• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.565-572
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• 2006

This study examined the decomposition of blades and culms of aquatic emergent plant species, Zizania latifolia, Phragmites communis and Typha angustata, which were the most frequent in Lake Paldang. The experiment was carried out from July to December, 2005 in fresh water of lake Paldang using litter bag method. The litter bags had 1.2 mm mesh size and were suspended at 1 m depth of water surface. Remaining mass of blades and culms of each species after 97 days was 21.2% and 22.6% of initial mass in Z. latifolia, 32.5% and 56.4% in P. communis and 44.7% and 38.1 % in T. angustata, respectively. The plant tissue having high N concentration and low C/N exhibited the faster decay rate than the others. However, the tissue of high content of lignin, cellulose, lignin:N, and cullulose:N showed a slow decomposition rate. Water temperature was the most effective environmental factor on the emergent macrophyte litter decomposition in aquatic ecosystems. According to the water temperature, DO, $NO_3^-$-N, and total phosphate concentration were changed in the linear way. The mass loss of plant tissue of emergent macrophytes showed positive relationship with P concentration in water. The experiments on the decomposition of the litter using different mesh sized litter bag did not show significant differences between them. The results suggest that the decomposition of emergent macrophytes in fresh water of lake Paldang, which showed features of lentic and lower part of a stream, was affected by microbial activities better than the micro-invertebrates such as shredders.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.137-146
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• 2015

Lateral connectivity between a main channel and a former channel plays an integral role in maintaining ecological functions of stream-floodplain ecosystems. This study virtually restored the connectivity of the former channel, which is currently isolated by channelization, in the Mangyeong River, Korea. Fish habitat improvement after the connectivity restoration was evaluated using River2D, two-dimensional depth-averaged hydraulic modeling, depending on normal and flood flow conditions. Target fish species were crucian carp (Carassius auratus), which are known as lentic species, and pale chub (Zacco platypus), known as lotic species. The weighted usable area (WUA) of the two species was increased after the connectivity restoration: the two-way connection between the main and formal channels was more effective than the one-way connection. The result of the physical habitat simulation at a flood flow condition demonstrated an increased rate of the WUA than during a normal flow condition. In particular, the WUA of pale chub increased about four times on the two-way connectivity restoration. This result suggests that habitat availability of both lentic and lotic fish species will increase after a connectivity restoration, and a two-way connectivity restoration may be more effective. In addition, the restored formal channel would function as a shelter for fish during the flood season.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.66-71
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• 2005

Soil loss into stream and river by runoff shall be considered for non-point source pollution management as national land conservation. The purpose of this study was to develop the mathematical equation to predict soil loss from inclined uplands of maize cultivation due to the runoff by rainfall which mainly converges on July and August. Soil loss was concentrated on May because of low canopy over an entire field in 2002 and on June and July because of heavy rainfall in 2003. By regression analysis the relation between runoff and soil loss can be represented by a linear equation of y =1.5291x - 3.4933, where y is runoff ($Mg\;ha^{-1}$) and x is soil loss ($kg\;ha^{-1}$). The determination coefficient of this equation was 0.839 (P<0.001). Therefore, the mathematical equation derived from the practical experiment at the inclined upland can be applicable to predict soil loss accompanied by runoff due to periodic rainfall converging on short periods within a couple of months.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.41-57
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• 2021

This study evaluated the application of water quality management measures using the SWAT model and the effectiveness of the measures using the load duration curve targeting the Seohwacheon watershed located upstream of Daecheongho. As water quality management measures, artificial wetlands, reduction of neglected livestock, reduction of runoff from greenhouses, restoration of ecological rivers, application of LID technology, and management of point sources were applied. The applied technology evaluated the efficiency of water quality improvement measures by using the target water quality excess rate and the degree of load reduction for each sulfur through the load duration curve. The load duration curve was created by creating a long-term flow duration curve using SWAT and multiplying it by the target water quality. For the target water quality, the value corresponding to the 60th percentile was set as the target water quality using the 10-year data from the Okcheoncheon water quality observation point located in the downstream of Seohwacheon. Through this study, it was possible to confirm the applicability of various water quality measures through the SWAT model, and to examine the applicability of each period according to the sulfur through the load retention curve.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.541-552
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• 2018

The implementation of drought measures in the upstream areas of river basins is seldom considered with respect to water supply. However, the demand for such measures is increasing rapidly owing to the occurrence of severe droughts, and interventions on streams and the water supply are needed. Physical interventions are an option to prevent streams from becoming dry and to maintain stream water flow, but dam construction is challenging because of environmental and ecological considerations. Here, a feasibility study was conducted to assess the potential effects of sand dams, which are widely used in arid regions in Africa. The SWAT-K model, which is a hydrologic model used for Korean watersheds, is used to estimate the flow rate of water in an ungauged watershed. The changes in water storage of the sand-dammed reservoir and in downstream flow rates are estimated for two types of sand dam (natural and dredged). The results show that sand dams are capable of increasing the downstream flow rate during normal conditions and of mitigating water supply problems caused by the withdrawal of water during drought periods.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.878-886
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• 2018

This study quantified the sounds of riffles and pools in natural rivers and conducted a comparative analysis of the frequency and sound pressure per flow velocity. The surveyed area was Namdaecheon basin in Yangyang-gun, Gangwon-do and the sounds of a total of 23 sites were analyzed. A hydro microphone was used to measure the sound and analyze the data using an acoustic analysis program. The location was also selected at places with minimal ambient noise and the measurement points were the depth of riffles and pools. The results revealed an average difference of 0.515 m/s for flow velocity at 8 riffles and 15 pools. The difference in sound pressure occurred due to the flow velocity. In the case of sound pressure, it was measured at an average of 176.8 dB for riffles and 168.2 dB for pools, demonstrating a difference of approximately 8.6 dB. Furthermore, in the case of maximum sound pressure, riffles showed a constant range between 200 Hz and 250 Hz, while the pools exhibited maximum sound pressure at various frequencies from 200 Hz to 1,000 Hz. This revealed the ecological stream reproduction, development of preferred sound sources for aquatic life, and design of structures.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.490-502
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• 2021

This study was conducted to analyze the current status of fish fauna and characteristics of the fish community according to the habitat of Woraksan National Park, Korea. The spatially balanced sampling selected 20 stations from major streams of Woraksan National Park, and three surveys were conducted in each season. The physical environments of the habitat were mostly mountain streams (Aa), with large stones and gravels scattered over the stream. The average altitude of the habitat was 304.4 m, and the average depth of water was 40.3 cm, being less than 1 m in most cases, and the river water level was distributed from 3rd to 5th streams. The principal component analysis of the physical environmental factors by habitat showed that the substrate properties differed according to the altitude. The survey identified a total of 2,183 individuals in 16 species belonging to 7 families. The dominant species was Zacco koreanus(86.2%), and the subdominant species was Rhynchocypris oxycephalus(3.8%). Pseudopungtungia tenuicorpa, classified as the endangered wildlife II, was the first endangered legally protected species found in this survey. Analysis of the rank abundance curve model in the fish community showed the Zipf model at 9 out of 20 points, the Lognormal model in 3 points, and the Preemption model in 4 points. The remaining 4 habitats showed only one species and were not analyzed. The canonical correspondence analysis of 20 stations and fish species was performed to understand the characteristics of the fish community according to environmental factors. The fish communities were divided according to differences in habitat environment by the altitude.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.275-285
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• 2020

Background: In Korea, Symplocos prunifolia Siebold. & Zucc. is only found on Jeju Island. Conservation of the species is difficult because little is known about its distribution and natural habitat. The lack of research and survey data on the characteristics of native vegetation and distribution of this species means that there is insufficient information to guide the management and conservation of this species and related vegetation. Therefore, this study aims to identify the distribution and vegetation associated with S. prunifolia. Results: As a result of field investigations, it was confirmed that the native S. prunifolia communities were distributed in 4 areas located on the southern side of Mt. Halla and within the evergreen broad-leaved forest zones. Furthermore, these evergreen broad-leaved forest zones are themselves located in the warm temperate zone which are distributed along the valley sides at elevations between 318 and 461 m. S. prunifolia was only found on the south side of Mt. Halla, and mainly on south-facing slopes; however, small communities were found to be growing on northwest-facing slopes. It has been confirmed that S. prunifolia trees are rare but an important constituent species in the evergreen broad-leaved forest of Jeju. The mean importance percentage of S. prunifolia community was 48.84 for Castanopsis sieboldii, 17.79 for Quercus acuta, and 12.12 for Pinus thunbergii; S. prunifolia was the ninth most important species (2.6). Conclusions: S. prunifolia can be found growing along the natural streams of Jeju, where there is little anthropogenic influence and where the streams have caused soil disturbance through natural processes of erosion and deposition of sediments. Currently, the native area of S. prunifolia is about 3300 ㎡, which contains a confirmed population of 180 individual plants. As a result of these low population sizes, it places it in the category of an extremely endangered plant in Korea. In some native sites, the canopy of evergreen broad-leaved forest formed, but the frequency and coverage of species were not high. Negative factors that contributed to the low distribution of this species were factors such as lacking in shade tolerance, low fruiting rates, small native areas, and special habitats as well as requiring adequate stream disturbance. Presently, due to changes in climate, it is unclear whether this species will see an increase in its population and habitat area or whether it will remain as an endangered species within Korea. What is clear, however, is that the preservation of the present native habitats and population is extremely important if the population is to be maintained and expanded. It is also meaningful in terms of the stable conservation of biodiversity in Korea. Therefore, based on the results of this study, it is judged that a systematic evaluation for the preservation and conservation of the habitat and vegetation management method of S. prunifolia should be conducted.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.354-366
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• 2022

To analyze the distribution of plant communities growing in river wetlands and the relationship between biotic and abiotic environmental factors, plant communities and environmental factors were investigated in river wetlands in the Boseong River. The Boseong River Wetland, the research site, consists of Hwapyeong Wetland, Bangujeong Wetland, and Seokgok Wetland. From June to September 2022, a plant community survey was conducted from the perspective of physiognomical vegetation, and the coverage of the emerging species followed the Braun-Blanquet scale. Plant species and the coverage of each species were recorded in the quadrant for plant community survey, and the cover of the quadrant, the total number of species, and the number of exotic species were measured as biological factors. As abiotic factors, altitude, orientation, inclination, soil texture, litter layer depth, dominant species diameter at breast height, and topography were recorded. In a total of 50 square plots, the most common Salix koreensis and Phragmites japonicus communities were found, and the community with the highest Shannon species diversity index was Phragmites japonicus-Echinochloa caudata community. As a result of ordination analysis by DCCA, the most significant clusters were separated according to topographic factors such as leeve, leeve slope, upper floodplain, lower floodplain, upper waterside, middle waterside, lower waterside, river island and opem water. As rare plants that need to be preserved in river wetlands, Hydrocharis dubia and Penthorum chinense were found in lower waterside, and it was found that the management of the river in the reservoir is necessary in line with the topographical distribution of ecosystem-disrupting plants, such as Paspalum distichum var. indutum.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.327-343
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• 2013

The aim of this study is to perform community analysis and biological assessment of water quality using benthic macroinvertebrate from Wangpi-cheon watershed which is defined as conservation areas of ecosystem and landscape by ministry of environment in Korea. Field survey of the study area was carried out 2 times from June to September in 2012. As a result of the field survey, total 155 species of benthic macroinvertebrates in 74 families, 15 orders, 7 classes and 5 phyla were collected. The findings of community analysis using the classified species and individuals showed relatively low DI(Dominant Index) value of 0.22 and very high value of average H'(Diversity index) as 4.24. And the analyzed results of SI(Similarity Index) according to habitat types using functional feeding groups showed higher values of 94.51% and 93.19% respectively to tributary and main stream after the designation of conservation areas of ecosystem and landscape. These results infer that various species and lots of individual are widely distributed at Wangpi-cheon watershed and stream ecosystem of the study area is healthy and well maintained after the designation of conservation areas. And also, the calculated EPT value was 62.9% as high enough to explain the cleanness of Wangpi-cheon watershed. We evaluated environmental condition and biological water quality by using ESB(Ecological Score of Benthic macroinvertebrate community) and KSI(Korean Saprobic Index). The average evaluated ESB shows very high value of 208.2, therefore Wangpi-cheon watershed is designated as 'First priority protection waters' area and the value of KSI is 0.32 which meets the saprobic water quality standard as 'First class'.