• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.161-172
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• 2012

The Taeanhaean National Park is located on the middle of the west coast of Korean peninsula. Due to the relatively high wave energy, large tidal range which is about 7m, and extremely complex coastal line, various coastal land-forms such as mud-flats, sand beaches, sand dunes, sea cliffs etc. are well distributed in this area, and thus various coastal ecosystems are well preserved. However, because of reckless sand diggings and construction of artificial structures in the coastal zone, the natural flowing and exchange of coastal deposits were disturbed and the erosion in the beach and the dune has been seriously accelerated. To understand of the causes of these problems, we tried three times periodical measuring with VRS/RTK GPS instrument at the Hakampo and Anmyeon beach. According to seasonal changes of the coast-line, beach area and cross-section of study sites, generally erosion process was dominated in the summer and deposition process was followed after summer.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.327-334
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• 2010

The paper describes the history and the evolution of the conflict of the Saemangeum reclamation project, focusing on the court trial processes. The Saemangeum project is the world largest coastal reclamation work, regarded as the most controversial environmental issue in the recent history of Korea. Due to the severe pollution found in Lake Sihwa in 1996, the Saemangeum project began to receive a large degree of public concern on the water quality of the proposed artificial freshwater lake. Unlike the Sihwa case, the Korean court system intervened to resolve the heated conflicts between stakeholders in the Saemangeum case. Based on the same set of facts, the Korean courts showed different perspectives on the economic feasibility, value of the ecosystem, land use, and water quality, which represents the limit of legal system to address complicated environmental problems. After the final judgment by the Supreme Court, 'the Special Act for the promotion of the Saemangeum reclamation project', was enacted with strong political support from local leaders and congressmen. A more developmental-oriented land use plan came out in 2009 based on this Act. The Saemangeum project walked along the different pathway from the Sihwa case. The area should be managed in sustainable manners to appropriately consider conservation and development for the prosperity of local residents and future generations.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.321-338
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• 2014

This study aims to identify spatial distribution of estuarine wetlands in Korea, and to assess temporal variation of the wetlands in the last few decades. Widely known in environmental and coastal management, watershed-based regions which composed with Han-river(western and eastern parts), Keum-river, Yeoungsan-river, Seomjin-river, Nakdong-river, and Jeju, are analyzed to evaluate temporal change of estuarine wetlands in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, through the land-cover map. Results show that estuarine wetlands dramatically decreased in Han-river(western part), Keum-river, Yeoungsan-river that estuarine circulation have been interrupted with man-made structures such as dyke and drainage. But, estuarine wetlands surrounded by forests and grasslands has been relatively less damaged. Habitat diversity providing healthy estuary ecosystem is lower in interrupted estuaries than circulated estuaries, which are composed of tidal-flat, open water, salt marsh, rocky coasts and sandy shoreline. This study indicates that spatial distribution and temporal variation of estuarine wetlands are different with estuary type and region, so estuary type with seven regions can be applied to provides a framework for estuary management strategies and to establish estuary restoration plans.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.135-140
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• 2006

The small octopus(Octopus minor), a species in the cephalopod class spawns the fewer eggs compared with its relatives such as Octopus vulgaris and Octopus ocellatus and exerts special efforts in nursing eggs hiding in the deep cave beneath the mud flat. Correspondingly, its embryogenic process had been hardly observed. In this study, we induced the small octopus to spawn its eggs in the artificial spawning tube and to nurse the developing embryos under the periodical observation. The early embryogenic change in the fertilized eggs was appearance of blastodisc on the animal pole at 4 days after spawning. A mass of rudiments of several organs developed in the middle of the yolk sac at 28-th day and it moved gradually toward the animal pole. At 38 days after spawning, two eyes appeared on the head and the trunk with heart developed on the apical part of the yolk sac. At 45-th day of embryonic development, the trunk and head occupied a half of the egg capsule and consequently the yolk sac was reduced to a half of its original size. Two eyes became prominent at the bottom of the trunk with several spots at day 60. Embryonic development was completed at about 80 days after spawning and the arms stuffed the lower half of egg capsule. The young fry squeezed out of the egg capsules with their long and slender arms first and mantles later. Soon after hatching, it swam actively and squirted ink.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.42 no.3 s.120
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• pp.344-354
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• 2007

Estuarine wetlands for 33 watersheds in the Han River estuary were delineated on topographic maps from the 1910s, 1970s, and 2000s. Then, these data were used to address the issue of spatial distribution and temporal variation. Watershed characteristics such as drainage density, location, watershed size, slope, and elevation were identified for each watershed to determine the relationship between watershed characteristics and spatial distribution of estuarine wetlands. The analysis of estuarine wetlands indicated that wetlands in the estuary had declined gradually between the 1910s and the 1970s, although most wetlands were lost since the 1970s mainly caused by the large development projects related to urban expansion in metropolitan Seoul. The sediment composition and formation processes of the wetlands differed with watershed location; mud flats dominate in the lower part of the estuary, and relatively more sandy and emergent-plant wetlands occur near the main channel and tributaries of the Han River. Relatively more estuary wetlands occur in large watersheds, which have high slopes and low elevations. Estuarine wetlands have been lost dramatically in the densely populated watershed regions (i.e., Han River Seoul, Han River Goyang, West Han River), while relatively more wetlands have remained in undeveloped regions, including the Lower Imjin River and Lower Han River. In particular, anthropogenic disturbance has played an important role in the loss of wetland through the conversion of wetland into agricultural and developed land.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.210-224
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• 2003

Sulfate reduction is a microbiological process which occurs ubiquitously in anaerobic marine environment. Sulfate reducing bacteria play a significant role in anaerobic decomposition of organic matter and regeneration of inorganic nutrients which supports the primary production in the water column (i.e., benthic-pelagic coupling) and, in special case, could be responsible for the harmful algal bloom in the coastal marine environment. Summary of the sulfate reduction rates reported in various marine sedimentary environments revealed that supply of organic substrates and presence of various electron acceptors (i.e., $O_2$, NO$_{3}$$^{[-10]}$ , Fe(III) and Mn(IV), etc.) for other aerobic and anaerobic respiration directly affect the sulfate reduction rate and relative significance of sulfate reduction in organic matter mineralization. Significance of temperature, macrophytes and bioturbation is discussed as factors controlling supply of organic substrates and distribution of electron acceptors. Finally, we suggest studies on the anaerobic microbiological processes associated with biogeochemical element cycles in the coastal environments of Korea where massive operation of organic enriched fish cage farm, frequent occurrence of toxic algal bloom and hypoxia and conservation of tidal flat are of major environmental issues.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.99-106
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• 2020

To investigate effect of variation in physiochemical conditions due to river discharge on phytoplankton, field surveys were conducted in the Seomjin and Yeongsan River estuaries from April to November 2016. The concentrations of DIN and DSi in Seomjin River estuary were gradually low as distance from upstream. On the other hands, the concentrations of DIN and DSi in Yeongsan River estuary were critically high at upstream, due to which is characterized as semi-enclosed eutrophic area. A total of 12 phytoplankton pigments were analyzed, and the distribution of each taxa was investigated using indicator for each phytoplankton taxa. Fucoxanthin, an indicator pigment of diatoms, showed an average of 0.61±1.00 ㎍ l^-1 and 0.76±1.22 ㎍ l^-1 in the Seomjin and Yeongsan River estuaries, respectively. Concentration of fucoxanthin was more than twice that of other pigments except chlorophyll a., indicating that diatoms were dominant taxa. Peridinin, an indicator pigment of dinoflagellate, showed some similar tendency to the microscopic observation, but mismatch results were also present, indicating a technical limitation of pigment analysis. Chlorophyll b, alloxanthin, and zeaxanthin, which are indicator pigments of green algae, cryptomonads, and cyanobacteria, were detected in both estuaries even though those taxa were not detected in microscopic observation. This indicates that the two estuaries were affected by freshwater species. Here, we can suggest that phytoplankton composition in estuary was directly influenced by the inflow from upstream. In particular, the phytoplankton population dynamics in Yeongsan River estuary was greatly associated with a large-scale artificial dyke, especially in summer rainy season. On the other hands, the seasonal and horizontal distribution of phytoplankton in Seomjin River estuary has changed along the salinity gradients and inflow-related changes.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.10-21
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• 2009

Muan Bay has extensively undertaken artificial influences through a series of construction of dams and dykes nearby resulting in a substantial increase in highest high water level. To unravel sedimentary responses to the water level rise, we collected a number of surface sediment samples and hydrodynamic data from in-situ observations of tidal currents in Muan Bay in 1998 and 2007. Comparison of the data between 1998 and 2007 shows that the relative content of coarse fractions, sand and gravel, in the sediment samples has increased with a decreased mean size, on average, from 6.2 to 5.8${\phi}$ at the expense of silt contents. Such a coarsening trend, which is more evident around high water level, particularly on the tidal flats of Dongam-ri, Guro-ri and Aphae-do, is most likely attributable to rising water level. On the other hand, an increase of fine fractions locally in the western entrance of the bay can be explained with changes in characteristics of tidal currents imposed by construction of bridges therein, such as decreased velocities and varied direction and phase of the tidal currents.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.93-104
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• 2002

A field survey and experiment was conducted from 1996 to 1998 to develop rational technology for turfgrass vegetation of runway side of Incheon International Airport on the reclaimed tidal land in Young-Jong Island. Backfill of the experimental site was finished on August 1995. The experimental site was 8 ha located in the middle of the construction place for the main parking lot in front of the terminal building construction. The experimental field was drained by main open ditch, and divided three main plots, no subsurface tile drain, subsurface tile drain spacing with 22.5m, and with 45 m, respectively. The 17 sub plots were designed to test the effect of soil covering with red earth loam by 5 cm and 20 cm depth, application of chemical compound fertilizers and livestock manures, dressing of artifical soils and hydrophylic soil conditioners. The tested turfgrasses were three transplanting indigenous turfgrasses, Zoysia koreana, Zoysia sinica and Zoysia japonica, and two hydroseeding mixed exotic turgrasses, cool type I(tall fescue 30%, kentucky blue grass 40%, perenial ryegrass 30%), and cool type II(tall fescue 40%, perenial ryegrass 20%, fine fescue 20%, alkaligrass 20%). The soil backfilled with dredged seasand was sand textured with high salt concentration and low fertility. The soil showed high pH, low organic matter and low available phophate contents. The percolation rate was fast with high hydraulic conductivity. Desalinization was fast after installation of the main open drainage system. No subsurface tile drainage effect was found showing little difference in turfgrass growth. The covering and visual growth of turfgrasses were the best in the 20-cm soil covering with compound fertilizer treatment. The covering and visual growth of turfgrasses were satisfactory in the 5 cm soil covering with compound fertilizer treatment and with livestock manure treatments. The hydrophillic soil conditioner treatments were effective but expensive at present. The coverage and visual quality of turfgrasses were good for Zoysia koreana and Zoysia japonica. The coverages of turfgrasses by the hydroseeding with the mixed exotic turfgrasses were less than transplanting of native turfgrasses. In conclusion, for the runway side vegetation purposes, the subsurface tile drainage might not necessary as main open ditch drainage be sufficient due to fast percolation rate of the backfilled dredged seasand. The 5 cm soil covering with red earth might be sufficient for the runway side, but the 20 cm soil covering might be necessary for the runway side where high density of turfgrass coverage was necessary to protect from the airplance air blow.