• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.375-391
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• 2015

Trees to arrest sand-shifting have been planted on most of coastal dunes in Korea and considered as conservative objects. However, we reconsider that the simplicity of these trees have hindered ecological roles of coastal dunes; geochemical cycle and habitats of endemic species in coastal ecosystem. We examined geochemical properties of sediments on Byunsuran dune field where is planted with pine trees. There are significant difference in properties between embryo dune sediments and foredune sediments, but there are not between foredune and secondary dune. There are no significant difference between pine forest sediments and mixed forest sediments. It is also not showed the difference between dune ridge sediments and swale sediments. Despite spatial diversity from appearance, geochemical properties are not linked with geomorphic and vegetational conditions because of dense planted trees on foredune. To recover natural properties of coastal dunes, we need to change the conservation scheme to increase geomorphic and ecological diversity.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.233-244
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• 2007

Nine surface sediments from Masan Bay and Gadeog Channel were taken for grain size and geochemical and foraminiferal analyses in August 2002. The sediments consist of mud with 7.29-8.54 $\phi$ in mean grain size. Average concentrations of Al, Fe and Mn are higher in Gadeog Channel than those in Masan Bay. On the other hand, average concentrations of Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, Cr, Ni and V are higher in Masan Bay than those in the channel. The latter group of elements show the highest concentration at station M4, off the outfall of treated wastewater disposal. Eighty-one foraminiferal species are identified in total assemblages, including 21 species of living populations. The number of individuals, species number, species diversity and equitability in Masan Bay have lower values than those in Gadeog Channel. The foraminiferal fauna off the outfall is relatively poor. Compared to geochemical and foraminiferal data obtained in 1996, heavy metals are more enriched, and the characteristics of foraminifera are little changed. These features indicate that the pollution of Masan Bay has not been reduced.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.323-336
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• 2019

The Mesozoic activity on the Korean Peninsula is mainly represented by the Triassic post-collisional, Jurassic orogenic, and Cretaceous post-orogenic igneous activities. The diversity of mineralization by each geological period came from various geothermal systems derived from the geochemical characteristics of magma with different emplacement depth. The Cretaceous metallic mineralization has been carried out over a wide range of time periods from ca. 115 to 45 Ma (main stage; ca. 100 to 60 Ma) related to post-orogenic igneous activity, and spatial distribution patterns of most metal deposits are concentrated along small granitic stocks. The late Cretaceous metal deposits in the Gyeonggi and Yeongnam massifs are generally distributed along the boundary among the Gongju-Eumseong fault system and the Yeongdong-Gwangju fault system and the Gyeongsang Basin, most of them are in the form of a distal epithermal~mesothermal Au-Ag vein or a transitional mesothermal Zn-Pb-Cu vein. On the other hand, diverse metal commodities in the Taebaeg Basin, the Okcheon metamorphic belt and the Gyeongsang Basin are produced from various deposit types such as skarn, carbonate-replacement, vein, porphyry, breccia pipe, and Carlin type. In the late Cretaceous metallic mineralization, various mineral deposits and commodities were induced not only by the pathway of the hydrothermal solution, but also by the diversity of precipitation environment in the proximity difference of the granitic rocks. The diversity of these types of Cretaceous deposits is fundamentally dependent on the geochemical characteristics such as degree of differentiation and oxidation state of related igneous rocks, and ore-forming fluids generally exhibit the evolutionary characteristics of intermediate- to low-sulfur hydrothermal fluids.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.3-9
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• 2009

Microorganisms play an important role in the geochemical cycles, industry, environmental cleanup, and biotechnology among other fields. Given the high microbial diversity, identification of the microorganism is essential in understanding and managing the processes. One of the most popular and powerful method for microbial identification is comparative 16S rRNA gene analysis. Due to the highly conserved nature of this essential gene, sequencing and later comparison of it against known rRNA databases can provide assignment of the bacteria into the taxonomy, and the identity of its closest relatives. Isolation and sequencing of 16S rRNA genes directly from natural environments (either from DNA or RNA) can also be used to study the structure of the whole microbial community. Nowadays, novel sequencing technologies with massive outputs are giving researchers worldwide the chance to study the microbial world with a depth that was previously too expensive to achieve. In this article we describe commonly used research approaches for the study of individual microorganisms and microbial communities using the tools provided by Ribosomal Database Project website.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.995-1001
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• 2010

Biogeography is the study of the distribution of biodiversity over space and time. We report the development of a prototype database that maps of microbial diversity in the context of the geochemical and geological environment and geographic location. It aims to reveal where organisms live, and at what abundance in nation wide. Microbial data collected from agricultural land during 1999 to 2007 were categorized for mapping with ArcGIS program. Distribution maps of bacteria, fungi, Bacillus and gram negative bacteria of agricultural land showed different patterns from each other. Microbial biomass content investigated in year of 2007 was higher than in 1999.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.48-54
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• 2023

Foraminifera are unicellular eukaryotes widely distributed in marine and transitional marine environments. They play important roles in marine food webs and geochemical cycles and have physiological properties like the formation of calcareous tests and nitrogen respiration. Research on species diversity, distribution and endemism are essential in biogeography and biodiversity conservation. Here, we report three unrecorded species of foraminifera (Hemirotalia foraminulosa, Planispirillina denticulogranulata and Oolina brevisolenia) collected from Jeju Island and the South Sea (Korea). Planispirillina denticulogranulata is the second Planispirillina species recorded in Korea, which can be distinguished from congeners by its tubercles on the ventral side and grooves on the spiral suture. Hemirotalia foraminulosa is differentiated from the only congener H. calvifacta by multiple-scattered pits on the umbilicus, and it is the first report of Hemirotalia from Korean water. Oolina brevisolenia has specific bifurcating costae that characterize it from other congeners. This study contributes to documentation of the foraminiferal biodiversity in Korea, moreover, provides an essential basis for the expanded studies on modern foraminifera.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.25-36
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• 2020

In a redox transition zone, geochemical reactions are facilitated by active bacteria that mediate reactions involving electrons, and arsenic (As) and iron (Fe) cycles are the major electron transfer reactions occurring at such a site. In this study, the effect of repetitive redox changes on soil bacterial community in As-contaminated soil was investigated. The results revealed that bacterial community changed actively in response to redox changes, and bacterial diversity gradually decreased as the cycle repeated. Proportion of strict aerobes and anaerobes decreased, while microaerophilic species such as Azospirillum oryzae group became the predominant species, accounting for 72.7% of the total counts after four weeks of incubation. Bacterial species capable of reducing Fe or As (e.g., Clostridium, Desulfitobacterium) belonging to diverse phylogenetic groups were detected. Indices representing richness (i.e., Chao 1) and phylogenetic diversity decreased from 1,868 and 1,926 to 848 and 1,121, respectively. Principle component analysis suggests that repetitive redox fluctuation, rather than oxic or anoxic status itself, is an important factor in determining the change of soil bacterial community, which in turn affects the cycling of As and Fe in redox transition zones.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.309-319
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• 2010

To assess community structure and diversity of archaea, a clone sequencing analysis based on an archaeal 16S rRNA gene was conducted at three sediment depths of the continental slope and Ulleung Basin in the East Sea. A total of 311 and 342 clones were sequenced at the slope and basin sites, respectively. Marine Group I, which is known as the ammonia oxidizers, appeared to predominate in the surface sediment of both sites (97.3% at slope, 88.5% at basin). In the anoxic subsurface sediment of the slope and basin, the predominant archaeal group differed noticeably. Marine Benthic Group B dominated in the subsurface sediment of the slope. Marine Benthic Group D and Miscellaneous Crenarchaeotal Group were the second largest archaeal group at 8-9 cm and 18-19 cm depth, respectively. Marine Benthic Group C of Crenarchaeota occupied the highest proportion by accounting for more than 60% of total clones in the subsurface sediments of the basin site. While archaeal groups that use metal oxide as an electron acceptor were relatively more abundant at the basin sites with manganese (Mn) oxide-enriched surface sediment, archaeal groups related to the sulfur cycle were more abundant in the sulfidogenic sediments of the slope. Overall results indicate that archaeal communities in the Ulleung Basin show clear spatial variation with depth and sites according to geochemical properties the sediment. Archaeal communities also seem to play a significant role in the biogeochemical carbon (C), nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), and metal cycles at each site.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.12-24
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• 2023

The Songji lagoon is brackish environment with a mixture of saline and fresh water, and the interaction of groundwater-lagoon water creates a physicochemical gradient. Although some studies have been conducted on the hydrological and geochemical characteristics of the Songji lagoon, microbial ecological studies have not yet been conducted. In this study, we investigated the effect of groundwater and surface water interaction on water quality as well as microbial community changes in the Songji Lagoon using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Hydrochemical analyses show that samples were classified as 5 hydrochemical facies (HF) and hydrochemical facies evolution (HFE) revealed the intrusion phase was more dominant (57.9%) than the freshening phase (42.1%). Higher microbial diversity was found in freshwater in comparison to saline water samples. The microbial community at the phylum level shows the most dominance of Proteobacteria with an average of 37.3%, followed by Bacteroidota, Actinobacteria, and Patescibacteria. Heat map analyses of the top 18 genera showed that samples were clustered into 5 groups based on type, and Pseudoalteromonas could be used potential indicator for seawater intrusion.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.329-343
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• 2001

The deep environment and geochemical evolution of the Bugok geothennal waters, located in the Kyeongnam Province, was re-interpreted based on the hydrochemical and isotopic data published by Yun et al. (1998). The geothermal waters of the Bugok area is geochemically divided into three groups; Geothennal water I, II and III groups. Groups I and II are geochemically similar; high temperature (55.2-77.2$^{\circ}$C) and chemically belonging to Na-S04 types. However, pH and Eh values are a little different each other and Group II water is highly enriched in S04 compared to Group I water. Group III water, occurring from peripheral sites of the central part of the geothennal waters, shows temperature range of 29.3 to 47.0$^{\circ}$C and belongs to $Na-HCO_3-S0_4$ types. The deep environment and geochemical evolution of the Bugok geothennal waters, showing the diversity of geochemistry, can be interpreted as follows; I) Descending to great depth of meteoric waters that originated at high elevation and reacting with sediments and/or granites in depth. The $S0_4$ concentration of the waters has been increased by the dissolution of sulfate minerals in sediments. 2) During the continuous descending, the waters has met with the reduction environment, producing the $H_2S$ gas due to sulfate reduction. The waters has been heated up to 130$^{\circ}$C and the extent of water-rock reaction was increased. At this point, pH of waters are increased, S04 concentration decreased and calcite precipitated, therefore, the waters show the $Na-S0_4$ type. 3) Ascending of the geothennal waters along the flow path of fluids and mixing with less-deeply circulated waters. The $S0_4$ concentration is re-increased due to the oxidation of $H_2S$ gas and/or sulfide minerals in sediments. During continuous ascending, these geothennal waters are mixed with shallow groundwater.