• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.5-11
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• 2016

Background: As the decomposition of lignocellulosic compounds is a rate-limiting stage in the nutrient mineralization from organic matters, elucidation of the changes in soil enzyme activity can provide insight into the nutrient dynamics and ecosystem functioning. The current study aimed to assess the effect of thinning intensities on soil conditions. Un-thinned control, 20 % thinning, and 30 % thinning treatments were applied to a Larix kaempferi forest, and total carbon and nitrogen, total carbon to total nitrogen ratio, extractable nutrients (inorganic nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, potassium), and enzyme activities (acid phosphatase, ${\beta}$-glucosidase, ${\beta}$-xylosidase, ${\beta}$-glucosaminidase) were investigated. Results: Total carbon and nitrogen concentrations were significantly increased in the 30 % thinning treatment, whereas both the 20 and 30 % thinning treatments did not change total carbon to total nitrogen ratio. Inorganic nitrogen and extractable calcium and magnesium concentrations were significantly increased in the 20 % thinning treatment; however, no significant changes were found for extractable phosphorus and potassium concentrations either in the 20 or the 30 % thinning treatment. However, the applied thinning intensities had no significant influences on acid phosphatase, ${\beta}$-glucosidase, ${\beta}$-xylosidase, and ${\beta}$-glucosaminidase activities. Conclusions: These results indicated that thinning can elevate soil organic matter quantity and nutrient availability, and different thinning intensities may affect extractable soil nutrients inconsistently. The results also demonstrated that such inconsistent patterns in extractable nutrient concentrations after thinning might not be fully explained by the shifts in the enzyme-mediated nutrient mineralization.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.447-461
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• 2018

To realize river restoration that ecological characteristics of the river are reflected, we classified the river into four reaches of valley stream, upstream, midstream, and downstream based on substrate as well as riverbed gradient obtained from the relationship between distance from the river mouth, and above sea level. Considering that the rivers of Korea have been dominated by various and intense artificial interferences over a lengthy period, we determined cross sectional range of the river based on the geological map and clarified transformation degree by reach. Vegetation profile diagram was prepared by depicting horizontal range and vertical stratification of major vegetation appearing in a belt transect of 10 m breadth installed between weirs constructed in both sides of the river. Restoration models by river reach were prepared based on breadth of waterway, bare ground, herb, shrub, and tree dominated vegetation zones on vegetation profiles wherein a flooding regime was reflected. Species composition information collected from vegetation established in each zone was systematized to use for restoring each reach ecologically. Further, background that longitudinal reaches and horizontal zones were divided, was discussed by comparing with case studies in foreign countries. In addition, necessity of ecological restoration of the river was discussed based on degree of integrity of Korean rivers, ecological significance of riparian vegetation, and importance of reference information for ecological restoration of the river.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.263-271
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• 2018

Considering the high needs of recipient countries and the regional biases of Korean Official Development Assistance (ODA) policy, increases in the total amount of ODA and allocation to the forest sector are needed for Central Asia. In Tajikistan, illegal harvesting and grazing cause a gradual decrease in forest area. The Tajikistan government conserves forests by requesting international cooperation and establishing a policy for sustainable management of forest resources and prevention of further damages. To suggest suitable strategies and plans, the current statuses of forests and forestry were investigated, and ODA projects that can illustrate successful Korean experiences of forestation were conceived based on various geographical features and local conditions of Tajikistan in this study. Forest resource creation type projects (fuelwood and Tugai forest restoration) could result in energy independence and enhancement of ecosystem service such as a climate regulation and an increase in biodiversity. Community development type projects (introduction of ecotourism, agroforestry, and planting of fruit trees) can contribute to job creation and encourage participation of local residents, thus improving their incomes. In addition, establishment of a project foundation, including education, training, and a national forest inventory, would help those projects be sustainable in the long-term.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.240-247
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• 2018

Though several wood decay fungi have been reported in the world-wide, only about 600 wood decay fungi have been reported in Korea to date. Thus, the objective of this study was to secure resources for the wood decay fungi in Korea. We investigated wood decay fungi in Yeoninsan Provincial Park, Korea, and the collected specimens were identified based on ITS sequence analysis. Two species were unrecorded species in Korea: Postia hirsuta (Polyporales, Basidiomycota) and Hyphodontia reticulata (Hymenochaetales, Basidiomycota). Another species was previously reported without detailed description: Ceriporia alachuana (Polyporales, Basidiomycota). Here, we provided additional detailed microscopic features and phylogenetic analysis of these species.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.41-54
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• 2009

This study focused on the ecological variables that affect adolescents' runway impulse. For the organisms, self-esteem, impulse control, school achievement and runway experience, for the microsystems, family, school and peer environment, for the mesosystems, family-peer relationships and family-school relationships, and for the exosystem, neighborhood environment were included. The sample consisted of 651 eleventh grade adolescents. Instruments were the Runway Impulse Scale(Nam, 2001) and Index of organisms, microsystems, mesosystems, and exosystem variables. Statistics and methods used for the analysis were Cronbach's alpha, frequency, percentage, t-test, Pearson's correlation and multiple Regression. Several major results were found from the analysis. First, no sex difference was found in adolescents' runway impulse. Second, runway impulse of male and female adolescents showed positive correlations with runway experience, parental marital conflict, dissatisfactions of school life and exposure to friends with problems behavior but negative correlations with self-esteem, impulse control, school achievement, parental support and supervision, teacher support, family-peer relationships and neighborhood environment. Female adolescents' runway impulse stowed negative correlations with family-school relationships. Third, the most important variable predicting male adolescents' runway impulse was exposure to friends with problems behavior, the most important variable for female was self-esteem.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.165-176
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• 2012

The objective of this study is to set urban ecosystem assessment indicators, assess the status of the urban ecosystems in 31 cities & counties in the capital region and based on which, to examine an improvement plan to resolve problems and raise quality and quantity of urban ecosystems. The study showed that the ecological base of 31 cities & counties was 48% on average, which indicates that their ecological property is the middle class. Their natural-ecological function was 63% and environmental-control function was 25%, showing that environment-control function was poor. Therefore, going forward, urban ecological base should be further improved. When securing an ecological base, creation techniques should be able to further enhance environmental-control function along with natural-ecological function. Also, additional effort should be made to conserve areas with high ecological value as much as possible and increase vegetation vitality by replacing tree species.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.207-225
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• 2013

Current ecological stream restoration is focusing on recovery of physical characteristic and ecological functions of individual stream. For effective stream restoration, the relationship between stream environment and riparian flora should be investigated. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between disturbance of hydromorphological structures and naturalized plants ratio in small to mid-sized streams. For the study sites, Gwanpyeong stream, Dongdal stream, and Yongchoo streams were chosen as 'reference stream' while, Gunnam stream, Anchang stream, and Hwa stream were chosen as 'damaged stream'. The hydromorphological structures of streams were evaluated with LAWA and flora of the streams were completely enumerated to calculate naturalized plants ratio. The result showed that there was a significant correlation between the outcome of LAWA and naturalized plants ratio(r=0.675, p<0.01). The result of factor analysis of LAWA identified three factors, 'River front and land use', 'River bed materials and structures', and 'Crossing structure and bar'. Among the factors of hydromorphological structures given by the result of factor analysis, 'river front and land use' and 'bed materials and structures' have statistically significant relationship with naturalized plants ratio($R^2$=0.470, p<0.01). Given this results, quantitative analysis on the relationship between disturbance of hydromorphological structures of streams and naturalized plants ratio could provide some essential information for stream restoration. Also, as this study figured out major factors of hydromorphological structures that affect naturalized plants ratio, it might help monitor ecological states and current problems of small and mid-sized streams.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.284-297
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• 2012

We developed an educational program using soil seed bank for promoting ecological literacy of children. The initial program was based on the modification of scientific methods used by ecologists. A pilot application was conducted to 4th~6th grade students. In that result, the program was most effective to 4th grade students in terms of ecological knowledge and attitude. Observation of plants in outdoor was the most interesting activity and soil seed bank experiment was the most useful activity to the students. The educational period from late March to early November was too long to keep interest for participants. In the final program, we suggested 3 months and 2 weeks education period (from the 4th week of March to the first week of July) and the 4th grade students as a target. The program consisted of 7 activities, which are "Beginning the soil seed banks observation", "Comparing plant community in each soil seed bank", "My friends, sprout", "How do you come here?", "Finding the hided plants in my school garden", "Why did the soil seed banks change?", and "Inquiring about relationship between plants and their environments". These activities include the process of student's participation of sampling and setting soil seed banks around their school, and observing and identifying the seedlings. Through these activities, students can understand the concept of soil seed banks, develop their ecological knowledge, eco-centric attitude, and ecological sensibility and inquire about the relationship between vegetation from soil seed banks and their environments.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.63-75
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• 2017

This study carried out for establishing the synthetic restoration plan to improve ecological quality of Mt. Mudeung National Park based on the results of conservation value assessment for yellow-throated marten habitats. Yellow-throated marten has significant implications as umbrella species for the wildlife habitats conservation, therefore, this species could be used to ecological restoration plan of the damaged forest ecosystem in Mt. Mudeung National Park. In this study, we diagnosed the quality of yellow-throated marten habitats in Mt. Mudeung National Park based on five natural and two artificial factors. In addition, we evaluated the integrity of each zone divided by trails quantitatively based on land use intensity. As a result, forest landscape quality in Mt. Mudeung National Park was influenced greatly by human activity and the degree was depended on the intensity of trails. Therefore, in this study, we suggested the closing of trails composed of the illegal and 36 legal trails. And then, we modeled the changes of habitats quality of Yellow-throated marten for each closing step. As a result the area of core habitats increased by two times and wildlife habitats quality improved in the whole area of the Mt. Mudeung National Park. As a result, the results of this study indicate that man-made linear landscape elements play a key role in the quality of habitats for predators, which require large habitats area like the Yellow-throated marten. Therefore, in order to establish an ecological restoration plan in the mountainous area, we recommend the concept of the linear landscape should be applied with the concept of area landscape.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.219-227
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• 2023

The US National Science Foundation's National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) is a continental-scale program intended to provide open data, samples, and infrastructure to understand changing ecosystems for a period of 30 years. NEON collects co-located measurements of drivers of environmental change and biological responses, using standardized methods at 81 field sites to systematically sample variability and trends to enable inferences at regional to continental scales. Alongside key atmospheric and environmental variables, NEON measures the biodiversity of many taxa, including microbes, plants, and animals, and collects samples from these organisms for long-term archiving and research use. Here we review the composition and use of NEON resources to date as a whole and specific to biodiversity as an exemplar of the potential of national research infrastructure to contribute to globally relevant outcomes. Since NEON initiated full operations in 2019, NEON has produced, on average, 1.4 M records and over 32 TB of data per year across more than 180 data products, with 85 products that include taxonomic or other organismal information relevant to biodiversity science. NEON has also collected and curated more than 503,000 samples and specimens spanning all taxonomic domains of life, with up to 100,000 more to be added annually. Various metrics of use, including web portal visitation, data download and sample use requests, and scientific publications, reveal substantial interest from the global community in NEON. More than 47,000 unique IP addresses from around the world visit NEON's web portals each month, requesting on average 1.8 TB of data, and over 200 researchers have engaged in sample use requests from the NEON Biorepository. Through its many global partnerships, particularly with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, NEON resources have been used in more than 900 scientific publications to date, with many using biodiversity data and samples. These outcomes demonstrate that the data and samples provided by NEON, situated in a broader network of national research infrastructures, are critical to scientists, conservation practitioners, and policy makers. They enable effective approaches to meeting global targets, such as those captured in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.