• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.469-483
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• 2021

Background and objective: If the Nelumbo nucifera spreads in a wetland at a high density, it can have considerable positive and negative ecological effects on habitats. For this reason, it is necessary to precisely investigate the impacts of its rapid proliferation. This study was conducted to propose the distribution and management of N. nucifera, which can cause the degradation of wildlife habitats due to the rapid spread of internal and external environmental factors that may affect the Junam wetland ecosystem. Methods: For the investigation and analysis of physical and ecological characteristics, factors of the abiotic environment such as general weather conditions, topography and water depth structure, and soil and water quality analysis, and bioenvironment characteristics such as changes in the N. nucifera community distribution were evaluated. To assess whether the differences in the soil depth and physicochemical characteristics between the N. nucifera community and the aquatic plant community are statistically significant, a One-way ANOVA was executed. Results: N. nucifera was presumably introduced in approximately 2007 and observed at a prevalence of only 0.8% in 2009, but had expanded to 11.1% in 2014. After that, the area was increased to 19.3% in 2015 and 40.0% in 2017, about twice that of the previous survey year. The rapid diffusion of an N. nucifera colony can have adverse effects on wildlife habitats and biodiversity at Junam Wetland. To solve these problems, four management methods can be proposed; water level management, mowing management, installation of posts and removal of lotus roots. Control of the N. nucifera community using these methods was judged to be suitable for cutting and water level management when considering expansion rate, water level variation, and wildlife habitat impacts. Conclusion: As the biotic and abiotic environmental factors are different for each wetland, it is necessary to determine the timing and method of management through a detailed investigation.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.292-297
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• 2018

Background: Gelada baboon is one of the endemic mammals of Ethiopia residing in different highlands. The population structure and habitat use of gelada baboon in Wof-Washa particularly Gosh Meda area was investigated from September 2016 to August 2017. Total counting method was used to collect data on the population status by dividing the study area in to four blocks, namely, Kundi, Arbgebeya, Goshber, and Goshmeda. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. The age-sex category and the numbers of geladas found within the different blocks were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, and paired t test was also used to analyze the pair wise comparison of the different age and sex categories during both dry and wet seasons. Results: A total of 435 and 471 gelada baboons were counted during the wet and dry seasons, respectively. The maximum group size consisted of 178 individuals whereas the minimum group size contained 53 individuals. Out of the total population adult females accounted for 54.7% in the wet and 54.56% in the dry seasons. There was a significant difference among the age-sex categories in both the wet ($F_{2432}=630$, P < 0.05) and dry ($F_{2468}=696.6$, P < 0.05) seasons. The male to female ratio was 1:5.7 during wet season and 1:5.8 during dry season. So that the population will have a better chance to increase in the study area. Conclusion: Wof-Washa Forest could be a good site for eco-tourism activities due to the presence of endemic animals and its scenic beauty. However, the quality of the habitat is decreasing due to livestock grazing, agricultural expansion, and invasion of exotic plants species. Therefore, appropriate conservation measures should be implemented to conserve gelada baboon in particular and other wildlife resources in general.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.223-227
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• 2007

Crop loss and damage by wildlife are becoming more serious to residents inside and around National Parks of Korea annually. It could be caused by small size of Parks, which is couples of ten $km^2$ only, and more than a third of total parks' areas are belonging to privates. Wild boar (Sus scrofa) is one of the most harmful pests in nationwide. Treading down crop field using as bedding or resting site are major damaged types and foraging behavior is following. Besides of boars, Korean water deer (Hydropotes inermis), racoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), and badger (Meles meles) are another serious pests. Mainly, farm products planted in upland, such as corns, sweet potatoes, cabbages, etc. are harmed easily, a rate reaches up to 76.9% of whole losses. 92.4% (n=187) of interviewees, who are mostly seniors, cultivate small crop fields smaller than 1 ha. Crop damage would be started from June to late November, time differences are happened due to latitude, climate condition, and crop differences of National Parks. Dusting animal repellents are easier and widespread methods to prevent animal foraging to crop fields and installing noisy makers using gun powder and setting up scarecrows are traditional methods for repelling animals. Nevertheless, effects of these self-defence are turned out to be useful soon after labors done only. Since legal compensation for crop damages by wildlife are not prepared systematically so far, crop loss are rarely reported to local government by most farmers. Systematic and objective methods for quantifying of crop loss by wildlife and population managements system should be offered urgently to well-managed animals habitat and residents' living inside National Parks.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.122-132
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• 2021

We reviewed the methods employed in Korean tidal flat surveys to measure the local abundance of the endangered wildlife and marine protected species, the fiddler crab, Austruca lactea. A complete census for infinite population is impossible even in a limited habitat within a tidal flat, and density estimates from samples strongly vary due to diverse biological and ecological factors. The habitat boundaries and areas shift with periodicities or rhythmic activities of organisms as well as measurement errors. Hence the local abundance calculated from density and habitat areas should be regarded as transient. This conjecture was valid based on the spatio-temporal variations of the density averages, standard error ranges, and spatial distribution of the crab, A. lactea observed for 3 years (2015-2017) in Songdo tidal flat in Incheon. We proposed the potential habitat areas using the occurrence probability of 50% from logistic regression model, reflecting the importance of habitat conservation value as an alternative to local abundance. The spatial shape of potential habitat predicted from a generalized model would remain constant over time unless the species' critical environmental conditions change rapidly. The species-specific model is expected to be used for the introduction of desired species in future habitat restoration/creation projects.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.220-226
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• 2012

An assessment of Marsh crocodile's (Crocodylus palustris LESSON, 1831) habitat, its feasibility in supporting the total population, feeding, hatching difficulty and variations in egg and clutch size of Marsh crocodile were carried out in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park for one year (July 2010 to June 2011). Major problem identified was the breeding failure, i.e. till now no hatching were found. Mainly two local weather variables (average temperature and humidity) were identified as the most obstructing parameters. Higher temperature (average $37.03^{\circ}C$) and Lower Humidity (average 75.33%) in comparison with standard range of incubation temperature and humidity for Marsh crocodile were seems to be vital reason for the failure of hatching. Understanding of the identified problem of this paper can direct the wildlife conservationist and the policy maker to take proper action for conserving the Marsh Crocodile in Bangladesh.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.513-513
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• 1995

The central theme of Habital heterogeneity is to provide animals with habital complexity or structural diversity and to allow resource partitioning among individuals. In turn, the leads to population stability because prey can escape more easily with more hiding places causing less population fluctuation. Species diversity is characterized due to more potential niches both horizontally and verticall. Empirically, in homogeneous habitats population was less abundant, reproduction and survival were lower, spacing behavior, competition and dispersal were higher than in heterogeneous habitats. The results imply that diversity and conservation of species can be maintained through providing heterogeneous habitats.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.322-332
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• 2012

The objectives of this paper were to investigate home range, habitat selection, and threat factors of leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis) living in rural area of Korea. The results based on radio tracking of three leopard cats (two males and one female) can be summarized as follows. First, the average home range of leopard cats were $2.64{\pm}1.99km^2$ (Kernel 95) and $3.69{\pm}1.34km^2$ (MCP 100), and the average size of core areas was $0.64{\pm}0.47km^2$ (Kernel 50). The home range of a male leopard cat that radio-tracked in winter was the largest ($5.19km^2$, MCP 100). Second, the Johnson's habitat selection model based on the Jacobs index showed that leopard cats preferred meadows and paddy fields avoiding forest covers at the second level, whereas they preferred meadows adjacent to streams and avoided paddy fields at the third level. Finally, roadkill could be prime threat factor for the cat population. Therefore, habitats dominated by paddy fields, stream corridors with paved roads, and human settlements with insufficient forest patches could threaten the long-term viability of leopard cat populations. Thus the habitat managements for the leopard cat conservation should focus on the prevention of road-kill and the installation of wildlife passages in rural highways adjacent to stream corridors.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.490-502
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• 2021

This study was conducted to analyze the current status of fish fauna and characteristics of the fish community according to the habitat of Woraksan National Park, Korea. The spatially balanced sampling selected 20 stations from major streams of Woraksan National Park, and three surveys were conducted in each season. The physical environments of the habitat were mostly mountain streams (Aa), with large stones and gravels scattered over the stream. The average altitude of the habitat was 304.4 m, and the average depth of water was 40.3 cm, being less than 1 m in most cases, and the river water level was distributed from 3rd to 5th streams. The principal component analysis of the physical environmental factors by habitat showed that the substrate properties differed according to the altitude. The survey identified a total of 2,183 individuals in 16 species belonging to 7 families. The dominant species was Zacco koreanus(86.2%), and the subdominant species was Rhynchocypris oxycephalus(3.8%). Pseudopungtungia tenuicorpa, classified as the endangered wildlife II, was the first endangered legally protected species found in this survey. Analysis of the rank abundance curve model in the fish community showed the Zipf model at 9 out of 20 points, the Lognormal model in 3 points, and the Preemption model in 4 points. The remaining 4 habitats showed only one species and were not analyzed. The canonical correspondence analysis of 20 stations and fish species was performed to understand the characteristics of the fish community according to environmental factors. The fish communities were divided according to differences in habitat environment by the altitude.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.545-555
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• 2023

This study aimed to predict the distribution density and potential habitat of domestic cats (Felis catus) in order to identify core distribution areas. It also aimed to overlay protected areas to identify priority areas for cat management. Kernel density estimation was used to determine the distribution density, and areas with high density were classified in Greater Seoul, Chungnam, Daejeon, and Daegu. Elevation, distance from the used area and roughness were identified as important variables in predicting potential habitat using the MaxEnt model. In addition, the classification of suitable and unsuitable areas based on thresholds showed that the predicted presence of habitat was more extensive in Seoul, Sejong, Daejeon, Chungnam, and Daegu. Core distribution areas were selected by overlapping high-density areas with suitable areas. Priority management areas were identified by overlaying core distribution areas with designated wildlife sanctuaries. As a result, Gyeonggi, and Chungnam have the largest areas. In addition, buffer zones will be implemented to effectively manage the core distribution area and minimize the potential for additional introductions in areas of high management priority, such as protected areas. These results can be used as a basis for investigating the status of the cat's habitat and developing more effective management strategies.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.24-36
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• 2021

Countries around the world, including the Republic of Korea, are participating in efforts to preserve biodiversity. Concerning species, in particular, studies that aim to find potential habitats and establish conservation plans by conducting habitat suitability analysis for specific species are actively ongoing. However, few studies on mid- to long-term changes in suitable habitat areas are based on accumulated information. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the time-series changes in the habitat suitable area and examine the otters' changing pattern (Lutra lutra) designated as Level 1 endangered wildlife in Gangwon-do. The time-series change analysis used the data on otter species' presence points from the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th national natural environment surveys conducted for about 20 years. Moreover, it utilized the land cover map consistent with the survey period to create environmental variables to reflect each survey period's habitat environment. The suitable habitat area analysis used the MaxEnt model that can run based only on the species presence information, and it has been proven to be reliable by previous studies. The study derived the habitat suitability map for otters in each survey period, and it showed a tendency that habitats were distributed around rivers. Comparing the response curves of the environmental variables derived from the modeling identified the characteristics of the habitat favored by otters. The examination of habitats' change by survey period showed that the habitats based on the 2nd National Natural Environment Survey had the widest distribution. The habitats of the 3rd and 4th surveys showed a tendency of decrease in area. Moreover, the study aggregated the analysis results of the three survey periods and analyzed and categorized the habitat's changing pattern. The type of change proposed different conservation plans, such as field surveys, monitoring, protected area establishment, and restoration plan. This study is significant because it produced a comprehensive analysis map that showed the time-series changes of the location and area of the otter habitat and proposed a conservation plan that is necessary according to the type of habitat change by region. We believe that the method proposed in this study and its results can be used as reference data for establishing a habitat conservation and management plan in the future.