• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.196-206
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• 2020

Background: The Himalayan forests are of great importance to sustain the nature and community resource demands. These forests are facing pressures both from anthropogenic activities and ongoing global climatic changes. Poor natural regeneration has been considered a major problem in mountainous forests. To understand the population structure and regeneration status of Larix (Larix griffithiana and Larix himalaica), we conducted systematic vegetation surveys in three high-altitude valleys namely Ghunsa (Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, KCA), Langtang (Langtang National Park, LNP), and Tsum (Manaslu Conservation Area, MCA) in Nepal Himalaya. The average values of diameter at breast height (DBH), height, and sapling height were compared for three sites and two species using Kruskal-Wallis test. Population structure was assessed in terms of proportion of seedlings, saplings, and trees. Regeneration was analyzed using graphical representation of frequencies of seedlings, saplings, and trees in histograms. Results: The results showed that the population structure of Larix in terms of the proportion of seedling, sapling, and tree varied greatly in the three study areas. KCA had the highest record of seedling, sapling, and tree compared to other two sites. Seedlings were the least among three forms and many plots were without seedlings. We found no seedling in MCA study plots. The plot level average DBH variation among sites was significant (Kruskal-Wallis χ² = 7.813, df = 2, p = 0.02) as was between species (Kruskal-Wallis χ² = 5.9829, df = 1, p = 0.014). Similarly, the variation in average tree height was significant (Kruskal-Wallis χ² = 134.23, df = 2, p < 0.001) among sites as well as between species (Kruskal-Wallis χ² = 128.01, df = 1, p < 0.001). All the sites showed reverse J-shaped curve but more pronounced for KCA and MCA. In comparing the two species, Larix griffithiana has clear reverse J-shaped diameter distribution but not Larix himalaica. Conclusion: The varied responses of Larix manifested through regeneration status from spatially distinct areas show that regeneration limitations might be more pronounced in the future. In all the three studied valleys, regeneration of Larix is found to be problematic and specifically for Larix griffithiana in MCA and Larix himalaica in LNP. To address the issues of disturbances, especially serious in LNP, management interventions are recommended to sustain the unique Himalayan endemic conifer.

• Atmosphere
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.221-233
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• 2015

Pollen is closely related to health issues such as allergenic rhinitis and asthma as well as intensifying atopic syndrome. Information on current and future spatio-temporal distribution of allergenic pollen is needed to address such issues. In this study, the Community Multiscale Air Quality Modeling (CMAQ) was utilized as a base modeling system to forecast pollen dispersal from oak trees. Pollen emission is one of the most important parts in the dispersal modeling system. Areal emission factor was determined from gridded areal fraction of oak trees, which was produced by the analysis of the tree type maps (1:5000) obtained from the Korea Forest Service. Daily total pollen production was estimated by a robust multiple regression model of weather conditions and pollen concentration. Hourly emission factor was determined from wind speed and friction velocity. Hourly pollen emission was then calculated by multiplying areal emission factor, daily total pollen production, and hourly emission factor. Forecast data from the KMA UM LDAPS (Korea Meteorological Administration Unified Model Local Data Assimilation and Prediction System) was utilized as input. For the verification of the model, daily observed pollen concentration from 12 sites in Korea during the pollen season of 2014. Although the model showed a tendency of over-estimation in terms of the seasonal and daily mean concentrations, overall concentration was similar to the observation. Comparison at the hourly output showed distinctive delay of the peak hours by the model at the 'Pocheon' site. It was speculated that the constant release of hourly number of pollen in the modeling framework caused the delay.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.11-21
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• 2015

This study carried out evaluation of vulnerability in accessability and functionality using road network that was extracted from Intelligent Transportation System(ITS) and digital map. It was built in order to figure out accessability that locational data which include community center, public facilities, medical facilities and highway IC. The method for grasping functionality are Digital Elevation Model(DEM) and land slide hazard map provided by Korea Forest Service. The evaluation criteria for figure out accessability was set to related comparison of average time in urban area. Functionality value was calculated by the possibility of backing the vehicle possibility of snowfall and landslides. At last, this research computed weighting value through Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), calculated a vulnerable score. As the result, the accessability of rural village came out that would spend more time by 1.4 to 3.2 times in comparison with urban area. Even though, vulnerability of the road by a snowfall was estimated that more than 50% satisfies the first class, however, it show up that the road were still vulnerable due snowing because over the 14% of the road being evaluated the fifth class. The functionality has been satisfied most of the road, however, It was vulnerable around Lake Daechung and Piban-ryung, Yumti-jae, Suriti-jae where on the way Boeun. Also, the fifth class road are about 35 km away from the city hall on distance, take an hour to an hour and a half. The fourth class road are about 25 km away from the city hall on distance, take 25 min to an hour. The other class of the road take in 30 min from the city hall or aren't affected of weather and have been analyzed that a density of road is high. In A result that compare between distribution and a housing density came out different the southern and the eastern area, so this result could be suggested quantitative data for possibility of development.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.304-317
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• 2020

This study conducted selected two sites in Geumnamhonam and four sites in Honam-Jeongmaek for vegetation survey with consideration to the location environment and anthropogenic impacts to investigate the vegetation structures of the Geumnamhonam-Jeongmaek·Honam-Jeongmaek ridge areas. Using TWINSPAN (two-way indicator species analysis), each of the two ridge areas were categorized into seven plant communities. The differential species in the TWINSPAN technique indirectly represent the environmental factors of plant communities, and the community types of the two ridge areas were divided based on environmental factors such as altitudes above sea level, soil moisture, and disturbance. These results were in harmony with the environmental factors of the DCA (detrended correspondence analysis) axis 1. In the low-lying areas of both ridge areas, afforestation tree species such as Pinus rigida and P. thunbergii were in competition with native tree species. As such, in the low-lying areas, artificial vegetation disturbance was severe due to afforestation and development projects. In relatively highland areas, such as upper slopes, and top areas, in the ridge, the vegetation type with the dominance of Quercus mongolica, Q. variabilis, and P. densiflora was preserved well. As for differences between the two ridge areas, communities dominated by Q. mongolica were distributed widely in Geumnamhonam-Jeongmaek because of the altitudes above sea level, and the latitude of this ridge area are higher than those of Honam-Jeongmaek. On the other hand, communities dominated by P. densiflora were distributed along with communities dominated by Q. mongolica, and communities dominated by Q. variabilis appeared in Honam-Jeongmaek because it is adjacent to the south coast. In quantitative vegetation analysis such as TWINSPAN and DCA, changes in species composition and the extracting environmental factors that cause the changes are important. To that end, the removal of accidental emergent species, the establishment of an investigation plan that assumes environmental factors, and the selection of the optimal analytical method suitable for the characteristics of the survey data are necessary.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.10-19
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• 2002

This study was conducted to investigate the avifauna of Gap stream in Daejeon metropolitan city from September in 2001 to August in 2002. For the monthly change of bird community, survey was carried at study area per each month, the obtained results could be summarized as follows. 1. The observed birds were 12 orders 31 families 83 species and 15900 individuals, 38 species are water bird as Herons, Dabbling ducks, Diving ducks, Rails, Sandpipers & Plovers and 45 species are land bird as Raptors, Woodpeckers, Wagtails, Thrushes, Warblers, Tits, Buntings, Crows. 2. These birds could be divided 29 residents, 29 summer visitors, 18 winter visitors, 7 passage migrants. 3. Among the birds, Chinese Sparrowhawk Accipiter soloensis, Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus, Kestrel Falco tinnunculus are legally protected species as natural monuments in Korea. 4. The major dominant species were Common Teal Anas crecca, Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha, Mallard Anas platyrhynchos, Grey Heron Ardea cinerea, Magpie Pica pica, Little Egret Egretta garzetta in order, Gap stream should be appropriate habitats for dabbling ducks and herons. 5. Among the total number of 83 species, the highest number of species was 37 species in February and the lowest number of species was 27 species in June. 6. Among the total number of 15900 individuals, the highest number of individuals was 2899 individuals in December and the lowest number of individuals was 385 individuals in May. 7. Among the monthly species diversity index, the highest number of species diversity index was 2.6207 in September and the lowest number of species diversity index was 2.0716 in January.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.144-154
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• 2017

The riparian vegetation is one of corridor type ecosystems, an ecotone and able to improve the ecological soundness by structural and functional link. And they act as habitats, sources and sinks of species, conduits, filters and barriers. This study was carried out to develop the vegetation model for the fluctuation areas of lake reservoirs consider of hydrologic and soil environments according to the vegetation structure of the reference ecosystem. To develop the case study, 2 sites within 10degree slope of the Daecheong Lake were selected. The riparian vegetation models were built by the results of GIS analysis, remote satellite analysis, field survey results, consider of water level, flooded frequency, soil and topographic index, land cover or land use etc. 1) study area varied from FWL to -5m of NFWL, 2) slope 10% below, 3) vegetations flooded below 100days yearly are Salix koreensis, Salix chaenomeloides, Salix gracilistyla, 4)land cover type classified wildlife grassland, abandoned paddy field, cropland according to landuse (or landcover), 5)finally model was constructed as ecological landscape forest. The model designs were suggested by 2 types in Daecheong lake reservoir. The model for the riparian vegetation corridors could be the basic and useful data to improve the ecological and landscape properties.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.89-102
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• 2016

Damyang riverine wetland was designated as a wetland protected area in 2004; that is located in the Yeongsan river mainstream. Total 30 phytosociological releves at field studies were classified with 22 vegetation types including of 101 species (unidentified 1 species). Legends of actual vegetation map were separated by 6 types; riparian forest, substitute vegetation, synanthropic vegetation, wet meadow vegetation, open water, an area of wetland vegetation is about 35 % ($386,841.86m^2$). Results of this study area as follows. The plant society of Damyang riverine wetland was conjectured that it was formed by rapidly water environment change with installed weir on the upstream of protected area and operating of Damyang dam on top of the basin. Until recently, the terrace land on the river was used to cultivate, but that would be formed fallow vegetation scenery on riverfront caused by no cultivation after designated protected area. Paspalum distichum var. indutum community designated as invasive alien plant by Korea Ministry of Environment was widely developed and Myriophyllum spicatumunrecorded in the country as newly alien species was discovered in the study zone. The plants as lapped over developing environment for Leersia japonica must be occupied habitat of native plant species having similar niche. The various plant society in Damyang riverine wetland should be developed because of environmental changes, disturbances and damages of stream.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.191-197
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• 2009

In order to characterize the ecological traits of Q. mongolica, we treated the seedlings of this species with three environmental factors, light, moisture and nutrient gradients from March to October 2007, and measured morphological and ecological 17 characters. Lastly calculated ecological niche breadth and niche overlap between Q. mongolica-Q. acutissima and Q. mongolica-Q. variabilis, and analysed them with a special reference to ecological distribution pattern and their competition relationship in Korea. The ecological niche breadth of Q. mongolica showed the lowest in nutrient treatment, but the highest in soil moisture treatment. The ecological niche value under light was intermediate. On comparison of the ecological niche breadth of three oak species, Q. mongolica showed the highest in light environment, which might be a reason for the dominant distribution in the forest plant community, Korea. The ecological niche overlap of Q. mongolica-Q. acutissima and Q. mongolica-Q. varabilis was the widest in moisture treatment, but the narrowest in nutrient treatment and the intermediate in light one. These results means that these three oak species be most competitive in moisture environment than light or nutrient one, and that there are least differentiated among oak species for soil moisture condition. Cluster and PCA ordination showed that Q. mongolica and Q. acutissima were more closely arranged than Q. mongolica and Q. variabilis. From these results, it can be explained that Q. mongolica have more similar ecological niche with Q. acutissima than with Q. variabilis, consequently competition between Q. mongolica and Q. acutissima is intensive than Q. mongolica and Q. variabilis for environment condition, especially in soil moisture.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.353-361
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• 2007

This study was conducted to investigate the distribution of naturalized plants in Jeollanamdo which is located in the south-western areas of Korea from May 10, 2005 to December 20, 2006, and to suggeste the management methods of naturalized plants. The naturalized plants constisted of 29 families, 84 genera, 122 species, 8 varieties, totaling 130 taxa and ratio of naturalization was 45 percents at the study sites. According to the number of species investigated from each sites, 103 taxa were from Yeongam, 98 taxa were from Mokpo, 97 taxa were from Shinan, while it was higher in the other sites. A total of 30 naturalized plant communities were classified. In those eight sites, the common appearance communities were Robinia pseudo-acacia, Amorpha fruticosa, Bromus catharticus, Eragrostis curvula, Festuca arundinacea, Festuca myuros, Lolium multiflorum, Lolium perenne, Paspalum distichum var. indutum, Rumex obtusifolius, Oenothera biennis, Lepidium apetalum, Trifolium repens, Ambrosia artemisiofolia var. elatior, Comos bipinnatus, Rudbeckia bicolor, Erigeron annuus, Erigeron annuus-Erigeron canadensis, Coreopsis lanceolata, Cosmos sulphureus community. The distributional characteristics of naturalized plants were divided on the basis of six areas associated with ecological characteristics of a habitat

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.1951-1964
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• 2016

1,4-Dioxane-degrading bacterial consortia were enriched from forest soil (FS) and activated sludge (AS) using a defined medium containing 1,4-dioxane as the sole carbon source. These two enrichments cultures appeared to have inducible tetrahydrofuran/dioxane and propane degradation enzymes. According to qPCR results on the 16S rRNA and soluble di-iron monooxygenase genes, the relative abundances of 1,4-dioxane-degrading bacteria to total bacteria in FS and AS were 29.4% and 57.8%, respectively. For FS, the cell growth yields (Y), maximum specific degradation rate ($V_{max}$), and half-saturation concentration ($K_m$) were 0.58 mg-protein/mg-dioxane, $0.037mg-dioxane/mg-protein{\cdot}h$, and 93.9 mg/l, respectively. For AS, Y, $V_{max}$, and $K_m$ were 0.34 mg-protein/mg-dioxane, $0.078mg-dioxane/mg-protein{\cdot}h$, and 181.3 mg/l, respectively. These kinetics data of FS and AS were similar to previously reported values. Based on bacterial community analysis on 16S rRNA gene sequences of the two enrichment cultures, the FS consortium was identified to contain 38.3% of Mycobacterium and 10.6% of Afipia, similar to previously reported literature. Meanwhile, 49.5% of the AS consortium belonged to the candidate division TM7, which has never been reported to be involved in 1,4-dioxane biodegradation. However, recent studies suggested that TM7 bacteria were associated with degradation of non-biodegradable and hazardous materials. Therefore, our results showed that previously unknown 1,4-dioxane-degrading bacteria might play an important role in enriched AS. Although the metabolic capability and ecophysiological significance of the predominant TM7 bacteria in AS enrichment culture remain unclear, our data reveal hidden characteristics of the TM7 phylum and provide a perspective for studying this previously uncultured phylotype.