Environmental changes caused by the abrupt climatic change are one of the important issues in the scientific community. In the East Sea, abrupt climatic shift, called Younger Dryas, is identified. The age of the Younger Dryas cold episode occurred at 11.2 ka. Overall, changes in circulation and bottom water conditions occurred during the Younger Dryas cold episode in the study area. Especially, climatic transition from meltwater spike to the Younger Dryas cold episode is characterized by significant shifts of oxygen isotope values, the coiling ratios of Neogloboquadrina pachyderma, and the planktonic foraminifers abundances. The impact of abrupt climate change on the ecosystem is very significant. In the East Sea, the calcium carbonate secreting organism(foraminifers) is replaced by silicon dioxide secreting organisms(diatom, radiolarian) after the abrupt and severe cold climatic event. Based on the Doctrine of Uniformitarianism, at least climate change for the next 100 years would be severely influence on the marine ecosystem.

It is generally well known that Quaternary is characteristic geologically in terms of glacial and interglacial repeats and their associated unconformity formation. This paper deals with the first finding of the characteristic and significant meaningful unconformity between Holocene and late Pleistocene, which implies submergence and emergence of the tidal sedimentary basin along the western coastal zone of Korea during interglacial stage(IOS-5e) and glacial time(IOS-2). The stratigraphy of intertidal deposits in the Haenam Bay, western coast of Korea shows two depositional sequence units (Unit I of Holocene and Unit II of late Pleistocene) bounded by an erosional surface of disconformity. The disconformity is related to the latest Pleistocene sea-level lowstands (probably during the LGM). The Unit II is interpreted as intertidal deposit showing tidal sedimentary structures and crab burrow ichnology and has two parts (the upper part and the lower part) showing different lithology and character. The upper part of Unit II shows characteristic subaerial exposure features (emergence) and its related lithology. Such subaerially exposed upper part (more or less 4m to 5m in thickness) is characterized by yellow-brownish sediment color, cryoturbat-ed structure, crab burrow ichnofacies and high value of shear strength. Geochemical and clay mineral analyses of the upper part sediments also indicate subaerial exposure and weathering. In particular, very high value of magnetic susceptibility of the upper part in comparison to that of the lower part is interpreted as pedogenetic weathering during the subaerial exposure period.

In South Korea, marine terraces have been well developed along the eastern coastal zone, and previous researches on the marine terraces have also been focused on to this coastal zone. The marine terraces of the eastern coast of South Korea had been classified into three terrace groups, that is, the higher, middle, and lower surface ones, according to the heights of marine terraces by previous studies(Oh, 1981 ;Chang, 1987 ;Yoon et. al, 1999, 2003 ; Hwang and Yoon, 1996 etc.). Recently, however, it tends to classify the marine terraces based on the concept of geomorphic surface units(Lee, 1987 ; Kim, 1990 ; Choi, S. 2003; Choi S. et. al 2003a,b, etc). For example, it was proposed that the marine terrace surfaces of Eupcheon coast of the southeastern coastal area of Korea could be classified into 16 geomorphic surfaces, i.e., Eupcheon 1terrace(former shoreline height of 160m), 2(153m), 3(140m), 4(130m), 5(124m), 6(115m), 7(100m), 8(92m), 9(82m), 10(71m), 11(62m), 12(53m), 13(43m), 14(35m), 15(18m) and 16(10m) surfaces, in descending order, according to the former shoreline heights(Choi, S, 2003 ; Choi, S. et. al, 2003a,b). Among these terraces, Eupcheon 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7 surfaces had not been reported in previous works. Among the above mentioned marine terraces, Eupcheon 15 terrace, the most widely and continuously distributed marine terrace have been identified as marine terrace of the Last Interglacial culmination period(oxygen isotope stage 5e) which was based on amino acid dates(124∼125ka BP) and geomorphological features such as red soil, pollen analysis, fossil cryogenic structures and crossing terrace concept. Eupoheon 15 terrace surfaces have also been proposed as the key surface for the identification and correlation of the so-called '5e' marine terrace in the eastern coast of South Korea. This terrace was reconfirmed as the Last Interglacial culmination period, which was based on the identification of Ata tephra, one of the wide-spread marker tephra which indicates the Last Interglacial culmination period in Japan by Sasaki et. al(2002). It was thought that marine terraces of the eastern coast of South Korea had been formed by the steady-state uplifting during the Quaternary glacio-eustatic sea level changes(Choi, 1997). The uprift rate of 10cm/1,000years had been proposed in the eastern coast of South Korea based on the former shoreline altitude(18m) of the above Eupcheon 15 terrace. Therefore, it can be estimated that Eupcheon 1 terrace had been formed in the early Pleistocene from the above uprift rate. The OSL dating for the samples of Eupcheon 7, 9, 13, 15 and 16 terraces and identification of marker tephra in the terrace deposits are in progress. It is expected that more elaborate chronology on themarine terraces of the eastern coast of South Korea could be established by these absolute dates and marker-tephra.

In Korea terrestrial fluvial sequences can be used as pedological and sedimentological markers indicating a millenium-scale environmental and climatic changes imprinted in fluvial sub-environments, which in turn are represented by the cyclicity of fluvial sands, backswamp organic muds, and flooding muds intercalations of frostcracked or dessicated brown paleosols. Post LGM and Holocene fluvial and alluvial sedimentary sequences of Korea are formed in such landscapes of coastal, floodplain, backswamp and hillslope areas. Among them, the most outstanding depositional sequences are fluvial gravels, sands and organic mud deposits in coastal, fluvial, or alluvial wetlands. The aim of this study is to explain the sedimentary sequences and palynofloral zones since the last 15,000years, on the basis of organic muds layers intercalated in fluvial sand deposits. Jangheung-ri site of Nam river, Soro-ri site of Miho river, Youngsan rivermouth site in Muan, Oksan-ri site of Hampyeong and Sanggap-ri site of Gochang are illustrated to interpret their sedimentary facies, radiocarbon datings, and palynofloral zonation. Up to the Middle to Late Last Glacial(up to 30-35Ka), old river-bed, flooding, and backswamp sequences contain such arboreal pollens as Pinus, Abies, and Picea, and rich in non-arboreal pollens like Cyperaceae, Gramineae, Ranunculaceae, and Compositae. During the LGM and post-LGM periods until Younger Dryas, vegetation has changes from the sub-alpine conifer forest(up to about 17-11Ka), through the conifer and broad-leaved deciduous forest, or mixed forest (formed during 16,680-13,010yrB.P), to the deciduous and broad-leaved forest (older than 9,500yrB.P). In the Earliest Holocene flooding deposits, fragments of plant roots are abundant and subjected to intensive pedogenic processes. During Holocene, three arboreal pollen zones are identified in the ascending order of strata； Pinus-Colyus zone(mixed conifer and deciduous broad-leaved forest, about up to 10Ka), Alnus-Quercus forest (the cool temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest, about 10Ka-2Ka), and Pinus forest (the conifer forest, about after 2Ka), as examplified in Soro-ri site of Cheonwon county. The palynological zonations of Soro-ri, Oksan-ri, Sanggap-ri, Youngsan estuary, and Gimhae fluvial plain have been recognized as a provisional correlation tool, and zonations based on fluvial backswamp and flooding deposits shows a similar result with those of previous researchers.

Mongolia, a land-locked country in Central Asia, is located in the region of the highest degree of seasonal contrast on Earth. This paper presents sedimentologic and geomorphic data used to infer Holocene climate change in North-Central Mongolia. Correlation of data show that the climate was cold and dry before 10500 years BP. The post glacial warming occurred from 10500 to 8700 yr BP. The climate was characterized by becoming warmer and dry from 7300 to 6090 radiocarbon years. Between 6100 and 5500 years ago, conditions were hyper arid. Increased effective moisture balance but still arid conditions prevailed between 5500 and 3900 years ago. Since 3900 years ago, generally more humid conditions prevailed and originated varved sediment accumulation. Between about 2300 to 1300 years ago, greater than present day effective moisture balance. Since 1200 years ago climate was cooler and since 600 years ago becoming warmer.

This study is conducted to examine the data of climate or environmental change in the northeastern Asia during the last glacial maximum. A remarkable feature of the 18,000 BP biome reconstructions for China is the mid-latitude extention of steppe and desert biomes to the modem eastern coast. Terrestrial deposits of glacial maximum age from the northern part of Yellow Sea suggest that this region of the continental shelf was occupied by desert and steppe vegetation. And the shift from temperate forest to steppe and desert implies conditions very much drier than present in eastern Asia. Dry conditions might be explained by a strong winter monsoon and/or a weak summer monsoon. A very strong depression of winter temperatures at LGM. has in the center of continent has influenced in northeast Asia similarly. The vegetation of Hokkaido at LGM was subarctic thin forest distributed on the northern area of middle Honshu and cool and temperate mixed forest at southern area of middle Honshu in Japan. The vegetation landscape of mountain- and East coast region of Korea was composed of herbaceous plants with sparse arctic or subarctic trees. The climate of yellow sea surface and west region of Korea was much drier and temperate steppe landscape was extended broadly. It is supposed that a temperate desert appeared on the west coast area of Pyeongan-Do and Cheolla-Do of Korea. The reconstruction of year-round conditions much colder than today right across China, Korea and Japan is consistent with biome reconstruction at the LGM.

Pollen and spores as well as their morphological characteristics are biological stability materials in which contains historical information about vegetation and climate changes. As noted researcher Neishtadt in 1971, the lake and swamp deposits were developed only in Holocene period. The geological history of Darkhad depression which is situated in the Northern end of Mongolia from ancient time become under scientific interest of many researchers. Our investigation was focused on pollen analysis of lake sediment of Darkhad depression which caused bottom of paleolake. In Mongolia the palynology science is beginning to develop since 1990 and in 2000 the laboratory of palynology was established at the department of Biology, State Pedagogical University of Mongolia. Researchers from this laboratory working on pollen morphology of present flora in order to classify plants taxonomy. Another part of our investigation is mellitopalynology, which is studying of pollen grains in a honey. Although, this research has been extending by pollen analysis of sediment and lake deposits in past few years on the basis of high sensitive microscope and modem technology.

Climate of Mongolia is a driven force on natural conditions as well as socio-economic development of the country. Due to the precariousness of climate conditions and traditional economic structure, natural disasters, specially disasters of meteorological and hydrological origin, have substantial effect upon the natural resources and socio-economic sectors of Mongolia. Mongolia's climate is characterized by high variability of weather parameters, and high frequency and magnitude of extreme climate and weather events. During the last few decades, climate of the country is changing significantly under the global warning. The annual mean air temperature for the whole territory of the country has increased by $1.56^{\circ}C$ during the last 60 years,. The winter temperature has increased by $1.56^{\circ}C$. These changes in temperature are spatially variable: winter warming is more pronounced in the high mountains and wide valleys between the mountains, and less so in the steppe and Gobi regions. There is a slight trend of increased precipitation during the last 60 years. The average precipitation rate is increased during 1940-1998 by 6%. This trend is not seasonally consistent: while summer precipitation increased by 11 %, spring precipitation decreased by 17. The climate change studies in Mongolia show that climate change will have a significant impact on natural resources such as water resources, natural rangeland, land use, snow cover, permafrost as well as major economic activities of arable farming, livestock, and society (i.e. human health, living standards, etc.) of Mongolia. Therefore, in new century, sustainable development of the country is defined by mitigating and adaptation policies of climate change. The objective of the presentation is to contribute one's idea in the how to reflect the changes in climate system and weather extreme events in the country's sustainable development concept.

In the year 2000 we culminated a successful five year investigation of climate change by completing a preliminary east-west transect across Mongolia. An earlier tree-ring study at Tarvagatay Pass, Mongolia indicated unusual warming during the 20th century similar to other paleo-investigations of the northern hemisphere. This record had represented one of the few tree-ring records for central Asia. New data from several sites in western Mongolia confirmed the preliminary temperature. The highest twenty-year growth period for the composite record is from 1973-1994. The western Mongolian record was significantly correlated with the Taimyr Peninsula and two northern hemisphere temperature reconstructions reflecting large-scale temperature patterns while showing some important regional differences. These differences should prove useful for climate models. We have also developed a millennial length temperature-sensitive record at the Solongotyin Davaa site (formerly Tarvagatay Pass) using relict wood and living trees. Conspicuous features over the last 1000 years are a century scale temperature decline punctuated by the end of the Little Ice Age in the late-1800s and 20th century warming. The record also shows a cold period early in the 12th century and warm intervals late in the 10th, early in the 15th and at end of the 18th centuries. Despite a limited sample size before 900 AD, the long Solongotyin Davaa record is useful in indicating severe cold events and suggests some cold intervals nearly as severe. These tree ring series, spanning much of the circumpolar northern treeline, have been compiled to create a long-term reconstruction of the Earth's temperature over centuries. The new chronology, in addition to its value as a detailed record of Mongolian climate, provides independent corroboration for such hemispheric and global reconstructions and their indications of unusual warming during the 20th century.

Three tree-ring monsoon rainfall reconstructions from China and Korea have been used in this paper to investigate the variation of the East Asian summer monsoon over the past 160 years. Statistically, there is no linear correlation on a year-by-year basis between Chinese and Korean monsoon rainfall, but region-wide synchronous variation on decadal-scale was observed. Strong monsoon intervals (more rainfall) were 1860-1890, 1910-1925,1940-1960, and weak monsoon periods (dry or even drought) were 1890-1910, 1925-1940, 1960- present. Reconstructions also display that the East Asian summer monsoon suddenly changed from strong into weak around mid-1920, and the East Asian summer monsoon keeps going weak after 1960.

Permafrost study in Mongolia officially began in the end of 1950 years. At the first time our senior researchers concentrated on the regional characteristics of permafrost distribution and on the engineering geocryological problems. At present time we concentrate on permafrost mapping using the GIS, on permafrost monitoring based on the temperature measurement in boreholes, on permafrost phenomena monitoring in same permafrost regions and on engineering geocryological problems.

This study is conducted to examine the solar radiation features of landscape in Eastern Mongolia and their space and time distribution characteristics. To many foreigners, the name Mongolia conjures up images of the vast steppes of Central Asia. And, indeed, the extensive grasslands of the steppe make up the heart of Mongolia-geographically and economically. Steppe covers nearly the entire far eastern part of Mongolia, extending west in a narrowing band just south of the Khangai and Khan Khokhii mountains all the way to the Depression of the Great lakes. Eastern Mongolia is recognized as one of the last remaining untouched grassland steppes in the world. Landscape of Eastern Mongolia divided by 19 types that belongs to High Mountain, Middle Mountain and low mountain steppe. Only 5.6% of the total land area is covered by forest. Eastern Mongolian steppe is homeland of migratory rare and endangered birds and about 2.0million freely migrating gazelles. According to Mongolian scientists, there is growing evidence of fundamental changes in the Eastern steppe ecosystems in terms of increasing aridity during the last 70 years. As estimated average annual temperature has increased by approximately 0.7oC, soil moisture, energy supply has been changing. These processes closely interrelated into water and energy cycle of steppe ecosystem.

This study revealed the differences in runoff processes of granite drainage basins in Korea and Mongolia by hydrological measurements in the field. The experimental drainage basins are chosen in Korea (K-basin) and Mongolia (M-basin). Occurrence of intermittent flow in K-basin possibly implies that very quick discharge dominates. The very high runoff coefficient implies that most of effective rainfall quickly discharge by throughflow or pipeflow. The Hortonian overlandflow is thought to almost not occur because of high infiltration capacity originated by coarse grain sized soils of K- basin. Very little baseflow and high runoff coefficient also suggest that rainfall almost does not infiltrate into bedrocks in K-basin. Flood runoff coefficient in M-basin shows less than 1 %. This means that most of rainfall infiltrates or evaporates in M-basin. Runoff characteristics of constant and gradually increasing discharge imply that most of rainfall infiltrates into joint planes of bedrock and flow out from spring very slowly. The hydrograph peaks are sharp and their recession limbs steep. Very short time flood with less than 1-hour lag time in M-basin means that overland flow occurs only associating with rainfall intensity of more than 10 mm/hr. When peak lag time shows less than 1 hour for the size of drainage area of 1 to 10 km2, Hortonian overland flow causes peak discharge (Jones, 1997). The results of electric conductivity suggest that residence time in soils or weathered mantles of M-basin is longer than that of K-basin. Qucik discharge caused by throughflow and pipeflow occurs dominantly in K-basin, whereas baseflow more dominantly occur than quick discharge in M-basin. Quick discharge caused by Hortonian overlandflow only associating with rainfall intensity of more than 10 mm/hr in M-basin.

Since the experience of major landscape change during last half of the century due to war and rapid urbanization, the traditional character has been weakened, and it is necessary for a reconsideration to improve the landscape for the future. To review these relationships, the importance of a comprehensive understanding of nature has been suggested. Therefore identification of a new concept based on the 'socio-cultural influence of landscape' and 'sense of place' which are related to peoples' previous experience, is required. Furthermore more practical definitions and criteria to reveal the relationship are necessary. Among the terms suggested to describe sense of place such as 'home', 'place identity', 'place-based meaning' and 'settlement identity' etc., the 'home' is selected to represent our surrounding landscape. For more practical classification of home landscape, additional terms are suggested and defined based on both the relationships between human beings and nature, and between memory derived from previous experience and shared values with in the community. The additional terms which are the most important in the role of landscape character related to humans' are; ⅰ) Personal Landscape: Landscape of an individual human, which derives from previous personal experience; involves distinguishable character for a given person, and it is emotional and flexible depending on circumstances. ⅱ) Ordinary Landscape： Landscape of the 'common interest' between members of a community, which is acceptable as a surrounding for everyday daily life, it produces the richness and variety of landscape. ⅲ) Kernel Landscape： Landscape of the 'common ground' which is acceptable to the majority members of the community, and it provides variety and stability for periods of time, and it could strongly represent community attitudes toward nature. ⅳ) Prototype Landscape: Landscape as the 'common denominator' of overall community from past to present and towards the future, which encompasses all the kernel landscape throughout history. It provides a sense of place, balances the homogeneity of character throughout overall communities. Some part of this can be shared throughout history to shape an overall sense of place. It can also represent short terms fashions. For a prototype landscape to reveal sense of place, there are a couple of points which we should underline the commencing point. Firstly, understanding the relationship between humans and nature should be based on a given character of surroundings. Secondly, reoccurring landscape elements which have sustained in history can lead to sense of place, and should be reviewed the influences between nature and humans.

This study is conducted to examine the woods that were excavated at Jangdo Island. The Jangdo site is located in a small island some 180 meters away from the main island of Wando, Jeollanam-do in southern Korea. This site is known as Cheong-Hea Jin fort for the marine King Jang Bogo during the early 9$^{th}$ century. Total of 101 specimens were collected in three groups； small-size piles, log fences (Mok-check) and logs from a well. The species of the group of piles consisted of Quercus spp. (43%), Pinus densiflora (29%), Pinus koraiensis (5%), Alnus japonica (3%), Fraxinus spp. (3%), Styrax obassia (3%), Juglans spp. (2%), Zelkova serrata (2%), Platycarya strobilacea (2%), Celtis spp. (2%), Torreya nucifera (2%), Quercus myrsinaefolia (2%), and Cinnamomum spp. (2%). The species of Mok-check and logs from the well were identified as all Pinus densiflora. The species composition indicated that the climate around A. D. 9th-10th century in southern Korea was similar to the present.. The wooden fences were also examined for tree-ring analysis. The ages of woods were 50∼60 years. We made two site chronologies. The chronologies indicated that southeastern and southwestern fences were repaired frequently. The results could not give the absolute dates due to lack of reference chronologies in this period.

This study was conducted to examine the water use efficiency (WUE) in five species of one-year-old seedlings grown in a field nursery in Mongolia. Larix sibirica and Pinus sylvestris are the most dominant coniferous species while Ulmus pumila is an important deciduous species known well-adapted in harsh conditions such as in semi-arid forests and Gobi desert regions. Caragana arborescens (Siberian pea shrub) and Hippophae rhamnoides are N-fixing shrubs in Mongolia. Thirty one-year-old seedlings were sampled from each of the five species (a total of 150 samples) and measured for net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and transpiration rate (E). The Pn and E were used to calculate and compare the WUE of each species. Pn differed significantly among the five species (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in Pn between L. sibirica and H. rhamnoides (p > 0.05). C. arborescens showed the highest Pn whereas U. pumila did the poorest. E differed significantly among the five species (p < 0.05). L. sibirica and U. pumila showed considerably lower E than other species. Thus, WUE values of coniferous species such as L. sibirica and P. sylvestris were significantly greater than deciduous or shrub species such as U. pumila, C. arborescens and H. rhamnoides (p < 0.01). It may result that conifers showed relatively high water use efficiency than deciduous or shrub trees due to their lower transpiration rates, which resulted in morphological and physiological characteristics of their leaves. This may indicate that L. sibirica and P. sylvestris can be widely used for rehabilitation works in Mongolia attributed to their dominant distributions but also their high drought-resistance properties.

Water is critically important for Tricholoma matsutake(Tm) growth because it is the major component of the mushroom by over 90%. The mushroom absorbs water through the below ground hyphal colony. Therefore, the objectives of our study were to investigate spatio-temporal water changes in Tm colonies. This study was carried out at Tm fruiting sites in Sogni Mt National Park, where the below-ground mushroom colonies have been irrigated. To identify spatial water status within the Tm soil colony soil moisture and ergosterol content were measured at six positions including a mushroom fruiting position on the line of the colony radius. To investigate temporal soil moisture changes in the soil colony, Time Domain Reflectometry(TDR) sensors were established at the non-colony and colony front edge, and water data were recorded with CR10X data logger from late August to late October. Before irrigation, whereas it was 12.8% at non-colony, the soil water content within Tm colony was 8.0% at 0-5cm from the colony front edge, 6.2% at 10-15cm and 6.5-7.5% at 20-40cm. And the content was 12.1% at 80cm distance from the colony edge, which is similar to that at the non-colony. In contrast, ergosterol content which is proportional to the live hyphal biomass was only 0.4${\mu}g$/g fresh soil at the uncolonized soil, while 4.9 $\mu\textrm{g}$/g fresh soil at the front edge where the hyphae actively grow, and 3.8 ${\mu}g$/g fresh soil at the fruiting position, l.1${\mu}g$/g at 20cm distance and 0.4${\mu}g$/g in the 40cm rear area. Generally, in the Tm fungal colony the water content changes were reversed to the ergosterol content changes. While the site was watered during August to October, the soil water contents were 13.5∼23.0% within the fungal colony, whereas it was 14.5∼26.0% at the non-colony. That is, soil water content in the colony was lower by 1.0∼3.0% than that in the non-colonized soil. Our results show that Tm colony consumes more soil water than other parts. Especially the front 30cm within the hyphal colony parts is more critical for soil water absorption.

The purpose of this study is to identify the species and to date the woods used in the Keunjung-jeon Hall, main building of the Kyungbok palace in Seoul. Samples (144) were divided into two parts, pillars (52) and other wood materials (92). Only two species were identified. They were Abies holophylla Max. and Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc.Eleven among 20 Pyungju (outer pillars) were Abies holophylla, and 9 were Pinus densiflora. Seven among 12 Naejinkoju (inner pillars) were Abies holophylla, and 5 were Pinus densiflora. Three among 4 Gwikoju (inner corner pillars) were Abies holophylla, and one was Pinus densiflora. In the other wood materials, only 2 of 92 were Abies holophylla, and the others were Pinus densiflora. Tree-ring dating proved that this building was reconstructed during late 1860s. It also revealed that the old woods cut in the 17th century were reused.

The Kunang cave paleolithic site is located at Tanyang [$N37^{\circ}2'$, $128^{\circ}21'E$], Chungbuk Province, which is in the Central part of the Korean peninsula. The cave is developed at 312 amsl in a karstic mountainous area. The South Han River flows across this region and other caves can also be found near the river. The site was discovered in 1986 and excavated 3 times by the Chungbuk National University Museum until now. The cave was wellpreserved from modem human activities until the first discovery. The full length of the cave is estimated to be ca. 140 m. However, a spacious part up to 11 m from the entrance has been excavated. Eight lithological units are divided over the vertical profile at a depth of 5 m. Each unit is deposited in ascending order as follow: mud layer (Unit 9), lower complex (Unit 8) which is composed of angular blocks and fragments with a muddy matrix, lower travertine layer (Unit 7； flowstone), middle complex (Unit 6; cultural layer) which is composed of fragments with a muddy matrix, middle travertine layer (Unit 5； flowstone), yellowish muddy layer (Unit 4), upper complex (Unit 3； cultural layer) which has a similar composition to Unit 8. the upper travertine layer (Unit 2； flowstone), and finally surface soil layer (Unit 1). The most abundant vestiges in the cultural layers are the animal bones. They are small fractured pieces and mostly less than 3 cm in length. About 3,800 bone pieces from 25 animal species have been collected so far, 90 percent of them belonging to young deers. Previous archaeological study of these bone pieces shows thatprehistoric people occupied the cavenot for permanent dwelling but for temporary shelter during their seasonal hunting activity. More extensive studies of these bones together with pollen analysis are in progress to reconstruct the paleoenvironment of this cave. Only a single date (12,500 BP) obtained from a U-Th measurement of the upper travertine layer was previously available. In spite of the importance of the cave stratigraphy, there was no detail chronological investigation to establish the depositional process of the cultural layers and to understand the periodic structure of the cave strata, alternating travertine floor and complex layers. We have measured five 14C age dating (38900+/-1000, 36400+/-900, 40600+/-1600, more than 51000 and 52000 14C BP) using Seoul National University 14C AMS facility, conducted systematic process of the collagen extraction from bone fragments samples. From the result, we estimate that sedimentation rate of the cave earth is constant, and that the travertine layers, Unit 2 and Unit 3, was formed during MIS 5a(ca. 80 kBP) and MIS 5c (ca. 100 kBP) respectively. The Kunang Cave site is located at Yochonli of the region of Danyang in the mid-eastern part of Korea. This region is compased of limestones in which many caves were found and the Nam-han river flows meanderingly. The excavations were carried out three times in 1986, 1988, and 1998.

Much of northern Asia is lacking in high-resolution palaeoclimatic data coverage. This vast region thus represents a sizeable gap in data sets used to reconstruct hemispheric-scale temperature trends for the past millennium. To improve coverage, we present a regional-scale composite of four tree-ring width records of Siberian pine and Siberian larch from temperature-sensitive alpine timber-line sites in Mongolia. The chronologies load closely in principal components analysis (PCA) with the first eigenvector accounting for over 53% of the variance from ad 1450 to 1998. The 20-year interval from 1974 to 1993 is the highest such growth period in this composite record, and 17 of the 20 highest growth years have occurred since 1946. Thus these trees, unlike those recently described at some northern sites, do not appear to have lost their temperature sensitivity, and suggest that recent decades have been some of the warmest in the past 500 years for this region. There are, however, comparable periods of inferred, local warmth for individual sites, e.g., in 1520-1580 and 1760-1790. The percent common variance between chronologies has increased through time and is highest (66.1%) in the present century. Although there are obvious differences among the individual chronologies, this result suggests a coherent signal which we consider to be related to temperature. The PCA scores show trends which strongly resemble those seen in recent temperature reconstructions for the Northern Hemisphere, very few of which included representation from Eurasia east of the Ural Mountains. The Mongolia series therefore provides independent corroboration for these reconstructions and their indications of unusual wanning during the twentieth century.

During the last century, most scientific questions related to climate change were focused on the evidence of anthropogenic global warming (IPCC, 2001). There are robust evidences of warming and also human-induced climate change. We now understand the global, mean change a little bit better; however, the uncertainties for regional climate change still remains large. The purpose of this study is to understand the past climate change over Korea based on the observational data and to project future regional climate change over East Asia using ECHAM4/HOPE model and MM5 for downscaling. There are significant evidences on regional climate change in Korea, from several variables. The mean annual temperature over Korea has increased about 1.5∼$1.7^{\circ}C$ during the 20th century, including urbanization effect in large cities which can account for 20-30% of warming in the second half of the 20th century. Cold extreme temperature events occurred less frequently especially in the late 20th century, while hot extreme temperature events were more common than earlier in the century. The seasonal and annual precipitation was analyzed to examine long-term trend on precipitation intensity and extreme events. The number of rainy days shows a significant negative trend, which is more evident in summer and fall. Annual precipitation amount tends to increase slightly during the same period. This suggests an increase of precipitation intensity in this area. These changes may influence on growing seasons, floods and droughts, diseases and insects, marketing of seasonal products, energy consumption, and socio-economic sectors. The Korean Peninsular is located at the eastern coast of the largest continent on the earth withmeso-scale mountainous complex topography and itspopulation density is very high. And most people want to hear what will happen in their back yards. It is necessary to produce climate change scenario to fit forhigh-resolution (in meteorological sense, but low-resolution in socio-economic sense) impact assessment. We produced one hundred-year, high-resolution (∼27 km), regional climate change scenario with MM5 and recognized some obstacles to be used in application. The boundary conditions were provided from the 240-year simulation using the ECHAM4/HOPE-G model with SRES A2 scenario. Both observation and simulation data will compose past and future regional climate change scenario over Korea.

The study area, Kwangneung Experiment Forest (KEF) is located on the west-central portion of Korean peninsula and belongs to a cool-temperate broadleaved forest zone. At the old-growth deciduous forest near Soribong-peak (533.1m) in KEF, we have established a permanent plot and a flux tower, and the site was registered as a KLTER site and also a KoFlux site. In this study, we aimed to present basic ecological characteristics and synthetic data of carbon budgets and flows, and some monitoring data which are essential for providing important parameters and validation data for the forest dynamics models or biogeochemical dynamics models to predict or interpolate spatially the changes in forest ecosystem structure and function. We made a stemmap of trees in 1 ha plot and analyzed forest stand structure and physical and chemical soil characteristics, and estimated carbon budgets by forest components (tree biomass, soils, litter and so on). Dominant tree species were Quercus serrata and Carpinus laxiflora, and accompanied by Q. aliena, Carpinus cordata, and so on. As a result of a field survey of the plot, density of the trees larger than 2cm in DBH was 1,473 trees per ha, total biomass 261.2 tons/ha, and basal area 28.0 m2/ha. Parent rock type is granite gneiss. Soil type is brown forest soil (alfisols in USDA system), and the depth is from 38 to 66cm. Soil texture is loam or sandy loam, and its pH was from 4.2 to 5.0 in the surface layer, and from 4.8 to 5.2 in the subsurface layer. Seasonal changes in LAI were measured by hemispherical photography at the l.2m height, and the maximum was 3.65. And the spatial distributions of volumetric soil moisture contents and LAIs of the plot were measured. Litterfall was collected in circular littertraps (collecting area： 0.25m2) and mass loss rates and nutrient release patterns in decomposing litter were estimated using the litterbag technique employing 30cm30cm nylon bags with l.5mm mesh size. Total annual litterfall was 5,627 kg/ha/year and leaf litter accounted for 61% of the litterfall. The leaf litter quantity was highest in Quercus serrata, followed by Carpinus laxiflora and C. cordata, etc. Mass loss from decomposing leaf litter was more rapid in C. laxiflora and C. cordata than in Q. serrata litter. About 77% of C. laxiflora and 84% of C. cordata litter disappeared, while about 48% in Q. serrata litter lost over two years. The carbon pool in living tree biomass including below ground biomass was 136 tons C/ha, and 5.6 tons C/ha is stored in the litter layer, and about 92.0 tons C/ha in the soil to the 30cm in depth. Totally more than about 233.6 tons C/ha was stored in DK site. And then we have drawn a schematic diagram of carbon budgets and flows in each compartment of the KEF site.

A borehole core ECSDP-102 (about 68.5 m long) has been investigated to get information on paleoenvironmental changes in response to the sea-level fluctuations during the period of late Quaternary. Several AMS $\^$14/C ages show that the core ECSDP-102 recorded the depositional environments of the northern East China Sea for approximately 60 ka. The Yangtze River discharged huge amounts of sediment into the northern East China Sea during the marine isotope stage (MIS) 3. In particular, $\delta$$\^$13/Corg values reveal that the sedimentary environments of the northern East China Sea, which is similar to the Holocene conditions, have taken place three times during the MIS 3. It is supported by the relatively enriched $\delta$$\^$13/Corg values of -23 to -21$\textperthousand$ during the marine settings of MIS 3 that are characterized by the predominance of marine organic matter akin to the Holocene. Furthermore, we investigated the three Holocene sediment cores, ECSDP-101, ECSDP-101 and YMGR-102, taken from the northern East China Sea off the mouth of the Yangtze River and from the southern Yellow Sea, respectively. Our study was focused primarily on the onset of the post-glacial marine transgression and the reconstructing of paleoenvironmental changes in the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea during the Holocene. AMS $\^$14/C ages indicate that the northern East China Sea and the southern Yellow Sea began to have been flooded at about 13.2 ka BP which is in agreement with the initial marine transgression of the central Yellow Sea (core CC-02). $\delta$$\^$18/O and $\delta$$\^$13/C records of benthic foraminifera Ammonia ketienziensis and $\delta$$\^$13/Corg values provide information on paleoenvironmental changes from brackish (estuarine) to modem marine conditions caused by globally rapid sea-level rise since the last deglaciation. Termination 1 (T1) ended at about 9.0-8.7 ka BP in the southern and central Yellow Sea, whereas T1 lasted until about 6.8 ka BP in the northern East China Sea. This time lag between the two seas indicates that the timing of the post-glacial marine transgression seems to have been primarily influenced by the bathymetry. The present marine regimes in the northern East China Sea and the whole Yellow Sea have been contemporaneously established at about 6.0 ka BP. This is strongly supported by remarkably changes in occurrence of benthic foraminiferal assemblages, $\delta$$\^$18/O and $\delta$$\^$13/C compositions of A. ketienziensis, TOC content and $\delta$$\^$13/Corg values. The $\delta$$\^$18/O values of A. ketienziensis show a distinct shift to heavier values of about 1$\textperthousand$ from the northern East China Sea through the southern to central Yellow Sea. The northward shift of $\^$18/O enrichment may reflect gradually decrease of the bottom water temperature in the northern East China Sea and the Yellow Sea.

The Upo wetland, the largest natural wetland in Korea, is located in Changnyeong-gun, Gyeongsannam Province ($35^{\circ}33'$ N, $128^{\circ}25'$ E), and 70 km upstream from the Nakdong River estuary. Unlike most other Korean wetlands that have been destroyed under the name of economic development, the Upo wetland has been able to preserve its precious ecosystem throughout the years. Thanks to increased public awareness about natural wetlands and environmental conservation, the Korean Ministry of Environment designated the Upo wetland an 'Ecological Conservation Area' on July 26th, 1997. On March 2nd of the following year, the Upo wetland (8.54 $\textrm{km}^2$) was designated a 'Protected Wetland' in accordance with the international Ramsar Treaty. A 4.49m long (from 9.73 to 5.24 m in altitude) UP-1 core ($35^{\circ}33'05"N$, $128^{\circ}25'17"E$), recovered in the marginal part of the Upo wetland, is divided into eight buried paleosol units of different ages on the basis of the abundance of color mottles and vertical color variations (Aslan et al., 1998). Radiocarbon datings suggested that the paleosol profile represent the last 5700 years. The entire section of the core was more or less subjected to pedogenetic processes, and shows very weak to moderate soil profile development. These Holocene paleosols are therefore regarded as synsedimentary soils of deluvium (deposits formed by floods) origin (Sycheva et al., 2003). Unit 1 to 5 paleosols are generally silt-rich and exhibit moderate profile development. The boundaries between the units are somewhat distinguishable, but not so clear cut. This is due to variable repeated combination of accumulation, denudation and soil forming processes within various periods. Mottle textures gradually decrease in abundance with increasing clay content in Unit 6, which results in weak profile development. The lower boundary of Unit 6 lies around about 2000 yrBP, the beginning of Subatlantic in Korea (Kim et al., 2001). Abrupt sediment textural change is detected in Unit 7, which is interpreted to indicate the human activities on the Upo wetland. Unit 8 represents the recent soil forming processes. The preliminary results of this ongoing study imply the primary factor for pedogenetic processes is the water table fluctuations related to the sedimentary textures like grain size distributions, and the geomorphological stability of the Upo wetland.o wetland.

The existence of coastal terraces, HH(High higher) surfaces found at Gampo of southeast coast and at Jeongdongjin of the central east coast were confirmed at Jigyeong-Ri, the areal border between Gyeongju- and Ulsan city on the southeast coast of Korea Peninsula. Especially this study reports HH JK-surface located on the 155m a.s.l., which is the highest altitude among the ancient shorelines of the coastal terraces in Korea. The HH surfaces on the study area are classified into HH JK at 155m, HH-I at 140m and HH-II at 115m, and each formation stage is related to MIS 17(720∼690ka BP), MIS 15(630∼560ka BP) and MIS 13(510∼480ka BP) respectively. The HH-surfaces remain to be larger than those of H- and L-surfaces. The reason is caused by the unique factors of the coastal geology and morphology on the study area during the formation stage. And also the areal difference by the magnitude of upheaval doesn't exist from north to south because the altitude system of ancient shoreline on each coastal terrace is same along the east coast. The upheaval rate of the eastern coastal areas was measured in the relation to the ancient shoreline and formation stage among the coastal terraces such as HH JK-, HH-I, HH-II, H-III and H-IY surface, and was almost same as 0.23mm/y.