• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.209-220
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• 2023

Over the past few centuries, widespread changes to natural ecosystems caused by human activities have severely threatened biodiversity worldwide. Understanding changes in ecosystems is essential to identifying and managing threats to biodiversity. In line with this need, the IUCN Council formed the IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology (GET) in 2019, taking into account the functions and types of ecosystems. The IUCN provides maps of 10 ecosystem groups and 108 ecological functional groups (EFGs) on a global scale. According to the type classification of IUCN GET ecosystems, Korea's ecosystem is classified into 8 types of Realm (level 1), 18 types of Biome (level 2), and 41 types of Group (level 3). GETs provided by IUCN have low resolution and often do not match the actual land status because it was produced globally. This study aimed to increase the accuracy of Korean IUCN GET type classification by using land cover maps and producing maps that reflected the actual situation. To this end, we ① reviewed the Korean GET data system provided by IUCN GET and ② compared and analyzed it with the current situation in Korea. We evaluated the limitations and usability of the GET through the process and then ③ classified Korea's new Get type reflecting the current situation in Korea by using the national data as much as possible. This study classified Korean GETs into 25 types by using land cover maps and existing national data (Territorial realm: 9, Freshwater: 9, Marine-territorial: 5, Terrestrial-freshwater: 1, and Marine-freshwater-territorial: 1). Compared to the existing map, "F3.2 Constructed lacustrine wetlands", "F3.3 Rice paddies", "F3.4 Freshwater aquafarms", and "T7.3 Plantations" showed the largest area reduction in the modified Korean GET. The area of "T2.2 Temperate Forests" showed the largest area increase, and the "MFT1.3 Coastal saltmarshes and reedbeds" and "F2.2 Small permanent freshwater lakes" types also showed an increase in GET area after modification. Through this process, the existing map, in which the sum of all EFGs in the existing GET accounted for 8.33 times the national area, was modified so that the total sum becomes 1.22 times the national area using the land cover map. This study confirmed that the existing EFG, which had small differences by type and low accuracy, was improved and corrected. This study is significant in that it produced a GET map of Korea that met the GET standard using data reflecting the field conditions. 

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-40
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• 2007

The research in this paper, for the effective implementation of CBD PoW PA(Program of Work on Protected Areas of Convention on Biological Diversity) that was adopted by CBD COP7(Conference of the Parties) in 2004, shows the objectives and activities of 9 each subject in PoW PA regarding domestic status and cases of national park management. Before anything else, according to the result of the review on the status of protected areas in Korea, there are 1,119 protected areas which are classified into 14 types and the total area is about $15,621km^2$. After a thorough review on 9 each subject about the implementation of CBD PoW PA, we found out that some parts such as management planning, prevention and alleviation of threats, and establishment of PAs system, are improved while financial support, improved social benefit, and MEE(Management Effectiveness Evaluation} fields are need to be improved. Especially regarding time-bound, ecological gap analysis on national level and MEE are need to be improved immediately. This paper could help us to understand the current status of PAs management system in Korea and to prepare national reports of CBD and implementation report of PoW PA. Based on research and results of this paper, we need to find the fields that have gaps in order to meet the requirements of the CBD PoW PA and the implementation tools that are suitable for managing Korea's protected areas. To effectively implement the various activities which require a systematic approach on the national level, the establishment of the networks among relevant organizations for protected areas are vital. To effectively reach the ultimate goal of CBD PoW PA, reducing the rate of biodiversity loss, it is essential that lots of plans established by authorities must be carried out in a constant manner to achieve goals of CBD PoW PA.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.895-906
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• 2015

This study was carried out to the structure of plant community from Sinseongam to Jungdaesa in Odaesan National Park, furthermore, it seeks to curate the basic data for planning of the Abies holophylla's forest management in Odaesan National Park. In order to identify the current ecological environment, this study explored the actual vegetation as primary research and set to twenty plots(i.e. $400m^2$) for analysing detailed structure of plant communities. The research methodology was qualitative analysis, therefore it used TWINSPAN and DCA analysis tools. Especially, TWINSPAN performed well in several comparisons of classification techniques, DCA is one of the ordination technique showed that the plant communities. The plant community was analysed classification and ordination by TWINSPAN and DCA, moreover it was analysed the structure of plant community such as importance percentage of woody species, DBH class distribution, the index of diversity and rate of sample tree growth. The main vegetation was A. holophylla-Quercus mongolica forest and Deciduous broad-leaved forest in the communities where located in low altitude and valley, whereas main vegetation where located in high altitude and slope was Q. mongolica forest. The research site's plant communities were classified four groups. In all of communities, A. holophylla was dominant species in main canopy layer, furthermore, the three communities (community I, II, III) are growing up next generation of A. holophylla excluding community IV. The communities (community I, II, III) can be sustained current status which dominates the A. holophylla communities, simultaneously, there might be expanded the Deciduous broad-leaved communities by Carpinus cordata, Betula schmidtii and so on. While, it showed that the community IV tended to be weaken the forces of A. holophylla, therefore the community IV can be transferred to C. cordata-Deciduous broad-leaved communities in the future. The age of sample trees was 79~128(i.e. A. holophylla), 75~87(i.e. Pinus koraiensis) and 190 years(i.e. Ulmus davidiana var. japonica). The index of Shannon's Species diversity (H') were ranged from 0.3889 to 1.3332 in the communities.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.92-99
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• 2012

Many wildlife habitats have been destroyed and fragmented during the rapid industrialization and urbanization process in Korea. It is essential to connect these fragmented habitats to reduce road-kill of many types of endangered urban wildlife. The site selection for wildlife passages must take into account the behavior of the wildlife species for safe crossing utilizing many artificial barriers in urban areas. This study attempted to identify potential wildlife passage sites for the endangered and protected leopard cats of Gangseo Ecological Park in Seoul, Korea. A space syntax analysis, an analytical technique to objectively evaluate the spatial configurations related to passage selection, found that the integration value represents the accessibility and connectivity of spaces. In this paper, this means that the bigger the integration value, the more frequently the leopard cat passes through. The leopard cats were captured and radio-tracked for 72 hours once a month from March to June of 2009. The ArcGIS and Animal Movement of Hawth Tools were used to analyze the home range and movement paths, and Axwoman 4.0 was used to analyze space syntax. The daily average movement distance was $2.099{\pm}1.08km$. During the survey period, the leopard cats crossed over an urban expressway more than 20 times, running the risk of road-kill. The range of global integration values was 0.458~1.834, while that of the local integration was 0.210~6.061. Five sites that met across the leopard cats' movement routes and roads were selected to measure the local and global integrate values. Among these sites, the higher the integration value, the higher the road-kill possibility. Thus, two of five sites with high global and local integration values were suggested as potential wildlife passage sites for the leopard cats. Now, three tunnel passages are under construction at the suggested sites for which local integration value was highest (LI=4.369). Further studies are scheduled to verify these potential sites as suitable wildlife passages.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2023

We analyzed the distribution area of debris slopes in Mudeungsan (Mt. Mudeung) National Park by comparing aerial photos of the past (1966) and the present (2017) and identified the vegetation characteristics that affect the change in the area of the debris slopes by investigating the vegetation status of the debris slopes and the surrounding areas. The area of debris slopes in Mt. Mudeung appears to have been reduced to a quarter of what it used to be. Debris slopes here have decreased at an average rate of 2.3 ha/yr over 51 years by vegetation covers. Notably, most of the small-area debris slopes in the low-inclination slopes disappeared due to active vegetation coverage. However, there are still west-facing, south-west-facing, south-facing, and large-area debris slopes remaining because the sun's radiant heat rapidly raises the surface temperature of rock blocks and dries moisture, making tree growth unfavorable. Because of these locational characteristics, the small-scale vegetation in the middle of Deoksan Stony Slope, which is the broadest area, showed distinct characteristics from the adjacent forest areas. Sunny places and tree species with excellent drying resistance were observed frequently in Deoksan Stony Slope. However, tree species with high hygropreference that grow well in valleys with good soil conditions also prevailed. In some of these places, the soil layer has been well developed due to the accumulation of fine materials and organic matter between the crevices of the rock blocks, which is likely to have provided favorable conditions for such tree species to settle and grow. At the top of Mt. Mudeung, on the other hand, the forest covered the debris slopes, where Mongolian oaks (Quercus mongolica) and royal azaleas (Rhododendron schlippenbachii), which typically grow in the highlands, prevailed. This area was considered favorable for the development of vegetation for the highlands because the density of rock blocks was lower than in Deoksan Stony Slope, and the soil was exposed. Moreover, ash trees (Fraxinus rhynchophylla) and Korean maple trees (Acer pseudosieboldianum) that commonly appear in the valley areas were dominant here. It is probably due to the increased moisture content in the soil, which resulted from creating a depressive landform with a concave shape that is easy to collect rainwater as rock blocks in some areas fell and piled up in the lower region. In conclusion, the area, density of the rock blocks, and distribution pattern of rock block slopes would have affected the vegetation development and species composition in the debris slope landform.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.58-77
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• 1998

Four species(25%) of Viperidae(Agkistrodon brevicaudus, Agkistrodon ussuriensis, Agkistrodon saxatilis) and Cloubridae(Rhabdophis tigrenus tigrenus) were Korean poisonous snake. Copulation season of these species was from July to August. Reproduction mode of genus Agkistrodon species was ovoviviparous but Rhabdophis tigrinus tigrinus was the other pattern of oviparous. Optimal movement temperature range was from 20$\circ $C to 29$\circ $C(March~September). Wjen atmosphere temperature was below 10$\circ $C, at that time they hibernate at the ground, rock bottom, stone wall and embankment around the end of a field. The venom of these snakes consist mainly Hematoxin, Cytolysin, Neurotoxin and Cardiotoxin of poisonous liquids. These material injection to animal cause systemic syndrome such as Dizziness(25.7%), Vomitting(23.1%), Fever(22%), Visual trouble(18%), Headace(17.7%), Dyspnoea(17.6%) and bring about other local syndrome such as Discoloration(54.2%), Bleeding(20.2%), Bullae(10.7%) and Skin ulcer(!0.8%). The annual distribution was appeared to decrease 1972 after 1992 and average snakebiting patients was 25.6 per year, but practically total estimated snakebiting was 2,700 per year. The seasonal distribution was most frequent in August(25%), and mortality was 1.8%(26 per 1,430). The sex ratio was 2:1 and according to age distribution, it was most prevalent at one's fifties(19%). The most frequent place where the accident happened was the field(48.2%) and most predilection site of the body for victim were hand(47.8%) and foot(39.5%), Commonly bite snake were Agkistrodon ussuriensis(27.1%), Agkistrodon brevicaudus(22.6%) and Agkistrodon saxatilis(9.6%) but 40.7% of species could not be identified. Treatment of antivenin patient was 75.9% (1,068/1,407).

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.230-240
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• 2008

The primary aim of this study is to estimate the home range of a pair of raccoon dogs(Nyctereutes procyonoides koreensis) and to compare with the previous study of raccoon dogs in a rural area of Gurye, the southern part of South Korea. Radiotracking was regularly carried out on 2 raccoon dogs for 2 days every 2 months(in June, August, October and December, 2006). During the 2 days, radiotracking was usually conducted every $1{\sim}3$ hours through day and night. The analysis of tracking data with a total of $46{\sim}64$ bearings showed that the total home range size of the pair was $0.41km^2$, and mean home range size was $0.32km^2$ by 95% minimum convex polygons(MCP) estimate. The home ranges of the male and female were largely overlapping(about $70{\sim}95%$), and the sizes were not very much different from each other. However, there was a big difference between day $(0.01km^2)$ and night-time $(0.35km^2)$ home ranges, and it was largest in summer$(0.56km^2)$ and smallest in winter $(<0.01km^2)$. In addition, the home range of the pair included 1 core area and 4 different feeding areas. In conclusion, our raccoon dog home range data using the same individuals but with more frequent bearings per day and more extended tracking intervals still showed very similar results to the previous study with less frequent bearings per day and more extensive tracking days.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.318-333
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• 2020

The Nakdong-Jeongmaek extends north and south from Taebaek-si of Gangwon-do to Busan metropolitan city and includes a wide range of forest zone from temperate to the warm-temperature forest. The purpose of this study was to analyze the vegetation structural characteristics of the Quercus mongolica-dominant community, which was distributed in the largest area in Baekdudaegan and Jeongmaek, by region and communities in the Nakdong-Jeongmaek. For the study, a representative 6 sites were selected: Baekbyeongsan, Chilbosan, Baegamsan, Unjusan, Goheonsan, and Gudeoksan. The survey of the 6 sites showed that the canopy had over 85% the importance percentage of Quercus mongolica. In the understory, Rhododendron schlippenbachii, Fraxinus sieboldiana, etc. were located and Fraxinus sieboldiana, Lespedeza maximowiczii, Tripterygium regelii and so on were found in the shrub. The importance percentage of 4 communities of Quercus mongolica, which were separated by TWINSPAN, in the canopy was more than 80%, and the dominant species in the understory and shrub were the same. Currently, Quercus mongolica has been identified as the understory following the canopy, and the Quercus mongolica-dominant community is expected to continue unless there are external factors. In the temperate forest regions in Korea, Quercus spp.and Carpinus laxiflora form the major forest physiognomy in the natural forest state. Based on these characteristics, the Quercus mongolica-dominant community on the ridge of the Nakdong-Jeongmaek is considered to have characteristics of temperate forests in Korea. The Quercus mongolica community is a representative cool-temperate deciduous forest and known as a climatic climax in the upper section of the mountains in the Korean Peninsula. Trees of the same species should be distributed at each layer to maintain the dominant species' status in the canopy's climax forest. Therefore, the Quercus mongolica community is considered the climax forest in the ridge of the Nakdong-Jeongmaek.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.42-53
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• 2017

One of the negative ecological effects following road construction is roadkill; animals die on the roads after being struck by vehicles. Roadkills have been a major concern in South Korea due to the large mountain areas in the country and have been mentioned as a causal factor for the decline in wildlife. Although snake roadkills frequently occur, as with mammals, birds, and amphibians, there are not many related studies done on snake roadkills. In this study, we determined snake roadkill patterns in the northeast part of South Korea including most of the Gangwon-do areas and parts of Gyeonggi-do, Chungcheongbuk-do, and Gyeongsangbuk-do by analyzing the snake roadkills found between May 2007 and Aug 2012. We identified a total of 155 roadkilled snakes from 10 different species. Red-sided water snake (Rhabdophis tigrinus), Red-tongue viper snake (Gloydius ussuriensis), Cat snake (Elaphe dione), Red-banded snake (Dinodon rufozonatus), and Viper snake (Gloydius brevicaudus) accounted for more than 90% of the total cases. It was found that more active forager snakes were killed than sit-and-wait foragers, more male snakes were killed than female snakes, and more adult snakes were killed than subadult snakes. The snake roadkill frequency was the highest in September between the altitudes of 200 and 400 m, and on roads between either a mountain and a body of water or between a mountain and a crop field. Our results are expected to enhance the understanding of snake roadkills in general and to determine the areas, specific sites and species for planning projects for snake roadkill reduction in the northeast of South Korea.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.111 no.2
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• pp.201-223
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• 2022

Currently, species extinctions are increasing due to climate change and continued anthropogenic impact. We selected 300 species for conservation with emphasis on plants co-occurring in the Baekdudaegan area, which is a large ecological axis of Korea. We aimed to investigate the vegetation community and environmental characteristics of Zabelia tyaihyonii in the limestone habitat among the target plant species in the Baekdudaegan region to derive effective conservation strategies. In Danyang-gun, Yeongwol-gun, and Jecheon-si, we selected 36 investigation sites where Z. tyaihyonii was present. We investigated the vegetation, flora, soil and physical environment. We also found notable plants such as Thalictrum petaloideum, Sillaphyton podagraria, and Neillia uekii at the investigation sites. We classified forest vegetation community types into 4 vegetation units and 7 species group types. With canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) of the vegetation community and habitat factors, we determined the overall explanatory power to be 75.2%, and we classified the environmental characteristics of the habitat of Z. tyaihyonii into a grouping of three. Among these, we detected a relationship between the environmental factors elevation, slope, organic matter, rock ratio, pH, potassium, and sodium. We identified numerous rare and endemic plants, including Thalictrum petaloideum, in the investigation site, and determined that these groups needed to be preserved at the habitat level. In the classification of the vegetation units analyzed based on the emerging plants and the CCA, we reaffirmed the uniqueness and specificity of the vegetation community in the habitat of Z. tyaihyonii. We anticipate that our results will be used as scientific evidence for the empirical conservation of the native habitats of Z. tyaihyonii.