• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.59-70
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• 2011

The surface sediment distribution in a tidal flat in 2001 was compared with that of 2008 using high spatial resolution remote sensing images and a GIS-based analysis. Maps of the surface sedimentary facies for each time frame were induced by an IKONOS data acquired in February, 2001 and a KOMPSAT-2 data acquired in April, 2008 using an object-based classification method. The area ratio of each surface sedimentary facies were estimated, and the results were compared each other for deducing the change in the sedimentary facies during the time interval. The result showed that the percentage of grains larger than very fine sand (0.0625 mm) has increased considerably since the early 2000s in the Hwangdo tidal flat. Mud flat facies has decreased 5.81 % in the late 2000s compared with the early 2000s. However, mixed flat and sand flat have increased 4.46% and 2.14%, respectively. A field campaign also supported the result. This study showed that the monitoring of changes in the surface sedimentary facies in the tidal flat is possible through a GIS-based analysis using high spatial resolution remote sensing images.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.215-224
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• 2006

Spatial variation of heavy metal accumulation was investigated in Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum collected from several tidal flats. Sediment metal levels varied highly among the sites, which was attributed primarily to differences in Fe and organic carbon contents and in part to gain size. Significant differences in metal concentrations also were found in the clam tissue among the different sampling sites. However, except for a few metals (Mn, Zn, Pb), which showed some elevation, the variations in the clam tissue were not related to the variations in the sediment. This is likely because most metals in filter-feeding herbivores such as R. philippinarum accumulated as a result of feeding on suspended particles such as phytoplankton and organic detritus in the water column, not in bottom sediment. In addition, tissue weight for a specific shell size varied significantly among the sites, and increased tissue mass indicating a good nutritive condition likely caused a subsequent dilution of body metals leading to reduced weight-specific concentrations of some metals (Cd, Zn, Cu, Co).

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.575-581
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• 2007

Suaeda japonica is the one of halophyte species which is widely spread in the Ganghwado tidal flat. Halophyte affects to the vertical development of wetland by enhancing the adhesion force of sediments. If demineralization of tidal flat proceeds, the colony of halophyte moves to the seaside where has relatively high salinity content. The change of halophyte zonation can be an environmental indicator to understand the landization of tidal flat. To interpret the spectral characteristics of halophyte, we measured the reflectance of suaeda japonica, reed and sediment around Donggumdo tidal flat in Ganghwado. First and second-derivation analysis was applied to these transformed spectra in order to identify which spectral ranges were distinguished with different coastal wetland vegetation and artificial structures. From the result, red reflectance peak of suaeda japonica were appeared at 600-650nm and greed reflectance peak of reed were appeared at 500-570nm. Spectra of sediments were continuously increased from 350-550nm without any absorption by chlorophyll. These reflectance were easily identified among the spectra of halophyte.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.1014-1025
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• 2014

We measured the concentrations of various geochemical parameters [grain size, ignition loss (IL), chemical oxygen demand (COD), acid volatile sulfide (AVS), and trace metals (Fe, Cu, Cd, Pb, Cr, Mn, As, Zn, and Hg)] in the surface sediments of two intertidal oyster Crassostrea gigas farming areas (Iwon and Mongsan tidal flats) on the Taean Peninsula, Korea, to evaluate the pollution level of organic matter and trace metals in sediment. The intertidal sediments in the study region comprise mostly sand with a mean grain size of 2.5-3.5 Ø. The concentrations of IL, COD, AVS, and trace metals in the sediment of two study regions were either similar or lower in oyster farming areas relative to non-farming areas, apparently due to biological uptake or physical and biological sediment reworking. Based on the results for the pollution evaluation of organic matter and trace metals derived from sediment quality guidelines, enrichment factor, and geoaccumulation index, our results suggest that the sediment in these two intertidal oyster farming regions is not polluted by organic matter and trace metals.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.521-535
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• 2011

This study intended to explain the relationship between climate change and magnetic susceptibility of estuarine sediment. Data of OSL dating and magnetic susceptibility from estuarine tidal sediment were compared with various climate change data. During the last Holocene, the intense of magnetic susceptibility related with weaker Siberian High and stronger Asian Summer Monsoon. It is explained that high precipitation and runoff made much fluvial sediment input to the estuary. From the early to mid Holocene, there is no clear relationship between climate change and MS because of the much coastal sediment input caused by rapid sea level rise and the formation of upland soil and coastal marsh. These results contribute to reconstruct paleo-environmental changes of west coast of Korea, in the way of using benefit of ubiquitous estuarine tidal flats and relatively useful magnetic susceptibility methodoloy.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.191-197
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• 2020

Species belonging to the genus Tryblionella are important members of the diatom assemblages of benthic environments such as tidal flats. Their proper identification is thus of great importance in terms of taxonomy, ecology, as well as environmental sciences. However, many species of the genus have been neglected and/or misidentified during diatom studies of Korean tidal flats possibly due to the small size of the species. Lack of proper references for the identification of the species is also noted. To better understand the diversity of Tryblionella species, sediment samples were taken from various tidal flats of the Yellow Sea. Light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations have shown the presence of Tryblionella adducta and T. hyalina, which have not been previously reported from Korean tidal flats. The former was found mostly from sand flats and the latter from mudflats. It is expected that the present study would contribute to a better understanding of the diversity and ecology of benthic diatoms of the Korean tidal flats.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.117-132
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• 2004

Despite its significance in understanding ecological structure and biogeochemical element cycles, there have been few studies on the microbial mineralization of organic matter and mineralization pathway in the intertidal flat of Korea. We measured anaerobic mineralization of organic matter and sulfate reduction rate, and evaluated the significance of sulfate reduction in total anaerobic carbon respiration at the southern part of Ganghwa Island. Depth-integrated carbon mineralization rate down to 6 cm depth ranged from 41.9 to $89.4mmol\;m^{-2}d^{-1}$, which accounted for approximately 216 tons of organic matter mineralization in entire intertidal flat area of Ganghwa($300km^2$). The results indicated that capacity for the organic matter mineralization in the Ganghwa tidal flat is comparable to highly productive salt marsh environments. Mineralization rates in the sediment amended with acetate were 2~5 times higher than in unamended sediment. The results implied that microbial mineralization was limited by the availability of organic substrates, and the organic matter mineralization capacity seems to be higher than estimated at ambient organic substrate level. Depth-integrated sulfate reduction rates within 6 cm depth of the sediment ranged from 20.7 to $45.1mmol\;SO{_4}^{2-}m^{-2}d^{-1}$, and sulfate reduction was mostly responsible for organic matter remineralization. It should be noticed that the increase of $H_2S$ in the sulfate reduction dominated tidal flat may result in the decrease of biological diversity.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.84-94
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• 2019

The Seocheon and Yubu Island mudflats in Geum Estuary are important stopover sites for migratory birds as energy supplementation area in the East Asia-Australasian Flyway. Benthic invertebrates in the tidal flats are important food resources for the migratory birds. In other words, benthic invertebrates in the tidal flats play an important ecological role in energy flow. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between benthic invertebrate assemblages and environmental factors in Seocheon and Yubudo tidal flats in the Geum Estuary. As a result of the benthic invertebrate assemblage during the fall migration season, the total species number was 147, density and biomass were $1,772{\pm}1,342individuals/m^2$ and $445.1{\pm}807.6g/m^2$, respectively. Based on the appearance species and the density data, the result of analysis of mutual similarity among sampling sites was divided into two groups. Group A was the Macrophthalmus-Heteromastus community and Group B was the Spio-Urothoe-Mandibulophoxus community. Group B showed higher mean species number, density and biomass than Group A. The BIO-ENV analysis showed that the benthic invertebrate assemblages were most affected by the combination of sand content % and sediment sorting (${\rho}=0.500$). The variables of significant relationship with species number and biomass were sediment sorting (p=0.015) and the pore water DO(Dissolved Oxygen, p=0.003) in sediment, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.593-607
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• 2015

This study examined the Holocene environmental changes by OSL dating and magnetic susceptibility (MS) in 12 sediment cores from estuarine tidal flat, Mosan Bay Estuary, west coast of Korea. For the complexity of the geomorphic characteristics of estuaries, it is difficult to obtain a series of data. The following significant results were derived using relatively simple methods. First, MS data shows sensitive changes in pattern according to the precipitation change during mid to late Holocene. Second, MS data show periodicity of 250 yr. when they were wavelet transformed. This periodicity is related with the intensifying of solar intensity, the East Asian Summer Monsoon and ENSO. Thus, MS data from estuarine sediments are valuable data which can explain mechanism of climate change in East Asia and worthy as proxy data.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.772-784
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• 2011

We measured grain size, organic matter, and metallic elements (Fe, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Mn, Hg, and As) in intertidal sediments collected from six islands in the western part of Jellanam Province in order to evaluate heavy metal contamination in the tidal flat sediments of coastal islands. The evaluation of metal contamination was carried out using geochemical assessment techniques such as sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), enrichment factor (EF), and geoaccumulation index ($I_{geo}$). Surface sediments were classified into four sedimentary facies: sand, gravelly muddy sand, slightly gravelly mud, and silt. The concentrations of heavy metals in intertidal sediments from Jaeun, Amtae, Biguem, and Docho islands showed good positive correlations with mean grain size and ignition loss, indicating that the concentrations of metallic elements in these sediments were dependent on grain size and the organic matter content. The concentrations of heavy metals in sediments from almost all of the stations were lower than two criterion values proposed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States. Based on the EF and $I_{geo}$ results, surface sediments were a little polluted for Cr and were moderately polluted for As. Our results suggest that more intensive studies are necessary in the future in order to determine the major source of As in intertidal sediment and to evaluate the As pollution level in macrobenthos.