• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.96-105
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• 2010

This study identified the dynamic process of sandbar and vegetation distribution of the sandbar on the Tan-cheon River. The study area is located in the lower reaches of the Tan-cheon River that has been managed as an Ecosystem Reserve Area since 2002. For the study, the geomorphological process was analyzed through mapping analysis using a satellite image followed by analysis of the vegetation distribution through an on-site survey. The major findings were as follows : First, In the fluvial geomorphic process, various kinds of sandbars were developed in 1990s, the morphologic characteristics changing continuously. Second, In the distribution of vegetation on the sandbar, the sandbar shore was covered with bare sand substrate or intermittent annual vegetation because of the periodic fluctuation of the water-level due to intensive disturbances. Third, In the relationship between the sandbar formation and vegetation, four types of sandbars were classified: channel-shore stable bar, channel-shore unstable bar, mid-channel stable bar and mid-channel unstable bar, according to the fluvial disturbance & vegetation process. The study verifies that the vegetation distribution is reciprocally related to the geomorphological process. Accordingly, it is meaningful in the selection of plant species and the planting area of the sand bar. However, it is limited to the planting guidelines on river restoration projects. More diverse on-site experimental studies should be conducted.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.1 s.102
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• pp.74-82
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• 2003

This study was carried out to understand how the bird community would change in a stream ecosystem after implementation of close-to-nature river improvement techniques conducted on the Gwacheon, Seocho and Hakyeul reaches in the Yangiae Stream, 'Seoul. At the Gwacheon reach, the number of species and individuals tended to decline. However, at the Seocho reach, the number of species was increased while the number of individuals appeared to be not changed greatly. Especially, density of Dabbling Ducks were rapidly increased. At the Hakyeul reach was both the number of species and the number of individuals were increased. Density of Herons and Dabbling Ducks rose, while density of Wagtails was decreased suddenly. Except the Gwacheon reach, the survey areas were gradually improved in species richness and density after the construction of river improvement. We suggested that the naturally-formed meandering (channel) bar, restoration of riparian vegetation and artificial ponds were helpful for birds habitation, however bicycle path constructed in flood plain was negative.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.651-680
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• 2015

In order to investigate vertical plant distribution on Namdeogyu of Mt. Deogyu National Park by temperature change, vascular plants of nine areas with 100-meter-high difference were surveyed from the Deogsangyo (650m alt.) to the Namdeogyusan (1,507m alt.). A total of 455 taxa belonging to 99 families, 280 genera, 402 species, 5 subspecies, 43 varieties, 4 forms and 1hybrid were vegetated on survey areas. Around 700 m high did species diversity of vascular plants decrease rapidly. The Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) divided distribution of vascular plants into five groups; areas below 700m alt., 700~1,100m alt., 1,100~1,300m alt., and areas above 1,300m alt.. These results showed that vegetation of vascular plants on investigated areas has high correlation with climate elements of temperature. Vascular plants should be crowded within their own optimal ranges of vegetation. Climate change would result in shift of these distribution ranges, and thus vegetation shift will be happened accordingly.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.267-276
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• 2019

The Gonggeomji Reservoir is a historical irrigation facility built in the 8th century and designated as a wetland protected area by Ministry of Environment, Korea. In order to collect the baseline data necessary for developing a sustainable conservation strategy, we investigated the classification of actual vegetation, the vegetation distribution and the floristic structure of the vegetation in the Gonggeomji Wetland Protection Area. In the whole protection area, a total of 26 plant communities were classified including the wetland, riparian, grassland, forest, farmland, and orchard vegetation. According to the results of detrended correspondence analysis, the structure of wetland vegetation was mainly affected by water depth and human disturbance. In reservoir wetlands, floating vegetation such as Utricularia vulgaris var. japonica, Trapa japonica, and emergent vegetation such as Nelumbo nucifera, Typha spp. completely covered the water surface. Since 2014, the reservoir wetland has been terrestrialized with the expansion of emergent and hygrophytic plants. For the sustainable conservation and restoration of wetland protected areas, it is necessary to naturalize the topography and wetland vegetation, recovery the hydrologic system, and restore ecosystem connectivity from wetlands to forests.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 2005

The black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) forests were studied by a phytosociological approach. Particular attention was given to characterize the vegetation classification, distribution pattern, and ecological flora of the syntaxa classified. A total of 38 releves were analyzed by using Correlation coefficient, UPGMA as the clustering method, and Principal Coordinates Analysis for ordination. Ecological flora analyzed by plant character sets such as scrambler, annual and biennial plants, forest elements, and actual urbanization index. The analyzed data are based on site-releve matrix with relative net contribution degree (r-NCD) of species. A total of 77 families, 193 genera and 323 species of vascular plants are recorded. Camellino-Robinietum pseudoacaciae ass. nov. and Phragmites-Robinia pseudoacacia community were described. Main cluster and ordination could be separated: 1) urban type, 2) rural type, 3) riparian type, and 4) combined type. It is defined that the Robinietum is a representative unit on the black locust afforestation, Phragmites-Robinia community on the lentic zone in the river ecosystem, and Cameliino-Robinietum ailanthetosum altissimae as an urban forest type. The Robinietum was considered as a perpetual community.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.143-150
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• 2019

Although inconspicuous marsh birds are an indicator of marsh health, there is little understanding of their status and population trends due to their behavioral characteristics and lack of reliable survey methods in Korea. We applied the Standardized North American Marsh Bird Monitoring Protocols(SNAMBMP) already validated in North America for effective survey of the marsh birds. We selected 29 sites with emergent marshes, rice fields and riparian forests in Seocheon-gun, Buyeo-gun and Gunsan-si. We conducted the survey with a combination of passive 5 minute point-count and vocal survey method (30 seconds call-broadcasting+30 seconds silence) that was targeted eight species 2~7 times/site from March to July 2017. Four species, Brown-cheeked Rail(Rallus indicus), Ruddy-breasted Crake (Porzana fusca), Watercock (Gallicrex cinerea) and Greater Painted-snipe (Rostatula benghalensis), were detected at one site respectively (naïve occupancy rate=0.035). Vocal survey method with conspecific call-broadcasting provided better on Brown-cheeked Rail and Watercock than the others. We suggest a combination of passive point-count and vocal survey method like SNAMBMP to monitor inconspicuous marsh birds at nationwide scale and collection of sound files through recording of the entire process during the survey.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.31-39
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• 2023

NNbF is a newly emerging approach to reduce flood risk in coastal and fluvial areas using natural features or engineered nature-based features with the expectation of co-benefits of provisional, regulating, and socio-cultural services provided by the ecosystem. NNbF is not quite different from existing, related terms based on nature, such as NbS, Eco-DRR, NI, GI, EwN, and BwN, for all these terms include expectation of benefits for human societies by directly utilizing or mimicking nature's ecological functions. If we focus on the comprehensiveness of each term's subject and object, we can say that NbS > NNbF > (Eco-DRR, NI/GI). Among the 18 measures introduced in the NNbF International Guideline in the river and floodplain management category, it was found that measures of wash lands and floodplain restoration, including levee setback/removal and side-channel restoration, seemed to be the most applicable to rivers in Korea. These selected measures could be more effective when river managers purchase riparian lands along river courses by relevant laws for river water-quality protection.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.140-150
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• 2023

The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is an apex predator of the riparian ecosystem. It is a keystone and an indicator species; consequently, its presence suggests a sustainable water environment. Otter is a keystone species as a predator at the top of the food web in the aquatic environment and an indicator species representing the health of the aquatic environment. Although Eurasian otters disappeared from the Han River urban water system because of anthropogenic activities like habitat destruction, poaching, and environmental pollution in the 1980s, the species were sighted in the Cheonggye Stream, Jungrang Stream, and Seongnae Stream, which are urban sections of the Han River, in 2016 and 2021. Therefore, it is pertinent to assess the habitat potential in the area for conservation and management measures to ensure its permanent presence. However, existing studies on otter habitats focused on natural rivers and reservoirs, and there is a limit to applying them to habitats artificially confined habitats in narrow spaces such as tributaries in urban areas of the Han River. This study selected the Cheonggye Stream, an artificially restored urban stream, to evaluate its potential as a habitat for Eurasian otters in urban water environments using the habitat suitability index (HSI). The HSI was calculated with selected environment attributes, such as the cover, food, and threat, that best describe the L. lutra habitat. According to the results, the confluence area of Seongbuk Stream and Cheonggye Stream and the confluence area of Cheonggye Stream and Jungnang Stream were suitable otter habitats, requiring appropriate conservation efforts. The HSI model suggests a valuable method to assess the habitat quality of Eurasian otters in urban water environments. The study is crucial as it can help rehabilitate the species' populations by identifying and managing potential Eurasian otter habitats in highly urbanized areas of the Han River basin and its tributaries.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.339-347
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• 2023

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a key component in the biogeochemical cycling in freshwater ecosystem. However, it has been rarely explored, particularly complex river watershed dominated by natural and anthropogenic sources, such as various effluent facility and livestock. The current research developed a new analytical method for TOC/TN (Total Organic Carbon/Total Nitrogen) stable isotope ratio, and distinguish DOM source using stable isotope value (δ¹³C-DOC) and spectroscopic indices (fluorescence index [FI] and biological index [BIX]). The TOC/TN-IR/MS analytical system was optimized and precision and accuracy were secured using two international standards (IAEA-600 Caffein, IAEA-CH-6 Sucrose). As a result of controlling the instrumental conditions to enable TOC stable isotope analysis even in low-concentration environmental samples (<1 mgC L^-1), the minimum detection limit was improved. The 12 potential DOM source were collected from watershed, which includes top-soils, groundwater, plant group (fallen leaves, riparian plants, suspended algae) and effluent group (pig and cow livestock, agricultural land, urban, industry facility, swine facility and wastewater treatment facilities). As a result of comparing characteristics between 12 sources using spectroscopic indices and δ¹³C-DOC values, it were divided into four groups according to their characteristics as a respective DOM sources. The current study established the TOC/TN stable isotope analyses system for the first time in Korea, and found that spectroscopic indices and δ¹³C-DOC are very useful tool to trace the origin of organic matter in the aquatic environments through library database.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.21-37
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• 2010

The abiotic factors and the vegetation naturalness of the 13 tributary wetlands around Namgang-River were assessed to investigate the present state and to present the conservation counter plan for the wetland ecosystem of the tributaries. Assessment indices for the abiotic factors were estimated based on the dominant land use types of the riparian zone, ecological function of the upper levee, levee slope structure, artificiality and utilization intensity of the waterfront, artificiality of the revetment structure, diversity of the substrate, and severance of the transverse. The assessment index of Omi-cheon is the highest among 13 tributaries. The second was Banseong-cheon and third was Hyangyang-cheon, followed by Nabul-cheon and Yeongcheon-gang and Sugok-cheon, Jungchon- cheon, and Daegok-cheon in their order and Munsan-cheon got the lowest assessment index. Assessment indices for the vegetation naturalness were estimated based on the vegetation diversity, exotic species dominance, annual herb dominance, naturalness and peculiarity of the vegetation, and species diversity. The assessment index of Omi-cheon is the highest among 13 tributaries. The second was Sugok-cheon and third was Banseong-cheon, followed by Yeongcheon-gang, Jungchon- cheon, Jinae-cheon, Nabul-cheon, and Jisu-cheon in their order, and Yonga-cheon got the lowest assessment index. The grades of the stream naturalness were estimated based on the the naturalness indices for the abiotic factors and the vegetation naturalness. The grades of Omi-cheon is the highest among 13 tributaries as the grade I. Those of Banseong-cheon, Sugok-cheon, Yeongcheon-gang, Nabul-cheon and Jungchon-cheon, Hyangyang-cheon, Jinae-cheon, Jisu-cheon, Daegok-cheone, and Munsan-cheon and Doksan-cheon were grade II in their order, and Yonga-cheon got the lowest as the grade III. It was suggested that restoration of the simple and flat substrate, create the natural vegetation on the levee slope constructed with concrete or stone wall, and rehabilitation of the eco-bridge were demanded to improve the grades of the stream naturalness through the restoration of the tributaries for the diverse aquatic wildlife, high vegetation diversity and species diversity with the vegetation consisted of perennial herbs and trees.