• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.193-203
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• 2021

As endangered species are gradually increasing due to land development by humans, it is essential to secure sufficient protected areas (PAs) proactively. Therefore, this study checked priority conservation areas to select candidate PAs when considering the impact of land development. We determined the conservation priorities by analyzing four scenarios based on existing conservation areas and reflecting the development impact using MARXAN, the decision-making support software for the conservation plan. The development impact was derived using the developed area ratio, population density, road network system, and traffic volume. The conservation areas of endangered species were derived using the data of the appearance points of birds, mammals, and herptiles from the 3rd National Ecosystem Survey. These two factors were used as input data to map conservation priority areas with the machine learning-based optimization methodology. The result identified many non-PAs areas that were expected to play an important role conserving endangered species. When considering the land development impact, it was found that the areas with priority for conservation were fragmented. Even when both the development impact and existing PAs were considered, the priority was higher in areas from the current PAs because many road developments had already been completed around the current PAs. Therefore, it is necessary to consider areas other than the current PAs to protect endangered species and seek alternative measures to fragmented conservation priority areas.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.257-270
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• 2023

The paddy environment is classified as a wetland and occupies a very large proportion of the freshwater environment. It is also ecologically important as a habitat and spawning ground for many aquatic insects and amphibian larvae. However, due to climate change and indiscriminate spraying of pesticides, the rice field ecosystem is continuously threatened. In order to restore ecologically damaged rice paddies in the future, information on organisms living in the rice paddy ecosystem, which can serve as a restoration standard, is needed. The eDNA metabarcoding analysis method is a very effective means of accumulating information on many organisms living in the rice field ecosystem because it can indirectly identify the existence of taxa that are no longer found in the target ecosystem due to different adult life periods or metamorphosis. In this study, genes of four species of frogs and nine species of aquatic insects were also discovered, and some taxa were directly discovered in the field. A large number of taxa have been discovered only by DNA searches, and traditional survey methods have only been able to identify very limited taxa. This eDNA-based paddy field biosearch is expected to be very useful in the investigation of biodiversity in agricultural ecosystems due to its strong analytical resolution.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.241-250
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• 2011

The safety of human exposure to an ever-increasing number and diversity of electromagnetic field (EMF) sources both at work and at home has clearly become a public health issue. To date many $in$ $vivo$ and $in$ $vitro$ studies revealed that EMF exposure can alter cellular metabolism, endocrine function, immune activity, reproductive function, and fetal development in animal system. The major parameters found to be altered in cells or individuals following EMF exposure include an increase of free radicals, DNA damage, cancer risk, developmental defect, and reproductive dysfunctions. Epidemiological studies reported EMF can increase life-threatening illnesses such as leukemia, brain cancer, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, clinical depression, suicide, and Alzheimer's disease has been identified. These effects of EMF exposure differ according to duration of exposure, frequency of waves, and strength (energy) of EMF. In the present review, we briefly introduced the physical properties of EMF and summarized the effect of EMF on human and wildlife animals according to types of EMF, duration of exposure at cellular and organism levels.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.291-298
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• 2000

Vitellogenesis, an important reproductive process in oviparous animals, includes the processes of hormonally regulated synthesis of yolk precursor protein, vitellogenin (Vg), and their deposition in ovarian oocytes as a vitellin which is an important energy source as well as buoyancy regulator of the egg. Vg genes consist of a gene family that encompasses a large number of lipoproteins and produce different Mr. Vg proteins in liver. The expression of Vg is largely dependent on the estrogen, and both reproductive cycle and temperature also influence Vg synthesis. Synthetic estrogens or estrogenic pollutants was sufficient to induce Vg in both sexes of oviparous vertebrates. Therefore, the estrogenic induction of vitellogenesis in male has been used for biological marker in the screening of estrogenicity of certain endocrine disrupting compounds and the monitoring the world-wide contamination of estrogenic compounds in wild life. In the studies on the biological hazard and influence of endocrine disrupting chemicals using the Vg induction in oviparous males, it is important to consider the reproductive cycle, zoogeography and biodiversity of the wild life animals in Korea.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.970-970
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• 2012

최근 치수의 기능을 수행하면서 원래 자연하천의 모습을 보전 혹은 복원하는 "생태하천 복원 공법"의 필요성이 대두되고 있으나 구체적인 공법에 대한 연구는 미미한 실정이다. 본 연구에서는 하천 내 시설물의 조성 시 유황에 따른 자연 하안 유도와 습지형태의 생물 서식공간 조성 유무를 평가하기 위하여 평창강 일원에 목재 유도틀을 설치하고 이에 따른 지형변화, 저서무척추동물을 포함한 수생생물들의 서식특성을 분석하였다. 평창강 금당계곡 일원을 대상으로 RMA-2 모형의 범용프로그램인 SMS 모형을 통해 수리 특성분석을 실시하였고 안산에 있는 수리모형 실험장에서 기본 수리특성 실험 후 수리적 안정성이 확보된 지점에 목재 유도틀을 2009년 9월에 설치하여 유도틀 설치 전과 설치 후 2010년 10월까지의 지형변화를 분석하였다. 지형의 측량은 광파측정기(니콘 DTM-520)로 하였으며 측량된 자료를 이용하여 Contour Map을 작성하여 지형변화를 분석하였고, 유도틀 설치지역을 중심으로 2010년에 3차에 걸쳐 지형 및 생물상 변화에 대한 정량 및 정성조사를 실시하여 비교분석 하였다. 유도틀 설치 후 2010년 하절기에 집중호우에 의한 유도틀의 파손 및 형태변형 등 문제가 없어 수리적으로 안정한 것으로 판단되었다. 지형 변화의 측면에서는 유도틀 조성 전 사질로 되어있던 단순한 선형의 하안이 유도틀 설치 후 다양한 하상재질 및 형태가 변화했으며 유도틀의 배치에 따라서 굼치 및 둠벙형 습지가 형성되었다. 유도틀 설치지역의 3개지점(상부, 중간배후습지, 하부)에서 저서무척추동물에 대하여 모니터링한 결과, 설치된 유도틀의 중간지점에서 가장 높게 종의 서식이 확인되었으며 상부지점과 하부지점은 상대적으로 낮게 나왔으나 상부지점 보다는 하부지점이 양호하게 나타났다. 조사시기별 개체수의 변화에서는 종수변화와 패턴이 유사하게 나타났으며 깔다구와 꼬마줄날도래등 특정종의 증식이 많았다. 또한, 굼치 및 둠벙형 습지 내에 어류의 치어 및 유어, 양서류, 파충류등 다양한 생물의 서식이 확인되었다. 이는 유도틀에 의해 생성 및 유도된 지형변화가 하천을 기반으로 생활하는 생물들에게 다양한 피난처 및 은신처 역할을 잘 제공하고 있음을 보여준다.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2017.05a
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• pp.259-259
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• 2017

국내 하천에는 하천을 가로지르는 보나 낙차공과 같은 횡단구조물이 약 5만여개에 달하고 있다. 이러한 횡단구조물은 작업의 용이성 및 높은 강도로 인해 오랜 시간 콘크리트 소재로 사용되어 왔다. 기존 콘크리트 소재의 공법은 설치되어 있는 한 세굴 방지에 좋은 효과를 발휘한다는 장점이 있지만 포설된 공법은 시간이 지남에 따라 마모되거나 소실되는 문제가 발생되며, 최종적으로 하천횡단구조물의 안전성 및 심미성에도 영향을 미치게 된다. 이와 더불어 최근 기후변화로 인해 강우량의 증대 및 집중호우 등의 돌변하는 하천환경변화에 대한 적용 가능한 기술이 미비한 실정이다. 이러한 문제와 더불어 환경에 대한 관심이 높아짐에 따라 자연친화적 하천 및 생태복원 하천에 대한 하천 수질 및 생태학적 건강성에 대한 연구의 관심이 높아지고 있다. 최근 연구결과에 따르면 콘크리트 소재를 활용하여 횡단구조물을 설치할 경우, 콘크리트 소재의 문제점으로 제기되는 납, 크롬 등과 같은 중금속 용출과 석회석으로부터 유출되는 강염기성 물질로 인한 하천의 수질악화와 수생 생물이 독성환경에 노출되어 다양한 환경 생태학적 문제를 발생시킬 수 있다고 보고되어 있다. 본 연구에서는 콘크리트 소재의 대안으로 무 저독성 소재인 식물성 폴리우레탄을 이용하여 연구를 수행하였다. 기초 조사를 통해 콘크리트 소재의 대안으로 사용가능성을 확인하기 위하여 식물성 폴리우레탄의 물리적 강도를 확인하였으며, 환경에 미치는 영향을 파악하기 위하여 대한 생태학적 건강성을 확인하였다. 품질 특성은 바인딩강도, 내구성, 압축강도, 휨강도, 투수계수 등을 확인하였으며, 생태학적 건강성을 확인하기 위하여 양서 파충류의 독성 실험, 어류 독성평가, 부착조류에 대한 실험을 수행하였다. 이러한 결과를 바탕으로 시범지역인 대청천 일부 구간에 대하여 계절별 물리/화학/생물(식생, 어류, 저서동물)에 대한 모니터링을 수행하였다. 또한 홍수 전 후의 하상변동을 통해 개발기술의 안전성을 확인하였다.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.100 no.3
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• pp.483-493
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• 2011

Erosion control dams play a primary role in preventing or controlling natural disasters (landslide and debris flow etc.) and also conserve ecosystem in forested watersheds. This study examines structural characteristics of the dams such as the height of ecosystem control and the ecosystem permeability of the erosion control dams under standard drawings and the existing construction works. The objective of this study was to characterize the type classification of erosion control dams as ecosystem. Average permeability was highest on eco-piller dam (63.0%), followed in increasing order by wire rope (13.9%), silt dam (10.9%), multifunctional dam (7.2%), and gravity dam (0.4%). The height of ecosystem control was highest on gravity dam (3.2 m), followed in increasing order by multifunctional dam (1.7 m), wire rope dam (1.2 m), silt dam (0.6 m), and eco-piller dam (0.0 m). Criteria for defining the height of ecosystem control was indefinite. We grouped erosion control dams into three functional types (eco-connection, eco-semi connection, and eco-disconnection) by considering physical and structural characteristics such as the ecosystem permeability and the height of ecosystem control. The type of eco-connection (permeability > 20%) had connection areas from streambed to adjacent riparian areas, and these connection areas serve as ecosystem corridors for fauna and flora. Typical wildlife species includes mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes. The type of eco-semi connection (5% < permeability < 20%) had < 2 m in the eco-barrier height from streambed, however, this type of dams partially serve as wildlife corridors and often provide fish ways. The type of eco-disconnection (permeability < 5%) had > 2 m in the eco-barrier height from streambed, thereby preventing wildlife movement.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2024

Amphibians are a taxonomic group that ecologically connects terrestrial ecosystems and aquatic ecosystems. They play a very important role in the food chain of the ecosystem. It is known that there are about 5,948 species distributed all over the world, but after the Industrial Revolution, due to industrialization and urbanization, there has been a decrease in species and populations. In particular, it is becoming a factor in exacerbating habitat fragmentation or fragmentation due to artificial canals. In orderto improve the survivalrate of wild animals in artificial canals, escape facilities are installed to reduce it. This study analyzed the slope, height of the escape facility, escape rate, and travel distance in the operating facility for Bombina orientalis, which mainly inhabits near forests. The slope of the escape facility showed a relatively similar escape success rate regardless of height at 50° and 60°, while at 70°, it showed a relatively high escape success rate at only 40cm in height. The success rate of escape from the waterway escape facility in operation was 14.71%, showing a very low utilization rate, and the recognition rate of the artificial canal escape facility was found to be very low as it moved along the side wall of the artificial canal. Therefore, in the case of a waterway escape facility for Bombina orientalis, it is possible to construct it at an angle of 60°, and if the side walls of the artificial canals are built within 60°, Bombina orientalis can move freely in both directions, overcoming the low utilization rate of existing waterway escape facilities. It is expected to minimize the impact of movement and death of artificial canals. In addition, if the spacing between escape facilities is narrowed from the installation standard of 30m and ramps are constructed in both directions upstream and downstream, the escape success rate of amphibians,reptiles, and small mammals otherthan lady frogs is expected to improve.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.77-88
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• 1989

Genetic and morphometric comparison between two species of the genus Agkistrodon were performed to estimate the degree of genic variation and to clarify the taxonomic status of Cheju population, a suspected hybrid form between A. blomhoffii brevicaudus and A u ussuriensis. A sum of 147 specimens representing six populations of A.b. brevicaudus and two populations of A ussuriensis was used in this study. Out of the 21 loci examined, 5 loci (Adh, Ldh-2, Mdh-2, Mpi, Pgi) were monomorphic with identical mobility in both species. O Other Sioci (Aco, Gp, Fum, [po and Xdh in A b. brevicaudus; Est, Got-l, Gp, Mdh-l and 6Pgd in A ussuriensis) were highly poplymorphic. The degree of genic variation of Ab. b brevicaudus and A ussuriensis was A=1.SS, P=42.1%, HD=0.096, HG=O.l1S, and A= 1.4S, P = 31.6%, HD=0.117, HG =0.121, repectively. These values are twofold higher t than those of other reptilian species reported (Selander, 1976) including Korean species of Rhabdophis tigrina and Elaphe dione (Paik and Yang, 1986, 1987). The average values of t the genetic similarities among six populations of A b. brevicaudus and two populations of A ussuriensis were S=0.919 and S=0.962, respectively, whereas the value between species was S = 0.662. Presumed divergent time estimate (Nei, 1975) of these two species was about 1 1.8 million years ago. The analysis of the geographic variations of various morphological c characters was based on Gloyd’s criteria (Gloyd, 1972). Coloration of tongue and tail tip, t the number of ventral scales, and the number of subcaudal scales are good diagnostic c characters to identify these two species. The pattern of cross band is, however, highly variable within and between populations of both species. No hybrid was detected and the s suspected hybrid form of Cheju population falls within the range of A. ussuriensis in the g genetic and morphometric analyses.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.3-25
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• 2011

Recently, a number of local governments as well as private organizations have spearheaded the release of animals into the natural ecosystem in Korea. In 2002, most of these animals released were mammals and birds, but the parameter was gradually expanded to include fish, amphibians, and invertebrates in addition to mammals and birds in 2007, with an increased overall number of animals released. Such increase has not only posed ecological, economic, and public health risks, but also yielded an increase in damages incurred by releasing animals historically or ecologically alien to a given region without thorough risk assessment. The most significant cause of such risks was a critical lack of risk management and regulatory schemes addressing the release of animals into the natural ecosystem. In stark contrast, developed countries long before established the requisite risk management and regulatory schemes either by complying with the IUCN/SSC's Guidelines for Re-Introductions or devising them independently. In this context, the current study has examined the release of animals into the natural ecosystem in Korea and, based on the investigation, asserted a strong need for proper risk management. Moreover, the study has presented systematic risk management and regulatory schemes suitable for the Korean milieu based on a comparative analysis of those employed in developed countries.