• 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.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.35-45
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• 2010

The aims of this study are to clarify the geomorphological development of a alluvial plain and discuss the vegetation environments and agriculture activities in the Wangpo-River alluvial plain at Neungsan-ri, Buyeo by analyzing geomorphological classification, sedimentary facies and age datings. The alluvial plain at Wangpo-River was formed by the influences of Geum-River with the sea-level rising during the Holocene. The basin of Wangpo-River consists of natural levees, back marsh-type alluvial plains, valley plains and hills. The natural levees by Geum-River largely distributes at the area where Wangpo-River flows to Geum-River and the alluvial plains at the middle and lower reach are the back marsh areas of Geum-River. Moreover, the area along Wangpo-River show higher contents of coarse materials and thinner peat sediments than the back marsh. The lower sandy deposits in the alluvium of Wangpo-River was formed with the influences of human in the Bronze Age during the sea level falling and the peaty deposits was formed due to the water level rising of Wangpo-River during the sea level rising in the early Iron Age.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.89-99
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• 2012

This study aims to develop the Masan bay special management system of the point and nonpoint sources of pollution using GIS as part of the Integrated Management System of the Masan Bay Special Management Area and utilize Total Pollution Loads Management System in Masan Bay more systematically and scientifically. The result of the pollution sources management at the Masan bay in conjunction with GIS was made possible the comparison of the source of pollution and the pollutant load among each administration area. It also developed Arc-GIS watershed management program which enables to estimate the population for discharge facilities, the water use of domestic population and commercial population, and pollutant load and discharge load of COD, TN and TP by the administration areas, years, and usages. In addition, this study anticipated minimizing temporal, economical efforts in utilizing large amounts of property and space utilization data and expediting the decision making process of policies in relation to the systematic and effective management system of pollutant loads at the Masan bay area. Further studies are required to plan the systematic management of the point and nonpoint sources of pollution and complement the watershed management system using GIS program for pollutant load which enables to predict the current and future state of point and nonpoint sources.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.441-451
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• 2013

Samples for estimating concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocargons(PAHs), total petroleum hydrocarbons(TPHs), and benzene-toluene-ethylbenzene-xylene(BTEX) were collected at the tidal flat sediments of 8 coastal sites in Incheon, at seventy-two sampling stations for the surface sediment and twenty-four stations for the sediment core, twice in the spring and fall in 2011. This study was performed to evaluate the distributions of seasonal and spatial concentrations of PAHs, TPHs, and BTEX in the tidal flat sediments. The source origin of PAHs were carried out. The total average concentration of PAHs in the tidal flat sediment was $95.62{\mu}g/kg$. The characteristic of PAHs concentration distributions was observed that the average concentration in the autumn was lower than that in the spring, and higher concentration in the sediment core than the surface sediment, and greater vertical concentration at the top rather than the bottom in the sediment core. The total average concentration of TPHs at all sampling sites was in the value of 46 mg/kg. The characteristic of the TPHs concentration distribution was observed that the average concentration in the fall was much higher than that in the spring, and higher concentration in the surface sediment than the sediment core. The possible source of PAHs inputs were mainly derived from both pyrogenic and petrogenic origin at the surface sediment at Janghwari site and the sediment cores of both Sorae and Okyeon sites, while the rest sites of study areas originated with pyrogenic combustion.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.353-360
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• 2010

The Kyunggi Bay in mid-west of Korea is a relatively large estuarine system that connects the Han River system with Yellow Sea. Due to macro-tidal range of more than 8 m, the urban estuary shows deep tidal channels and wide tidal flats. Since last 30 years, the coastal development is undergoing, yielding noticeable change in environment. Particularly the tidal flat dynamics are generally accepted as being related with tidal residual flows in this area (Kim et al., 2009). We have estimated the annual variation and vertical structure of residual currents with one-year long observed flows in two major tidal channels of Kyunggi Bay. The moving average method and tidal current harmonic analysis yield nearly the same results on residual flow. The residual flow in Jangbong channel ranges from 20 cm/s in summer to 30 cm/s in winter. It is noticeable that the residual flow in Jangbong channel is flood dominant throughout the year, while the flow in Seokmo channel is ebb-dominant residual flow with current speed range of 20-40 cm/s. Due to the baroclinic response of relatively shallow estuary, significant reduction of energy in bottom layers have been observed, indicating the importance of residual circulation to the tidal flat behavior.

• 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 Wetlands Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.72-81
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• 2024

Korea is surrounded by the sea on three sides, salt marshes and coastal sand dunes adjacent to them are developed. This study attempted to reveal the characteristics of the coastal ecosystem by investigating and analyzing the characteristics of plant communities and flora of 571stands of 48 sites in the salt marshes and coastal sand dunes on the western and southern coasts of Korea. As a result, in the salt marshes, 39 vegetation units appeared, with Phragmites australis community having the widest area and Chenopodium virgatum community having the narrowest area. Suaeda glauca community was distributed closest to the coastline, while Suaeda maritima community extended the farthest seaward. In the coastal sand dunes, 29 vegetation units were distributed with Elymus mollis community having the widest area and Salsola komarovii community having the narrowest area. Calystegia soldanella community was showed closest to the coastline, while Rosa rugosa community extended the farthest landward. The flora of the salt marshes consisted of 6 families, 14 genera, 17 species, 1 variant, and 18 taxa (floristic regional indicator score; 16) and the coastal sand dunes consisted of 11 families, 18 genera, 20 species, 1 variant, and 21 taxa (floristic regional indicator score; 34) appeared slightly higher than that of salt marshes. This result is interpreted that halophyte that are sensitive to salinity can grow on the coast of the west-south coast of Korea because coastal sand dunes are more indirectly affected by sea than salt marshes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.74-82
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• 1999

This study is aimed to establish the development plannings for the sustainable tourism of Yongyoo Island and Mooeui Island, neighboring areas of Youngjong Island, for the conservation and environmentally friendly use of Korean coastal wetlands. The concepts of sustainable tourism is described. The current development status and its problems of Youngjong Island and its neighboring areas are analysed. The development plannings for sustainable tourism of Yongyoo Island and Mooeui Island are suggested as follows : (1) The small scale tourism development projects, which are able to represent region's own characteristics, instead of large scale ones, should be performed. (2) The participation of community people should be guaranteed at the beginning stage of the decision making processes for tourism development projects. Additionally, the profits of the development should be fairly distributed among community people. (3) The coastal wetlands should be conserved and their sewage disposal capacity should be protected by way of the minimization of reclamation. (4) The coastal wetlands should be developed into the tourist resorts utilizing migratory birds as tourism resources. In addition, the carrying capacity of the coastal wetlands, which is based on the current status of ecosystems and the Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA), should be calculated.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.64-73
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• 1999

The purpose of this study is to establish the management plannings for the conservation and environmentally friendly use of Korean coastal wetlands. The function, economic value, and the necessity for the conservation of coastal wetlands are described. The current management status, Korean Governmental policies for the use of coastal wetlands, and their problems are surveyed and analysed. The management plannings for the environmentally friendly use of Korean coastal wetlands is suggested as follows: (1) The coastal wetlands need to be divided into 3 different regions based on PSR(Pressure, State, Response) of OECD. (2) Each region should be managed by appropriate management plans which are suggested in Chapter IV of this paper. Finally, in order to realize these management plannings the change of Governmental system and laws are suggested as follows: (1) The change of relevant laws is required. Additionally, each region should managed by proper governmental agencies. (2) The EIA(Environmental Impact Assessment) system should be improved. (3) The participation of regional people should be guaranteed in the decision making processes of the business and other important planning regarding coastal wetlands. (4) The system which primed the ecological value of coastal wetlands should be established.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.305-312
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• 2010

Seagrass beds are a type of coastal wetland with many ecosystem services and precious economic values. Seagrass meadows used to be widespread along the coasts in northern Chinese seas, yet they have long been overlooked and lack devoted study on their history and status. This paper firstly reveals, by synthesis of information on composition of seagrass species and their distribution, that the seagrasses in this region have experienced considerable declines, both in terms of distribution and biomass, from the earliest record to present days. Then, a case study at the seagrass bed of Chudao is described to show the status of representative seagrass meadows. The results indicate that the environmental condition is good, seagrasses are in recovery, the planktoners are healthy and rich fishery resources and the mammal finless porpoise are associated with the seagrass bed. The cause(s) of historical seagrass decline and current conditions are also discussed, and future recommendations on seagrass protection and mapping are suggested.