• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.60-76
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• 2021

The concept of resilience seems applicable for sustainable groundwater management. The resilience is broadly defined as the ability of a system to resist changes by external forces (EFs), and has been used for disaster management and climate change adaptation, including the groundwater resilience to climate change in countries where groundwater is a major water resource, whereas not yet in the geological society of South Korea. The resilience is qualitatively assessed using the absorptive, adaptive, and restorative capacity representing the internal robustness, self-organization, and external recovery resources, respectively, while quantitatively using the system impact (SI) and recovery effort (RE). When the groundwater is considered a complicated system where physicochemical, biological, and geological components interact, the groundwater resilience can be defined as the ability of groundwater to maintain the targeted quality and quantity at any EFs. For the quantitative assessment, however, the resilience should be specified to an EF and measurable parameters should be available for SI and RE. This study focused on groundwater resilience to two EFs in urban areas, i.e., pollution due to land use change and groundwater withdrawal for underground structures. The resilience to each EF was assessed using qualitative components, while measurements for SI and RE were discussed.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1249-1260
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• 2020

Non-point source pollutants have characteristics the render them difficult to manage owing to the uncertainty of flow paths. As agricultural non-point sources account for more than 57% of non-point source pollutants, the necessity for management is increasing. This study examines the possibility of utilizing land cover maps to suggest a more appropriate method of setting management priority for agricultural non-point sources in the Daecheong Lake area and draws implications by comparing the results derived using the cadastral map, as mentioned in the TMDL Basic Policy. To define the prioritized areas for management, the pollution load was calculated for each subbasin using the formula from the TMDL technical guidelines. As a result, the difference in the average pollution load between the land cover map and cadastral map ranged from 11.6% to 21% among the subbasins. In almost all subbasins, there were differences in the ranking of management priorities depending on the land information that was used. In addition, it was found that it was reasonable to use the level 3 land cover map to calculate the load generated by the land system for examining the implementation goals and methods of each data and comparing them with satellite images.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to introduce the concept of community resilience to rural society and build an index suitable for the reality of rural areas. Furthermore, by calculating the importance of evaluation factors, it was attempted to present priorities and alternatives for each evaluation factor. By stratifying the derived indicators, a survey was conducted targeting 20 researchers, practitioners, and public officials, three groups of experts working in rural areas who were well aware of the realities and problems of rural areas. In the survey, a pairwise comparison was performed to compare factors 1:1 to calculate the importance, and for rational and consistent decision-making, decisions were made in the 9-grade section. Using the collected data, consistency analysis that can evaluate reliability in the decision-making process and the relative weight of evaluation factors were calculated through AHP analysis. As a result of the analysis, as a result of examining the priority of final importance by summarizing the importance of all evaluation factors, 'Income creation using resources' > 'Population Characteristics' > 'Tolerance' > 'External Support' > 'Social Accessibility' > 'Physical Accessibility' > 'Community Competence' > 'Infrastructure' > 'Leader Competence' > 'Natural Environment' was derived in the order. In the study dealing with urban community resilience indicators, social aspects such as citizen participation, public-private cooperation, and governance were presented as the most important requirements, but this study differs in that the 'income creation' factor is derived as the most important factor. This can be seen through the change in the income difference between rural and urban areas. The income structure of rural areas has changed rapidly, and it is now reaching a very poor level, so it is necessary to prepare alternatives to 'income creation' in the case of rural areas. Unlike urban indicators, 'population characteristics' and 'tolerance' were also derived as important indicators of rural society. However, there are currently no alternatives to supplement the vulnerability by strengthening the resilience of rural communities. Based on the priority indicators derived from the study, we tried to suggest alternatives necessary for rural continuity in the future so that they can be supplemented step by step.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.12-28
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• 2023

Each national groundwater monitoring well showed distinct change patterns in groundwater levels and electrical conductivity (EC) in the Nakdong River Estuary, implying different external forces (EFs) on each well. According to the annual average data in 1997-2020, seawater was invaded into Well C. The desalination rate of -1,062 µS/cm/year represents the adaptive capacity of the well to seawater intrusion. The water levels and EC in Well E responded to precipitation, indicating the low absorptive capacity to climate changes. Meanwhile, Well B showed constant increases in water levels, suggesting that problems by rising groundwater should be considered in the study area where confined aquifers are overlaid by clay aquitards. The other wells showed consistent water levels and EC, indicating resilience to EFs. Here, resilience is the capacity of a well to resist changes by EFs, including the absorptive and adaptive capacity. The resilience of Wells E and F to climate changes was quantitatively compared using a resilience cost (RC). The RC showed Well F was more resilient than Well E, and the bedrock aquifer was more resilient than the alluvium aquifer, supporting the usefulness of RC. The resilience assessment against EFs (e.g., changes in land use and climate) helps sustainable groundwater management.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.29-42
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• 2023

As the destruction of habitats due to recent development continues, there is also increasing interest in endangered species. Mankyua chejuense is a vulnerable species that is sensitive to changes in population and habitat, and it has recently been upgraded from Endangered Species II to Endangered Species I, requiring significant management efforts. So in this study, we analyzed the potential habitats of Mankyua chejuense using MaxEnt(Maximum Entropy) modeling. We developed three models: one that considered only environmental characteristics, one that considered artificial factors, and one that reflected the habitat of dominant tree species in the overstory. Based on previous studies, we incorporated environmental and human influence factors for the habitats of Mankyua chejuense into spatial information, and we also used the habitat distribution models of dominant tree species, including Ulmus parvifolia, Maclura tricuspidata, and Ligustrum obtusifolium, that have been previously identified as major overstory species of Mankyua chejuense. Our analysis revealed that rock exposure, elevation, slope, forest type, building density, and soil type were the main factors determining the potential habitat of Mankyua chejuense. Differences among the three models were observed in the edges of the habitats due to human influence factors, and results varied depending on the similarity of the habitats of Mankyua chejuense and the dominant tree species in the overstory. The potential habitats of Mankyua chejuense presented in this study include areas where the species could potentially inhabit in addition to existing habitats. Therefore, these results can be used for the conservation and management planning of Mankyua chejuense.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.43-55
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• 2023

The railway project is an essential green transportation tool that is considered suitable for the domestic and foreign policy direction of carbon neutrality, but there are some limitations, such as damaging important carbon absorption sources during construction. This study analyzed the environmental impact assessment related to carbon absorption sources of greenhouse gas evaluation items conducted during the railway project, and limitations and implications were derived. The analysis of environmental impact assessment guidelines related to railway projects and carbon absorption sources dealt with prediction and reduction methods related to carbon absorption sources, but guidelines, including environmentally friendly railway construction guidelines, lacked descriptions. Since the greenhouse gas environmental impact assessment, 83 railway project environmental impact assessments have been reviewed, but in some cases, carbon absorption-related predictions have not been implemented, or carbon absorption-related reduction measures have been insufficient. In addition, there were cases where there was a limit to calculating emissions and reduction or where the reduction value was insignificant compared to emissions. In order to supplement the environmental impact assessment in the field of carbon absorption sources related to railway construction projects, alternatives such as quantitative emission and low reduction calculation, review of the no net loss system using the total environmental resource system, and linkage with climate change impact assessment are needed.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.745-756
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• 2023

Growing stringent global regulations in Korea poses a threat to corporate sustainability. Companies must respond strategically to navigate these regulations and avoid greenwashing. Objective of this research was to analyze how Korean companies are responding to the global trend of reducing plastic use and propose improved management strategies. Seven indicators were developed to assess companies' post-plastic strategies and applied to analyze the sustainability reports of Amore Pacific and LG Household & HealthCare. These indicators included, 1) disclosure of plastic raw materials used by weight or volume, 2) disclosure of recycled plastic raw materials used by weight or volume, 3) disclosure of waste recycling, reuse amounts, and disposal using waste treatment method 4) strategies to reduce environmental impact of plastics, 5) plastic packaging, reduce, recycle, reuse, and composting (in the real environment), 6) plastic management roadmap for the circular economy, and 7) education for sustainable plastic management. Based on the review of considered companies, we propose in-listed sustainable plastics management strategies: disclosing the ratio of plastic raw materials and recycled raw materials for all products, considering recycling rate throughout the product value chain, and not only for the production phase, reviewing carbon dioxide emissions based on life cycle assessment rather than reducing plastic consumption, studying the biodegradability of biodegradable plastics in natural environment such as soil, considering the consumer's perspective.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.43-55
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• 2024

The purpose of this study is to examine residents' perspectives on factors contributing to rural decline, including population decrease and landscape degradation, with the goal of proposing strategies to revitalize rural spaces in response to these challenges. After exploring rural decline issues in Jinan, a questionnaire was developed based on a review of existing research. Following this, participants were selected, and Focus Group Interviews(FGI) were conducted. Through the analysis of the findings, strategies for local revitalization were suggested in four sectors. Based on the research findings, there is a need to reassess public transportation and vacant property projects. On the social front, preventing the misuse of rural relocation policies and enhancing residential environments through spatial clarity are essential. Environmentally, clustering renewable energy and livestock facilities and attracting educational facilities are necessary to minimize disruption to rural landscapes. From a governance perspective, fostering entrepreneurship in rural tourism and business models utilizing the local landscape is crucial for an increase in regional visits. This study holds significance by emphasizing the practical situation of rural decline, steering away from resource-centric or business-focused policies. It underscores the potential usefulness of integrating this understanding into detailed planning within policies aimed at tackling rural decline.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.54-61
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• 2024

The ecosystem provides a diverse array of environmental conditions for organisms, and only those that are capable of successfully adapting to these conditions within their habitats can endure, thrive, and proliferate. Further, the environmental conditions within these habitats can significantly affect the bioavailability of chemicals that are introduced therein, thus resulting in varied adverse impacts on the organisms. The present study aims to evaluate the sensitivity of Yuukianura szeptyckii - a species adapted to riparian - to heavy metals following ISO guideline 11276, with the objective of assessing its potential as an indicator species for ecotoxicological evaluations in riparian habitats. The findings revealed that cadmium and copper both had significant toxic effects depending on their concentrations. For cadmium, the LC₅₀ was 280 mg kg^-1, EC₅₀ was 66 mg kg^-1, and NOEC and LOEC were 25 and 50 mg kg^-1, respectively. For copper, the LC₅₀ was 911 mg kg^-1, EC₅₀ was 151 mg kg^-1, and LOEC was 50 mg kg^-1. Comparative analysis with previous results for the international standard species Folsomia candida and the domestic standard species Allonychiurus kimi indicated that Y. szeptyckii exhibited even greater sensitivity to toxicity values. The adverse effects on survival and reproduction were closely associated with the influx concentration of heavy metals in their bodies. Altogether, the results suggest that Y. szeptyckii is a sensitive species for ecotoxicological assessments in riparian habitats, thus making it suitable as an indicator species, particularly in riparian ecosystems that are characterized by relatively high humidity conditions.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.111-119
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• 2017

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of stress on psychosocial wellbeing at the time of an outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome(MERS) and to investigate the effect of resilience as a mediator on the relationship between stress and psychosocial wellbeing. Methods : Perceived Stress Scale, Psychosocial Wellbeing Index Short Form, and the Conner-Davidson Resilience Scale was implemented for 156 medical persons who worked at the hospital in which exposure to MERS cases had been confirmed and 127 ordinary people. We conducted a Pearson correlation coefficient and a hierarchical multiple regression to confirm the effect of stress on psychosocial wellbeing and the mediating effect of resilience between stress and psychosocial wellbeing. Results : The higher the perceived stress, the lower the psychosocial wellbeing in both healthcare workers and the public. The higher the perceived stress, the lower the resilience and the research results showed that there was a partially mediating effect of resilience in the relationship between stress and psychosocial wellbeing. Conclusions : This study demonstrated that the degree of individual resilience can indirectly give a positive effect on the psychosocial wellbeing when people under the stress by MERS shows adverse effects on psychosocial wellbeing. This suggests that clinical intervention and psychosocial approach aiming at strengthening resilience is important to maintain mental health during crisis development.