• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.150-164
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• 2022

The objective of this study is to analyze the biodiversity changes and characteristics of the benthic macroinvertebrate community in the Nakdong River with eight weirs, which was constructed as one of the Four Major River Restoration Projects from May to October 2020. The study also includes the analysis of changes in the major groups of benthic macroinvertebrates for about ten years, from 2010 to 2020. The surveys collected 97 species of benthic macroinvertebrates belonging to 83 genera, 52 families, 18 orders, five classes, three phyla, and 128.1 individuals/m². Chironomidae sp. and Tubificidae spp., which are pollutant indicators, dominated throughout the sections. The community analysis result shows the average dominant index and the diversity index of 0.62±0.20 and 1.87±0.63, respectively, and indicated the most stability of the freshwater ecosystem in the upper stream of the Nakdong River. The survey showed dominance by Chironomidae sp. at the center of the Nakdong River weir and the most unstable community in Chilgok and Gangjeong Goryeong weirs. The results of the community stability analysis showed a high distribution of the characteristic group I with high resilience and resistance and small distribution of characteristic group III with low resistance and resilience, indicating a very unstable condition of communities in the Nakdong River weir section. Predators were relatively abundant among the functional feeding groups (FFGs), whereas shredders, gathering-collectors, and filtering-collectors were relatively lower. Among the habitat orientation groups (HOGs), burrowers and climbers were dominant, indicating a wide distribution of groups in ecosystems with low dissolved oxygen. An endangered species level II of Macromia daimoji was found in Sangju and Nakdan weirs. The analysis results for 10 years from 2010 showed that the number of species and populations increased immediately after the dam construction but plummeted in 2016 and are now stabilizing. Chironomidae spp. has been dominant in all sections over the past 10 years, and they are currently maintained at a rate of about 50%. The EPT groups have decreased significantly since 2011, and the Plecoptera and Trichoptera of the group have not yet been restored. The population of Tubificidae spp. showed an increase after construction was completed in 2012 and drastically increased in 2015 and 2020. The species of Cristaria plicata, designated as endangered species level I, has not been observed since 2011 in Hapcheon Changnyeong weir. Moreover, Macromia daimoji was rarely observed in seven weirs until 2015, and it has been confirmed that the current distribution habitat has decreased rapidly.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.651-661
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• 2022

Plants social network analysis, which combines plants society and social network analyses, is a new research method for understanding plants society. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between species, using plant social network analysis targeting Taejongdae in Busan, and build basic data for management. Taejongdae, located in the warm temperate forest in Korea, is a representative coastal forest of Busan Metropolitan City, and the Pinus thunbergii-Eurya japonicacommunity is widely distributed. This study set up 100 quadrats (size of 100m²each) in Taejongdae to investigate the species that emerged and analyzed the interspecies association focusing on major species. Based on the results, a sociogram was created using the Gephi 0.9.2, and the network centrality and structure were analyzed. The results showed that the frequency of appearance was high in the order of P. thunbergii, E. japonica, Quercus serrata, Sorbus alnifolia, Ligustrum japonicum, and Styrax japonicusand that many evergreen broad-leaved trees appeared due to the environmental characteristics of the site. The plants social network of Taejongdae was composed of a small-scale network with 50 nodes and 172 links and was divided into 4 groups through modularization. The succession sere identified through a sociogram confirmed that the group that include P. thunbergiiand E. japonicawould progress to a deciduous broadleaf community dominated by Q. serrataand Carpinus tschonoskii, using hub nodes such as Prunus serrulataf. spontaneaand Toxicodendron trichocarpum. Another succession sere was highly likely to progress to an evergreen broad-leaved community dominated by Machilus thunbergiiand Neolitsea sericea, using M. thunbergiias a medium. In some areas, a transition to a deciduous broad-leaved community dominated by Celtis sinensis, Q. variabilisand Zelkova serratausing Lindera obtusilobaand C. sinensisas hub nodes was expected.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.336-346
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• 2007

This study was conducted to evaluate the vegetation structure of 34 plots for inspection(plot unit: $100m^2$)of evergreen broad-leaved forest in Dongbaekdongsan(Mt.), Jeju-do, Korea. In accordance with the results of TWINSPAN and mean importance percentage analysis, the target forest was aged $28{\sim}52$, and classified into seven community types in total: Ilex rotunda community, Castanopsis sieboldii community, Castanopsis sieboldii-Quercus glauca community, Quercus glauca-Castanopsis sieboldii community, Quercus glauca community, Quercus glauca-Camellia japonica community, and Quercus glauca-Styrax japonica community. According to the results of importance percentage analysis and DBH class distribution of major woody species, the vegetational aspects showed that the dominant species were Castanopsis sieboldii and Quercus glauca in the canopy layer and Camellia japonica in the subordinate layer. Ilex rotunda and Quercus glauca-Styrax japonica community were damaged vegetation in the canopy layer. According to the index of Shannon's diversity in the six communities including the dominant species - Quercus glauca and Castanopsis sieboldii, their species diversity degree was $0.8745{\sim}1.3018$ and that of Ilex rotunda community was the lowest 0.7619. Camellia japonica, Eurya japonica, Ilex rotunda, Trachelospermum asiaticum var. intermedium, Ardisia crenata appeared in all the seven communities. In addition, Litsea coreana and Cinnamomum japonicum as well as Neolitsea serica presumed as climax species in the warm temperate climate also appeared and the constancy ratio of Cinnamomum japonicum was more than 80%. As a result, the target forest in Dongbaekdongsan(Mt.) was mainly compose of Castanopsis sieboldii and Quercus glauca in the canopy layer as a mixed vegetational pattern, and Cameliia japonica was dominant in the subordinate layer. Continuous monitoring was required, since Camellia japonica was strong in the subordinate layer in contrast to the weakness of Litsea coreana and Neolitsea serica reported as the species of climax stage in the forest with Evergreen Broad-leaved Vegetation at a viewpoint of successional direction.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.357-364
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• 2014

This study aimed to determine effects of the use of water-retention additive, hydrophilic polymer, for extensive green roofs on growth of Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii and Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald and Gold' for woody plants, and Carex kobomugi and Carex pumila for herbaceous plants. Five different contents of hydrophilic polymer including 0% (Control), 1.0%, 2.5%, 5.0%, and 10% (polymer: medium (w/w), dry weight basis) were added to each of the container filed with a 100 kg of growth medium. Ten of plants were transplanted in each of square container ($1m(L){\times}1m(W){\times}0.3m$ (H)) built on the roof platforms in randomized complete block design in the $20^{th}$ of May, 2013. In results, excessively high volumetric soil water content, about 97-98%, was found in the substrate under elevated hydrophilic polymer concentration of at least 2.5%, during the entire growing period. The moisture content of the substrate containing 1.0% of hydrophilic polymer was higher about 20% in the range between 70% and 80%, compared tho that of Control substrate in the range between 50% and 60%, for 27 days after transplanting prior to abundant rainfall, indicating that the application of hydrophilic polymer to the extensive green roof substrate is effective to eliminate drought condition by retaining water in the substrate. Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald and Gold' and Carex kobomugi resulting in higher plant growth with 2.5% than those of the other treatment plants. Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii was observed the highest growth under 1.0% hydrophilic polymer treatement, and Carex pumila was founded the best growth with Control respectively. Plants that grown in both the 1.0% and 2.5% hydrophilic polymer survived all, while the plants that grown in the 5.0% and 10% hydrophilic polymer died after 3 months. These results suggest that advantage of the addition of hydrophilic polymer may be greater in drought-tolerant plants, but the mixture proportion of hydrophilic polymer should be determined according to the different features of the plant species being grown.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.707-718
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• 2012

This study was conducted to monitor 4 years of changes in the vegetation structure starting from 2007 when restoration began and propose vegetation management ideas for the riparian ecological restoration areas in the purchased land around Nakdonggang(River). The study was conducted in each of 15 locations ($208,342m^2$) in the riparian ecological restoration areas in November 2007, September 2008, October 2009 and September 2010. The analysis results of the changes in planting species and population showed that, in the case of trees, Acer pseudo-sieboldianum, Quercus acutissima, Acer ginnala, Quercus aliena, Quercus variabilis indicated relatively little changes in their numbers and Quercus dentata, Cornus walteri, Morus alba, Styrax obassia, Sorbus alnifolia var. macrophylla indicated a 100% withering rate. Most shrubs withered due to the oppressive pressure of herbs and climbing plants. The planting density decreased over 4 years on average 28 plants/$100m^2$ to 20 plants/$100m^2$ to 16 plants/$100m^2$. Shortly after the restoration, The the amount of growth was reduced by restoration stress. however as time goes on after the restoration tended to stabilize. The changes in the basal area showed a decrease from $507.1cm^2/100m^2$ in 2007 right after restoration to $301.8cm^2/100m^2$ in 2008 and afterwards showed an increasing trend by going to $324.9cm^2/100m^2$ in 2009 and $372.7cm^2/100m^2$ in 2010. To improve the planting structure of the riparian ecological restoration area, the selection of tree species that have been considered for soil moisture and the differentiation of suitable planting structures that have been considered for local conditions were needed.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.81-91
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• 2016

This study was performed to investigate and monitor changes in aquatic ecological communities, particularly benthic macroinvertebrates from the upper reaches to the down reaches of Songchu valley before the project of Songchu valley translocation initiates. We aimed to verify the translocation effects of the valley on the aquatic macroinvertebrate communities. A field investigation was conducted over three rounds from November 2012 to August 2013. A total of four sites were selected: one to represent the control site (St. 1), two for the translocation sites (St. 2, 3), and one for the downstream sites (St. 4). Our quantitative sampling revealed that the total number of benthic macroinvertebrates were 3,805, which belong to 62 species, 32 families, 9 orders, 5 classes and 4 phyla. As a result of the community analysis at the control site, dominant index was 0.52(${\pm}0.16$), diversity index was 1.95(${\pm}0.44$), evenness index was 0.81(${\pm}0.04$), and richness index was 2.25(${\pm}0.85$). Thus, the community structure was found to be relatively stable. For the EPT ratio of species and individuals that appeared, the control site showed the highest values at 67.60(${\pm}5.66$)% and 66.30(${\pm}2.06$)% respectively, but its value became lower towards the downstream sites. Upon the statistical analysis of the functional feeding groups, it was found that gathering-collectors and filtering-collectors increased toward the downstream sites while shredders decreased. From the point of habitat-oriented group evaluation, sprawlers decreased and burrows increased toward the downstream sites. According to the analysis using Korea Saprobic Index (KSI), the control site is categorized as grade A with average value at 0.75(${\pm}0.10$). However, the grade gradually falls from A to B toward the lower reaches, as the KSI value increases at the translocation and downstream sites.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.189-210
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• 2011

As a part of improving the effect of stream restoration, the study selected 90 domestic natural streams that are not damaged and researched their riparian vegetations. Among them, the results of streams, whose naturalized ratio were more than 5 % and valley type flood plains were not developed, were excluded. By using the results of final 49 streams, plant communities and companion species that commonly appeared in high frequency, depending on stream type, were drawn. The result revealed that Quercus mongolica community, Hemiptelea davidii community and Salix koreensis community were representative in the mid-northern district (latitude: N $37{\sim}37.9^{\circ}$) with Salix koreensis community in the central district (latitude: N $36{\sim}36.9^{\circ}$) and Quercus serrata community in the southern district (latitude: $34{\sim}35.9^{\circ}$). For the stream type depending on altitude, Quercus serrata community and Phragmites japonica community were representative in the altitude of 200~500 m and there was no stream, in which flood plain is developed naturally, in the altitude of more than 500 m. In addition, the study drew representative communities depending on width of stretches of water at mean water level indicating the size of stream. Quercus serrata community was major vegetation at sites which are less than 20 m wide and Salix koreensis community was common at sites which are more than 20 m and less than 100 m wide of stretches of water at mean water level. Meanwhile the major vegetations at sites which are more than 100 m wide were Salix koreensis community, Morus bombycis community and Salix nipponica community. The study selected the kind of tree for planning riparian forest in flood plain by stream type on the basis of the result and suggested tree planting pattern that can be used in actual work by referring to the result of hydraulic review.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.531-541
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• 2014

This research investigated the reproduction cycle, litter size, and the effects of factors of red-tongue viper snake inhabiting in Jeju Island, to delve into their life strategy. Field survey was conducted in Jeju Island from May 2006 to November 2008. Reproduction cycle was analyzed through measurements of testis and follicle sizes in laboratory from March 2009 to December 2010. According to the research results, the sizes of red-tongue viper snake's testis and follicle clearly changed seasonally. The number of eggs within the oviduct were greater on the right side ($2.6{\pm}1.0$ eggs, n=16) than on the left side ($1.8{\pm}0.5$ eggs, n=16) (t=-2,721, p<0.05). Average (${\pm}SD$) of survival litter size (SLS) was $4.4{\pm}1.7$ (1~9, range), while total litter size (TLS) was $4.7{\pm}1.5$ (3~9, range), which were not statistically significant. However, their litter sizes were similar to the number of eggs within the oviduct (t=0.039, P>0.05). Relative litter mass (RCM) was $0.42{\pm}0.13$ (0.18~0.79, n=33), and tended to increase, as maternal condition of pre-parturition (MCPPI) was getting better. The sexual ratio of delivered litters showed no significant difference between male and female red-tongue viper snakes (♂:♀ = 1.15:1, n=73 ; ${\chi}^2$=0.342, P>0.5). Average neonate mass showed a weak correlation with maternal mass of pre-parturition (MMPP1) (r=0.387, P<0.05, n=33). Average neonate Snout-vent length (SVL) also demonstrated a weak correlations with maternal SVL (r=0.399, P<0.05, n=33) and MMPP1 (r=0.344, P<0.05, n=33). Average neonate mass and maternal SVL approached significant probability (r=0.323, P=0.067, n=33). This indicates that mother snakes can bear bigger litter due to its larger size. In some cases, litter's weight decreases as mother snakes are bearing more litter; however, the red-tongued viper snake did not show such exchange relationship. From this, it can be conjectured that a red-tongued viper snake has peculiarity of its own species. The research results are predicted to be used as the basis to find a life history of red-tongued viper snake.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.425-435
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• 2020

This study aims to investigate the impact of the physical structure, such as altitude, slope gradient, slope direction, and topographical structure, and the vegetation pattern, such as existing vegetation, diameter of breast height (DBH), and crown density, on climate. The analysis results showed the significant difference in relative humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation at varying altitudes, the significant difference in all climate factors except for the wind speed at varying slope gradient, and significant difference in temperature and relative humanity at varying slope direction. The topographic structures were divided into valleys, slopes, and ridges. They were found to differ in relative humidity. However, the differences between constant trends and types were found to be insignificant concerning temperature, wind speed, and solar radiation. Significant differences in temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed were recorded with changing existing vegetation. The DBH showed a significant difference in temperature, wind speed, and solar radiation. The crown density showed a significant difference in temperature and solar radiation. The result of the relationship analysis for the analysis of the effect of vegetation pattern and physical structure on the meteorological environment showed that temperature was affected by slope gradient, slope direction, DBH, and crown density. The relative humidity was correlated with the altitude, slope gradient, slope direction, and topological structure in physical structure and the existing vegetation and crow density in vegetation pattern. The wind speed was correlated with the altitude, existing vegetation, and DHB, and the solar radiation was correlated with the slope gradient, DHG, and crown density. The crown density was the most overall significant factor in temperature, relative humidity, and solar radiation, followed by the slope gradient. DBH was also found to be highly correlated with temperature and solar radiation and significantly correlated with wind speed, but there was no statistically significant correlation with relative humidity.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.396-401
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• 2020

As the world becomes more globalized, the non-native species issue has emerged as a problem that is growing internationally. In particular, the number of non-native turtles found in the wild has been increasing sharply in South Korea. At least 15 species of non-native turtles, including the red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) first imported in the 1970s, have been found in Korea. On October 15, 2019, an alligator snapping turtle (AST, Macrochelys temminckii) was found in a stream located in Gwangju city, South Korea. The discovery of AST became a big issue in South Korea as the animal is known for its large body size and aggressiveness and was featured widely in the mass media. In this study, to learn the public's perception of non-native species, we examined comments (opinions) to the online news articles about the AST. We collected 1,100 comments from the Internet news articles on the AST. Out of the 1,100 comments, 342 (31.1%) comments were related to non-native species' issues. Most of the respondents (97.7%, n=334) stated that the non-native species are a problem. Forty two comments mentioned potential threats posed by non-native species: non-native species' aggressive nature (n=11, 26.2%) and ecological disturbance (n=31, 73.8%). Lack of responsibility (n=122, 51.7%) was the major causative factor for the introduction of non-native species, and followed by indiscriminate pet trade (n=99, 42.0%), absence of relevant legislation (n=13, 5.5%), and absence of treatment (n=2, 0.8%). Animal registration (n=59, 45.7%) was the most commonly mentioned as the way to deal with the issue of the non-native species' invasion. Our results show that the public is aware of the seriousness of the invasion of non-native species, including AST. This study highlights that researchers and government officials need to consider the public's perception and opinions. We believe that our study can serve as an essential reference for the policy direction and the management of non-native species.