• Spatial Information Research
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.233-241
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• 2000

The objective of this study were to develop landscape scale ecosystem assessment model, and apply the model for the assessment of the state and change of ecosystem of the study area, Yongin, Korea. Since natural ecosystem of the site has been deteriorated significantly during recent extensive residential development, it is essential to correctly assess ecosystem of the study site. Traditional ecosystem assessment mainly utilizing intensive field survey requires high cost, but the outcome rarely represents spatial pattern of the regional ecosystems. Ecosystem assesment of landscape scale based on landscape ecology can resolve most of the shortfalls of the traditional approach. The research method can be summarized as follows. First, extensive literature review on such topics as spatial pattern of ecosystem, ecosystem assessment of landscape scale, ecological analysis was carried out. Second, a model for the ecosystem assessment of landscape scale emphasizing spatial pattern of ecosystem was developed. This model evaluates three indicators; ecological integrity and biological diversity, watershed integrity, and landscape resilience of 11 watersheds in the study area. Finally, ecological assessment utilizing two sets of indicators, enhancement of and disturbance of ecosystem stability, was carried out. This assessment method is based on Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program´s Landscape component(EMAP-L) of EPA(1994). The results of this study are as follows. First, the ecosystem assessment of landscape scale of the study area of Yongin, Korea, showed that escosystems of Tanchun01 and Chungmichun01 watersheds had the worst state in the study site in 1991. On the other hand, the ecosystems of Jinwechun01, Kyunganchun02, and Bokhachun01 watersheds had the most stable ecosystem in 1991. Second, ecosystems of Tanchun01, Shingal reservoir, and Kyunganchun01 watersheds were evaluated to be the worst state in the study site in 1996. And, ecosystems of Jinwechun01 and Gosam reservoir watersheds had the most stable ecosystem. Third, ecosystem of Tanchun01 watershed which incudes Suji residential development project site changed the most drastically between 1991 and 1996. The ecosystem of the watershed the most drastically deteriorated due to it´s proximity to Seoul and Bundang new town.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.845-859
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• 2022

The natural environment of the modern society does not simply reflect damage, but is a complex and grave reality that threatens the Earth. To solve this problem, various aspects related to the natural environment have been explored around the world, and a number of studies are ongoing to balance the development and preservation of the natural environment in Korea. However, no clear category exists for the natural environment and the related terms are ambiguous, rendering the overall evaluation system is in efficient. Therefore, the present study attempted to set the scope of application of a comprehensive evaluation system based on terms similar to the natural environment, concepts of the natural environment viewed from a value-based perspective and a capacitive perspective. In addition, by examining the concept of ecosystem services, a conceptual model for efficient application of the evaluation system of the natural environment through the association between categories of the natural environment is presented to derive implications for practical operation in the future.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.165-177
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• 2005

This study was carried out to offer the basic methodology of the system and model to objectively assess the natural ecosystem for environmentally friendly land conservation and present the alternative plan on establishing the environmental policy. The results of this study were as follows. We selected four assessment factors associated with biotic, abiotic, qualitative, and functional factors. Also, there were extracted fifty-six indicators including density, total nitrogen, hemeroby degree, and goods production. The assessment factor showed that biotic one was very important. The importance of indicators were analyzed that rare and endangered plant was important in biotic factor, in case of abiotic, qualitative, and functional factors, organic matter, landscape diversity, and conservation of ecosystem were greatly important. The results of factor analysis on the characteristics of indicators, classified biotic factor into six factors including a structural one, abiotic factor as a soil and physical one, qualitative factor as five ones including hierarchical one, and functional factor as public and conservational one. In the results of analysis on assessment model, R-square of biotic factor was 51.7%, those of abiotic, qualitative, and functional one were each 58.4%, 44.2%, and 39.3%, and statistical problem was no existence. In future, to develop the assessement model and methodology of sustainable natural ecosystem, we will have to achieve the integrated model and grouping by assessment factor.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.249-260
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• 2022

This mini review examines the habitat connectivity and effectiveness of Korean Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecosystem (YSLME) region. We first reemphasize that the Korean region of the YSLME is a single ecosystem (ecoregion) given the biophysical distribution patterns. The MPAs within the YSLME contribute about 50% to the total MPAs in Korea, accounting for about 10% of the territorial sea waters of Korea and 20% of the waters of YSLME on the Korean side. By area, national parks account for nearly 45% of the MPAs, followed by the wetland protected areas at 25%, with other types of MPA comprising the remaining 30%. Large MPA (> 100 km²) is the dominant type of MPA, accounting for 90% of the total area. We find that MPAs in the region are connected physically and perhaps also genetically. However, the level of protection was found to be low, and a no-take zone is rarely implemented. In addition, interrupted freshwater discharge caused by river-mouth dams poses a major hindrance to the physical connectivity of the MPAs. Restoration of the river-mouth dams and strengthened regulation on MPAs, with further expansion of MPAs in line with the current development of post-2020 global biodiversity frameworks, should be priorities for better management of marine resources. The newly revised law incorporating the concept of "Marine Ecosystem Axis Management" would reinforce the processes, and their effectiveness together with overall management of MPAs in Korea should be evaluated by designing appropriate measurement tools.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.66-76
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• 2003

Wetland is the ecotone between aquatic ecosystem and land ecosystem, and is much valuable in terms of ecology and economic. The stream wetland among inland fresh wetlands occupies the largest area but has been recognized as only a channel not a habitat. The purposes of this paper are to consider the characteristics of natural wetlands formed in the tributary flowing into the downstream reach of Nakdong River and to find its optimal management policy. Natural wetlands in the middle-size streams (2nd${\sim}$3rd order) are large marshlands, and were formed at the places from the mainstream away, because natural wetlands were formed in the reach of longitudinal profiles during the last glacial and the post-glacial period meet in disharmony. In order to conserve these natural wetlands effectively, we should compile the inventories of wetlands and make precise distribution maps. And we should do 'reverse-reclamation' which means the alteration of some farmlands reclaimed from natural wetland into natural wetland ecosystem, and develop the place or the space for wildlife education and ecotourism.

• Journal of Apiculture
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.141-147
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• 2019

Pollinators play important roles for crop production as well as maintenance of wild plants' reproduction. Pollinator dependency in Korean agriculture have increased, but the degradation of habitat quality pose significant threats to pollination in agroecosystem. Provisioning flower habitat is one of the major activities to increase pollinator abundance and richness. We tested the effect of flower habitat supplementation on the pollinator, pest and natural enemy abundance in pepper field. Results showed that Hymenopteran pollinators were more abundant in the pepper plots close to the flower habitat. Among natural enemies, the similar pattern from pollinators was observed to parasitoids in the family of Eulophidae, but not to those of Ichneumonidae. There were no statistically significant differences of insect pests like aphids and thrips, as well as pepper production among plots in the pepper field. Even limited spatial scale, this study showed supplementing the flowering plant habitat to the agricultural landscape could conserve and boost pollinators and natural enemies, and possibly resulting better fruit production by pollination service.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.385-403
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• 2017

This study showed the national ecosystem classification for the spatial standards of ecosystems-based approaches to the risk assessments and adaptation plan. The characteristics of climate change risk assessment, implement national adaptation plans, and ecosystem/habitat classification status was evaluated. Focusing on the land cover classification widely utilized as spatial data for the assessments of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the UK and other countries in Europe, the applicability of the national land cover classification for climate change risk assessments was reviewed. Considering the ecosystem classification for climate change risk assessment and establishing adaptation measures, it is difficult to apply rough classification method to the land cover system because of lack of information on habitat trend by categorization. The results indicated that forest ecosystems and agro-ecosystem occupied 62.3% and 25.0% of land cover, respectively, of the entire country. Although the area is small compared with the land area, wetland ecosystem (2.9%), marine ecosystem (0.4%), coastal ecosystem (0.6%), and urban ecosystem (6.1%) can be included in the risk assessments. Therefore, it is necessary to subdivide below the medium classification for the forest and agricultural land, as well as Inland wetland, which has a higher proportion of habitat preference of taxa than land area, marine/coastal habitat, and transition areas such as urban and natural ecosystem.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2013

In South Korea, the conflict between development and conservation policy still exist among government ministries, and conventional development plan often has priority over conservation policy. Establishment of sustainable development and comprehensive management policy employing the results of ecosystem service studies are highly warranted, but researchers in South Korea are still limited and often misuse the concept of ecosystem services. Thus, we aimed to introduce the concept of Ecosystem Service (ES) and related terminologies such as Social-Ecological Systems (SESs), ecosystem function, trade-off, and human well-being in this paper. Additionally, this article reviewed and arranged key approaches in ES studies as follows: 1) field works, 2) mapping ecosystem services, 3) valuing ES, 4) quantifying trade-offs between ES and 5) understanding SESs. Based on those results, we suggest that field works for basic information have the first priority to be conducted among ES studies. Once basic information is sufficiently accumulated, researchers can perform applied ES research with accuracy. Finally, results of ES studies conducted by five approaches allow decision makers to consider both natural system and society simultaneously, and hence the results can be utilized for sustainable development and conservation policy based on ecosystem-based management.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.10-26
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• 2018

This paper reviews the soil conservation policies (SCP) in the global community and suggests the improved options in SCP in Korea. Soil Environment Conservation Act in Korea states soil is a valuable natural resource and it's value should be enhanced to provide the benefits that soil ecosystem can offer to people. However, SCP in Korea limits its application to not only the scope of soil environment but also the issues on soil pollution. The SCPs in the advanced countries have shifted their scopes from soil environment to soil ecosystem, put emphasis on the conservation of soil health rather than soil quality, and set the goals to optimize the soil ecosystem services to people while minimizing the soil threats. In this context, the soil security initiative was recently proposed to accomplish this goal while employing the nexus concept to bridge the soil ecosystem services with water, atmosphere, climate and biodiversity. Therefore, the key policies in soil conservation in Korea should expand the scope from soil environment to soil ecosystem, focus on soil health management, and develop the holistic governance among diverse stakeholder to maximize the soil ecosystem services. Soil ecosystem should be secured by national soil policies for human health.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.23-39
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• 2002

This study focuses on the structure of geographical conditions, the riverbed, the meterological and atmospheric examination, the ecological environment, the food chain and the ecosystem, in order to establish a basic plan for preparing a natural learning area of environmental ecosystem in Bukchun and its surroundings, Gyeongju. The results could be summarized as follows. Bukchun is a first grade which extends 6km along the road from Bomun bridge to the junction of Hyungsangang. The basin area is 7.10$\textrm{km}^2$ and the slope is 1/200~1/300. Gyeongju has good atmospheric conditions, i.e. SO$_2$0.011 ~0.017ppm, CO 0.8~ 1.5ppm, NO$_2$0.013~0.019ppm, $O_3$0.013~0.020ppm, TSP 85~142$\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥, PM-10 47~90$\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥ and Pb 0.057 ~0.129$\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥, which is below the annual and daily averages, and is little lower than those of Pohang and Ulsan. The ecosystem of Bukchun is based on the structure of the food chain, which includes birds such as the grey and white herons at the top of the food chain. This study also considers the development of the river's in terms of culture, environment and ecology concept.