• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.150-154
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• 2018

In lotic wetlands, runner reed (Phragmites japonicus) plays a role as a pioneer, which helps other plant species to settle by making dense roots trapping floating-sediments. In lentic wetlands, on the other hand, P. japonicus could play a role as an invader threatening biodiversity by forming tall and dense stands. To conserve an abandoned paddy terrace in mountainous areas, a habitat of an endangered dragonfly species (Nannophya pygmaea), from the monotypic-occupation by P. japonicus, we applied three kinds of treatment: (1) hand-clipping in 2009, (2) mechanical excavating in 2012, and (3) planting of alternative vegetational unit in 2012. We have monitored vegetation changes in the wetland in 2008~2012 and 2017. Vegetation cover of P. japonicus sharply decreased from 43% in 2011 to 16% in 2012 by the mechanical excavation. After 5 years from applying the treatment, Schoenoplectiella mucronata that was utilized in the planting became the predominant species instead of P. japonicus and the number of wetland plant species increased from 16 to 25 with the shift in species composition. This study showed the utility of three control methods of P. japonicas in a lentic wetland.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.73-83
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• 2016

Forest degradation reduces ecosystem services provided by forest and could lead to change in composition of species. In North Korea, there has been significant forest degradation due to conversion of forest into terrace fields for food production and cut-down of forest for fuel woods. This study analyzed the phenological changes in North Korea, in terms of vegetation and moisture in soil and vegetation, from March to Octorber 2013, using MODIS (MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) images and indexes including NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), NDSI (Normalized Difference Soil Index), and NDWI (Normalized Difference Water Index). In addition, marginal farmland was derived using elevation data. Lastly, degraded terrace fields of 16 degree was analyzed using NDVI, NDSI, and NDWI indexes, and marginal farmland characteristics with slope variable. The accuracy value of land cover classification, which shows the difference between the observation and analyzed value, was 84.9% and Kappa value was 0.82. The highest accuracy value was from agricultural (paddy, field) and forest area. Terrace fields were easily identified using slope data form agricultural field. Use of NDVI, NDSI, and NDWI is more effective in distinguishing deforested terrace field from agricultural area. NDVI only shows vegetation difference whereas NDSI classifies soil moisture values and NDWI classifies abandoned agricultural fields based on moisture values. The method used in this study allowed more effective identification of deforested terrace fields, which visually illustrates forest degradation problem in North Korea.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.71-78
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• 2013

An exceptional case of inhabitation of a Sphagnum sp. was firstly confirmed at abandoned paddy terrace (APT) wetland in Ansan. Water sampling for analyzing of physicochemical conditions including nutrients such as NP, $Ca^{2+}$ and $Mg^{2+}$ was performed and the vegetation map for distribution of Sphagnum sp., topographical map, and flora list for companion species were made at field in June 2011. From the results, the Sphagnum sp. in the study site was identified as S. palustre and it covered about 8% of the wetland cover of 3,200 $m^2$. Most distributions of S. palustre were observed at tussock structures as micro-topography by sedges and grasses within a wetland (74%) and the shaded slope area under Pinus densiflora's canopy in wetland boundary (26%). Despite that APT in Ansan is relatively lower wetland in altitude than high moors, the contents of calcium ($0.45{\pm}0.2$) and magnesium ($1.48{\pm}0.6$) ion which are critical limiting factors for Sphagnum spp. were very low levels as well as NP ($PO_4$-P, $0.02{\pm}0.0$; $NO_3$-N, $0.25{\pm}0.3$; $NH_4$-N, $0.06{\pm}0.1$) and it could enable the inhabitation of S. palustre in lower APT.