• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.565-588
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• 2019

This study aimed to understand current flora of Western Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) in Korea. Some areas that located at Paju-si and Yeoncheon-gun were selected as representative survey area (Jangdan-myeon, Deokjin mountain fortress, Ilwol peak of Mt. Seokbyeong, Imjinriver, Sunaecheon stream, Sewolcheon stream in Paju and Banjeong-ri in Yeoncheon). Through this survey, 461 vascular plant specimens were collected from April 2012 to September 2014, twice a month and from October 2014 to October 2018, once a month. These were finally classified into 96 families 305 genera 413 species 4 subspecies 41 varieties 6 forms totally 464 taxa. There are remarkable plants such as 6 taxa of Korean endemic species, 44 taxa of specified species on a floristics aspect, and 35 taxa of alien and naturalized plants (7.5%). Meanwhile, it has not been observed any endangered plant species during the activities in this area.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.581-591
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• 2011

To reveal the relationship between pond type and chemical water characteristics and wetland flora, we investigated 8 small irrigation ponds in CCZ, which represent 4 types of irrigation ponds. Cation and anion concentrations in water were low at spring type ponds and cation or anion concentrations were high at others. Especially, Kyeongeuisun pond, which is water exchanging type, had high cation and anion concentrations. This indicates that water source of this ponds is surface water. CCA showed that chemical water characteristics and wetland flora were reflected in pond types. However, water exchanging type ponds were not clustered in a group, which comes from the difference in water source and we suggest that water source should be an additional criteria to devide pond type of water exchanging.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.285-292
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• 2021

We investigated habitat use and home range of a rescued and released white-naped crane using GPS tracking technology in Cheorwon, South Korea, from October 2016 to March 2017. Four types of roosting sites were identified: frozen reservoirs, paddy fields, rivers, and wetlands. Upon arrival, the white-naped crane preferred wetlands in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). In late wintering season, it showed a tendency to change main roosting sites in the following order: rice paddies, rivers, and frozen reservoirs. Among 14 sleeping places, Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) with various type of available habitats was more preferred than the DMZ. Places outside of CCZ were rarely used due to anthropogenic disturbances during the night. The tracked white-naped crane widely chose daytime feeding sites while moving around all over rice paddies in the CCZ. Mean diurnal movement distance was 10.5 km with a maximum of 24.8 km. Its home range measured with Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP) and Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) was 172.30 km² with MCP, 159.60 km² with KDE 95%, 132.48 km² with KDE 90%, and 42.45 km² with KDE 50%. All estimated values of home ranges were higher in the early and later winter than those in the middle period.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.275-289
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• 2011

We investigated the hydrological and geomorphological characteristics of small irrigation ponds in civilian control zone of Paju city in Korea. Among 85 small irrigation ponds, water level of 52 ponds changed seasonally and that of 33 was constant. Water sources of 12 ponds were surface water, 29 surface water and ground water, and 44 ground water. 4 ponds locate in the edges of forests, 33 in flat-lands, and 48 in valleys. Water in 45 ponds was exchanged with paddy fields and 40 ponds were isolated from paddy fields. Endangered or endemic species were inhabited in 26 ponds, which have ground water as water source and constant water level. Based on these characteristics, we suggested 4 types of small irrigation ponds: spring, water exchanging, stagnant/spring, stagnant water. This classification system will help ecosystem managers to investigate ponds systematically and manage them based on pond type.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.301-316
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• 2015

The endangered species, The Red-crowned Crane and the White-naped Crane are vulnerable species to the disturbance for human beings. We examined the importance of CCZ for the cranes by comparing the crane's density in some CCZ-released areas, which are cranes' wintering site in Cheorwon. We also assessed influence of disturbance such as construction and greenhouses on core habitats of cranes. Our study results suggested that the construction and reclamation in the CCZ shrunk core habitat area while increasing core area of far from the construction and reclamation area. The CCZ has been set since March, 2011 and the number of greenhouse has rapidly increased after 2012. As the number and size of greenhouse in the area where designation of CCZ was cancelled increased, foraging area of cranes diminished. Although the area where designation of CCZ was cancelled seemed to have more human disturbance than CCZ, the foraging density of cranes did not decline and even that of white-naped cranes increased. This could be the influence of artificial food supply at their roosting site. In conclusion, if the area of CCZ decline continuously in the future, density of cranes would decrease.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2020

This study aims to evaluate the effect of artificial facilities constructed afterthe release of the civilian controlled zone (CCZ) in Cheorwon on the inhabitation of cranes. The study site was released from the CCZ in 2012, and several barns have been built since 2017. The average number of Red-crowned Cranes was 9.3±4.3 individuals (±Standard Deviation) in the period before the release of the CCZ from 2009 to 2012, and it decreased by ca. one third of Red-crowned Crane's average individuals were showing 3.5±0.5 individuals after release. The average number of White-naped Cranes also appeared to be decreased by ca. 90% from 63.3±24.6 to 6.0±6.0 individuals. This results suggest that the construction of greenhouses and barns after the releasing of the CCZ affected the decrease of the population of these two crane species. In the case of Red-crowned Crane, the core area tended to move away from the area where barns were built. However, the distribution range of Red-crowned Cranes did not change significantly we expected because the study area was not their favorite place since 2012 when the area was released from the CCZ. The density of the White-naped Crane was relatively high even in the area where greenhouses were built, but after 2017 when the barn was built intensively, core habitat of crane became shrink and fragmented. These results suggest that both Red-crowned Cranes and White-naped Cranes response sensitively against habitat change due to the construction of barns. Since the release of the CCZ, the construction of the greenhouse has been influenced on the distribution of cranes, but subsequently, the construction of the barn seems to have caused a bigger change in their core habitat because the passage of people to barns is more frequent than the greenhouses.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.242-257
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• 2019

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) stretches two kilometers north and south from the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) of South and North Korea. This area was established as a weapons-free buffer zone when an armistice agreement was signed in 1953. However, there have been several very high-tension military standoffss over the past 65 years. On the South Korean side, civilian access to the Civilian Control Line (CCL) and beyond to the north has been restricted, and natural heritage has been well maintained. Natural heritage is defined as living things, their habitat and non-living things of the ecosystem which deserve to be protected. Research shows that a variety of flora and fauna, their habitat, marshes and geographical structures are found across the DMZ region. Although the DMZ region has not been such a good place for habitat conservation, we can say that this area may be the best location for restoration in terms of its variety of ecosystems and considerable land size. Restoration of course depends on future plans and management policies. This area, including the DMZ and the well-protected north of the CCL, will be the best habitat for endangered species of wild fauna and flora if we classify the various habitat types and create a habitat map. In doing this project, we need to include the estuary of the Han River and the lagoon (brackish water lake) of the East Sea coast. In addition, we must establish long-term plans for conservation and sustainable use and do international scientific research across the DMZ region in collaboration with scientists of South and North Korea and international experts. Mutual cooperation between the two Koreas for investigation and conservation efforts is paramount.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.239-249
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• 2009

The objective of the study is to examine the perception of the residents in the Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) and the competent local government officials for nature conservation and local development. A survey was conducted on 265 residents as well as 285 government officials from Paju and Yeoncheon Municipals. Both residents and officials perceived the value of biodiversity, natural ecosystem and landscape in the CCZ and seemed to have a sense of pride regarding it. However, they conceived that nature has not been conserved properly and residents in Yeoncheon showed more concern on this matter than residents in Paju. Overall, residents were more devoted to nature conservation or perceived the importance of accordance with nature conservation in local development, which implicates the sound foundation of perception and good prospect for sustainable development in CCZ. Owing to the difference in situation, there was a significant difference in perception between residents and officials. There is a possibility of conflict in Paju because residents desired more local development, whereas officials showed more purpose for nature conservation. In order to achieve simultaneously local development and nature conservation in CCZ, we should pay special attention to studies on living standards of local residents and scientific surveys on natural resources.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.282-291
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• 2014

This study was conducted to make distribution model of the Red-crowned Crane and the White-naped Crane according to the anthropogenic and natural factors affecting distribution of crane in Cheorwon, Korea. It was investigated that the impact power and its range of the indirect anthropogenic influence to feeding flock density in cranes from the road, residential area, military facilities, civilian control zone (CCZ), greenhouse and natural influence such as roosting site and available feeding area. Available feeding area is the most important factor for the crane's feeding site selection. The feeding flock density of the cranes near the residential area was lower than that of area far from the area, and tended to increase within 2.5 km distance. The increasing tendencies of feeding flock density from military facilities and high traffic volume road were similar, but the density in military facilities increased within 800 m, and the density from high traffic volume road increased within 2 km. These results suggested that residential area, military facilities and the road with high traffic volume had significant effect on foraging densities to the certain range. As the distance from the road with low traffic volume and roosting site increased, feeding flock density tended to decrease. The density of Red-crowned crane and White-naped crane inside the CCZ were respectively higher than those of outside the CCZ, especially for the Red-crowned crane. As a result, density of Red crowned cranes inside the CCZ was 5.2 times higher than that of outside, while that of white-naped cranes was 2.2 times bigger. If the density of greenhouse is lower than $40km^{-2}$, crane's feeding flock density in the low greenhouses density area was higher than that of high greenhouses density area. However, there was no difference in the feeding flock density if the density of the green houses is higher than $40km^{-2}$. The model for the Red-crowned Crane was related with available feeding area, distance from residential area, civilian control zone and distance from high traffic road. The model of the White-naped Crane was related with available feeding area, distance from roosting site and distance from lake. Finally, the estimated feeding flock density of cranes significantly correlated with density model according to the natural and anthropogenic factors.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2016

We examined whether an artificial levee constructed on prime amphibian habitat influences fragmentation. Four different sites on both sides of a levee in the Civilian Control Zone(CCZ) were probed. Sites 1 and 2 are rice paddies on one side of the levee, and Site 3 is the stream that locates in the same side. All the three sites have water conditions of seasonal variance. On the other side, Site 4 consists of rice paddies with a stable condition of water supply, irrigated through a canal. The research sites were frequented and the frog populations were closely monitored. The investigation identified five species. Pelophylax nigromaculatus was the most frequent (n=295), followed by Hyla japonica (n=220) and Glandirana rugosa (n=124). Three Bufo gargarizans and eight Rana coreana were also found. The amphibians, however, were found to relocate themselves according to water condition to rice paddies or stream only within one side of the levee. Despite having ample sources of water and foods, Site 4 lacked large populations of frogs, even when droughts came. Both the species dominance index and the richness index indicated a more favorable living condition of the one side of the levee (Sites 1 and 2) over the other.