• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.13-24
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• 1997

In Korea, granite is abundant and occupies around two-thirds of the country's ground. Bven though weathered granite residual soils are widely distributed, undisturbed sampling of this soil is extremely difficult because of the particultate structure. This difficulty has kept away the researchers from investigating !he deformational characteristics of weathered granite residual soil. Thus, a special undisturbed sampling device was developed and undisturbed samples were prepared for triaxial compression (TX), resonant column(RC), and torsional shear (75) tests. Local deformation transducer (LDT) was fabricated for internal strain measurements during TX tests. Both undisturbed samples and statically compacted samples of same density were tested by using TX with LDT, RC, and 75 test equipments. The behaviour of statically compacted specimens was almost the same as that of undisturbed samples in the strain ranges below 1 percent. The stiffness and strength decreased with increasing degree of weathering. In case of undisturbed specimens, strains at failure are widely varied from 2 percent to 11 percent, and planes of failure are irrelevant to the angle of internal friction due to the inhomogeneous nature.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.90 no.6
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• pp.788-791
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• 2001

An improved double-cylinder hammer-driven sampling device was designed to extract undisturbed soil cores. The improvements consist of 1) separation of hammer from the driving head, 2) a split inside cylinder, and 3) a plastic sample holder. Pushing the sampler deep into the soil before hammering would result in less compression of the sample. Core samples should be taken in soils of medium moisture content. The improved soil core sampler provides sufficiently accurate volumetric soil samples with original soil layers and soil cores of 40cm in length and 5cm in diameter.

• Journal of information and communication convergence engineering
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2022

Fertilizers have long been used to increase crop yields; however, farmers are still having difficulties in managing fertilizers for growing crops as well as economic problems. The conventional method of soil sampling and laboratory analysis to determine soil pH is time consuming and costly; therefore, a portable pH sensor is developed to characterize spatial or temporal variability within fields via rapid and dense data acquisition. The portable pH sensor comprises an electrode unit, a portable console, and a USB connector. The soil water content (SWC) and electrical conductivity (EC) affect the electrical resistance of soil. An artificial test soil is performed to evaluate the effect of SWC and EC on soil pH. The test results show that stable pH measurements are achieved at SWCs greater than 20 mL (16.3%). Regardless of the SWC, the electric potential difference (EPD) remains at 2.5 g of NaCl. As the EC increases in the soil samples, the EPD increases.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.106 no.2
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• pp.204-212
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• 2017

Soil disturbance caused by timber harvesting is widely recognized as a potential threat to forest utilization. The degree and extent of soil disturbance is believed to vary with respect to harvesting methods and logging machines. This study has conducted to assess the degree of soil disturbance associated with ground-based cut-to-length (GC) and cable yarding with whole tree (CW) harvesting methods. Soil disturbance was classified using a visual assessment of harvest unit. The properties of soils in different disturbance levels were also evaluated to understand the influence of timber harvesting on soil structure with soil core sampling method. The deep disturbance and soil compaction were observed in sites by 48% and 23% through harvesting areas for GC and CW logging methods, respectively. The results showed that logging machine and number of machine passage had significant influences on soil bulk density and porosity. Soil disturbance types such as rutted, slash cover, and compact were influenced by equipment travel trends in a GC method.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.70-73
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• 2003

Nitrate contamination in the aquatic systems is the primary indicator of poor agricultural management. The influence of sewage sludge application rates (0, 10, 25, 50 and 100 dry Mg/ha) on distribution of nitrate originating from the sewage sludge in soil profiles was investigated. Soil profile monitoring of nitrate was carried out with a Lakeland clay soil in 1997. Irrespectively of the sewage sludge application rates up to 50 dry Mg/ha, the concentration of $NO_3$-N at the 120 cm depth was below 10 mg/kg and the difference due to the amount of sewage sludge application was negligible at this depth. There was virtually no $NO_3$-N below 120 cm depth and this was confirmed by a deep sampling up to 300 cm depth. Most of the nitrate remained in the surface 60 cm of the soil. Below 120 cm depth nitrate concentration was very low because of the denitrification even at high sewage sludge rate of 100 dry Mg/ha. The $NO_3$-N concentrations in the soil fluctuated over the growing season due to plant uptake and denitrification. The risk of groundwater contamination by nitrate from sewage sludge application up to high rate of 100 dry Mg/ha was very low in a wheat grown clay soil with high water table ( < 3 m).

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.51-60
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• 2019

The major purpose of this study is to construct an in-situ soil moisture verification network employing Frequency Domain Reflectometry (FDR) sensors for Cosmic-ray soil moisture observation system operation as well as long-term field-scale soil moisture monitoring. The test bed of Cosmic-ray and FDR verification network system was established at the Sulma Catchment, in connection with the existing instrumentations for integrated data provision of various hydrologic variables. This test bed includes one Cosmic-ray Neutron Probe (CRNP) and ten FDR stations with four different measurement depths (10 cm, 20 cm, 30 cm, and 40 cm) at each station, and has been operating since July 2018. Furthermore, to assess the reliability of the in-situ verification network, the volumetric water content data measured by FDR sensors were compared to those calculated through the core sampling method. The evaluation results of FDR sensors- measured soil moisture against sampling method during the study period indicated a reasonable agreement, with average values of $bias=-0.03m^3/m^3$ and RMSE $0.03m^3/m^3$, revealing that this FDR network is adequate to provide long-term reliable field-scale soil moisture monitoring at Sulmacheon basin. In addition, soil moisture time series observed at all FDR stations during the study period generally respond well to the rainfall events; and at some locations, the characteristics of rainfall water intercepted by canopy were also identified. The Temporal Stability Analysis (TSA) was performed for all FDR stations located within the CRNP footprint at each measurement depth to determine the representative locations for field-average soil moisture at different soil profiles of the verification network. The TSA results showed that superior performances were obtained at FDR 5 for 10 cm depth, FDR 8 for 20 cm depth, FDR2 for 30 cm depth, and FDR1 for 40 cm depth, respectively; demonstrating that those aforementioned stations can be regarded as temporal stable locations to represent field mean soil moisture measurements at their corresponding measurement depths. Although the limit on study duration has been presented, the analysis results of this study can provide useful knowledge on soil moisture variability and stability at the test bed, as well as supporting the utilization of the Cosmic-ray observation system for long-term field-scale soil moisture monitoring.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.69-78
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• 1976

There have been increasing reports of mycobacterioses in man and animals caused by "atypical" or "opportunist" mycobacteria. At the presnt, "opportunist mycobacterioses" are not generally responsive to antituberculosis drugs, and therefore, create considerable problems with regard to chemotherapy and control measures. In recent years studies have been made to isolate opportunist mycobacteria from soil, house-dusts and tap-water. It seemed quite interesting to define the extent of circumstantial presence of "opportunist" mycobacteria and nocardia in the soils of school-ground of primary schools and middle-high schools. This communication is the results of pilot study to isolate and identify "opportunist" mycobacteria and nocardia from 504 soil specimens of 72 schools in Seoul City. 1. Of a total of 59 isolates from 504 soil specimens tested, 32 strains were identified as opportunist mycobacteria and 27 strains as nocardia. 2. Isolation rates of opportunist mycobacteria by the areas(of specimen collection) were as follows: 36.4% in the southern area of Han-River, 33.3% in the central area, 22.7% in the outskirt area and 16.6% in the intermediate area. There observed no apparent difference in the isolation rates both-between the areas and between primary schools and middle-high schools. However, a significant difference was noted in the isolation rates between the places of soil sampling in a given school(P<0.05), i.e., the highest was the soil of refuge heaps(15.2%), and tap-water pole area(11.1%), the school-lavatory entrance(9.7%), the school gate entrance(5.5%), and iron-bar play ground(2.7%). The soil specimens from the center of school ground and from school building entrance yielded none of mycobacterial isolates. 3. Isolation rates of nocardia by the areas were as follows: 33.3% in the central area, 31.8% in the outskirt area, 27.3% in the southern ares of Han-River and 11.1% in the intermediate area. As in the case of mycobacteral isolates, there observed no apparent differences in the isolation rates both between the areas and between primary schools and middle-high schools, but a significant difference was noted between the places of soil sampling(P<0.05), i.e., the highest was the soil of school building entrance(15.2%), and of school gate entrance(6.9%), refuge heaps(5.5,%), iron-bar play ground(4.1%), the school-lavatory entrance(2.7%) and tap-water pole area(2.7%), respectively. The soil specimens from the center of, school ground yielded none of nocardia isolates. 4. Of the 32 strains of isolated mycobacteria. 15 strains were slow-growing mycobacteria and the remaining 17 strains belonged to the rapid growers. Of the 15 slow-growers. 4 strains were M. scrofulaceum-szulgai complex, 3 M. gordonae, 4 M. terrae-triviale complex, 2 M. avium-intracellulare-xenopi complex, and 2 unclassified schotochromogens. Of the 17 strains of rapid growers, 12 were M. diernhoferi, 2 M. fortuitum-peregrinum complex, 2 M. vaccae and one M. flavescens. 5. Of the 27 strains of nocardia isolated, 11 strains were N. transvalensis, 5 N. convoluta, 5 N. erythropolis, one N. vaccinii, one N. polychromogens-paraffinae complex and 4 untypable strains of orange-pigmented nocardia spp.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.233-239
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• 2017

Objectives: The pollution status of heavy metals within the soil was investigated with an aim to establishing a sustainable soil environment within parks and amusement facilities installed in urban areas of Gyeonggi-do Province. Methods: As sampling sites, 14 locations were selected from a city with a number of factories near a residential area, a residential area, and a children's park in a city with mixed green areas. Seven kinds of heavy metals, including Cd, Pb, and Hg, and the pH of soil were analyzed three times by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS). Results: In this study, the pH of the samples from the residential park and industrial park showed 5.7-6.5 and 5.9-7.0, respectively. The overall mean concentration (mg/kg) of heavy metals was Zn (132.8), Ni (73.0), Cu (47.4), Pb (35.9), As (4.84), Cd (0.39), and Hg (0.07), indicating that these concentrations of heavy metals were lower than those for the area 1 standard of soil pollution concern criteria. In addition, the sampling sites in the residential area and the industrial area also showed the same tendency for concentration distribution. Conclusions: We found that the soil pollution class (SPC) of some spots were over 200, which are third and fourth classes. In order to manage a sustainable soil environment in a city park, it is suggested that local governments, the management bodies for these parks, need to manage, supervise, and investigate soil pollution and quickly replace contaminated soil.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.529-540
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• 2003

A closed chamber system was used for measuring $N_2$0 fluxes from an agriculturally managed upland soil in Kunsan during the growing season from May to July 2002. It is known that soil is one dominant source of atmospheric $N_2$O, contributing to about 57% (9 Tg y $^{-1}$ ) of the total annual global emission. Hence, its increasing emissions and concentrations are largely associated with agricultural activities. In order to elucidate characteristics of soil nitrogen emissions from intensively managed agricultural soils and to understand the roles of soil parameters (soil moisture, soil pH, soil temperature, and soil nitrogen) in the gas emission, $N_2$O soil emissions were measured at every hour during the experimental period (21 days). Soil $N_2$O fluxes were calculated based on changes of $N_2$O concentrations measured inside a closed chamber at every hour. The analysis of $N_2$O was made by using a Gas Chromatography (equipped with Electron Capture Detector). Soil parameters at sampling plots were also analyzed. Monthly averaged $N_2$O fluxes during May, June, and July were 0.14, 0.05, and 0.13 mg-$N_2$O m$^{-2}$ h$^{-1}$ , respectively. Soil temperature and soil pH did not significantly vary over the experimental period; soil temperatures ranged from 12∼$25^{\circ}C$, and soil pH ranged 4.56∼4.75. However, soil moisture varied significantly from 32% to 56% in WFPS. Relationships between soil parameters and $N_2$O fluxes exhibited positive linear relationships. Strong positive correlation ($R^2$ = 0.57, P< 0.0001) was found between $N_2$O flux and sil moisture. It suggests that soil moisture has affected strongly soil $N_2$O emissions during the experimental periods, while other parameters have remained relatively at constant levels. $N_2$O flux from agricultural soils was significant and should be taken account for the national emission inventory.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.439-443
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• 2006

Soil properties of Quercus variabilis forest on Youngha valley at Mt. Worak National Park were studied as a part of Korea National Long-Term Ecological Research. Soil sampling was carried out along the 50 cm soil depth with 10cm intervals at every quarter from May 2005 through July 2006. Fresh soil was used for $NH_4{^+}-N,\;NO_3{^-}-N$, and soil water content determination. Remaining soils were air dried in the shade, and then used for determination of soil pH, T-N, T-P and exchangeable cation. Average soil organic matter in top soil was $8.5{\pm}1.2%$ and decreased with soil depth. Bulk density of top soil was $0.82{\pm}0.07g/cm^3 $and increased with soil depth. Soil organic matter and bulk density showed a negative linear correlation ($R^2=0.8464$). Soil pH in top soil and subsoil was similar. T-N, $NH_4{^+}-N,\;NO_3{^-}-N$ and T-P in top soil were $1.9{\pm}0.5mg/g,\;7.3{\pm}1.0mg/kg,\;2.0{\pm}0.4mg/kg\;and\;0.2{\pm}0.05mg/g$, respectively. $K^+,\;Ca^{2+}\;and\;Mg^{2+}$ in top soil were $84.6{\pm}24.4,\;408.8{\pm}137.8\;and\;93.4{\pm}23.0mg/kg$, respectively. They decreased with soil depth. Amounts of organic matter, T-N, $NH_4{^+}-N,\;NO_3{^-}-N$, T-P, $K^+,\;Ca^{2+}\;and\;Mg^{2+}$ in 50 cm soil depth were 250.9, 3.45, 0.025, 0.003, 0.639, 0.181, 0.845 and 0.302 ton $ha^{-1}\;50cm-depth^{-1}$, respectively.