• Title/Summary/Keyword: natural ecosystems

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Preliminary Studies on the Necropsy-Based Health Assessment Index (HAI) Using a Ecological Indicator Species (생태 지표종을 이용한 해부학적 건강성 평가지수(HAI) 적용을 위한 예비실험)

  • Kim, Ja-Hyun;Bae, Dae-Yeul;Lee, Jae-Yon;An, Kwang-Guk
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.39 no.1 s.115
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    • pp.62-72
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    • 2006
  • Biological health in aquatic environments has been assessed by several approaches using various bio-taxa. Especially, fish has been identified as one of the best ecological indicators for an integrative health assessments in aquatic environments. In this preliminary study, the necropsy-based approach using the Health Assessment Index (Adams et al., 1993; HAI, Blazer, 2000), was employed for the assessments of aquatic environments influenced by effluent water from wastewater disposal plants (WDP) near a urban stream (i.e., Cap-Stream). For the impact analysis from the effluents, we developed 10 metric necropsy-based model including $M_l\;skin,\;M_2\;fin,\;M_3\;thymus,\;M_4\;spleen,\;M_5\;hindgut,\;M_6\;kidney,\;M_7\;liver.\;M_8\;eyes,\;M_9\;gill,\;and\;M_{10}$ pseudobranch. We set up duplicate controls (natural upstream water plus 5 fishes in each control tank) and duplicate treatments (effluent water from the WDP plus 5 fishes in each treatment tank) in the laboratory. Preliminary results showed that HAI values in the controls were zero, indicating an excellent condition by the criteria of HAI, while the HAI values in the treatments ranged between 40 and 150, indicating a poor condition. Also, various health conditions, based on the index of biological integrity (IBI), species richness, tolerance guilds, and trophic guilds supported the HAI approach. The HAI approach, not applied in Korea, not may be used as an surrogate fer ecological health assessment in lotic ecosystems.

Fresh Kills Park Design, Staten Island, New York (프레쉬 킬스 공원 조경설계)

  • Jeong Wook-Ju;James Corner
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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    • v.33 no.1 s.108
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    • pp.93-108
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    • 2005
  • Fresh Kills is the largest landfill in the world located in the west side of Staten Island, New York. The landfill served as a storage area for New York City's trash for more than 50 years. After years of civilian and political pressure, state and local legislation decided its closure of landfill operation in Fresh Kills in March 2001. Soon after, Department of City Planning announced a Fresh Kills international design com-petition: 'Landfill to Landscape'. The winning entry was promised to be outline for the redevelopment of the 2,200 acre site which the size of three times Central Park. Forty-eight teams representing more than 200 offices from around world submitted proposals, from which six finalists that mostly led by landscape architects were selected. In December 2001, a jury of architects, landscape architects and city officials unanimously selected Field Operations as the winner. The plan, named Lifescape, visualizes the gradual 20-year transformation of the whole Staten Island into a 'natural lifestyle island' recognizing that Staten Island is home to coastal wetlands that shelter one of the most diverse ecosystems in the New York metropolitan area. It suggested that an ecologically reconstituted Fresh Kills could become the center of integrated parks and greenways system on the island otherwise fragmented. The project will be one of the largest and most ambitious undertakings in the metropolis in years developing a complex web of habitats and parklands on top of mountain of trash. This study tries to achieve two goals: One is to provide general explanations on the project, Lifescape, breaking down to its background, geographical context, design concepts and phased development plan. Another is to introduce the unique and innovative design approaches by Field Operations that are different from a conventional landscape architectural attitude. Since this project was well published through many magazines and newspapers, main focus will be upon aspects that differentiate this project from usual landscape projects. Conceptually Lifescape brought provocative notions on nature/culture relationship and the role of urban park as an active agency rather than just a green rest area. Also this project introduced pioneering graphics like plan collage, diagrammatic plan, phasing diagram and photo montage as vehicles conveying information, imagination and provocation. Witnessing the influence of the project gradually in the field of academic and practice in the States, this study is intended to become a constructive reference to similar landscape projects dealing with large and complex urban context in conjunction with restructure of contemporary city.

Application of Stable Isotopes in Studies of Gas Exchange Processes Between Biosphere and the Atmosphere (생태계와 대기 간의 가스 교환 메카니즘 규명을 위한 안정동위원소의 응용)

  • Han, Gwang-Hyun;Chung, Doug-Young
    • Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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    • v.43 no.2
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    • pp.242-251
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    • 2010
  • In comparison with other terrestrial ecosystems, rice paddies are unique because they provide the primary food source for over 50% of the world's population, and act as major sources of global methane. The present paper summerizes a long-term field study that combine carbon isotopes, and canopy-scale flux measurements in an irrigated rice paddy, in conjugation with continuous monitoring of environmental, and vegetational factors. Both $CO_2$, and methane fluxes were largely influenced by soil temperature, and moisture conditions, especially across drainage events. Soil-entrapped $CO_2$, and methane showed a gradually increasing trend throughout growing season, but rapidly decreased upon flood water drainage. These variations in flux were well correlated with changes in concentration, and isotope ratio of soil $CO_2$, and methane, and of atmospheric $CO_2$, and methane within, and above the canopy. The isotopic signature of the gas exchange process varied markedly in response to change in contribution of soil respiration, belowground storage, fraction of $CO_2$ recycled, magnitude, and direction of $CO_2$ exchange, transport mechanism, and fraction of methane oxidized. Our results clearly demonstrate that stable isotope analysis can be a useful tool to study underlying mechanisms of gas exchange processes under natural conditions.

Evaluation of Soil Organic Carbon of Upland Soil According to Fertilization and Agricultural Management Using DNDC Model (DNDC 모형을 이용한 시비와 영농관리에 따른 밭포장의 토양유기탄소 변동 평가)

  • Lee, Kyoungsook;Yoon, Kwangsik;Choi, Dongho;Jung, Jaewoon;Choi, Woojung;Lim, Sangsun
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.24 no.1
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    • pp.1-15
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    • 2015
  • To mitigate the impacts of climate change on agricultural ecosystems, development of agricultural management for enhanced soil carbon sequestration is required. In this study, the effects of fertilizer types (chemical fertilizer and manure compost), cropping systems, and crop residue management on SOC(Soil Organic Carbon) sequestration were investigated. Summer corn and winter barley were cultivated on experimental plots under natural rainfall conditions for two years with chemical fertilizer and manure compost. Soil samples were collected conducted and analyzed for SOC for soil. To estimate long-term variation patterns of SOC, DNDC was run with the experimental data and the weather input parameters from 1981 to 2010. DNDC simulation demonstrated SOC reduction by chemical fertilizer treatment unless plant residues are returned; whereas compost treatments increased SOC under the same conditions and SOC increment was proportional to compost application rate. In addition, SOC further increased under corn-barley cropping system over single corn cropping due to more compost application. Regardless of nutrient input type, residue return increased SOC; however, the magnitude of SOC increase by residue return was lower than by compost application.

Review and application of environmental DNA (eDNA) investigation of terrestrial species in urban ecosystem (도시 내 육상 생물종 모니터링을 위한 환경DNA 리뷰 및 적용)

  • Kim, Whee-Moon;Kim, Seoung-Yeal;Park, Il-Su;Lee, Hyun-Jung;Kim, Kyeong-Tae;Kim, Young;Kim, Hye-Joung;Kwak, Min-Ho;Lim, Tae-Yang;Park, Chan;Song, Won-Kyong
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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    • v.23 no.2
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    • pp.69-89
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    • 2020
  • Scientific trust and quantification of traditional species investigation and results that have been used in ecology for decades has always been a problem and concern for ecologists. Global ecologists have proposed DNA-based species investigation studies to find answers to problems. In this study, we reviewed the global trend of research on environmental DNA(eDNA), which is a method for monitoring species by detecting DNA of organisms naturally mixed in environmental samples such as water, soil, and feces. The first eDNA research confirmed the possibility of species investigation at the molecular level, and commercialization of NGS(Next Generation Sequencing) and DNA metabarcoding elicits efficient and quantitative species investigation results, and eDNA research is increasing in the filed of ecology. In this study, mammals and birds were detected using MiMammal universal primers from 23 samples(3 natural reserves; 20 water bowls) out of 4 patches to verify eDNA for urban ecosystems in Suwon, and eDNA was verified by performing camera trapping and field survey. Most terrestrial species were detected through eDNA, and particularly, mice(Mus musculus), and Vinous-throated Parrotbill (Sinosuthora webbiana) were identified only with eDNA, It has been confirmed to be highly effective by investigating techniques for small and internal species. However, due to the lack of resolution of the primer, weasels(Mustela sibirica) and squirrels(Melanochromis auratus) were not detected, and it was confirmed that the traditional investigation method was effective only for a few species, such as Mogera robusta(Mogera robusta). Therefore, it is judged that the effects of species investigation can be maximized only when eDNA is combined with traditional field survey and Camera trapping to complement each other.

How to Reflect Sustainable Development in Overseas Investment including Equator Principles (해외투자(海外投資)와 지속가능발전 원칙 - 적도원칙(赤道原則)(Equator Principles)을 중심으로 -)

  • Park, Whon-Il
    • 한국무역상무학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 2006.06a
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    • pp.45-72
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    • 2006
  • The Equator Principles are a set of voluntary environmental and social guidelines for ethical project finance. These principles commit banks and other signatories to not finance projects that fail to meet these guidelines. The principles were conceived in 2002 on an initiative of the International Finance Corporation and launched in 2003. Since then, dozens of major banks have adopted the Principles, and with these banks among them accounting for more than three quarters of all project loan market volume the Principles have become the de facto standard for all banks and investors on how to deal with potential social and environmental effects of projects to be financed. While regarding the Principles an important initiative, NGOs have criticised the Principles for not producing real changes in financing activities and for allowing projects to go through that should have been screened out by the Principles, such as the Sakhalin-II oil and gas project in Russia. In early 2006, a process of revision of the principles was begun. The Equator Principles state that endorsing banks will only provide loans directly to projects under the following circumstances: - The risk of the project is categorized in accordance with internal guidelines based upon the environmental and social screening criteria of the International Finance Corporation (IFC). - For all medium or high risk projects (Category A and B projects), sponsors complete an Environmental Assessment, the preparation of which must meet certain requirements and satisfactorily address key environmental and social issues. - The Environmental Assessment report addresses baseline environmental and social conditions, requirements under host country laws and regulations, applicable international treaties and agreements, sustainable development and use of renewable natural resources, protection of human health, cultural properties, and biodiversity, including endangered species and sensitive ecosystems, use of dangerous substances, major hazards, occupational health and safety, fire prevention and life safety, socio-economic impacts, land acquisition and land use, involuntary resettlement, impacts on indigenous peoples and communities, cumulative impacts of existing projects, the proposed project, and anticipated future projects, participation of affected parties in the design, review and implementation of the project, consideration of feasible environmentally and socially preferable alternatives, efficient production, delivery and use of energy, pollution prevention and waste minimization, pollution controls (liquid effluents and air emissions) and solid and chemical waste management. - Based on the Environmental Assessment, Equator banks then make agreements with their clients on how they mitigate, monitor and manage those risks through an 'Environmental Management Plan'. Compliance with the plan is required in the covenant. If the borrower doesn't comply with the agreed terms, the bank will take corrective action, which if unsuccessful, could ultimately result in the bank canceling the loan and demanding immediate repayment. - For risky projects, the borrower consults with stakeholders (NGO's and project affected groups) and provides them with information on the risks of the project. - If necessary, an expert is consulted. The Principles only apply to projects over 50 million US dollars, which, according to the Equator Principles website, represent 97% of the total market. In early 2006, the financial institutions behind the Principles launched stakeholder consultations and negotiations aimed at revising the principles. The draft revised principles were met with criticism from NGO stakeholders, who in a joint position paper argued that the draft fails by ignoring the most serious critiques of the principles: a lack of consistent and rigorous implementation.

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Biotope Mapping and Evaluation in Gangseo-Gu of Busan Metropolitan City (부산광역시 강서구의 비오톱 지도작성 및 평가)

  • Choi, Song-Hyun
    • Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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    • v.11 no.3
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    • pp.92-106
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    • 2008
  • The purpose of this study is to identify land use types and to develop and evaluate biotope maps for Gangseo-Gu (ward) in Busan Metropolitan City, South Korea, using the Degree of Hemeroby. Hemeroby is a measurement concept or tool to assess the magnitude of human impact on ecosystems. Gangseo-Gu is the second largest Gu in Busan and is under strong development pressure. Before the field survey, biotopes were pre-classified based on digital maps, aerial photos and high-resolution satellite images. The method employed in biotope survey and mapping was adopted from the modified method used in Seoul, which carried out the first biotope mapping in Korea in 2000. In the field survey, a comprehensive biotope mapping method was used. The results showed that the total surface area of biotopes in Gangseo-gu was $172,620,207m^2$(42,655 acres) and there were 29 biotope types with 13,631 polygons. The ratio of urban or built-up area 22.6% and the remaining areas were forest and open spaces, of which 22.6% were actual forest areas and 35.6% were paddy fields and other field areas. The Hemeroby Index of Gangseo-gu was 54.7, which suggests that Gangseo-gu has not yet been developed extensively and needs a long-term conservation and coordinated development plan.

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Expressed sequence tag analysis of Meretrix lusoria (Veneridae) in Korea (한국산 백합 (Meretrix lusoria) 의 전사체 분석)

  • Kang, Jung-Ha;Jeong, Ji Eun;Kim, Bong Seok;An, Chel-Min;Kang, Hyun-Sook;Kang, Se-Won;Hwang, Hee Ju;Han, Yeon Soo;Chae, Sung-Hwa;Ko, Hyun-Sook;Lee, Jun-Sang;Lee, Yong Seok
    • The Korean Journal of Malacology
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    • v.28 no.4
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    • pp.377-384
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    • 2012
  • The importance of biological resources has been gradually increasing, and mollusks have been utilized as main fishery resources in terrestrial ecosystems. But little is known about genomic and transcriptional analysis in mollusks. This is the first report on the transcriptomic profile of Meretrix lusoria. In this study, we constructed cDNA library and determined 542 of distinct EST sequences composed of 284 singletons and 95 contigs. At first, we identified 180 of EST sequences that have significant hits on protein sequences of the exclusive Mollusks database through BLASTX program and 343 of EST sequences that have significant hits on NCBI NR database. We also found that 211 of putative sequences through local BLAST (blastx, E < e-10) search against KOG database were classified into 16 functional categories. Some kinds of immune response related genes encoding allograft inflammatory factor 1 (AIF-1), B-cell translocation gene 1 (BTG1), C-type lectin A, thioester-containing protein and 26S proteasome regulatory complex were identified. To determine phylogenetic relationship, we identified partial sequences of four genes (COX1, COX2, 12S rRNA and NADH dehydrogenase) that significantly matched with the mitochondrial genomes of 3 species-Ml (Meretrix lusoria), Mp (Meretrix petechialis) and Mm (Meretrix meretrix). As a result, we found that there was a little bit of a difference between sequences of Korean isolates and other known isolates. This study will be useful to develop breeding technology and might also be helpful to establish a classification system.

The Methodology for Environmental Risk Assessments of Non-target Organisms (Insects) on LM Rice (LM벼에 영향을 받는 비표적 생물체(곤충)에 대한 환경위해성 평가 (ERA) 방법)

  • Yi, Hoonbok;Kim, Hyun-jung;Na, Sumi
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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    • v.30 no.4
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    • pp.712-723
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    • 2016
  • This paper is to suggest the methods about the environmental risk assessment (ERA) based on non-target insect species for LM rice crop produced by biotechnology. We used some data by the picture dictionary of agricultural pests in Korea, some books for ERA or rice pest ecology, articles about rice ecology, and internet sites and many specialists gave us good advice for this ERA system. We found about 140 insect species using rice crop as their habitat and we discriminated herbivores into Sap feeder, Grain feeder, Defoliator, and Pollen feeder according to their food functional group. We also clarified the potential damage possibility of insect species from LM rice crop. Then, we ranked 10 non-target insect species (Baliothrips biformis, Laodelphax striatellus, Nilaparvata lugens, Mythimna separata, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, Cletus schmidti Kiritshenko, Scotinophara lurida, Nilaparvata bakeri, Oxya chinensis, Agromyza oryzae) with giving some scores using Geographic distribution, Habitat specialization, Prevalence on crop, Abundance. We showed some environmental risk hypotheses about herbivore, predator, and parasitoid, and infered the impacts of non-target species on LM rice crop. Conclusively, we want to serve this methodology to build the biosafety system from biotechnology crops, and the methodology is to keep public health, sustain the biodiversity, and conserve the natural ecosystems.

Evaluation of Ammonia Emission Following Application Techniques of Pig Manure Compost in Upland Soil (밭 토양에서 돈분 퇴비 시용방법에 따른 암모니아 휘산량 평가)

  • Yun, Hong-Bae;Lee, Youn;Lee, Sang-Min;Kim, Suk-Chul;Lee, Yong-Bok
    • Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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    • v.28 no.1
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    • pp.15-19
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    • 2009
  • Ammonia in atmosphere has a negative effect on the natural ecosystems, such as soil acidification and eutrophication, by wet and dry deposition. Livestock manure, compost, and fertilizer applications to arable land have been recognised as a major source of atmospheric ammonia emissions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of compost application techniques in reducing ammonia loss in upland soil. The reductions in ammonia emission were 70 and 15% for immediate rotary after application (IRA) and rotary at 3 day after application (RA-3d) in comparison with surface application (SA). Total ammonia emissions for 13 days, expressed as % ammonia-N applied with compost, were 42, 35.7, and 12.7% for SA, RA-3d, and IRA treatments, respectively. The ammonia emission rate fell rapidly 6 h after application and 61 % of total ammonia emission occurred within the first 24 h following surface application. The lime application along with compost significantly enhanced the total ammonia emission. Total ammonia emission for 22 days were 40.1, 31.4, and 27.7 kg/ha for immediate incorporation in soil after lime and compost application, lime incorporation in soil following 3 days after compost surface application, and compost incorporation in soil following 3 days after lime surface application, respectively. Therefore, lime and livestock manure compost application at the same time was not recommended for abatement of ammonia emission in upland soil.