• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.537-549
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to provide data for the basic research to found the effective conservation and management plan for the Hamyangsangrim designated as Natural Monument No. 154 and surround areas by analyzing the ecological characteristics such as landuse and actual vegetation, plant community structure, soil chemical property and also to identify the tendency of the ecosystem changes through comparison with past studies. According to analysis the results, the landuse and actual vegetation of survey site was classified as 8 types which were forest, artificial greenspace, plaza and open-space, bare ground and the pavement, water bodies, facilities, agricultural land and etc.. It was also categorized as 38 types according to detailed characteristic. 15 kinds of forest vegetation community types comprising silva were classified among them. The changes of actual vegetation showed little variation that the Quercus serrata-Carpinus tschonoskii forest was the most widely distributed in 2003(forest area ratio is 48.3%) and 2010(forest area ratio is 48.1%), whereas, the Quercus serrata forest declined a more dramatic from 11.6% to 23.2%. The Quercus serrata-Carpinus tschonoskii forest increased sharply(11.6% ${\rightarrow}$ 23.2%) and also the Quercus serrata-Zelkova serrata forest increased steadily(2.2% ${\rightarrow}$ 7.9%). The agricultural land around forest was transformed into artificial green zone. Moreover, water bodies, bare ground and the pavement of areas have increased. In addition, the urbanized area has decreased because the damaged areas inside forest have been restored to the woodlands. According to the result of typical 6 types vegetation communities change, the middle layer trees grew up to the canopy layer trees and was formed the canopy layer structure. The middle layer trees expanded their forces widely. Also new species appeared. And the shrub individuals also more dramatically increased due to the growth of shrubs. The force of Quercus serrata declined as well. However the force of Carpinus tschonoskii and Zelkova serrata expanded and increased in the forest. It must be the result of the ecological vegetation succession and environmentally soundly health recovery by influence of the projects of forest surrounding environment improvement and limitation of access to forest have managed and maintained since 2003. Those sorts of changes seems to be going to develop continuously. In the future Carpinus tschonoskii and Zelkova serrata will not be only codominant in the canopy layer but also Carpinus Tschonoskii, Zelkova serrata, Meliosma myriantha, Sapium japonicum. Styrax obassia and Acer pseudo-sieboldianum will be codominant in the middle layer. As a result, the forest's codominance species are going to be changed such like that.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.62-74
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• 2015

Urban areas are variously under threat including deterioration of ecological functions. Many pond wetland types have been created as part of an effort to improve and restore this urban environment. This study was arranged to examine improvement plans of wetlands in urban areas by analyzing semi-natural wetlands in farm areas. As for environment for water quality, it suggested the inflow of natural water neighboring rivers or the direct inflow of rain as the improvement plans. The result which analyzed soil pH, OM, and T-N content of the soil environment mentioned that urban areas supplied artificial sluices, removed apoptotic bodies, and used artificial soil and waterproofing materials and use of natural materials in design and construction, the sluice state of the natural form, and negligence of autumn plants were suggested as the improvement plans. Florae appeared in the subject sites of the study have found that there are 35 families 69 species in urban areas and 53 families 142 species in rural areas. As the average has found that there are 18.5 families 29.3 species in 4 urban areas and 26.3 families 53.5 species in 4 rural areas, the big difference between them was analyzed. As the cause has found that there are differences in yearly plants in farming areas when compared to urban areas, creation of various basic environments including soil and water quality was suggested to make yearly plants settle down widely. Naturalized plants have found that there are no big differences between urban areas and rural areas. However, the average of the naturalized ratio in urban areas is 17.4% as the naturalized plants are about 1/4 of the appeared plants. As it was analyzed to be higher than 7.7%, the average of the naturalized ratio in farming areas as the big difference, creation of various inhabiting environments was suggested to make more yearly plants appear like the analyzed result of the life type. Consideration of placement, materials, and inhabiting environments was suggested to make creation of wetlands well appreciated to improve functions of wetlands in urban areas. It is expected that the above results of the study will be utilized in creation and improvement of the pond wetlands which can play a huge role in increase and improvement of biological diversity in urban areas.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.295-303
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• 2011

BACKGROUND: Anaerobic digestion process is recently adapted technology for treatment of organic waste such as animal manure because the energy embedded in the waste can be recovered from the waste while the organic waste were digested. Ever increased demand for consumption of meat resulted in the excessive use of antimicrobials to the livestocks for more food production. Most antimicrobials administered to animals are excreted through urine and feces, which might highly affect the biological treatment processes of the animal manure. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of antimicrobials on the efficiency of anaerobic digestion process and to clarify the interactions between antimicrobials and anaerobes. METHODS AND RESULTS: The experiment was consisted of two parts 1) batch test to investigate the effects of individual antibiotic compounds on production of methane and VFAs(volatile fatty acids), and removal efficiency of organic matter, and 2) the continuous reactor test to elucidate the effects of mixed antimicrobials on the whole anaerobic digestion process. The batch test showed no inhibitions in the rate of methane and VFAs production, and the rate of organic removal were observed with treatment at 1~10 mg/L of antimicrobials while temporary inhibition was observed at 50 mg/L treatment. In contrast, treatment of 100 mg/L antimicrobials resulted in continuous decreased in the rate of methane production and organic removal efficiency. The continuous reactor test conduced to see the influence of the mixed antimicrobials showed only small declines in the methane production and organic matter removal when 1~10 mg/L of combined antimicrobials were applied but this was not significant. In contrast, with the treatment of 50 mg/L of combined antimicrobials, the rate of organic removal efficiency in effluent decreased by 2~15% and the rate of biogas production decreased by 30%. CONCLUSION(s): The antimicrobials remained in the animal manure might not be removed during the anaerobic digestion process and hence, is likely to be released to the natural ecosystem. Therefore, the efforts to decline the usage of antimicrobials for animal farming would be highly recommended.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.258-266
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• 2023

This study analyzed methodologies for estimating carbon stocks of perennial woody crops and the research cases in overseas countries. As a result, we found that Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, and Japan are using the stock-difference method, while Austria, Denmark, and Germany are estimating the change in the carbon stock based on the gain-loss method. In some overseas countries, the researches were conducted on estimating the carbon stock change using image data as tier 3 phase beyond the research developing country-specific factors as tier 2 phase. In South Korea, convergence studies as the third stage were conducted in forestry field, but advanced research in the agricultural field is at the beginning stage. Based on these results, we suggest directions for the following four future researches: 1) securing national-specific factors related to emissions and removals in the agricultural field through the development of allometric equation and carbon conversion factors for perennial woody crops to improve the completeness of emission and removals statistics, 2) implementing policy studies on the cultivation area calculation refinement with fruit tree-biomass-based maturity, 3) developing a more advanced estimation technique for perennial woody crops in the agricultural sector using allometric equation and remote sensing techniques based on the agricultural and forestry satellite scheduled to be launched in 2025, and to establish a matrix and monitoring system for perennial woody crop cultivation areas in the agricultural sector, Lastly, 4) estimating soil carbon stocks change, which is currently estimated by treating all agricultural areas as one, by sub-land classification to implement a dynamic carbon cycle model. This study suggests a detailed guideline and advanced methods of carbon stock change calculation for perennial woody crops, which supports 2050 Carbon Neutral Strategy of Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs and activate related research in agricultural sector.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.386-393
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• 2016

Agricultural ecosystem is recognized as a space for providing a variety of services, in addition to the food production that it originally encompassed, such as water purification, biological habitat, air purification, soil conservation, and landscape development. The construction of greenhouses in agricultural landscapes can cause deterioration of ecosystem services because of the increase of impermeable area and loss of biological habitats. This study aimed to compare insect diversity between different types of constructed greenhouses and paddy ecosystems. The target study area was selected by considering the distribution status of horticultural complexes and was classified as Single Vinyl Greenhouse, Multi Vinyl Greenhouse or Glass Greenhouse and they were compared with four paddies. The study locations were in Gu-Mi, Bu-Yeo, Ginje and Jin-Ju. A total of 2,333 individual insects belonging to 9 orders, 38 families, 76 genus, and 80 species were collected. The composition of orders was Hemiptera (22.37%), Coleoptera (18.42%), Hymenoptera (14.47%), Orthoptera (11.84%), and Diptera (10.53%). The average number of collected species were in the order Paddy (39.38 species) > Single Vinyl Greenhouse (35.50 species) > Multi Vinyl Greenhouse (22.50 species) > Glass Greenhouse (24.00 species). The Diversity Index (H') was Paddy (4.76) > Single Vinyl Greenhouse (4.57) > Multi Vinyl Greenhouse (4.12), and Glass Greenhouse (4.12). The Richness Index (RI) was Paddy (7.72) and Single Vinyl Greenhouse (7.03) > Multi Vinyl Greenhouse (4.99) and Glass Greenhouse (5.32). From our results, it can be seen that the biological diversity features of insects decreased when greenhouses are constructed.However, Single Vinyl Greenhouse is noted to promote insect diversity more than that by Multi Vinyl Greenhouse and Glass Greenhouse. Hence, when constructing greenhouses, it is necessary to consider insect habitat to conserve insect diversity.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.161-172
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• 2018

A mixed farming system that includes organic rice production and freshwater fish farming is being called into attention in Korean agricultural industry and rural areas in order to improve farm management and environmental conservation. This study was conducted to evaluate the environmental and ecological value of such mixed farming practices. Expert assessment and rapid assessment method (RAM) of wetland evaluation were employed for this study. Experts have responded that biodiversity conservation including amphibian and reptile habitat (2.39), aquatic insect habitat (2.36), Fishery habitat (2.34), vegetation diversity (2.13), avian habitat (2.05), and experience and education were the most important function of mixed farming. The wetland function evaluation conducted using modified RAM indicated that rice-fish mixed system showed improvements in most of the evaluated functions, compared to the conventional rice paddies. The overall wetland function of rice paddies in rice-fish mixed system was greatly improved as compared with the conventional rice paddies. Rice paddies are known to play an important role in biodiversity maintenance, and provide ecosystem services such as climate modulation and carbon reduction. Rice-fish mixed system of farming may not only improve various ecosystem services of rice paddies, but may increase farm income through value added fish farming, as well as promotion of social services such as education and maintenance of tradition. Additional research is needed for quantitative analysis of the values gained from the most improved wetland function when mixed farming system is actually put into practice, and to utilize the results in advertising of the organic rice, and in various sectors such as food, education and direct payment policy.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.167-175
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• 2014

This study was conducted to quantify a carbon budget of major vegetation types established in the campus of the National Institute of Ecology (NIE). Carbon budget was measured for Pinus thunbergii and Castanea crenata stands as the existing vegetation. Net Primary Productivity (NPP) was determined by applying allometric method and soil respiration was measured by EGM-4. Heterotrophic respiration was calculated as 55% of total respiration based on the existing results. Net Ecosystem Production (NEP) was determined by the difference between NPP and heterotrophic respiration (HR). NPPs of P. thunbergii and C. crenata stands were shown in $4.9ton\;C\;ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$ and $5.3ton\;C\;ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$, respectively. Heterotrophic respirations of P. thunbergii and C. crenata stands were shown in $2.4ton\;C\;ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$ and $3.5ton\;C\;ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$, respectively. NEPs of P. thunbergii and C. crenata stands were shown in $2.5ton\;C\;ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$ and $1.8ton\;C\;ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$, respectively. Carbon absorption capacity for the whole set of vegetation types established in the NIE was estimated by applying NEP indices obtained from current study and extrapolating NEP indices from existing studies. The value was shown in $147.6ton\;C\;ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$ and it was calculated as $541.2ton\;CO_2ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$ converted into $CO_2$. This function corresponds to 62% of carbon emission from energy that NIE uses for operation of various facilities including the glass domes known in Ecorium. This carbon offset capacity corresponds to about five times of them of the whole national territory of Korea and the representative rural area, Seocheongun. Considered the fact that ongoing climate change was originated from imbalance of carbon budget at the global level, it is expected that evaluation on carbon budget in the spatial dimension reflected land use pattern could provide us baseline information being required to solve fundamentally climate change problem.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.545-552
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• 2009

This study was conducted to provide basic information for development of habitat-based conservation strategies of biological diversity in agricultural ecosystem. The carabid beetle assemblages were examined at four kinds of habitats(levee, dike, forest patch remnants and streamside) from three differently stressed areas located in Paltan-myun, Hwaseong city, Korea: agricultural and forest area(site 1), industrial area(site 2), and residential area(site 3). Pitfall trap samplings were carried out 39 times from November 2000 to November 2002. Our study's findings were that the composition of carabid beetle fauna, dominance species, and pattern of carabid beetle assemblage were different among the habitats. The similarity index was highest between two levees in site 2 and 3, and lowest between hillock in site 2 and streamside in site 3, and that among habitats fragmented by road with high traffic was lower than that among any other habitat types. So, we could know that agricultural land use respectively do an important role in diversity conservation and networking. These findings will be used to establish the land use and management plans in the aspects of conservation of biodiversity.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.151-155
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• 2018

In this study, cinnamon essential oil (CEO) was formulated as emulsifiable concentrate (EC) and a granule. For the evaluation of their negative effects on the ecosystem, acute toxicities against Cyprinus carpio was determined in a static condition. The formulations were made using CEOs extracted by 3 different methods (steam distillation (SD), solvent extraction and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE)) and were tested to obtain $LC_{50}$ values. Among the ECs, EC including CEO extracted by SFE showed highest acute toxicity against C. carpio. Among the granules, a granule including CEO extracted by SD showed highest acute toxicity against C. carpio. Nevertheless, $LC_{50}$ of EC and a granule formulation with CEOs was higher than toxicity level III of pesticide standardized by Korea rural development administration. These results were similar to those using zebrafishes. Chronic toxicities were not found for 45 days in zebrafishes until $500{\mu}gL^{-1}$ level of EC formulation including CEO obtained by the SD. Based on these results, EC formulation of CEOs may be considered to be used as environmental-friendly natural insecticides in accordance with the standards.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.249-258
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• 2006

Impacts of global warming have been identified in many areas including natural ecosystem. A good number of studies based on climate models forecasting future climate have been conducted in many countries worldwide. Due to its global coverage, GCM, which is a most frequently used climate model, has limits to apply to Korea with such a narrower and complicated terrain. Therefore, it is necessary to perform a study impact assessment of climate changes with a climate model fully reflecting characteristics of Korean climate. In this respect, this study was designed to compare and analyze the GCM and RCM in order to determine a suitable climate model for Korea. In this study, spatial scope was Korea for 10 years from 1981 to 1990. As a research method, current climate was estimated on the basis of the data obtained from observation at the GHCN. Future climate was forecast using 4 GCMs furnished by the IPCC among SRES A2 Scenario as well as the RCM received from the NIES of Japan. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted for the purpose of comparing data obtained from observation with GCM and RCM. As a result of this study, average annual temperature of Korea between 1981 and 1990 was found to be around $12.03^{\circ}C$, with average daily rainfall being 2.72mm. Under the GCM, average annual temperature was between 10.22 and $16.86^{\circ}C$, with average daily rainfall between 2.13 and 3.35mm. Average annual temperature in the RCM was identified $12.56^{\circ}C$, with average daily rainfall of 5.01mm. In the comparison of the data obtained from observation with GCM and RCM, RCMs of both temperature and rainfall were found to well reflect characteristics of Korea's climate. This study is important mainly in that as a preliminary study to examine impact of climate changes such as global warming it chose appropriate climate model for our country. These results of the study showed that future climate produced under similar conditions with actual ones may be applied for various areas in many ways.