• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 1992

The reconstruction of the vegetational and environmental history of the Korean peninsula by the use of various fossil floral data from the Carboniferous period to the Pre-Holocene is reviewed. Though the oldest plant fossil in Korea (Neuropteris) dates back to the Carboniferous period, the first appearance of many of the present-day floristic genera indeed dates back to the Oligocene (c. 40 to 20 million years B.P.), and includes many thermophilous genera. The presence of thermophilous genera in the Oligocene at up to four degrees north of their present distributional limits implies that the climate of the Oligocene was warmer than that of today. The occurrence of similar thermophilous floristic element at up to six degrees north of their present range during the Middle Miocene suggests a maximum northward expansion of warmth-loving evergreen broadleaved vegetation for, recent Korean vegetation history. The continued occurrence of numerous present-day genera since the Oligocene period indicates a long-term stability of Korean vegetation, along with minor fluctuations within it. The admixture of evergreen coniferous plants and deciduous breadleaved plants, however, indicates a probable temperate climate for much of the Middle Pleistocene. There are couple of evidences which are indicative of an early-stage anthropogenic disturbance of natural vegetation during the Middle Pleistocene of Korea. The presence of cold-episodes during the Upper Pleistocene caused a general expansion of deciduous plants and cryophilous evergreen coniferous, plants. It is likely that the maximum southward expansion of cryophilous arctic-alpine and alpine floras in Korea occured during the penultimate glacial period. The disappearance of some cryophilous genera from 10,000 years B.P. marks the continued climatic amelioration since then, along with minor climatic fluctuations during the Holocene period.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.140-148
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• 2007

The remote sensing observations of land surface properties are inevitably influenced by the landscape heterogeneity. In this paper, we introduce a geostatistical technique to provide a quantitative interpretation of landscape heterogeneity in terms of key land surface parameters. The study areas consist of the two KoFlux sites: (1) the Gwangneung site, covered with temperate mixed forests on a complex terrain, and (2) the Haenam site with mixed croplands on a relatively flat terrain. The semivariogram and fractal analyses were performed for both sites to characterize the spatial heterogeneity of two radiation parameters, i.e., land surface temperature (LST) and albedo. These parameters are the main factors affecting the reflected longwave and shortwave radiation components from the two study sites. We derived them from the high-resolution Landsat ETM+ satellite images collected on 23 Sep. 2001 and 14 Feb. 2002. The results of our analysis show that the characteristic scales of albedo was >1 km at the Gwangneung site and approximately 0.3 km at the Haenam site. For LST, the scale of heterogeneity was also >1 km at the Gwangneung site and >0.6 to 1.0 km at the Haenam site. At both sites, there was little change in the characteristic scales of the two parameters between the two different seasons.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2005

This study presents the Mid-Lateglacial vegetation history of southwestern Korea. From the result of AMS dating and pollen analysis, four local pollen assemblage zones(BS) were recognized. The four local pollen assemblage zones are BS 1. 12,222cal BC$\sim$9,160cal BC: cool-temperate northern/altimontane mixed coniferous & deciduous broad-leaved forest, BS 2. 9,160cal BC$\sim$ 4,210cal BC: cool-temperate central/montane deciduous broad-leaved forest, BS 3. 4,210cal BC$\sim$125cal BC: cool-Temperate southern/submontane mixed coniferous & deciduous broad-leaved forest. BS 4. BC125cal ${\sim}$present: warm-temperate/cool-temperate southern/submontane coniferous forest. Pine forest expanded since 4,210cal BC and full-scale rice cultivation might started since 2,120cal BC. A radical expansion of Pinus densiflora forest after postglacial stage might be caused by human impacts including full-scale agriculture.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.633-649
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• 2016

Exposure to high temperatures during the reproductive period of crops decreases their productivity. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) fifth Assessment Report predicts that the frequency of high temperatures will continue to increase in the future, resulting in significant impacts on the world's food supply. This study evaluate climate change-induced heat stress on four major agricultural crops (rice, maize, soybean, and wheat) at a global level, using the coupled atmosphere-ocean model of Hadley Centre Global Environmental Model version 2 (HadGEM2-AO) and FAO/IIASA Global Agro-Ecological Zone (GAEZ) model data. The maximum temperature rise ($1.8-3.5^{\circ}C$) during the thermal-sensitive period (TSP) from the baseline (1961-1990) to the future (2070-2090) is expected to be larger under a Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 climate scenario than under a RCP2.6 climate scenario, with substantial heat stress-related damage to productivity. In particular, heat stress is expected to cause severe damage to crop production regions located between 30 and $50^{\circ}N$ in the Northern Hemisphere. According to the RCP8.5 scenario, approximately 20% of the total cultivation area for all crops will experience unprecedented, extreme heat stress in the future. Adverse effects on the productivity of rice and soybean are expected to be particularly severe in North America. In Korea, grain demands are heavily dependent on imports, with the share of imports from the U.S. at a particularly high level today. Hence, it is necessary to conduct continuous prediction on food security level following the climate change, as well as to develop adaptation strategy and proper agricultural policy.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.257-277
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• 2007

We carried out a phytosociological study on pine forests in Korea with the method of Zurich-Montpellier School. We collected the data of 252 $relev{\acute{e}}s$ from 45 sites in the pine forests throughout the Korean Peninsula and its attached islands. The vegetation of the pine forests was classified into one association, three communities and seven subcommunities as follows: A: Quercus mongolica-Pinus densiflora community, A-1: Typical subcommunity, A-2: Vaccinium korean urn subcommunity, A-3 : Rhododendron micranthum subcommunity, B: Quercus serrata-Pinus densiflora community, B-1: Typical subcommunity, B-2: Juniperus rigida subcommunity, B-3: Styrax japonica subcommunity, B-4: Eurya japonica subcommunity, C: Saso-Pinetum densiflorae Yim et al. 1990, and D: Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii-Pinus densiflora community. The former three communities were integrated into the Lindero-Quercion mongolicae Kim 1990 em. 1992. The Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii-Pinus densiflora community remained to be studied in future to determine the association. The communities of Quercus mongolica-Pinus densiflora community was distributed throughout the montane zone in central-northern part of the Korean Peninsula. Quercus serrata-Pinus densiflora community occupied widely in the sub-montane and hilly areas in central and Southern Korean Peninsula. The association of Saso-Pinetum densiflorae was found in Cheju Island. Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii-Pinus densiflora community were distributed in the warm-temperate zone including islands off the south-west coast of the Peninsula.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.82-90
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• 2012

In this study, we investigated the environmental factors and growth characteristics of Sasa borealis community inside a temperate deciduous forest and reviewed its effect on the lower vegetation and natural regeneration. The S. borealis community in the Jungsan-ri region of Jirisan National Park was chosen as the study area, and the vegetation and the environmental factors were investigated. The dominance value, height and foliage layer thickness were investigated as the growth characteristics of S. borealis in the area. As the environmental factors, we investigated the photosynthesis photon flux density (PPFD) of the shrub and ground layers as well as the chemical characteristics of the soil. Additionally, we investigated the flora on the ground layer of the area as well as the number and height of woody plants. The result showed that the height and foliage layer thickness of the S. borealis was closely related to the light conditions but the distribution was not determined simply by the effect of the environment or vegetation of the particular area. This may be deeply related with the unique survival strategy of S. borealis, a vegetably propagated plant, that it can extensively distributed on a heterogeneous resources environment in a forest as multiple culm are interconnected with each other through the rhizomes. The dense dominance and great height of S. borealis reduced the plant species diversity in the ground layer by decreasing the PPFD on the ground surface.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.613-626
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• 2014

Seaweeds were identified after qualitative sampling at 14 stations of Dokdo coasts from May to July 2013 and seaweeds and animals inhabiting 23 Eisenia bicyclis plants were examined to evaluate its ecological role. Biomass was calculated by using regression between stipe length and weight of E. bicyclis. A total of 128 species were identified, including 18 green, 35 brown, and 75 red algae. Coarsely branched form was dominant functional group occupying 47.66% and 91 species (71.09%) were in ESG I group, growing in stable environmental coast. Also, R/P, C/P, and (R+C)/P were 2.14, 0.51, and 2.66, respectively showing temperate and mixed flora. Biomass and density of E.bicyclis were $23.74kg\;m^{-2}$ and 64 fronds $m^{-2}$. Twelve seaweeds and 83 animal species (15 Annelida, 25 Mollusca, 34 Arthropoda, 3 Echinodermata, and 6 others) were observed from 23 holdfasts and Ericthonius pugnax was dominant taxon having 538 (43.11%) of 1,248 animal individuals. These results indicate that E.bicyclis is a keystone species showing very important ecological role. In conclusion, the number of seaweeds increased because of intensive research and dominance of coarsely branched form and ESG I group seaweeds, representing that environmental condition of Dokdo is still intact.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.337-351
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• 1996

Melatonin Is a multifunctional hormone secreted from the pineal gland in the middle of cerebrum and cerebellum. Its synthesis and release reflect photopedod;Photopedod is a yearly predictable ambient factor that most animals utilize as an environmental cue for maximum survival. Hamsters maintaln reproductive activity in summer during which day length exceeds night time. Upon the advent of autumnal equinox they undergo gonadal regression. The photoperiodic effects are prevented by removal of the pineal gland and restored by the timed repiacument of melatonin. The results suggest that melatonin constitutes part of control mechanism whereby environmental information is transduced to neuroendocrine signal responsIble for the functional integrity of the reproductive system. From the studies for the action site of melatonin following the treatment of photopedod or melatonin in the lesion of a spedflc portion of hypothalamus, suprachiasmatic nuclei and pars tuberalis are shown to be a consensus site for melatonIn. The action of melatonin. In the regulation of reproduction is largely unknown. It is mainly due to the lack of acute effect of melatonin on gonadotropin secretion. However, reduction of the gonadotropln release and augmentation of the hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) content by long-term treatment of melatonln Indicate that constant presence of melatonln may partidpate in the regulation of sexual activity via the GnRH neuronal system. The action mechanism by which melatonin exerts Its effect on GnRH neuron needs to be eluddated. The inability of opiold analogues to affect the reproductive hormones in sexually regressed animals by inhibftory photopedod and melatonin suggests that the opioldergic neuron may be a prime intervening mediator. Recent cloning of melatonin receptor will contribute to investigate its anatomical Identification and the action mechanism of melatonin on target tissues at the molecular level.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.223-239
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• 2005

The vascular plants collected from Dongwol Valley in Mt. Gyeryongsan, national park were composed of all 248 taxa including cultivated species, and classified into 1 phylum, 4 classes, 3 subclasses, 34 orders, 84 families, 178 species, 33 varieties and 4 forms. As compared the flora of the commonly distributing species of this region with those of the southern part, the middle part, the northern part of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju-do Island and Ulreung-do Island, the proportion of them were $90.3\%,\;98.0\%,\;79.0\%,\;73.8\%$ and $62.1\%$, respectively. One taxon of the plants distributed only in the southern part, 3 taxa of those in the middle part, 5 taxa of those in the middle-northern part and 23 taxa of those in the middle-southern part were found in this Valley. Natural resource plants were categorized into edible 118 taxa, medicinal 78 taxa, industrial 46 taxa, ornamental 39 taxa, timber 14 taxa and fiber 9 taxa. Four taxa of the Korean endemic plants are distributed in Dongwol Valley. The vegetation of the valley is Quercus and Rhododendron mixed forest, and it belongs to the boundary between the middle part and the southern part in the floral zone of the Korean Peninsula.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.267-275
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• 2001

This study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of bird community and to suggest a proper way how to manage and protect bird community in Mt. Paldal, Suwon City. The survey was carried out by line transect method from March 1992 to February 1993, and from October 1998 to August 1999. Twenty-seven birds were recorded, and these birds were also classified into 14 species for residents, 8 species fur summer visitors, 4 species for winter visitors and 1 species fur passage migrant in 1992. Twenty-one birds were recorded, and these birds were also belonged to 16 species fur residents, 2 species fur summer visitors, 2 species for winter visitors and 1 species for passage migrant in 1999. In 1992, seasonal change of number of species and individuals showed a typical pattern of temperate deciduous forests, however, seasonal pattern in 1999 was somewhat differed from that of temperate deciduous forest. According to data of migration habits of bird community in same months, percentage of residents were higher in 1999 and that of summer visitors were higher in 1992. In guild analysis of breeding bird community, bush-nesting and foraging guild that utilize the bush layer as nest and food resources showed the decreasing number of species and individuals, also summer visitors did the same decreasing trends from 1983. Therefore, it should be suggest that protection of bush layer for inhabitation of bush-nesting and foraging guild and summer visitors, and it will be considered that construction of green net-work among urban forests such as Mt. Kwanggyo, Mt. Chilbo, Mt. Paldal, Mt. Sukgi and Mt Yeogi in Suwon City.