• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.149-159
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• 2012

To elucidate the species compositions of estuarine and inshore fauna and compare productivities between them, catch were collected by bag nets in the Han River estuary off Ganghwa Island and the inshore waters off Jangbong Island for 24 hours at the spring tide from March to December 2010. Community structures of nekton assemblages were different with area, month, taxonomic groups. Although the diversity of estuarine nekton assemblage was lower than that of inshore nekton assemblage, the productivity of nekton assemblage in estuary was higher than that in the inshore waters. Nekton assemblages were distributed according to habitat environment: the estuarine species, Coilia mystus, Chelon haematocheilus, Collichthys lucidus were prominent in the Han River estuary off Ganghwa Island, and marine species, Thryssa kammalensis, Sardinella zunasi, Portunus trituberculatus were prominent in the inshore waters off Jangbong Island. Palaemon gravieri, Exopalaemon carinicauda, Synechogobius hasta were inhabited in both waters. The health assessment of estuarine ecosystem based on scientific research will be contributed to the effective management of estuary with determination of order and direction in policy.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.495-502
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• 2007

Species biotic index (SBI), based on a fish assemblage, was applied to a stream assessment using long-term ecological fish data set (1996 to 2001) in Boryong dam area, which is located in the mainstream of Ungchun Stream of Chungnam province, Korea. According to the methods of Hilsenhoff (1988), the scores of tolerance guild assigned 10 classes to each species by its habitat and feeding guild, but modified current 7 criteria to 5 scoring standards due to unclear borderline among species. Relative abundance in the species number of upper stream guilds was only 7% of the total, whereas the abundance in the species number of middle to downstream upper stream guilds was 64%. Mean SBI, based on dataset in Site 1 during 1995-2001 averaged 5.10, which was judged as a "good" condition by the rank criteria of SBI. Before the dam construction, mean SBI in the Site 1 was 4.61, indicating a "good" condition, but after the dam construction, mean SBI was 5.60, indicating a "fair" condition. Trajectory analysis in the Site 1 showed significantly (One-way ANOVA, $F_{6,21}=3.26$, p=0.02) different among years, reflecting the changes of fish composition and population density by the dam construction, whereas Site 2 showed no significant changes ($F_{6,21}=1.00$, P =0.45) difference among years. Mean SBI prior to the dam construction in the Site 3 was 4.52 but after the construction, the value was 6.30, indicating a distinct difference between the pre- and post-dam construction. Trajectory analysis at the Site 3 supported this fact: Values of SBI showed significantly ($F_{6,21}$=14.37, p<0.01) different. Mean SBI was 4.67 in the Site 4, indicating a "good" condition in the health and the health rank was same as the sampling sites 1, 2, and 4. Trajectory in the Site 4 showed no significant ($F_{6,21}=2.35$, p=0.07) difference among the years. Overall, our trajectory analysis indicated that three of four sampling sites (sites 1, 3, 4) showed significant decreases (n=7, p<0.05) and that the proportions of sensitive species declined evidently in the sites 1 and 2 and the tolerant species increased in the dam sites. Our outcomes may be used as a key data for diagnosis of the long-term ecological impact in the future in the watershed.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.503-510
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• 2007

The purposes of the study were to analyze the seasonal effects on the fish fauna and compositions including trophic guilds and tolerance guilds. For the study, we collected fish samples twice in June as premonsoon period and early September 2007 as monsoon periods in five sampling sites of the Gap Stream, and then biological oxygen demand (BOD), nutrients (TN, TP) and suspended solids (SS) were compared with the guild data along the gradient of upstream-to-downstream. Chemical water quality, based on BOD, TP, and TN degraded gradually from the upstream to downstream reach and there were about 3 fold difference between S1 and S5. Water quality was worse in the premonsoon than the monsoon, and the heavy monsoon resulted in a dilution of the polluted river by rain water, especially, in the downstream reach. Total number of fish species, based on the catch per unit effort (CPUE), showed a distinct difference between the two seasons; 30 species were sampled in premonsoon, but 23 species were sampled in the monsoon, indicating a seasonal difference in the fish fauna. Tolerant species dominated the fish community (48.3%) in the stream, and the proportions prior to physical disturbance by the monsoon rain were evidently greater in the downstream reach than the upstream. This reflected the characteristics of urban stream polluted by nutrient enrichment as shown in the BOD and TP values. Sensitive species in the premonsoon decreased from the gradient of upstream-to-downstream reach. Such seasonal modifications in the trophic and tolerance guilds were evident. In the analysis of trophic guild and habitat guild, during the premonsoon the proportion of insectivore and riffle-benthic species were largely greater in the upstream reach than the downstream, whereas the proportions were opposite along the gradient of the stream in monsoon. Thus, the patterns of chemical water quality along the longitudinal gradients reflected the premonsoon conditions of insectivores and tolerant species, indicating that summer monsoon data of fish may not match with water quality due to large physical disturbance by flow regime. Seasonal monsoon in this region as well as the chemical pollution may act as a key role influencing the fish compositions of trophic and tolerance guilds and fauna. The data collected during the premonsoon rather than the monsoon, thus, may be better predictor for a diagnosis of stream health conditions.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.154-165
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• 2013

The species composition of the fish community was studied in four streams where fish kills have previously occurred in recent years; Worun Stream, Seo Stream, Jangnam Stream, and the Anyang Stream. The number of fish species varied from 22 to 86% compared to the number of fish species pre-fish kill. The recovery of fish populations in the streams seems to be determined by water quality and the presence of artificial structures in the streams. The Jangnam Stream, where alkaline pH caused a fish kill, showed a high recovery of fish species due to improvements in water quality. Anyang Stream had a low number of species, possibly because dissolved oxygen concentrations were intermittently low. Artificial structures in streams had a negative impact the recovery of fish species, particularly for benthic fish species. It appears that fish populations can recover rapidly when water quality improves or the movement of fish community is unimpeded. However, water quality and artificial structures in many streams in Korea still present adverse conditions for fish survival, deterring the recovery of fish populations. To conserve fish populations in streams, habitat all owing unimpeded movement for fish and controls on pollutant inputs are needed.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.81-89
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• 2013

In general, studies of aerial parasitic plants known collectively as mistletoe have been carried out to investigate their ecological and agricultural characteristics. However, with the recently increased level of interest in medicinal resources, research on different types of Korean mistletoe has also increased. This study was carried out to review the work on the taxonomy and ecology of Korean mistletoe in preparation for the industrial use of these plants in the future. Mistletoe types are flowering plants belonging to Santalales, which exist in the form of parasites on the branches of trees or shrubs. In Korea, five taxa of four genera in two families of mistletoe exist: Viscum coloratum (Komarov) Nakai f. coloratum, Viscum coloratum (Komarov) Nakai f. rubroaurantiacum (Makino) Kitagawa and Korthalsella japonica (Thunb.) Engl. in Santalaceae, along with Loranthus tanakae Franch. et Sav. and Taxillus yadoriki (Sieb. ex Maxim.) Danser in Loranthaceae. As taxonomic studies of these species remain insufficient and given that the distribution ranges of these species are very wide, further observations pertaining to the morphological variations in each species are necessary. The distribution of mistletoes is known to be determined by the host specificity, the interval between the hosts, the environmental condition, the habits of the host plant, the eating characteristics of mediators in the area, and their habitat selection features.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.34 no.4 s.96
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• pp.267-276
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• 2001

The downstream reach of the Han River adjoining Seoul in Korea was the upper boundary of an estuary where tidal effect on the flow rate could be exerted. According to the comprehensive river regulation project, the river was channelize dand impounded by two overflow dams, which provided favorable condition for algal growth in this sewage polluted eutrophic reach. In this study primary productivity of phytoplankton was measured in the down reach and the autochthonous and allochthonous organic carbon loadings were estimated. Primary production of phytoplankton measured by C-14 uptake and P-I model method ranged from 140 to $4,890\;mgC\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$ (median value $1,865\;mgC\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$) showing the level of eutrophic lakes. Phytoplankton density that varied according to water flow rate was highest in spring. Allochthonous organic carbon loading was dominated by sewage input through tributaries in most of days except flood flow period. The average proportion of autochthonous carbon generation by phytoplankton was 40.9%, which is very high proportion for a lotic habitat.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.295-303
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• 2020

We investigated the growth response and population regeneration of four halophyte species: Suaeda japonica, Salicornia europaea, Suaeda maritima and Suaeda glauca, when climate change proceeds caused by increased CO₂ concentration and temperature. The plants collected from habitat in 2018 were transplanted into Wagner pots, and cultivated for two years in greenhouse divided into a control (ambient condition) and a treatment (elevated CO₂+elevated temperature). The shoot length of halophytes was measured in July of each year, and the population regeneration rate was measured in October 2019. The shoot lengths of S. japonica and S. glauca had no difference between control and treatment for two years. Those of S. europaea were longer in control than treatment for two years. Those of S. maritima had no difference between control and treatment in 2018 but were longer in control than treatment in 2019. In control, the shoot lengths of S. japonica, S. europaea and S. glauca had no difference between years while those of S. maritima were longer in 2018 than in 2019. In treatment, those of S. japonica, S. europaea and S. maritima were shorter in 2019 than 2018 but S. glauca had no difference between years. The regeneration rates of S. japonica, S. europaea and S. glauca were lower treatment than control, and there was no difference in the regeneration rate of S. maritima. In conclusion, if climate change progresses caused by the increase of CO₂ concentration and temperature, the shoot lengths of S. japonica, S. europaea and S. maritima will be shortened, and the regeneration rate of population will be increased only in the S. maritima.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.144-155
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• 2020

This research developed an approach to identify ecologically important areas at local scales and explained how the results of this approach could contribute to extend the protected areas in the Republic of Korea (ROK). While most developed countries have considered various biotic and abiotic factors, ecological processes, migration routes, habitat connectivity, ecosystem services, and etc. to determine the protected areas, ROK has considered a few factors focusing on biodiversity, landscape, and the habitats of endangered organisms. However, for sustainable management of our nature, we need comprehensive understanding of various ecosystem factors and interactions among them at local scales in designating protected areas. Forthis, we developed a conceptual model based on the ecological engineering approach and then explained how the results of this approach could contribute to extend the protected areas. In particular, we considered future land-use and climate change in determining the priority areas for novel protected areas. Our research suggested an effective methodology 1) to include various ecosystem factors and 2) to consider future environmental changes as well as current environmental conditions in finding the ecologically important areas and prioritizing these areas. However, our approach has limitations on the real-world applications due to the lack of fundamental information and data on our ecosystems. To improve the effectiveness of our approach in the real-world applications, we need various long-term ecological research results, environmental and ecological monitoring data, and both current and future spatial environmental data.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.51-60
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• 2014

This study was carried out to analyze the home ranges of three medium-sized mammals(Nyctereutes procyonoides, Prionailurus bengalensis, and Meles leucurus) inhabiting the Sobaeksan National Park, Korea. Three individuals of each species were captured using live traps(Tomahawk live trap 210A) and radio tracking was conducted from June 2012 to May 2014 using VHF and CDMA methods. We determined that the home range of N. procyonoides was $6.53{\pm}6.66km^2$(MCP 100), $3.39{\pm}4.73km^2$(FK 95), and $0.48{\pm}0.62km^2$(FK 50), that of P. bengalensis was $7.13{\pm}5.61km^2$(MCP 100), $7.77{\pm}3.91km^2$(FK 95), and $1.88{\pm}0.96km^2$(FK 50), and that of M. leucurus was $1.77{\pm}1.82km^2$(MCP 100), $3.17{\pm}4.52km^2$(FK 95), and $0.63{\pm}0.87km^2$(FK 50). The home ranges of both N. procyonoides and P. bengalensis were greater than that of M. leucurus, and moreover, both were larger than $6km^2$(P. bengalensis>N. procyonoides). The results also showed that for each species, 1.2~4.4% of the home range overlapped with that of the other two species and that this overlap occurred in the vicinity of a water system.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.419-428
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• 2013

We identified the diversity, geographical distribution, ecological characteristics of birds, trees, and flowers species designated as local government symbols as a means for understanding public awareness on biodiversity. A total of 114 species including 48 birds, 40 flowers, 36 tree species belonging to 40 orders 59 families 90 genus were designated as natural symbols. Pica pica (L.) in birds, Rhododendron schlippenbachii Maxim. among flowers, have also been designated as symbols. The tree Ginkgo biloba L. was designated with the highest frequency. Local governments located coastal area were selected bird species of the Laridae family and the tree species Camellia japonica L., of Pinaceae as their natural symbols. In contrast, local governments located inland have designated resident bird species such as P. pica and Columba rupestris (Pallas) and flower species from the Ericaceae as natural symbols widely distributed and easily observed throughout South Korea. However, many local governments have designated the same species as a natural symbol based on their size color and public appeal and popularity. The information about the popular species and their ecological traits are useful for establishing the criteria as flagship or iconic species selection and their roles in habitat conservation.