• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.113-122
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• 2014

This study was conducted to clarify the community characteristics of wintering waterbirds in Geum River from September, 2011 to March, 2012 (1st) and from September, 2012 to March, 2013 (2nd). 63 species of waterbirds including raptors were observed during the survey. 50 species of 188,673 individuals recorded during the first survey, and 56 species of 116,611 individuals were recorded during the second survey. The dominant species was high dominance dabbling ducks by Baikal Teals, Mallards, Spot-billed Ducks, Greater White-fronted Geese, Black-tailed Gulls and Common Shelducks. We classified the wintering waterbirds into 9 taxa based on the similar ecological characteristics and analyzed the correlation with temperature. As a result, dabbling ducks, diving ducks and raptors showed positive correlation and herons and waders showed negative correlation. Geese, swans and dabbling ducks were high habitat utilization ratio at the Geumgang estuary barrage upstream area, and diving ducks, herons, waders and gulls were high habitat utilization ratio at the Geumgang estuary barrage downstream area.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.328-334
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• 2016

This study identified the habitat use pattern and migration distance of spot-billed ducks during winter that occur for breed and wintering. The study was carried out using GPS-mobile phone based Telemetry (WT-300) to provide the research results as basic data for protection and management of the habitats of water birds in Korea. The tracking devices (WT-300) were attached to a total of twenty spot-billed ducks collected from the rivers and reservoirs in Gyeonggi-do Anseongcheon, Chungcheongnam-do Seocheongun, Jeollabuk-do Mangyunggang, Dongjingang, and Jeollanam-do Haenamgun. It was found that spot-billed ducks used rivers most frequently as their habitats (47.3%), followed by rice fields, ocean, inland wetlands, and tidal flats. While spot-billed ducks used rice fields at night time and ocean, inland wetlands, and tidal flatss at day time, they used rivers regardless of time. Change rate of habitat use pattern was highest between 6:00am and 8:00am and between 16:00pm and 18:00pm. The average daily migration distance was $0.75{\pm}0.27km$/2hours and accumulated migration distance was 8.95km. Spot-billed ducks covered the longest migration distance between 6:00am and 8:00am and between 16:00pm and 18:00pm; the distance they moved during the periods from 6:00am to 8:00am and from 16:00pm to 18:00pm was 2km but during the rest of the time, it was less than 1km for equivalent durations. The time when spot-billed ducks covered the longest migration distance also corresponds to the time when they showed the greatest change rate of habitat use pattern.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.1077-1086
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• 2006

This study aims at analyzing relationships between land use and habitat types of winter wildbirds to provide basic understanding of ecosystem for preservation and restoration of urban ecosystem in the future. The research area is Hanam City. Researches on land use types showed Hanam City had 79.1% of greenspace and openspace, but intensive urban development has been taking place in greenspace that is adjacent to urban districts. This has brought the problems of lack of greenspace in urban districts and damages to cultivated areas and grassland. A total of 61 and 8,642 populations of winter wildbird species were observed in research areas. Paradoxornis webbiann(16.91), Passer montanus(11.93), Pica pica(6.88) were dominant species. When they were divided according to habitat types, 20 species of interior species, 8 species of interior-edge generalist species, 12 species of edge species and 3 species of urban species were observed. When which land use type was mostly served as wildbirds habitats was examined, urban species(3 species and 290 populations) was a dominant species in urban districts while in greenspace and openspaece, water species(19species and 3,075 populations) including winter migratory birds was. Among greenspace and openspaece, edge species was dominant in forest while urban species was a dominant species in cultivated areas. This shows there is a need to improve diversity of wildbirds through restoration of cultivated areas in the central part of Hanam City.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.285-292
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• 2021

We investigated habitat use and home range of a rescued and released white-naped crane using GPS tracking technology in Cheorwon, South Korea, from October 2016 to March 2017. Four types of roosting sites were identified: frozen reservoirs, paddy fields, rivers, and wetlands. Upon arrival, the white-naped crane preferred wetlands in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). In late wintering season, it showed a tendency to change main roosting sites in the following order: rice paddies, rivers, and frozen reservoirs. Among 14 sleeping places, Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) with various type of available habitats was more preferred than the DMZ. Places outside of CCZ were rarely used due to anthropogenic disturbances during the night. The tracked white-naped crane widely chose daytime feeding sites while moving around all over rice paddies in the CCZ. Mean diurnal movement distance was 10.5 km with a maximum of 24.8 km. Its home range measured with Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP) and Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) was 172.30 km² with MCP, 159.60 km² with KDE 95%, 132.48 km² with KDE 90%, and 42.45 km² with KDE 50%. All estimated values of home ranges were higher in the early and later winter than those in the middle period.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.176-187
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• 2015

In this study, we hypothesized that the size of wintering crane population would change due to the climate factors. We assumed that wintering population size would differ by climate values in January, which is the coldest period in year. Especially, White-naped cranes were able to choose wintering site between Cheorwon and other alternative place where snow coverage had low influence, differing from Red crowned cranes. For this reason, we predicted the population size of White-naped cranes would fluctuate according to the extent of snow coverage in Cheorwon. Therefore we used snow coverage data based on MODIS and climate data from KMA (Korea Meteorological Administration) that are generally used. We analyzed the crane's population size in Cheorwon in January from 2002 to 2014. The temperature in the Cheorwon increased from 2002 to wintering period in 2007~ 2008 and went down, showing the lowest temperature in 2011~ 2012. With this phenomenon, warmth index showed the similar pattern with temperature. Amount of newly accumulated snow (the amount of snow that fallen from 0:01 am to 11:29 pm in a day) was low after 2002, but rapidly increased in 2010~ 2011 and 2011~ 2012. The area of snow coverage rapidly declined from 2002 to 2005~ 2006 but suddenly expanded in wintering period in 2009~ 2010 and 2010~ 2011. Wintering population size of the White-naped cranes decreased as snow coverage area increased in January and the highest correlation was found between them, compared to the other climatic factors. However, the number of individuals of Red crowned cranes had little relationship with general climate factors including snow cover range. Therefore it seems that population size of the Red crowned crane varied by factors related with habitat selection such as secure roosting site and area of foraging place, not by climatic factors. In multiple regression analysis, wintering population of White-naped cranes showed significant relationship with logarithmic value of snow cover range and its period. Therefore, it suggests that the population size of the White-naped crane was affected by snow cover range n wintering period and this was because it was hard for them to find out rice grains which are their main food items, buried in snow cover. The population size variation in White-naped cranes was caused by some individuals which left Cheorwon for Izumi where snow cover had little influence on them. The wintering population in Izumi and Cheorwon had negative correlation, implying they were mutually related.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.63-73
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• 1991

Nakdong estuary provides the largest wintering grounds for migrating waterfowls in Korea, and was designated Natural Monument No. 179 in 1966. Nakdong barrage and related construction-projects finished in 1987 to increase freshwater-supply to nearby Pusan metropolitan area and to reclaim the vast intertidal areas for land development. Changes on distribution, primary productivity, and standing crop of Schoenopluctus triqueter, the dominant species in this intertidal flats, were investigated after the construciton, during the 1988-1990, and were compared to those before the construction. Total standing crop. tuber biomass and net primary productivity of S. triqueter increased in 1988 and 1989, but decreased slightly in 1990. Increase of tuber biomass means an increase in available food, thus the carrying capacity, for swans wintering in this area. Habitat environment of this estuary should be protected and managed as a wintering ground for migrating waterfowls, inspite of the construction of the barrage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.151-165
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• 2015

This study surveys and analyzes the ecology of Gangseo area to be developed near Nakdonggang River and West Nakdonggang River in Busan - before its development. With the result of the surveys as its basis, the study also finds ways to conserve the area's bird habitats in response to the planned development. According to the site surveys over four seasons, West Nakdonggang River which is near the targeted development area is a wintering ground for migratory birds. Some representative bird types in this area are ducks, geese, and other water birds. There are even six legally protected species. The average altitude of their flight is calculated to be $92.4{\pm}18.8m$ and the main purpose for the migration is determined to be for food. According to evalution of the conservation value of the area, Nakdonggang River and West Nakdonggang River turns out to have the highest conservation value. Other areas are developable as long as it was environmentally friendly. Therefore, this study suggests incorporation of ecological parks and biotopes within the targeted development area along with the proposal for spaces in the surroundings where the wintering birds can rest and feed. Especially for the wintering birds that rest at Nakdonggang River and West Nakdonggang River, their flight direction and pattern was examined to determine that their resting ground should be located 50~100m off of the river bank. Furthermore, this study proposes ways to maximize bird habitat by building ecological corridors between the agricultural channel and other small streams in the targeted development area and the habitats in the surroundings. Lastly, the study suggests the construction of low buildings, at most 20m in height, near Nakdonggang River and West Nakdonggang River considering the birds' flight altitude and direction.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.285-297
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• 2024

This study, conducted in Geolpo-dong and Gamjeong-dong near Gimpo-Hangang New Town, examines an area adjacent to the Han River estuary, a major wintering ground for migratory birds. Over 59 surveys from October 2015 to March 2022 in four representative rice fields (sites A-D) recorded 44,942 individuals from 32 genera and 72 species. Site D, a large area near the Han River, exhibited high species diversity. Despite lower diversity in areas under development (sites A, B, C), ongoing species influx and utilization persist. The study focuses on Anser fabalis, a species predominantly utilizing rice fields, and identified their distribution characteristics. The analysis revealed 162 instances of population influx, with over a 30-fold increase observed across 39 surveys conducted over a 30-month period (October to March, '15~'22). The area, a key wintering site for migratory birds of Janghang Wetland, about 5 km from feeding sites, is heavily utilized by migratory geese, indicating the region's high value considering migration distance and anticipated continuous bird influx despite urban expansion. Therefore, future developments should preserve ecological corridors and connected stepping stone habitats to not only preserve existing habitats but to secure alternative feeding sites, ensuring smooth movements and mitigating habitat loss.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.478-485
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• 2018

With the total population of 3,356 worldwide as of 2016, the black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor) is designated as "endangered (EN)" species by IUCN. About 70% of population breeds on the uninhabited islands near the west coast of Korea and wintering area is Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, etc. However, there is few detail research in Korea and East Asia on black-faced spoonbill's long range migration and its habitat when migrating southward. We studied black-faced spoonbill's migration route, distribution, stopover, wintering sites, and timing of migration movements using a wild-tracker (WT-200, GPS-Mobile phone based telemetry, KoEco). We caught the black-faced spoonbills in the breeding sites (Gugi island, Bi island, Sangyeobawi, Chilsan island) in Korea in late June 2014. We attached the wild-tracker to 10 juvenile black-faced spoonbills. The tracking showed that the black-faced spoonbills started southward migration between late October and early November. The traveling distance to wintering site was maximum at 1,820 km, minimum at 746 km, the average at 1,201km. The maximum daily traveling distance was 1,479 km with an average of 782 km. The average days it took from breeding site to wintering site was 10 days (SD=10.7). The shortest duration was 2 days, and the longest duration was 34 days. Most individuals used 2-3 stopover sites between the breeding sites to the wintering sites and stayed almost 1-2 days (maximum 31 days). Stopover sites were wetlands such as rivers, streams, reservoir, and mud flat. The wintering sites were coastal areas (five individuals) in China, inland (one individual) in China, Taiwan (three individuals), and Japan (one individual). In conclusion, it is necessary to preserve the stopover sites and wintering site of the black-faced spoonbills through consultation and protection policy between countries and establish the systematic preservation measures and activity plans through continued moniting and additional studies.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.642-649
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• 2014

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is the abundant winter visitor in South Korea. Mallard migrates long distances between Russian Siberia and Korea. This species prefers a rice paddy area as their winter habitat. We captured birds using cannon-net, and attached the GPS-Mobile phone based Telemetry(WT-200) on Seven Mallards in the winter of 2011~2013. We were monitored wintering home-range and movement distance. We analyzed the tracking location data using ArcGIS 9.0 and calculated Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) and Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP). The average home-range in the wintering ground by MCP was $118.8km^2$(SD=70.1, n=7)and the maximum home-rang was $221.8km^2$ and the minimum was $27.7km^2$. Extents of home-range by KDE were $60.0km^2$(KDE 90%), $23.0km^2$(KDE 70%) and $11.6km^2$(KDE 50%). Mallard moved an average of 19.4 km from start site(attach to WT-200 site), maximum moved was 33.2 km and minimum moved was 9.4 km. The average distance of 0.8 km between GPS fixed point(range 0.2~1.6 km), maximum moved was 19.7 km. Mallard moved a very short distance in wintering season and showed a very high water-dependent trends in wintering site.