necessary, and it is done an idea in consideration of the soil and a physical characteristic. Visual habits environment evaluation (SVAP) result was mostly determined with below normal (Fair) grade. Pollution source interception, purification pond establishment, and various bog establishment are proposed to improve these problems. With the above results, the ecological environment was determined with bad condition, and the improvement of biotope was urgently needed through sustainable monitoring and management of streams habitat in rural area.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.249-260
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• 2022

This mini review examines the habitat connectivity and effectiveness of Korean Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecosystem (YSLME) region. We first reemphasize that the Korean region of the YSLME is a single ecosystem (ecoregion) given the biophysical distribution patterns. The MPAs within the YSLME contribute about 50% to the total MPAs in Korea, accounting for about 10% of the territorial sea waters of Korea and 20% of the waters of YSLME on the Korean side. By area, national parks account for nearly 45% of the MPAs, followed by the wetland protected areas at 25%, with other types of MPA comprising the remaining 30%. Large MPA (> 100 km²) is the dominant type of MPA, accounting for 90% of the total area. We find that MPAs in the region are connected physically and perhaps also genetically. However, the level of protection was found to be low, and a no-take zone is rarely implemented. In addition, interrupted freshwater discharge caused by river-mouth dams poses a major hindrance to the physical connectivity of the MPAs. Restoration of the river-mouth dams and strengthened regulation on MPAs, with further expansion of MPAs in line with the current development of post-2020 global biodiversity frameworks, should be priorities for better management of marine resources. The newly revised law incorporating the concept of "Marine Ecosystem Axis Management" would reinforce the processes, and their effectiveness together with overall management of MPAs in Korea should be evaluated by designing appropriate measurement tools.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.111-120
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• 2016

This study is aimed at using the grasped problems of protected areas in Korea as the basic data for management planning and system improvement of protected areas by grasping realistic problems through the interview with the persons in charge on the basis of general problems of domestic protected areas. To this end, this study deducted major problems in urgent need of improvement, and improvement direction through the survey of the persons in charge of protected areas. This study result is as follows: The major problems, which should be preferentially improved, were found to be shortages of management infrastructure, cooperation between interested parties, and threat factors in protected areas, etc. Such problems are interconnected with each other, thus coming up complexly; therefore, it's necessary to make a comprehensive approach to the problems after confirming the causal relationship of the identified problems. In addition, for the purpose of effective management of a protected area, it's necessary to implement priority management of major problems through different management intensity from the planning phase. Also, it's important to enhance the effectiveness of planning by considering a possible potential threat factor in the outside of protected areas, and referring to the contents of the development plan for the relevant area in time of management planning. Lastly, there is the need for systematic improvement of an institution through thorough status review of the actual state of management planning fulfillment in order to increase the effectiveness of planning in a follow-up study hereafter.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.4 s.100
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• pp.285-294
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationships between purification characteristics and hydraulic conditions, and to clarify the basic and essential factors required to be considered in the construction and management of artificial wetland system for the improvement of reservoir water quality. The artificial wetland system was composed of a pumping station and six sequential plants beds with five species of macrophytes: Oenanthe javanica, Acorus calamus, Zizania latifolia, Typha angustifolia, and Phragmites australis. The system was operated on free surface-flow system, and operation conditions were $3,444-4,156\; m^3/d$ of inflow rate, 0.5-2.0 hr of HRT, 0.1-0.2 m of water depth, 6.0-9.4 m/d of hydraulic loading, and relatively low nutrients concentration (0.224-2.462 mgN/L, 0.145-0.164 mgP/L) of inflow water. The mean purification efficiencies of TN ranged from 12.1% to 14.3% by showing the highest efficiency at the Phragmites australis bed, and these of TP were 6.3-9.5% by showing the similar ranges of efficiencies among all species. The mean purification efficiencies of SS and Chl-A ranged from 17.4% to 38.5% and from 12.0% to 20.2%, respectively, and the Oenanthe javanica bed showed the highest efficiency with higher concentration of influent than others. The mean purification amount per day of each pollutant were $9.8-4.1\;g{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$ in BOD, $1.299-2.343\;g{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$ in TN, $0.085-1.821\;g{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$ in TP, $17.9-111.6\;g{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$ in SS and $0.011-0.094\;g{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$ in Chl-a. The purification amount per day of TN revealed the hi링hest level at the Zizania latifolia bed, and TP showed at the Acrous calamus bed. SS and Chl-a, as particulate materials, revealed the highest purification amount per day at the Oenanthe javanica bed that was high on the whole parameters. It was estimated that the purification amount per day was increased with the high concentration of influent and shoot density of macrophytes, as was shown in the purification efficiency. Correlation coefficients between purification efficiencies and hydraulic conditions (HRT and inflow rate) were 0.016-0.731 of $R^2$ in terms of HRT, and 0.015-0.868 of $R^2$ daily inflow rate. Correlation coefficients of purification amounts per day with hydraulic conditions were 0.173-0.763 of Ra in terms of HRT, and 0.209-0.770 daily inflow rate. Among the correlation coefficients between purification efficiency and hydraulic condition, the percentages of over 0.5 range of $R^2$ were 20% in HRT and in daily inflow rate. However, the percentages of over 0.5 range of correlation coefficients ($R^2$) between purification amount per day and hydraulic conditions were 53% in HRT and 73% in daily inflow rate. The relationships between purificationamount per day and hydraulic condition were more significant than those of purifi-cation efficiency. In this study, high hydraulic conditions (HRT and inflow rate) are not likely to affect significantly the purification efficiency of nutrient. Therefore, the emphasis should be on the purification amounts per day with high hydraulicloadings (HRT and inflow rate) for the improvement of eutrophic reservoir withrelatively low nutrients concentration and large quantity to be treated.