• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.31 no.4B
• /
• pp.383-391
• /
• 2011

In this study, an evaluation method was proposed to determine the restoration section in the riverine ecobelt project. The target river for this study is the Hongcheon river in Kangwon-do. The Hongcheon river of 96 km was divided longitudinally into subsections of 2 km. The analysis through map and aerial photograph as well as field surveys were performed in 48-sub-sections. The fragmentation items were classified into connectivity and ecological functionality. The connectivity fragmentation was also divided into two items: the area discontinuity of the land use and the line discontinuity of river bank and road. Also, the ecological functional fragmentation was evaluated by using the items of river channel, river bed, vegetation, and the obstruction of river flow. These items was modified from those in the previous literature. From map analyses and field surveys, the fragmentation score was kept with each items in 48 sub-sections of Hongcheon river. The fragmentation rate was made from the total score in each section. The results showed that sections from F1 to G2 was evaluated to have high rates of all connectivity and functionality fragmentation of 1st or 2nd rate. Other sections have high connectivity fragmentation of 2nd rate, but low functional fragmentation. Thus, these sections are evaluated to be excludible in restoration site. This study seems to make a contribution to evaluate the fragmented sections for the riverine ecobelt project.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.391-407
• /
• 2012

The loss of connectivity and fragmentation of forest landscapes are seriously hindering dispersal of many forest-dwelling species, which may be critical for their viability and conservation by decreasing habitat area and increasing distance among habitats. For understanding their environmental impacts, numerous spatial models exist to measure landscape connectivity. However, general relationships between functional connectivity and landscape structure are lacking, there is a need to develop landscape metrics that more accurately measure landscape connectivity in whole landscape and individual patches. We reviewed functional and structural definition of landscape connectivity, explained their mathematical connotations, and applied representative 13 indices in 3 districts of Seoul having fragmented forest patches with tits, the threshold distance was applied 500m by considering the dispersal of tits. Results of correlation and principal component analysis showed that connectivity indices could be divided by measurement methods whether they contain the area attribute with distance or not. Betweenness centrality(BC), a representative index measuring distance and distribution among patches, appreciated highly stepping stone forest patches, and difference of probability of connectivity(dPC), an index measuring including area information, estimated integrated connectivity of patches. Therefore, for evaluating landscape connectivity, it is need to consider not only general information of a region and species' characteristics but also various measuring methods of landscape connectivity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.5 no.6
• /
• pp.14-23
• /
• 2002

Daejeon is a large city in Korea and very high-speedly developing city. Recently urban area is expanding and large forest patch is fragmenting into small habitats because of urban sprawl. The fragmentation of large forest patch decreases the size of habitats and increases the loss of biodiversity in urban area. This study is to analysis the connectivity of green space of Daejeon metropolitan city, and suggest the optimum location of greening site and corridor in order to increase the connectivity of green space of Daejeon metropolitan city. The findings of this study are as follows; (1) The result of this study showed that ${\alpha}$ and ${\gamma}$ index are -0.24 and 0.20. A ${\alpha}$ index is very low and a ${\gamma}$ index is relatively low. (2) The dispersion was very high, for urban forest patches were isolated through fragmentation. Therefore, it needed ecological corridors in order to connect the patches. (3) A urban streams were very important in connectivity of urban green space. Urban riparian corridor must be preserved and restored. (4) A urban green space policy and planning must be prepared to increase the connectivity and assessment of alternatives must be accomplished from perspective of connectivity. The results of this study show the practical implications in perspective of green space planning and policy in Daejeon metropolitan city. The suggestions by findings of this study are to connect green space between large forest patch in urban fringe and island green space in inner city. Also, It is required that urban stream is restored to natural feature for use of corridor by wildlife.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.27-33
• /
• 2015

Forest ecosystem is considered as an important stepping stone to minimize the impact of climate change. However, the rapid urbanization has caused fragmentation of forest ecosystem. The fragmentation of forest patch results in edge effect which brings about adverse impacts on forest function and structure. Degradation of forest ecosystem decreases carbon sequestration because edge effect reduces productivity. Therefore, we analyzed the impact of forest edge effect on forest ecosystem carbon stock change in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do. We used connectivity analysis to determine forest edge and core area. The field study sites were selected with considering forest age, density, class and soil type. Secondly, forest carbon stock was calculated with allometric equation. The soil carbon stock was derived from Walkely-Black method. Lastly, Mann-Whitney test was conducted to validate differences between carbon stock in edge and core area. As a result of study, the connectivity analysis was effective to determine forest edge and core. The core and edge of forest patch showed different composition of tree species and soil properties. Carbon stock per tree in the edge area was lower than that in the core area. However, the difference of soil organic carbon content between the edge and core were relatively small. This assessment can be applied for the conservation of forest patch as well as quantitative assessment on the forest carbon stock change caused by fragmentation.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.32 no.6B
• /
• pp.387-397
• /
• 2012

In this study, an ecological fragmentation improvement effect from different riverine ecobelt width was analyzed. The target river for this study is the Hongcheon river in Kangwondo. This section of 11 km among the Hongchenon river was reported to be seriously fragmented in the previous literatures. The Hongcheon river of 11 km was divided longitudinally into subsections of 1 km. The analysis through map and aerial photograph as well as field surveys were performed in 11 subsections(A-K). Using the fragmentation index, the connectivity fragmentation such as river bank, road, and land use and the ecological functional fragmentation were evaluated. The results showed that I-section has the highest fragmentation rate. The Hongcheon river in the present status without ecobelt was analyzed to has the fragmentation of 2nd rate from the mean fragmentation value of 11-subsections. Also, when the riverine ecobelt of 10 m-50 m was restored, the improvement effect of connectivity fragmentation was relatively small, while for the ecological fragmentation, the improvement effect of 12.4-25.1% was predicted. Also, the ecobelts of 10 m and 30 m were evaluated to have a relatively great improvement effect. Especially, for the ecobelt of 30m width, the fragmentation rate was mitigated form 2nd rate to 3rd rate.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.125-136
• /
• 2014

Urban Green Area has ecologically deteriorated along with quantitative loss, being developed as a dot itself rather than connected to forests and green networks around the park. The present study aims to propose a connected plan on Urban Ecological Network establishment through 'assessment of the connectivity of the entire urban parks' in accordance with distance of forest and river and 'assessment of trends in connection fragmentation of urban parks' in accordance with the past change of forest and river. According to the result of this study, criteria based on previous research was "directly linked type is less than 300m, conceptually linked type is between 300m to 1km, the isolated type is greater than 1km". And the result of 'assessment of the connectivity of the entire urban parks' is analyzed as the rate of park and green network, 41.7% in Suwon, 80.0% in Seongnam, 88.9% in Namyangju on the basis of office and field investigation. Also, according to the result of 'assessment of trends in connection fragmentation of urban parks', consideration for connection to the original forest is insufficient.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.150-161
• /
• 2005

Soraksan National Park and Odaesan National Park, that are 20.7 km apart, should play an important role as habitats and corridors for wildlife because they are located in the center of Baekdudaegan. However, landscape features such as small area, fragmentation, and geographic isolation seem to impede the proper ecological functions of these two national parks. Using GIS technique, we examined the pattern of fragmentation in these two national parks and adjacent regions (Sokcho-si, Goseong-gun, Inje-gun, Yangyang-gun, and Hongcheon-gun) encompassing a total of $4573.5km^2$ in area. We then selected the patches suitable for an endangered carnivorous species, leopard cat, based on habitat conditions, and identified the network and stepping stone among patches to enable leopard cats to migrate. Diverse roads and artificial facilities in the study area generated a total of 24,701 patches: 39 patches among these were selected as potential habitats upon considering the habitat condition such as vegetation types and minimum area for leopard cat. Three patches nearby Gyebangsan and Bangtaesan were identified as a potential network center to relieve the effects of fragmentation and isolation of the two national parks. Our results also showed that patches containing Jombongsan and Bangtaesan would act as a source patch from there leopard cats can disperse to both national parks. It is an urgent task to identify the pattern of fragmentation and the connectivity between patches in national parks and adjacent areas for wildlife conservation because almost all national parks confront land- scape problems similar to the two national parks examined in this study.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.80-96
• /
• 2023

The expansion of human activities and road development has led to the loss and fragmentation of ecological spaces, which is a negative factor for biodiversity. In particular, urban areas where land use and land cover have rapidly changed into urbanization zones are regions where ecological spaces are lost and isolated, making it difficult for wildlife to inhabit. Furthermore, the loss and fragmentation of ecological spaces due to urbanization can have a negative impact on ecosystem services. Therefore, to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services in urban and national land, it is necessary to establish a practical ecological axis that reflects the current status of the city. Thus, this study analyzed the connectivity of ecological spaces and forest axis that can be used for spatial planning related to urban ecological axis of local governments in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do. The ecological connectivity was analyzed by dividing the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region into 31 local government units, distinguishing between forests and natural areas using land cover data. Subsequently, the study area was divided into 20,483 hexagonal grids of 1 square kilometer each, and the restoration effects for ecological fragmentation within 100 meters were spatially clustered to visualize priority restoration areas. The forest axis was derived by considering regional conditions such as land cover, building area, slope, and others to connect 1,534 forests of 100 hectares or more. The research results are expected to be used as fundamental data for spatial planning, goal setting, and the selection of restoration areas for improving ecological connectivity.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.133-141
• /
• 2008

The loss, alteration, and fragmentation of habitat have led to a reduction of biodiversity. The growing awareness of the negative effects of habitat fragmentation on natural systems has resulted in conservation strategy that is concerned with not only population and habitat level but also ecosystem and landscape level. Especially, ecological network to link core areas or major habitat patches is one of the most important issues. Recently, landscape connectivity is increasingly used in decision making for fragmented landscape management in order to conserve the biodiversity in the regional scale. The objective of this study was to find potential forest as a ecological corridor in Go-yang city, Gyung-gi province using cost-distance modelling method that can measure connectivity based on animal movement. 'Least cost-distance' modelling based on functional connectivity can be useful to establish ecological network and biodiversity conservation plan. This method calculates the distance modified with the cost to move between habitat patches based on detailed geographical information on the landscape as well as behavioural aspects of the animal movement. The least cost-distance models are based on two biologically assumptions: (1) dispersers have complete knowledge of their surroundings, and (2) they do select the least cost route from this information. As a result of this study, we can find wildlife moving route for biodiversity conservation. The result is very useful for long-term aspect of biodiversity conservation plan in regional scale, because this is reflection of geographical information and behavioural aspects of the animal movement.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.241-249
• /
• 2024

Human development activities have led to changes in land cover, resulting in the loss of green spaces such as forests and agricultural lands. This loss accompanies issues of habitat reduction and hindrance to wildlife movement. Due to the decrease in urban green spaces, urban green connectivity is reducing. This study aims to analyze changes in green space connectivity through structural and functional changes in green spaces caused by land cover changes. Quantitative analysis of landscape patterns using landscape indices through Fragstats model was employed to analyze the structural changes in green spaces. This study used seven landscape indices to assess the fragmentation and isolation of green spaces. The analysis was focused on changes occurring in agricultural lands, forests, and grasslands within Yongin-si, South Korea, over 20 years from 1989 to 2019. Among the landscape indices for forests, PLAND showed a decrease of approximately 8.2% from 1989 to 2009, while NP exhibited a decline of about 2,025 patches. This indicates both a reduction in the total area of green spaces in Yongin-si. Also, we analyzed functional changes based on landscape index variations in forest land within the study area between 2009 and 2019, and least-cost path (LCP) analysis was conducted using Linkage Mapper. Results yielded 18 and 16 links for 2009 and 2019, respectively, with 12 common links. It was observed that five links showed a slight decrease, indicating partial deletions of links, contributing to the fragmentation and discontinuity of forests.