• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.134-142
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• 2016

Temperature increase and precipitation changes caused by change alter aquatic environments including water quantity and quality that eventually affects the habitat of aquatic organisms. Such changes in habitat lead to changes in habitat suitability of the organisms, which eventually determines species distribution. Therefore, conventional habitat suitability models were investigated to evaluate habitat suitability changes of freshwater fish cause by change. Habitat suitability models can be divided into habitat-hydraulic (PHABSIM, CCHE2D, CASiMiR, RHABSIM, RHYHABSIM, and River2D) and habitat-physiologic (CLIMEX) models. Habitat-hydraulic models use hydraulic variables (velocity, depth, substrate) to assess habitat suitability, but lack the ability to evaluate the effect of water quality, including temperature. On the contrary, CLIMEX evaluates the physiological response against climatic variables, but lacks the ability to interpret the effects of physical habitat (hydraulic variables). A new concept of ecological habitat suitability modeling (EHSM) is proposed to overcome such limitations by combining the habitat-hydraulic model (PHABSIM) and the habitat-physiologic model (CLIMEX), which is able to evaluate the effect of more environmental variables than each conventional model. This model is expected to predict fish habitat suitability according to climate change more accurately.

• 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.235-246
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• 2021

This study investigated the impact of baseflow on fish community in the Ungcheon stream (16.5 km long) located downstream of the Boryeong Dam, Korea. Based on field monitoring, there were five dominant fish species in the Ungcheon Stream accounting for 75% of the total fish community: Zacco platypus, Zacco koreanus, Tridentiger brevispinis, Rhinogobius brunneus, and Pungtungia herzi. These five fish species were selected as target species. HydroGeoSphere (HGS) and River2D models were used for hydrologic and hydraulic simulations, respectively. A habitat suitability index model was used to simulate fish habitat. To assess the impact of baseflow, each representative discharge was examined with or without baseflow. The HGS model was used to calculate baseflow within the study reach. This baseflow was observed to increase gradually with longitudinal distance. Validation of the hydraulic model dem onstrated that computed water surface elevated when baseflow was included, which was in good agreement with measured data, as opposed to the result when baseflow was excluded. Composite suitability index distributions and weighted usable area in the study reach were presented for target species. Simulations indicated that the baseflow significantly increased habitat suitability for the entire fish community. These results demonstrate that there should be a substantial focus on the baseflow for physical habitat simulation.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.841-857
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• 2012

Preliminary ecological environmental assessments including physico-chemical constituents, water quality, fish fauna analysis, physical habitat health, and ecological health assessment were conducted as a primary step for Jeungchon micro-habitat ecosystem restoration in 2012. Water chemistry analysis of conductivity, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll-a and etc. indicated that there were no significant differences(p < 0.05) among 6 sites between the headwaters and downstream. Multi-metric model analysis of Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index(QHEI) showed that brooklets were at "good condition" as a mean QHEI of 158.7(n = 6) and the longitudinal differences of the model values between the sites were minor(QHEI range: 153 - 165). Total fish species and the number of individuals were 12 and 481, respectively, and dominant species were Zacco platypus(49.5%) and Zacco koreanus(36.8%). Tolerance guild analysis showed that the proportion of sensitive species($S_S$) had a negative linear function[$S_S=86.35-0.31(D_H)$; $R^2$ = 0.892, p < 0.01] with a distance from the headwaters, while the proportion of tolerant species($T_S$) had a positive linear function($R^2$ = 0.950, F = 90.28, p < 0.001) with the distance. Trophic feeding guild analysis showed that the proportion of insectivore species($I_n$) had a negative linear function($R^2$ = 0.934, p < 0.01) with a distance from the headwaters, while the proportion of omnivore species($O_m$) had a positive linear function($R^2$ = 0.958, p < 0.001) with the distance. Index of Biological Integrity(IBI) model, based on fish assemblages, showed a "fair condition" as a mean IBI of 23(n = 6), and there was a distinct differences of ecological health between the headwaters(S1 = 30; "good condition") and the downstreams(S6 = 14; "poor condition"). Overall, the preliminary environmental impact assessments suggest that water quality, physical habitat conditions(QHEI model), and ecological health(IBI model) were maintained well, even if the state was not an excellent conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.18-31
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• 2004

Ecological network can solve the ecological problems such as habitat cutting and fragmentation that are resulted from urbanization. Recently, rooftop biotope construction has been appeared as a usefull method for ecological networking in urban area. The objective of this study is to seek the possibility of rooftop greening introduction as well as to select target species for rooftop greening construction from the urban ecological network point of view. In order to select target species, we monitored two adjacent rooftop greening sites, where we found 22 species of birds and insects and 33 species of plants. We set criteria to select target species through documents research, and gave marks species according to the criteria with the help of specialists. We divided the target species into 5 groups on the basis of the 12 selecting criteria. In those two monitored rooftop greening sites, we did not find any species belong to group A, which is the best target species, but we found species belong to the other groups. Orthetrum albistylum, Sympetrum dawinianum belong to group B, which is the priority target species, 7 species besides Passer montanus, Coccinella axyridis, Agrionidae to group C, which is the possible target species, 6 species besides Atractomorpha lata to group D, which is the potential target species, and the others were found to be inadequate to the target species. We found Orthetrum albistylum, Sympetrum dawi-nianum to be the best appropriate target species in the two sites. According to the result of this study, the method of ecological network construction from the dra-gonfly habitat network point of view through the construction of rooftop habitat is ideal for Orthetrum albistylum, and Sympetrum dawinianum. For successful urban ecological network construction, selection criteria and construction techniqes & methods for rooftop habitat should be developed through future research.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.185-191
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• 2012

Most of Korean farms have been developed in the semi-closed bay, and its position is very vulnerable to the coastal contamination due to the long term and the high density. So, mariculture management is very essential for the sustainable aquaculture. Some of the specific ways would be the assessment of the optimal stocking density for mariculture management zone and this has to consider both the suitable site selection and the assessment of ecological carrying capacity. Habitat suitability index(0.0 totally unsuitable habitat, 1.0 optimum habitat) and ecological indicator(Filtration pressure indicator) was used to assess the stocking density for oyster farms in Geoje-Hansan Bay. Geoje Bay showed the higher habitat suitability index value 0.75 than Hansan Bay 0.53, indicating that Geoje Bay is more suitable for oyster farming. Ecological indicator showed different stocking density according to the coastal characteristics in Geoje-Hansan Bay. Consequently, it is desirable that the stocking density in Geoje Bay should reduce average 40% and Hansan Bay, average 60% than present, in order to meet the ecological carrying capacity. The assessment of the stocking density could solve various problems such as the coastal contamination, environmental aggravation and the productivity decrease and this study could be a scientific basis to establish the policies for mariculture management.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.801-811
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• 2012

For biodiversity conservation, Biological Impact Assessment is very important. The focus of the study is to enhance efficient Environment Impact Assessment(EIA) based on collecting existing information of endangered species covering the status survey, estimation of effects and reducing methods. Habitat Suitability Index(HSI) can be applicable to Ecological Impact Assessment and finding various reducing methods based on estimating effects. For this study, the EIA report of Samjang - Sanchung highway construction was chosen as an example and Prionailurus bengalensis euptilura as an endangered species was chosen to assess the ecosystem impact on road construction. Water, road, ground coverage, slope, altitude as variables of habitat were weighted and final HSI map was calculated using Arc map and Arc view. Through comparing of before and after HSI, quantitative estimating on effects was possible to minimize impact of road construction to wildlife habitat.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.84-101
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• 2004

This study presents an ecological management plan for wildbird habitat conservation, an nature-friendly enhancement of bio-diversity using the riverside of the Tancheon Ecosystem Conservation Area in Seoul by analyzing environmental and ecological characteristics. As a result of analyzing actual vegetation, vegetation type was classified into 34 types. Humulus japonicus association covers an area of 441,568.6㎡(31.44％), and Artemisia princeps var. orientalis association covers an area of 89,690.1㎡(6.39％). Sandy plain as valuable wildbird habitat covers an area of 89,965.9㎡(6.4％). 125 taxa including 34 families, 93 genera, 107 species, and 18 varieties were recorded and the number of naturalized plants were 41 taxa at the survey site. Total naturalized index(NI) and urbanized index(UI) were recorded as 32.8％, and 15.5％. As a result of analyzing the herb plants association structure by surveying 8 belt-transects, the humid native plants was dominant in the partially adjacent revetment edge and damp riverside. On the other hand, naturalized plants was so extensively dominant that it was necessary to establish an ecological management plan. The observed wildbirds belonged to 50 species, 6,118 individuals, and 7 restricted species by law, which were Accipiter gentilis, Falco tinnunculus, Buteo hemilasius, and Buteo buteo. Oriolus chinensis,Hirundo rustica, and Alcedo atthis. The ecological administration plan for Tancheon Ecosystem Conservation Area as follows: in ecological land-use planning, the conservation area(695,518.5㎡) has native woody and herb vegetation and sandy plain with water as an wildbird habitat. The restoration area(653,702.7㎡) has a naturalized plants distribution are with artificial revetment. The nature-friendly Riverside Area(55,414.9㎡) was an easily approached area with damaged riverside vegetation, and a safe area to wildbird habitat. In riverside restoration planning, the artificial riverside should be restored to its natural riverside vegetation, and the artificial embankment should be restored with edge shrubs for wildbird habitat or revegetated for natural riverside landscape. For naturalized plants management planning, we selected naturalized plant species to be weeded out, and suggested an application method for ecological management.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.137-144
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• 2010

There is a host of habitat assessment systems available to evaluate and grade tidal flat ecosystems in Korea. Nevertheless, we recognize the need to develop a better ecological scheme to improve reliability and accuracy given the importance of using an empirical approach in assigning grades to indicators and the limitation of current systems which evaluate tidal flats on a regional basis. A preferable system would be one that enables habitat mapping within a tidal flat, provides a diagnosis of ecological stress/health, has a high level of ecological relevance, communicability, and statistical robustness, and enables evaluation of diverse habitats within a tidal flat. The following points should be considered in framing such a system. Indicators should discriminate habitat quality into five to seven grades accomodating diverse characteristics and conservation value of a habitat, and the grading should be made from frequency distribution of indicators based on nationwide data.We suggest the following tasks in crafting such a system: i) The decision on selection of indicators should be made based on accuracy of assessment and practical application; ii) effects of physical habitat conditions on variability of indicators should be reflected; and, iii) further works on stress/health indicators should be addressed for adopting a multiple-indicator approach which reduces misdiagnosis.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 2016

Fishways are constructed to provide longitudinal connectivity of streams or rivers where their flow has been altered by in-stream structures such as dams or weirs. Nature-like fishways have an additional function of providing fish habitats. In the study, we estimated the role of a nature-like fishway (length: 700 m, slope: 1/100) for fish habitat by using two dominant species in the Sangju Weir, Nakdong River, to calculate the optimal ecological flow rate using Physical HABitat SIMulation (PHABSIM). To identify the dominant species that used the fishway, we conducted trap monitoring from August to November 2012 at the fishway exit. The dominant species were Zacco platypus and Opsariichthys uncirostric amurensis with a relative abundance of 62.1% and 35.9%, respectively. Optimal habitat suitability indices (HSIs) for Z. platypus and O. u. amurensis were calculated as 0.6-0.8 m/s (water velocity) and 0.2-0.4 m (water depth), and 0.5-0.7 m/s (water velocity) and 0.1-0.3 m (water depth), respectively. The optimal ecological flow rates (OEFs) for Z. platypus and O. u. amurensis were 1.6 and 1.7 cubic meter per second (CMS), respectively. The results of the study can be used in a management plan to increase the habitat function of nature-like fishways in the Sangju Weir. This methodology can be utilized as an appropriate tool that can determine the habitat function of all nature-like fishways.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.113-124
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• 2006

Landscape structure, habitat types, vegetation structure and biodiversity in the Bokha stream chosen as a reference stream were investigated to get ecological information necessary for restoration of urban stream degraded by excessive artificial interference. Landscape structure showed a slight change between before and after flooding. Habitat types of nine sorts were identified based on ecological information obtained from field survey such as micro-topography, hydrological characteristics, disturbance regime, and so on. Each habitat holds specific organisms to each site. Consequently, the number of plant communities, and species of benthos and fish increased as the kinds of habitat type increase. Ordination of habitat types based on vegetation, benthos, and fish data reorganized them into three groups of pool types of two kinds depending on whether they are connected to the water course or not and riffle one. Vegetation showed different stratification and species composition depending on topographical position in relation to disturbance cycle. Based on the results from this study, relationship between environmental heterogeneity and biodiversity was discussed and a restoration plan was suggested in a viewpoint of vegetation.