• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.225-233
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• 2008

An Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB) is an archive for samples that can be used to document and assess the quality of the environment in which we live. An ESB program looks at changes in the concentration of human and environmental specimens over long periods of time through retrospective analysis of archived samples of a particular area collected at regular intervals. The idea of ESB was first proposed by German and American scientists in the early 1970s and has been established since 1979 in Germany, USA, and Japan. Korea plans to establish a National Environmental Specimen Bank (NESB) in 2010. The NESB will be able to assess and improve the quality of analytical measurements as well as to compare the past and current environmental quality as a time capsule. The concept and design for the NESB facility was developed and its Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) are being developed based on an evaluation of ESBs and SOPs of Germany, USA, and Japan. Environmental specimens proposed for banking are based on typical representatives of every level of the food chain from each type of ecosystem that are widely distributed thus enabling comparisons between different sampling areas. Through retrospective analysis of environmental specimens, the NESB will improve the reliability of environmental monitoring, ecological risk assessment, and health impact assessment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.119-132
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• 2018

This study was conducted to suggest an assessment indices to evaluate the ecosystem services of the unique functions of wetlands as well as economic value provided by the village wetlands. The assessment indicators applied in this study were used by the RAM indices. The results of RAM assessment on the village wetlands in Cheonan city were analyzed by item and critical functions of the village wetland. They were derived by assessment indicators of ecosystem services, and the village wetland ecosystem were presented by Focus Group Interview (FGI). The 20 critical indices were selected from 52 different indices by analyzing the wetland function assessment items. 13 indicators excluding duplicate indexes by function, were selected as ecological service impact indicators. Finally, ecosystem services were evaluated by using AHP analysis to calculate the weight of each assessment indices and apply it to the 9 village wetlands. The results of this study confirmed that the functions of the village wetlands are compliant with the ecosystem services. Based on this assessment of the unique functions of wetlands, it will serve as a methodology for assessing ecosystem services. The study was also conducted on 49 wetlands in Cheonan. The detailed assessment of wetland ecosystem services based on the wetland ecosystem function proposed by this study, was further developed as a follow-up study. It suggested that the wetland areas should be compared and be used as a general standard. In addition to the assessment of the economic value of ecosystem services provided by the village wetlands, it would be useful to assess the unique features and convert them into value.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.232-239
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• 2018

Our study aims to provide a guideline of deer-proof fence heights to prevent roadkill of water deer (Hydropotes inermis), the most frequently killed by a vehicle collision, in South Korea. With 27 water deer in deer ecology center of the National Institute of Ecology, we measured the ability of water deer to jump gradually higher fences from 0.5cm by 10cm until the deterrence rate reached 100%. Ourresultrevealed that the deterrence rate became 96.7% at the fence height of 1.5m and the rate reached 100% at the 1.8m. We believe that our result provides the fundamental information to prepare a standard of deer-proof fence height. This evidence-based standard will contribute to improving the guideline for wildlife crossing construction and management, established by Ministry of Environment Korea.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.495-502
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• 2007

Species biotic index (SBI), based on a fish assemblage, was applied to a stream assessment using long-term ecological fish data set (1996 to 2001) in Boryong dam area, which is located in the mainstream of Ungchun Stream of Chungnam province, Korea. According to the methods of Hilsenhoff (1988), the scores of tolerance guild assigned 10 classes to each species by its habitat and feeding guild, but modified current 7 criteria to 5 scoring standards due to unclear borderline among species. Relative abundance in the species number of upper stream guilds was only 7% of the total, whereas the abundance in the species number of middle to downstream upper stream guilds was 64%. Mean SBI, based on dataset in Site 1 during 1995-2001 averaged 5.10, which was judged as a "good" condition by the rank criteria of SBI. Before the dam construction, mean SBI in the Site 1 was 4.61, indicating a "good" condition, but after the dam construction, mean SBI was 5.60, indicating a "fair" condition. Trajectory analysis in the Site 1 showed significantly (One-way ANOVA, $F_{6,21}=3.26$, p=0.02) different among years, reflecting the changes of fish composition and population density by the dam construction, whereas Site 2 showed no significant changes ($F_{6,21}=1.00$, P =0.45) difference among years. Mean SBI prior to the dam construction in the Site 3 was 4.52 but after the construction, the value was 6.30, indicating a distinct difference between the pre- and post-dam construction. Trajectory analysis at the Site 3 supported this fact: Values of SBI showed significantly ($F_{6,21}$=14.37, p<0.01) different. Mean SBI was 4.67 in the Site 4, indicating a "good" condition in the health and the health rank was same as the sampling sites 1, 2, and 4. Trajectory in the Site 4 showed no significant ($F_{6,21}=2.35$, p=0.07) difference among the years. Overall, our trajectory analysis indicated that three of four sampling sites (sites 1, 3, 4) showed significant decreases (n=7, p<0.05) and that the proportions of sensitive species declined evidently in the sites 1 and 2 and the tolerant species increased in the dam sites. Our outcomes may be used as a key data for diagnosis of the long-term ecological impact in the future in the watershed.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.275-286
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• 2019

In order to prevent local extinction of organisms and to preserve biodiversity, it is important to ensure connectivity between habitats. Even if the habitat is exposed to various disturbance factors, it is possible to avoid or respond to disturbances if they are linked to other habitats. Habitat connectivity can be assessed from a variety of perspectives, but the importance of functional connectivity based on species movement has been emphasized in recent years due to the development of computational capabilities and related software. Among them, Circuitscape, which is a connectivity evaluation tool, has an advantage it can provide detailed reference data for the city planning because it maps ecological flows on individual grid based on circuit theory. Therefore, in this study, the functional connectivity of Suwon was evaluated by applying Circuitscape and then, the ecological corridor to be conserved and supplemented was suggested based on it. The results of this study are expected to effectively complement the methodology related ecological corridor/axis, which was previously provided only in the form of a diagram, and to be effective in management of development project and urban planning.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.287-299
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• 2015

If the Nakdong River estuary is to be sustainable, land use management practices need to consider bird habitat requirements, especially given that the area serves as an important migratory bird sanctuary. In this study, bird habitats found in the Nakdong River estuary were classified into 11 different types including Phragmites australiss, mud flat, farmland, open surface in freshwater, sand bar, riparian forest, Scirpus planiculmis, waterway, construction, grasslands, and open surface in sea or brackish water. Taking into consideration the regional characteristics, habitat properties, and landscape indices, a total of 12 study sites were analyzed. Mud flat, construction, farmland, and P. australis account for 80% of the total land area. The high area ratio of construction and farmland to other types of habitat revealed a high amount of historical human activity and intervention in the area. Both patch numbers as well as patch density were high in West Nakdong River, Samrak Waterfront, Maekdo River, and Daejeo Floodgate, with these areas showing the greatest fragmentation as well. Total numbers of species and individuals had a positive correlation with the area and the number of habitat types. Findings suggest that protecting the habitat area, especially in S. planiculmis, is the most important factor for bird habitat management and that future development could result in habitat loss, having a profoundly adverse impact on bird populations. Therefore, it is important that the total area should be carefully protected by land use regulations in order to ensure that the Nakdong River estuary maintains its functional integrity as a migratory bird sanctuary.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.535-542
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• 2007

The Geumho river watershed located in the middle of the Nakdong river has been threatened by high population growth and urbanization. Of concern specifically is the potential impact of future developments in the watershed on the reduction of base flow and the consequent risk of degradation of ecological habitats in Geumho river. Anticipated increase in imperviousness, on the other hand, is expected to elevate flood risk and the associated environmental damage. A watershed hydrology based modeling study is initiated in this study to assist in planning for sustainable future development in the Geumho river watershed. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is selected to model the impact of urbanization in the Geumho river watershed on the hydrologic response thereof. The modeling results show that in general the likelihood that the watershed will experience high and low stream flows will increase in view of the urbanization so far achieved.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.95-105
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• 2022

Busan, where the coastal ecosystem health is deteriorating due to high development pressure and intensity of use, needs ecosystem management that considers humans and the natural environment together for sustainable use and ecosystem preservation of the coastal areas. In this study, the InVEST model was applied to assess the habitat status of the coastal land and coastal sea to manage the ecosystem based on habitats. As a result of the assessment of the coastal land, the habitat quality of Gadeok-do, Igidae, and Sinseondae, Gijang-gun are high, and Seo-gu, Jung-gu, Dong-gu, and Suyeong-gu are low. In the case of the coastal sea, the habitat risk of the Nakdong river estuary is low, and some areas of Yeongdo-gu, Saha-gu, Gangseo-gu are high. Therefore, for the sustainable use and preservation of coastal ecosystems, it is necessary to prepare ecosystem-based management measures to improve damaged habitats and reduce threats. In addition, the impact on coastal seas should be fully considered when planning coastal land development. The results of the InVEST habitat quality model in coastal land show similar tendencies to the biotope and environmental conservation value assessment map. The results of the habitat risk assessment in the coastal sea are expected to be utilized to identify habitats in the coastal sea and management of threat factors.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.26-36
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• 2020

This study aimed at investigating present research and knowledge-base on climate change adaptation in ecosystem sector and analyzed the current status of basic information on ecosystem that functions as evidence-base of climate change adaptation to deduce the suggestions for the future development for knowledge and information in biodiversity. In this perspective, a questionary survey titled as "the ecological knowledge-base and information needs for climate change adaptation" with the researchers who were engaged with adaptation studies for biodiversity in the ecosystem related-research institutes including national and 17 regional local governments-affiliated agencies in Korea. The results are as follows; current status of utilizing ecological information which supports climate change adaptation strategy, future needs for adaptation knowledge and ecological information, and activation of utilizing ecological information. The majority of respondents (90.7%) replied that the ecological information has high relevance when conducting research on climate change adaptation. However, only half of all respondents (53.2%) agreed with the real viability of current information to the adaptation research. Particularly, urgent priority for researchers was deduced as intensifying knowledge-base and constructing related information on 'ecosystem change from climate change (productivity, community structure, food chain, phenology, range distribution, and number of individuals) with the overall improvement of information contents and its quality. The respondents emphasized with the necessity of conducting field surveys of local ecosystem and constructing ecosystem inventories, advancing monitoring designs for climate change in ecosystem, and case studies for regional ecosystem changes with the guidance or guidelines for monitoring ecosystem change to enhance the quality of adaptation research and produce related information. In terms of activation for ecological information usage, national and local adaptation network should be working based on the integrated ecological platform necessary to support exchanges of knowledge and information and to expand ecosystem types in time and spatial dimension.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.393-412
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• 2021

This study examines the assessment systems of LEED v4.1, an eco-friendly building evaluation system in the United States, and SITE v2, an assessment system for sustainable outdoor spaces, and then compares and examines them from the perspective ofrelevant laws and institutional guidelines and standards in Korea. The conclusion is as follows. First, the US eco-friendly certification system basically not only establishes an independent evaluation system according to the field of expertise, but also provides a sustainable city and community through response to the climate crisis and the comfort of the external space environment. It can be evaluated that securing the quality of life of healthy and happy city dwellers is the top priority. Second, Korea's Green Building Certification System (G-LEED) was basically based on the American LEED system, but it was judged that there was a fundamental difference. It was judged that there is a limitation in not being able to achieve an integrated approach through the participation of various expert groups and stakeholders, but also in the accumulation of more scientific and reliable data and information through the application of cutting-edge information and communication equipment. Third, in the case of external space in Korea, a sustainable assessment system has not been established, and not only is it dispersed in various legal and institutional guidelines, but also its effectiveness is judged to be very low. Therefore, it is judged that it is urgent to introduce and secure the applicability of SITES v2, a sustainable outdoor space assessment system in the United States. It was judged that the effectiveness should be secured through the upward adjustment of the minimum Ecological Area Ratio.