• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.39-46
• /
• 2014

This study surveyed Abies koreana to identify the correlation between its vegetation structure according to its slope direction and seedling establishment in a bid to build basic research data on the changes and conservation of the A. koreana in Hallasan Mountain. The findings of its vegetation structure revealed that in both areas, Importance value was given to the A. koreana for its tree layer, the Taxus cuspidata for its shrub layer, and the Sasa quelpaertensis for its herb layer. However, in the Youngsil area with the tree layer, high importance was given to deciduous broad-leaved trees such as Prunus maximowiczii, Quercus mongolica, and the young species of the A. koreana in the shrub layer that can maintain the A. koreana forest's greater importance in the Jindallebat than in the Youngsil. Thus, the A. koreana forest in the Jindallebat is believed to lastlonger. The findings of correlation between the quantity of seedlings and their location by area revealed that in each tiny quadrat, the A. koreana seedling averaged 5.3 in the Youngsil and 2.9 in the Jindallebat. Both areas were all found to have a positive correlation in terms of rock exposure ratio and dead tree ratio as well as a negative correlation with regard to the cover degree of S. quelpaertensis, the canopy gap, the total vegetation, and the herb layer. It was found that the cover degree of the herb layer in the Youngsil and the S. quelpaertensis in the Jindallebat had the largest impact on the A. koreana seedlings.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.12 no.6
• /
• pp.123-130
• /
• 2009

Fragmentation due to land developments causes disturbances and changes of composition in forest vegetation. The purpose of the study was to develop the impact assessment model for quantitative distance or degree of disturbance by land developments. This study conducted a survey about structure and composition of forest vegetation to determine degree of impact from land developments. The results of field survey, there was a difference in structure and composition of forest vegetation such as tree canopy, herbaceous cover, and number of vine and alien species the distances from edge to interior area such as 0m, 10m, 20m, 40m, and over 60m. To assess the disturbance of forest vegetation, the factors selected were the rate of vine's cover and appearance of alien species. The impact assessment model about vine species explained by a distance, forest patch size, type of forest fragmentation, and type of vegetation ($R^2$=0.44, p<0.001). The other model about alien species explained by a distance, type of forest fragmentation, type of vegetation, and width of road (85.9%, p<0.005). The models applied to Samsong housing development in Goyang-si, Gyunggi-do. The vines and alien species in the study area have had a substantial impact on forest vegetation from edge to 20 or 40m. The impact assessment models were high reliability for estimating impacts to land developments. The impact of forest vegetation by development activities could be minimized thorough the adoption of the models introduced at the stage of EIA.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.375-381
• /
• 2009

In this paper, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) clutter images are simulated based on the extensive analyses for radar backscatter characteristics of various earth surfaces, and the simulated images are compared with measured SAR images. At first, the surface parameters including soil moisture content and surface roughness parameters and other parameters for vegetation canopies are measured for various surfaces. The backscattering coefficients for the surfaces are computed using theoretical and empirical models for surface scattering and the radiative transfer for vegetation-canopy scattering. Then, the digital elevation map (DEM) and land cover map (LCM) are used for the SAR image generation. The SAR impulse response (correlation function) is also employed to simulated reliable SAR images. Finally, the appropriate speckle and texture parameters for various earth surfaces are used for generating the SAR clutter images.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
• /
• v.19 no.6
• /
• pp.411-419
• /
• 2003

An area corresponding to the spatial resolution of optical remote sensor imagery often includes more than one pure surface material. In such case, a pixel value represents a mixture of spectral reflectance of several materials within it. This study attempts to apply the spectral mixture analysis on forest and to evaluate the information content of endmember fractions resulted from the spectral unmixing. Landsat-7 ETM+ image obtained over the study area in the Kwangneung Experimental Forest was initially geo-referenced and radiometrically corrected to reduce the atmospheric and topographic attenuations. Linear mixture model was applied to separate each pixel by the fraction of six endmember: deciduous, coniferous, soil, built-up, shadow, and rice/grass. The fractional values of six endmember could be used to separate forest cover in more detailed spatial scale. In addition, the soil fraction can be further used to extract the information related to the canopy closure. We also found that the shadow effect is more distinctive at coniferous stands.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.21-37
• /
• 2022

The present study was carried out to evaluate the chemical properties of soil in relation to forest structure and composition at different altitudes (900-2,600 m asl) in a part of Western Himalaya. The composite soil samples were taken from three (viz. upper, middle and lower) depths. The soils of the whole study area were acidic in nature (pH=4.90-5.51). Contents of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Carbon (C) and soil organic matter (SOM) showed much fluctuation during different seasons of year. Nitrogen content showed significant positive correlations with altitude (r=0.924, p<0.05) and different community parameters like species diversity (r=0.892, p<0.01) and species richness (r=0.941, p<0.05). Phosphorus exhibited direct correlations with carbon (r=0.637) while weak negative correlations with different community parameters like species richness & diversity, total basal cover (TBC), density and canopy cover. Carbon content and hence SOM showed direct correlations with Nitrogen (r=0.821, p<0.01); Phosphorus (r=0.637, ns) and Potassium (r=0.540, ns). But no significant relationship was observed between K content and species richness (p=0.30, r=-0.504); between K content and species diversity (p=0.14, r=-0.672); between P content and species diversity (p=0.29, r=-0.513) and species richness (p=0.23, r=-0.575). Among the different soil nutrients, only N showed a significant positive correlation with altitude while all others exhibited negative (but non-significant) correlation with it. The study revealed that the chemical properties affect and are reciprocally affected by forest structure and composition and that N rich soils of higher altitudes are best for the growth and development of forests.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.29 no.5
• /
• pp.785-790
• /
• 2015

As an alternative to large-scale clear cutting silviculture, strip clear cutting (SC) is being considered as a system compatible with ecological conservation and forest regeneration. In South Korea, application and effectiveness of SCC in varying forest types were rarely found. In this study, under the subject of strip clear cutting lands of pinus densiflora forest at Samcheok, Gangwon-do Province, the developmental aspect of low vegetation prior to and after deforestation and the correlation between environmental factor and pine regeneration were analyzed. The cover rate of understory vegetation was appeared to be increased after deforestation and rapidly increased two years after deforestation, and it was evaluated to be affected by vigorous tree species and photophilic species. From the perspective of relative importance value, Quercus mongolica, Artemisia keiskeana, and Rubus crataegifolius that influence the cover rate showed the inclination of continuous growth. The diversity of species showed increment inclination as well due to introduction and settlement of early transient species. As a result of analyzing the correlation between vegetation and environmental factor and generation of pine tree size, the soil exposure rate, intensity of light, and canopy openness showed positive relationship, and the understory vegetation cover and woody debris cover rate showed negative relationship.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.131-142
• /
• 2017

The function of urban parks as wildlife habitats is becoming increasingly important. The urban park serves as a key area for preserving urban biodiversity. The purpose of this study is to estimate the bird species diversity in 30 parks in Cheonan city and quantitatively analyze the influence of vegetation, park structure and landscape connectivity index. As the results, a total of 27 birds species and 1,509 individuals were found at the sites and the largest number of birds were found in the Cheongsa park with 17 species. The optimal regression model was selected as the explanatory variables for the logged park area (LPA), the tree cover ratio (Co_T) and the patch betweenness centrality (PB). LPA and Co_T mean the internal characteristics of the park, and PB was the external environmental variable meaning landscape connectivity. LPA was the most important factor (73.3%) as bird habitat, and the PB could be interpreted as a factor that should be considered as important (26.7%). It will be possible to consider these environmental variables in the park and green area construction and management.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.1-14
• /
• 2015

Whilst it is clear that increasing temperatures from global environmental change will impact the positions of alpine treelines, it is likely that a range of regional and local scaled factors will mediate the overall impact of global scale climate drivers. We summarized 12 categories of abiotic and biotic factors as 4 groups determining treeline positions. First, there are global factors related to climate-induced growth limitation and carbon limitation. Second, there are seven regional and local factors related to treeline dynamics including frost stress, topography, water stress, snow, wind, fire and non-fire disturbance. Third, species-specific factors can control treeline dynamics through their influence on reproduction and life history traits. Fourth, there are positive feedbacks in structuring the dynamics of treelines. Globally, the commonly accepted growth limitation hypothesis is that growth at a treeline is limited by temperature. Meanwhile, positive feedbacks between canopy cover and tree establishment are likely to control the spatial pattern and temporal dynamics of many treelines. The presence of non-linear dynamics at treelines has implications for the use of treelines as barometers of climate change because the lagged responses and abrupt shifts inherent in non-equilibrium systems may combine to mask the overall climate trend.

• Journal of Plant Biology
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.1-12
• /
• 1972

As part of the study of the structure and the successional trends of our temperate forests, a quantitative survey was made of the relatively well conserved forest stands on Mt. Kwanak, Seoul. Three community types were observed; the Pinus densiflora-Quercus mongolica community, the Pinus densiflora community, and the Quercus mongolica community. Evidence suggests that the dominance of Pinus densiflora and quercus mongolica will continue in the Pinus densiflora-Quercus mongolica community, however, in the Pinus densiflora community the dominant species, Pinus densiflora, is now being replaced by Quercus mongolica. The trend toward an increased in Acer pseudo-sieboldianum var. koreanum, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, Carpinus cordita, and Acer mono is observed in the Quercus mongolica community. An analysis of the overall composition of the forest reveals that the upper story is mostly occupied by Quercus mongolica and Pinus densiflora, the shrub layer by Rhododendron schlippenbachii and Lespedeza maximowiczii, and the herb layer by Spodiopogon cotulifer and Artemisia keiskeana. Quercus mongolica may cover most part of the forest, gradually excluding Pinus densiflora. Acer pseudo-sieboldianum var. koreanum, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, Carpinus coradata, and Acer mono are increasing in importance with the potentiality of developing into major canopy components. With the diversification of the physical habitat Cephalotaxus koreana and Magnolia sieboldii, the species which had almost completely been eliminated form the forest through the severe interferences, have reappeared.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.169-198
• /
• 1996

The objectives of this investigation are : 1. To analyze spectral signature and the associated vegetation index for geometric illumination conditions inf1uenced by low solar elevation and high slope orientations in mountainous forest. 2. To assess the accuracy of the spectral angle mapper classification for the a winter land cover in comparison with the maximum likelihood classification. 3. To produce the image of water quality and water properties that could be used to estimate the water pollution sources and the tide-included by turbid water in estuarine and coastal areas. These objectives are to characterize environmental and ecological monitoring applications of the Nak-Dong River Basin by using Fuyo-1 OPS VNIR data acquired on December 26, 1992. The results of this paper are as follows : 1. The spectral digital numbers and vegetation indexes (NDVI and TVI) of mountainous forest are higher on the slope facing the sun than on the slope hidden the sun under low sun elevation condition. 2. The spectral angle mapper algorithm produces a more accurate land cover classification of areas with steep slope, various aspects and low solar elevation than the maximum likelihood classifier. 3. The maximum likelihood classification images can be used for identifying the location and movement of both freshwater and salt water, regardless of geometric illumination conditions. 4. The color-coded density sliced image of selected water bodies by using the near-infrared band 3 can provide distribution of the water quality of the Lower Nak-Dong River. 5. The color-coded normalized difference vegetation index image of the selected mountain forest is suitable to classify winter vegetation cover types, i.e., forest canopy densities for slope orientations.