• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.271-274
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• 2010

The Ministry of Environment of South Korea has launched its plan to establish the National Ecological Institute. An International Symposium and Workshop was held at Ewha Womans University in Seoul on Thursday, 30 September 2010, to strengthen international cooperation, networking and partnerships for the conservation of biodiversity. This symposium was attended by experts of many major institutions for biodiversity conservation from South Korea and overseas. At the symposium and workshop preceded by a keynote speech by the renowned primatologist and conservation biologist Jane Goodall the participants discussed a wide range of topics including "biodiversity conservation: in situ and ex situ approaches", "conservation of species diversity and ecosystem management", and "international cooperation for biodiversity conservation and research". As a basis for future discussions, this article summarizes how the National Ecological Institute might contribute most effectively to public life and environmental management in South Korea and worldwide. It addresses the following issues: governance and funding, synergies within Korea, participation in international networks, external advice, a broad view of ecological issues, research agenda, building on identity, public outreach, and training the next generation of scientists.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.28-37
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• 2010

This study is intend to evaluate natural conservation value, and to suggest natural park plan based on conservation value evaluation. In this study evaluation items are selected through related studies about ecological conservation evaluation, and evaluation items in this study can be classified into 2 aspects, ecological environment and topographic environment. After each evaluation items are overlaid with GIS program, management levels are derived from comprehensive overlaid maps of each evaluation items. Management areas can be classified into 5 levels; Critical Conservation Area, Conservation Area, Restoration Area, Passive Usable Area, Active Development Area and Settlement Area. So management areas can be matched each management levels to land use of natural park, that is district of preservation, district of natural environment, district of settlements and district of mass facilities. This study have good enough to evaluate ecological value for natural park plan, but, it is difficult to evaluate conservation value only with maps of each evaluation items, so it needs supplementary field survey for precise conservation value evaluation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.92-100
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• 2009

This study was surveyed from May to October, 2008 in order to classify type distribution and evaluate the function of inland wetland as a ecological axis in Chungnam province. Assessment was done by modified-RAM (Rapid Assessment Method). RAM is consisted of total 8 functions and divided into high, moderate, low. The conservation grade of RAM is divided into 4 grades; absolute conservation, conservation, improvement and restoration. Throughout survey on total 13 wetlands of Lacustrine, Palustrine wetland which are distributed in Chungnam province, their function was assessed. As result, the 2 wetlands were judged as absolute conservation grade by assessment of 8 functional contents, and 7 sites were improvement wetlands and 4 sites were conservation wetlands. The function of wetlands assessed as conservation grade showed high in water quality protection and improvement. Also, showed high in vegetation diversity, wildlife habitat and aesthetic recreation. Meanwhile, showed low in Water quality purification, Shoreline/Stream Bank Protection. Of wetlands evaluated as conservation grade, Jeong-juk Ji and Dun-ri reservoir were assessed as absolute conservative area. These wetlands are essential to be managed continuously as a area having high ecological value. Farther, these wetlands will be done as a axis of ecological network related to 'Kumbuk jeongmaek' ecosystem.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.26-38
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• 2006

For both a healthy environment and sustainable development, we frame a habitat assessment method, concerning biodiversity and physical characteristics. With the method, we set up and extract conservation areas from Peace Valley Resort Development Areas which can function as habitats. Absolute and relative assessment items which are the size of area, habitation of species with conservation value, distribution of communities, functions of habitats, ratio of non-native plants, connectivity of habitats, vegetation layers of forests and age of forests, and water systems are considered on newly extracted conservation areas, and the habitat value assessment was calculated on the items in a 3-point scale. By comparing and examining 3 existing proposals for extracted conservation areas, we assess existing proposals, make an alternative proposal, and try to verify the possibility of applicability to extracted conservation areas. Proposal A and C must not be adopted since almost all conservation areas would be developed in the proposals. Proposal B, consisting of 53% development areas and 47% non-development areas, does not have enough development areas, so high density building arrangements should be encouraged in order to preserve conservation areas. Therefore, proposal B would be the best in ecological terms among the 3 proposals, if 3 conditions are considered : 1) new extracted conservation areas should be conserved; 2) 10~15m wide green-zones on both sides of the water system, which can play a role as ecological corridors, should be considered in development areas; 3) building arrangement should not interrupt the ecological corridors.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.329-341
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• 2023

We surveyed the vegetation of an ecological landscape preservation area (legally protected conservation areas or national parks) and the surrounding areas of Mt. Cheonggye, Republic of Korea, to explore the conservation implications for preservation areas and surrounding transition areas. We calculated diversity indices to identify the properties of the preservation and surrounding areas that are relevant to conservation efforts. We then compared the plant community composition between the areas using field and quadrat surveys in the preservation and surrounding areas. The cover of the dominant species in all tree and herb layers was markedly higher in the preservation area than in the peripheral zones. The species richness indices were significantly higher in the preservation area than in the peripheral zones. Ordination using detrended canonical correspondence analyses showed that the cover of the dominant tree species and rocks could explain the distribution of plant species in the Cartesian space of the ordination. Our results demonstrate that physiognomically designated protected areas match well with ecological data based on diversity indices and ordination analyses and that disturbances in the areas surrounding the ecological landscape of preservation areas can have considerable impacts on plant diversity indices. Hence, the preservation and management of surrounding areas are essential conservation elements for protecting the entire ecological landscape of preservation areas.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.120-127
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• 2018

Background: Cakile edentula (Bigelow) Hook. is a successful invader that has been propagating globally. In Korea, Cakile edentula was found in 2008 for the first time, in the east coast of Korean peninsula. Based on site surveys conducted thereafter, Cakile edentula has propagated in the east coast from Goseong to Jeongdongjin, Gangneung and in the west coast of city of Hwaseong of Gyeonggi-do Province, and Taeangun County of Chungcheongnam-do Province. Results: Cakile edentula has infiltrated into four different vegetation communities (syntaxa) (Calystegio soldanellaeSalsoletum komarovii Ohba, Miyawakiet Tx.1967; Elymo-caricetum Kobomugi Miyawaki 1967; Carex pumila; and Calystegia soldanella) belonging to phytosociological classes of saltwort (barilla) and coastal glehnia. Cakile edentula competes with dominant species such as the saltwort (barilla) and beach morning glory, causing qualitative changes in species composition. It also affects local ecosystems through its competition with indigenous species, causing destruction of the traditional landscape. Conclusions: However, competition of Cakile edentula with indigenous species and the resulting replacement of such species are limitedly reported. Potential competitors with Cakile edentula have not been found yet. In Northeast Asia, qualitative changes realized in local ecosystems due to invasion of Cakile edentula are significantly noticeable. These necessitate proper controls for this invasive alien species to protect and preserve coastal dune areas.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.321-337
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• 2018

The characteristics of 124 Phytolacca americana present areas and 88 surrounding absent areas over the country were investigated and compared from July 2016 to Sept 2017. The Phytolacca americana was confirmed as having been nationally distributed and is usually found in roadsides at an altitude of 380 m (26%), forest edges (24%), forests (19%), sunny spots (60%), dry soils (53%), sandy loams (31%) and sand+gravel soils (22%). 321 taxons consisting of 79 families, 209 genera, 289 species, 2 subspecies, 26 varieties and 4 cultivars and 286 taxons consisting of 76 families, 195 genera, 256 species, 2 subspecies, 24 varieties and 4 cultivars were found in the Phytolacca americana present areas and the absent areas, respectively. The relative net contribution degree was found highest in the Phytolacca americana (100) followed by Robinia pseudoacacia (29.4), Humulus japonicus (8.8) and Artemisia princeps (6.0) in the present areas, while it was found highest in Robinia pseudoacacia (100) followed by Humulus japonicus (44.4), Artemisia princeps (35.9), Pueraria lobata (18.6) and Setaria viridis (12.3) in the absent areas. The Raunkier's life form in the present/absent areas was found highest in the therophytes (34%/34%), followed by hemicryptophytes (17%/18%), megaphanerophytes and mesophanerophytes (18%/17%), nanophanerophytes (11%/11%) and geophytes (9%/11%). There was no significant difference in the species diversity between the present (2.141) and the absent (2.124) areas. However, the allelopathic agent and light blocked-out by the Phytolacca americana could possibly inhibit germination and the development of other species; especially, where a difference in species diversity was found high in forests, compared to other habitats (p=0.0605). Accordingly, it is suggested to review possible disturbances of native species habitats in shady spots including forest gaps, although the effect of Phytolacca americana on the ecological system in the suburban open and disturbed areas is not large.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.473-478
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• 2016

With the increasing development and commercial use of genetically modified maize, it is essential to develop an appropriate method for detection of individual LMO (Living modified organism) events for monitoring the samples. In South Korea, commercial planting and accidental or unintentional releases of LMOs into the environment were not approved. In this study, to increase the efficiency of LMO detection, we developed simultaneous detection methods for 11 LM maize events. This multiplex PCR detection method is economical, as it saves time, cost and labor. We developed 11 individual LM maize events, and applied 4 multiplex PCR sets to the LM maize samples. These results are confirmed by applying the multiplex analysis of LMO environmental monitoring from 2012 to 2014, which represents the unintentionally released LM maize samples. The data were correlated with event specific PCR results. Our results indicate that the multiplex PCR method developed is suitable for detection of LM maize in LMO monitoring.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.68-73
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• 2020

Korean fir (Abies koreana) is an evergreen coniferous tree species that is unique to South Korea. A. koreana is found in a limited sub-alpine habitat and is considered particularly vulnerable to climate change. Identification of populations vulnerable to climate change is an important component of conservation programs. In this study, a heat stress-induced transcriptome RNA-seq dataset was used to identify a subset of six genes for assessment as candidate marker genes for ecologically vulnerable populations. Samples of A. koreana were isolated from ecologically stable and vulnerable regions of the Halla and Jiri mountains, and the expression levels of the six candidate markers were assessed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. All six of the candidate genes exhibited higher expression levels in samples from vulnerable regions compared with stable regions. These results confirm that the six high temperature-induced genes can be used as diagnostic markers for the identification of populations of A. koreana that are experiencing stress due to the effects of climate change.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.53-64
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• 2018

This study aims to quantitatively evaluate the conservation priorities of unexecuted urban parks in Seoul both from an ecological and public perspective. To this end, two methodologies, ecological network analysis based on graph and circuit theory and accessibility analysis, were employed in order to assess ecological connectivity of and public accessibility to unexecuted parks, respectively. This study applied linkage-mapping methods (shortest path and current flow betweenness centrality) of connectivity analysis to an integrated map of landscape permeability. The population-weighted accessibility to unexecuted parks was measured based on a negative exponential distance decay function. As a result, for both ecological connectivity and accessibility, Gwanaksan, Suraksan, and Bulamsan urban natural parks are found to be the most important (rank 1-3) to be conserved. For these sites, inner park areas with conservation priorities for connectivity and accessibility were identified. The findings of the study can be used for giving conservation priority to the unexecuted urban parks in terms of long-term sustainable urban planning.