• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.81-90
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• 2011

One of the most important habitats of Waterbirds in the west coast of Korea is Saemangeum and its mudflat, located within the estuary of the Dongji and Mankyung River. This study was conducted to clarify the community characteristics of wintering waterbirds in Saemangeum from November 2008 to February 2009. Waterbirds and Raptor are 69 species and 409,044 individuals by the sum of peak counts were recorded. We classified the wintering waterbirds into 14 groups of taxa based on the similar ecological attributes. The dominant species were Baikal Teal Anas formosa, Mallard Anas platyrhynchos, Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons, Greater Scaup Aythya marila. Greater White-fronted Goose was significantly positive correlated with survey period. Baikal Teal, Greater White-fronted Goose, Bean Goose, Greater Scaup, Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna were increased when compared with last report but Mallard, Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha, Dunlin Calidris alpina were no difference.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.191-197
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• 2020

The purpose of this was to examine the differences of large whopper swan (Cygnus cygnus) in wintering habitat preference among bridge sections of the lower Nakdong River of the Nakdong River Estuary, the largest whopper swan's wintering habitat in Korea. This species is designated and protected as Natural Monument in Korea. The survey was conducted in six time-series during the 2018~2019 wintering season, and it found up to 500 whopper swans were wintering in the lower Nakdong River. For the survey, a seven sections were set up based on the bridges across the river. Whopper swans were rarely observed in five narrow sections where the distance between bridges was less than 2 km. The stable population of the whopper swan was observed only in two broader sections where the distance between bridges was is over 4 km. As these sections were relatively little affected by artificial interference, the distance from the mouth of the Nakdong River was not a factor. Securing a stable space is considered as one of the most important factors for wintering of whopper swans, which are an endangered species. The survey results indicate that the distance between bridges should be at least 4 km to secure the whopper swan's stable habitat. These results are expected to be a reference to the development or restoration of the river ecosystems, especially bridge construction.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.285-291
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• 2018

The impact of climate change on animals has been globally documented. Especially, migration of birds has been extensively monitored as migratory birds are susceptible to any changes occurring both on breeding grounds and on wintering grounds. However, in contrast to spring migration, the patterns and the factors for autumn migration have not been well documented. In this study, we investigated the relationship with climate condition and the first arrival dates (FADs) of bean geese (Anser fabalis) and white-fronted geese (A. albifrons), the representative group of wintering birds in South Korea, using the data collected by Korean Meteorological Association during 1995-2016. Average temperature of September in wintering grounds has increased, and the FADs of the geese have advanced over the 22 years. Even when the influence of autumn temperature was statistically controlled for, the FADs of the geese have significantly advanced. This suggests that warming has hastened the completion of breeding, which speeded up the arrival of the geese at the wintering grounds. In order to assess the effect of climate condition on the arrival of the wintering migratory birds such as the geese in more detail, extensive data collection over many sampling sites and with long-term monitoring is needed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Environment and Ecology Conference
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• 2007.10a
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• pp.61-69
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• 2007

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Environment and Ecology Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.118-119
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• 2008

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Environment and Ecology Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.113-115
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• 2008

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Environment and Ecology Conference
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.34-37
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• 2008

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.176-187
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• 2015

In this study, we hypothesized that the size of wintering crane population would change due to the climate factors. We assumed that wintering population size would differ by climate values in January, which is the coldest period in year. Especially, White-naped cranes were able to choose wintering site between Cheorwon and other alternative place where snow coverage had low influence, differing from Red crowned cranes. For this reason, we predicted the population size of White-naped cranes would fluctuate according to the extent of snow coverage in Cheorwon. Therefore we used snow coverage data based on MODIS and climate data from KMA (Korea Meteorological Administration) that are generally used. We analyzed the crane's population size in Cheorwon in January from 2002 to 2014. The temperature in the Cheorwon increased from 2002 to wintering period in 2007~ 2008 and went down, showing the lowest temperature in 2011~ 2012. With this phenomenon, warmth index showed the similar pattern with temperature. Amount of newly accumulated snow (the amount of snow that fallen from 0:01 am to 11:29 pm in a day) was low after 2002, but rapidly increased in 2010~ 2011 and 2011~ 2012. The area of snow coverage rapidly declined from 2002 to 2005~ 2006 but suddenly expanded in wintering period in 2009~ 2010 and 2010~ 2011. Wintering population size of the White-naped cranes decreased as snow coverage area increased in January and the highest correlation was found between them, compared to the other climatic factors. However, the number of individuals of Red crowned cranes had little relationship with general climate factors including snow cover range. Therefore it seems that population size of the Red crowned crane varied by factors related with habitat selection such as secure roosting site and area of foraging place, not by climatic factors. In multiple regression analysis, wintering population of White-naped cranes showed significant relationship with logarithmic value of snow cover range and its period. Therefore, it suggests that the population size of the White-naped crane was affected by snow cover range n wintering period and this was because it was hard for them to find out rice grains which are their main food items, buried in snow cover. The population size variation in White-naped cranes was caused by some individuals which left Cheorwon for Izumi where snow cover had little influence on them. The wintering population in Izumi and Cheorwon had negative correlation, implying they were mutually related.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.211-216
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to examine distribution and abundance of wintering raptors in Korea during 2000-2007 which is a rare data set for covering large landscape areas. Total 6,643 raptors of 16 species were recorded at 94 different points in west, south and east coasts, and rivers of inland areas all over Korea. During the study period, the most abundant raptors were black vulture (Aegypius monachus, 62.3%), common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus, 11.0%) and common buzzard (Buteo buteo, 10.0%), and these 3 birds were dominant species in inland areas and also considered as resident species except for black vulture. Also, there was a difference among 5 different habitat types. Black vultures were most found in estuaries whereas common buzzard and common kestrel could be found in coastal areas. Presumably raptors prefer reservoirs and estuaries probably due to lower human disturbance in these areas, and management efforts should be concentrated in inland areas for black vulture and coastal areas for common kestrel and common buzzard.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.77-80
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• 2001

We investigated the habitat use of cranes, and suggested the proper way to protect and manage the cranes in Cheolwon Basin, which is the most important wintering ground of cranes in Korea. Field surveys were conducted in the wintering seasons from Nov. 1994 to Feb. 1995, and from Nov. 1997 to Feb. 1998. The habitat loss and environmental changes by the road construction and agricultural field rearrangement might have affected the distribution of the cranes. The distribution of cranes seemed to be related with the density of rice grains remained in rice paddies.