• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.271-284
• /
• 2014

The objectives of this research were to analyse the microhabitat of Cobitis choii which is designated as an endangered fish species (I) and national monument species in Korea (No. 454), and provide valuable information of suitable replacement habitat in the future for a conservation of the population with rapid decreases by environmental pollution. Sampling and microhabitat analysis in three streams such as Baekgok, Yugu and Gap Stream, known as one of the least habitats in Korea showed that the mean number of Cobitis choii observed was 2.6. This result indicated that the richness was too low, so the species conservation was very urgent. Optimal physical microhabitat of the population was determined as environmental conditions with > 60% sand with 1 mm particle size, optimal water depth of 20 - 60 cm in the habitats, and the optimal current velocity of < 0.4 m/s. Under the circumstances of the microhabitat, optimal water volume (discharge) was 0 - 2 m3/s in the each sectional analysis and this reach was mainly composed of the stream section with intermittant slow runs and pools. These microhabitats were largely disturbed by physical modifications of habitat and chemical pollutions due to direct influences of nutrient-rich water inputs from the urban area and intensive agricultural pollutants. For these reasons, optimal habitat replacement are required in the future for the conservation of the species.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.29 no.5
• /
• pp.377-390
• /
• 2020

URBAN ECOLOGICAL MAPS must be created by local governments by NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION ACT, and the maps are generally called biotope map. So far, biotope maps study was a tendency to focus on the type of vegetation, naturalness, land use, landscape ecology theories. However, biotope related studies have not reflected the concept of animal habitat, which is a component of biotope, and that is the limitation of biotope map research. This study suggest a methodology to predict potential habitats for fauna using machine learning to quantify habitat values. The potential habitats of fauna were predicted by spatial statistics using machine learning, and the results were converted into species richness. For biotope type assessments, we classified biotope values into vegetation value and habitat value and evaluated them using a matrix for value summation. The vegetation value was divided into 5 stages based on vegetation nature and land use, and the habitat value was classified into five stages by predicting the species richness predicted by machine learning. This is meaningful because our research can positively reflect the results of field surveys of fauna that were negatively reflected in the evaluation of biotope types in the past. Therefore, in the future, if the biotope map manual is revised, our methodology should be applied.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.274-288
• /
• 2018

This study investigated the environmental factors and fish assemblage in 42 wetlands between spring and autumn of 2017 to evaluate the fish distribution and deduce the management strategy for improving biodiversity in created wetlands located at the Nakdong River basin. The investigation identified a total of 30 fish species and found that the most of wetlands were dominated by exotic fishes such as Micropterus salmoides and Lepomis macrochirus. Fish species such as Rhinogobius brunneus, Opsariichthys uncirostris amurensis, Zacco platypus were less abundant in the area with high density of Micropterus salmoides (static area) because they preferred the environment with active water flow. The pattern analysis of fish distribution in each wetland using the self-organizing map (SOM) showed a total of 24 variables (14 fish species and 10 environmental variables). The comparison of variables indicated that the distribution of fish species varied according to water depth and plant cover rate and was less affected by water temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen. The plant cover rate was strongly associated with high fish density and species diversity. However, wetlands with low plant biomass had diversity and density of fish species. The results showed that the microhabitat structure, created by macrophytes, was an important factor in determining the diversity and abundance of fish communities because the different species compositions of macrophytes supported diverse fish species in these habitats. Based on the results of this study, we conclude that macrophytes are the key components of lentic freshwater ecosystem heterogeneity, and the inclusion of diverse plant species in wetland construction or restoration schemes will result in ecologically healthy food webs.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.138-147
• /
• 2022

Paddy fields are important habitats for maintaining the biodiversity of agricultural ecosystems. Recently, as the need for safe food and biodiversity conservation has increased, the rice cultivation methods have undergone changes. This study was conducted to investigate the fish fauna in Environmentally Friendly Paddy fields (EFP) and Conventional Paddy fields (CP), and compare the characteristics of Misgurnus anguillicaudatus and Aphyocypris chinensis populations in EFP and CP. A total of 2,703 fish were collected and classified into six families and 13 species. Our results showed that there was a difference in the proportion of fish populations in the two paddy fields, and the number of individuals in EFP was higher than in CP. The weight values of M. anguillicaudatus were higher in EFP than in CP, and the total length, body length, and weight values of A. chinensis were higher in EFP than in CP. Conditional factor(K) values also showed similar trends in EFP and CP. Our results indicate that the farming practices in paddy fields have a significant effect on the characteristics of M. anguillicaudatus and A. chinensis populations, and the results of this study can be used as basic data for securing biodiversity in future agricultural ecosystems.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.154-162
• /
• 2019

Lateral connectivity between the channel and the floodplains has been damaged by the levee construction and channelization in most streams of South Korea. The purpose of this study was to develop a technique for easily and remotely assessing lateral connectivity using GIS in the streams and to evaluate the effectiveness of the assessment method by applying it to Cheongmi-cheon Stream, a representative stream in the central Korean Peninsula. The metrics of the lateral connectivity assessment are composed of (1) existence of remaining wetlands and (2) land use property as a habitat quality of the former floodplain outside the levee and (3) existence of levee barrier, (4) connectivity to the stream and (5) connectivity to the upland natural habitats as a connectivity from the channel through floodplain to the upland forest. According to the result of applying the assessment method to Cheongmi-cheon Stream, the lateral connectivity was severely damaged due to the levee construction and land use change in the former floodplain. The GIS-based assessment of the lateral connectivity developed in this study is expected to be used as a useful tool for identifying limitations of current connectivity in various attempts to restore lateral connectivity in riparian ecosystems.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.36 no.5
• /
• pp.64-72
• /
• 2008

The purpose of this study is to compare a habitat suitability grid unit included within a radius of 100m and $1km^2,\;2km^2,\;4km^2$ watershed units in order to predict suitable habitats for Chungcheong province's endangered leopard species(Prionailurus bengalensis). Other developed countries have carried out habitat assessment and established management policies for species conservation using such methods as HEP(Habitat Evaluation Procedures), HSI(Habitat Suitability Index) and GAP(Gap Analysis Program), etc. In accordance with these studies, many evaluation methods for habitat conservation have been proposed in Korea, but these studies are lacking in consideration of analytic units and general application of analysis results. This study predicted leopard habitat using a logistic regression analysis according to analytic units by data from 56 location and 8 sources of environmental data, including elevation, slope, forest area, land cover, roads, water, broadleaf trees, and human habitation. Moreover, the habitat suitability assessment unit was confirmed by a model comparison process encompassing model explanation. verification, and application on a regional scale. Results showed that assessment methods that took into consideration areas in and around the location points were beneficial in predicting habitat and that the assessment unit was appropriate for a 30m grid unit including areas within a radius of 100m and a $1km^2$ watershed unit in Chungcheong Province. This study suggests a method for regional habitat conservation to complement existing conservation area selection methods, and the results are expected to be used in conservation area selection and ecosystem management policies for endangered species.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.467-479
• /
• 2013

This study was conducted to find out characterization of spatial distribution of birds observed in river areas. Our bird survey was carried out 4 times at 31 sites from January to September in 2011. A total of 1,609 accumulated individuals belonging to 59 species, 28 families and 11 orders were observed. In the result of spatial autocorrelation analysis using the richness index of the maximum counts of each sites, we confirmed that the distribution of birds in Namdaecheon river was clustered and the tendency of spatial autocorrelation was apparent. The area of each sites within a 200m radius was classified in four biotope categories such as agricultural land, forest, residential area and water area, and the spatial autocorrelation was analysed about four types. In the result of spatial autocorrelation analysis for four biotope categories, all types were showed the positive spatial autocorrelation, but the type of water area was higher than other types. The positive correlation was found between the water area and water birds in statistical significance. However, the forest birds had non-significance values. Therefore, it is appropriate to focus on water birds except for forest birds, when researches of bird distribution in river ecosystem is conducted. The number of bird species and individuals increased as the riverside of water area was to widen. Thus, if the areas of riverside offering the feeding and roosting area increase, it will be accommodated many birds. Also, the areas of riverside should be maintained naturally because it is an important habitats of birds. Our study area is on the outskirts the city of higher rates of forest and agricultural land, it may be unreasonable to apply our results to the whole rivers. If the research about the river flowing around the city will be conducted, it is expected to be useful to the relation study area such as ecological river's restoration.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.142-163
• /
• 2009

Taebaek city is located in the mountainous plateau area therefore the major industry was coal industry. According to dramatically declining of the major industry, Taebaek city is need to alternative industry which associated with considering the geographical characteristics of natural tourism resources for increasing the local economy. On the basis of these reasons, this study can be suggested ecological planning and mitigation of deterioration technique about the these study site. That is the reserved area for mountainous experience theme park. As the results of environmental ecology assessment are following as; The natural ecosystem areas, multi-layer structure forest such as forest of Pinus densiflora, forest of Quercus mongolica and deciduous forest have a high value of nature, diversity and potential. In addition, wild bird habitats were important area as a inhabitation, breeding, feeding and hiding. Therefore, on these areas should be preserved. Also, it needs to conserve on there such as more than three types of wild bird inhabitate areas, the fringe of high biological diversity, the wetland that have got good vegetation condition and the function of amphibia, reptiles crossing. In addition, inhabitation, the waterway of wetland form that have got wide waterside width needs to conserve. In conclusion, on the basis of analysis results such as conditions of plan, environment, ecological assessments, survey informations are able to suggest the connectivity of the axis of forest and management plan. Moreover, in the part of forest restoration plan, we suggest the plan of transplant for a compensation of damaged forest by land use.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.23-34
• /
• 1999

The purpose of this research is to establish a green space conservation grade for sustainable urban development of Taegu metropolitan city using GIS and RS methods, together with the valuation items of green spaces centered around ecological, useful, and socio-cultural factors. The results of this study are as follows: 1. According to the ecological factor, the first grade is $81.4km^2$ and then Kachag-myun, Dong-gu in order, have needs of sustaining conservation policy of urban environment improvement and protection of the wild habitats. 2. According to the usefulness of urban parks, the first and second grade which is over 150 $persons/km^2$ in population density of the catchment areas, were Talsung park, Sinam park, Yongsan park and etc., the areas of those parks consists of 0.7% of the whole urban parks. 3. According to the socio-cultural factor, the first grade is located in urban natural parks, and the second grade is which are composed of Green Belt and agriculture in Talsung-gun. 4. Analyzing these results synthetically, the first grade conservation is 18%, as the forest in the upper zone of Mt. Palgongsan, Mt. Bisul, and Mt. Daeduck, these regions needed to preserve absolutely. This research is a basic step to show the methodology for all-round evaluation of green space using GIS and RS. Hereafter, it is necessary to consider general evaluation index of green spaces, and to consider the quantitative and qualitative aspect.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.85-97
• /
• 2011

The tidal flats of Korea today have reduced by 40% in size compared to 1964. To manage this important habitat properly, development of well-organized and nationwide-applicable grading systems is required. There have been several assessment systems proposed previously in Korea, but they are critically flawed in that selected biological indicators are not adequate and grading criteria are obscure and arbitrary. We reviewed the indicators used in these previous evaluation systems (e.g., diversity indices, quantity and quality of benthic macrofauna, halophytes, water birds, etc.) and subsequently proposed new indicators and an improved grading scheme. For the quantitative assessment of macrobenthic community, biomass reflecting production and ecosystem function is recommended over density, which is much less discriminatory among habitats. Of biodiversity indices used, within-, between-habitat and regional biodiversity indices that accurately reflect sampling efforts are suggested. In addition, we proposed to include species rarity, ecosystem engineers, and the ecological quality index ISEP (Inverse function of Shannon-Wiener Evenness Proportion). As for halophytes, their low spatial coverage on benthic habitat suggests that their presence can be used as an ecological indicator of benthic habitat, regardless of their protective status. We stress the need to introduce 1) quantile approach for quantitative indicators (e.g., diversity, biomass, etc.) in relation to grading, 2) presence-absence approach for spatial or aggregate indicators (e.g., boundaries of halophytes and feeding ground of water birds) and 3) benthic habitat mapping that combines all of these indicators.