• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.473-481
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• 2023

Pinus densiflora is a fixed-growth coniferous species that elongates its shoot once a year and finishes growing in early summer. However, it may produce additional shoots in the same year in response to external stimuli, called abnormal shoot growth. This study investigated the effects of open-field summer warming and drought on the abnormal shoot growth of P. densiflora seedlings. In March 2022, two factorial combinations were constructed, including two temperature treatments (control and 4℃ increase) and two precipitation treatments (control and drought), with five replicates for each combination. The temperature treatment was performed for 87 days from May 14 to August 8, 2022, and the precipitation treatment was performed for 33 days from May 14 to June 15, blocking 100% of the ambient rainfall. The abnormal shoot occurrence rate and leaf unfolding stages were measured in November, and the shoot and root collar diameter growth rates were calculated by comparing the seedling height and root collar diameter measured in August(after the cessation of treatment) and October(after the end of growing period) with the initial values (i.e., May 2022). The abnormal shoot occurrence rate significantly increased under the warming treatment, showing a 410.6% increase in the warming plots (38.4%) compared to the control plots (7.5%). There was no significant difference in the shoot and root collar diameter growth rate regarding warming and drought treatments. Abnormal shoots may have been affected by high temperatures by inducing early transition to the next ontogenetic stage.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.115-125
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• 2020

Background: The phenomenon of tree dieback in forest ecosystems around the world, which is known to be associated with high temperatures that occur simultaneously with drought, has received much attention. Korea is experiencing a rapid rise in temperature relative to other regions. Particularly in the growth of evergreen conifers, temperature increases in winter and spring can have great influence. In recent years, there have been reports of group dieback of Pinus densiflora trees in Korea, and many studies are being conducted to identify the causes. However, research on techniques to diagnose and monitor drought stress in forest ecosystems on local and regional scales has been lacking. Results: In this study, we developed and evaluated an index to identify drought and high-temperature vulnerability in Pinus densiflora forests. We found the Drought Stress Index (DSI) that we developed to be effective in generally assessing the drought-reactive physiology of trees. During 2001-2016, in Korea, we refined the index and produced DSI data from a 1 × 1-km unit grid spanning the entire country. We found that the DSI data correlated with the event data of Pinus densiflora mass dieback compiled in this study. The average DSI value at times of occurrence of Pinus densiflora group dieback was 0.6, which was notably higher than during times of nonoccurrence. Conclusions: Our combination of the Standard Precipitation Index and growing degree days evolved and short- and long-term effects into a new index by which we found meaningful results using dieback event data. Topographical and biological factors and climate data should be considered to improve the DSI. This study serves as the first step in developing an even more robust index to monitor the vulnerability of forest ecosystems in Korea.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.241-249
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• 2023

Background: This study analyzed the drought responses of five forest tree species grown in Korean peninsula, Korean fir Abies koreana (Ak), eastern white pine Pinus strobus (Ps), keyaki Zelkova serrata (Zs), tulip tree Liriodendron tulipifera (Lt), and Japanese elm Ulmus japonica (Uj). Physiological (chlorophyll, root collar diameter [RCD]) and biochemical responses (non-structural carbohydrates, proline, lipid peroxidase and abscisic acid [ABA]) of the plants grown under mild (MD) and severe drought (SD) were compared. Results: In this study, three soil moisture regimes: control (100% precipitation), MD (60% reduction in precipitation) and SD (20% reduction in precipitation) were applied. Soil moisture content showed high water content in control site compared to MD and SD. A decline in RCD was found for Korean fir, keyaki, and tulip plants, with eastern white pine and Japanese elm showing no significant decline to the prolonged drought exposure (both MD and SD). Total chlorophyll showed a significant decline in Korean fir and tulip, with the sugar levels indicating a significant increase in Korean fir and keyaki species under SD compared to control plants. Non-significant decline in sugar level was noted for eastern white pine and Japanese elm. High accumulation of ABA, malondealdehyde and proline was noted in Korean fir, tulip, and keyaki under SD compared to control. Signs of tree mortality was only observed in Korean fir under MD (38%) and SD (43%). Conclusions: The observed findings indicate the drought responses of five tree species. The majority of the morpho-physiological (especially mortality) and biochemical variables assessed in our study indicate superior long-term drought resistance of Ps and Uj compared to the highly sensitive Ak, and moderately sensitive Lt and Zs. The results provided will help species selection for afforestation programs and establishment of sustainable forests, especially of drought-tolerant species, under increased frequency and intensity of spring and summer droughts.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.241-249
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• 1994

Leaf diffusive resistance (LDR), stomatal density, length of guard cell and hair density of leaves of 6 oak species were determined under withdrawal of water, and their strategies of drought stress were analyzed by principal component analysis. LDR of Quercus acutissima, Q. aliena and Q. serrata increased earlier than those of the other species at high leaf water potential $({\Psi}_{leaf})$ or low water saturation deficit (WSD), which was an avoidance mechanism reducing damage by water stress. Q. variabilis with low stomatal density, small stomatal size and high hair density had avoidance mechanisms increasing LDR at high $({\Psi}_{leaf})$ However, Q. mongolica and Q. dentata increased LDR at low $({\Psi}_{leaf})$ as xeric species do. Results from principal component analysis on the 15 variables related to strategies of drought stress indicated that the 6 oak species were divided into 2 groups: (1) Q. acutissima, Q. aliena and Q. serrata as mesic habitat species and (2) Q. variabilis, Q. mongolica and Q. dentata as xeric habitat species. Among three xeric species Q. acutissima differed from the other two species in the drought strategies such as high hair density, low stornatal density, high leaf area ratio, stomatal closing at low $({\Psi}_{leaf})$ and small cell wall elasticity. The results could reasonably explain their drought strategies in natural habitat.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.343-349
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• 2012

The use of growth medium is often recommended milkweed seedlings to grow and develop after emergence, and it is affected by growth medium and local habitat conditions. The effects of growth medium and partial shade on early growth of milkweed under drought stress (Calotropis procera L.) were studied in a field experiment. A split-split plot experimental design with three replications was carried out in the nursery. The main treatment plot was divided into two levels of shade; (no shading and partial shading). Sub treatment plot1 included growth medium at four levels (G1 = clay [suitable for milkweed growth], G2 = clay + sand, G3 = clay + perlite, G4 = clay + perlite + sand) and sub treatment plot2 included drought (irrigation intervals) at six levels (D1 = 2 [control], D2 = 4, D3 = 6, D4 = 8, D5 = 10, and D6 = 12 days per for three month). The results showed that drought stress significantly decreased emergence percentage, shoot length, shoot dry weight (SDW1), root dry weight (RDW), seedling dry weight (SDW2) and vigor index (VI). The use of growth medium increased all seedling characteristics. The G3 (clay + perlite) growth medium showed the highest performance, especially in terms of emergence percentage and seedling dry weight. Partial shade improved shoot length, shoot dry weight, and vigor index. Our results showed that the best treatment for high-vigor milkweed seedlings under drought stress was G3 (clay + perlite) growth medium and partial shade.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.393-402
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• 2023

Drought, which has been increasing in frequency and magnitude due to recent abnormal weather events, poses severe challenges in various sectors. To address this issue, it is important to develop technologies for drought monitoring, forecasting, and response in order to implement effective measures and safeguard the ecological health of aquatic systems during water scarcity caused by drought. This study aimed to predict water quality fluctuations during drought periods by integrating the watershed model HSPF and the water quality model QUAL-MEV. The researchers examined the SPI and RCP 4.5 scenarios, and analyzed water quality changes based on flow rates by simulating them using the HSPF and QUAL-MEV models. The study found a strong correlation between water flow and water quality during the low flow. However, the relationship between precipitation and water quality was deemed insignificant. Moreover, the flow rate and SPI6 exhibited different trends. It was observed that the relationship with the mid- to long-term drought index was not significant when predicting changes in water quality influenced by drought. Therefore, to accurately assess the impact of drought on water quality, it is necessary to employ a short-term drought index and develop an evaluation method that considers fluctuations in flow.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2023.05a
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• pp.49-49
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• 2023

지구온난화의 영향으로 가뭄의 발생 빈도가 전 세계 곳곳으로 증가하고 있는 추세이다. 가뭄이란 강수량 혹은 가용 수자원 등이 평균적인 수준에 비해 지속해서 적게 유지되는 현상으로 다양한 분야(기상, 농업, 사회, 경제 등)에 피해를 발생시킨다. 가뭄이 지속되면 인간 사회 뿐만 아니라 동·식물이 서식하고 있는 생태계에도 영향을 미치게 된다. 우리나라에서도 2000년대 이후 주기적으로 발생한 가뭄으로 인해 가뭄 현상을 모니터링하고 예측, 전망하기 위한 다양한 연구가 진행되고 있으나 아직까지 환경생태가뭄에 대한 연구는 미흡한 실정이다. 본 연구에서는 가뭄으로 인해 환경생태계에 미치는 영향 중 수생태계에 초점을 맞춰 진행하였으며, 수생태계에 서식하는 동·식물 중 어류만을 대상으로 하였다. 생태가뭄을 빠르고 쉽게 예측하기 위해 Ecological Nomograph를 개발하여 가뭄에 따른 수생태계에 미치는 영향을 분석하고자 하였다. 본 연구에서 나온 결과를 바탕으로 환경가뭄을 감시하고 대응하기 위한 분석 방법으로 활용할 수 있을 것으로 판단된다.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.156-162
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• 2013

Plant tolerance to drought is a beneficial trait for stabilizing crop productivity under water deficits. Here we report that genetically engineered Chinese cabbage expressing Arabidopsis $H^+$-pyrophosphatase (AVP1) shows enhanced physiological parameters related to drought tolerance. In comparison with wild type plants under soil water deficit stress created by cessation of irrigation, soil water potential in pot with AVP1-expressing plants was more rapidly decreased that might lead to increased relative water content in leaves, while both genotypes had indistinguishable wilting phenotypes. Transgenic plants subjected to drought treatment also exhibited higher photosystem II quantum yield in addition to lower electrolyte leakage and $H_2O_2-3,3^{\prime}$-diaminobenzidine content when compared to wild type plants.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.255-265
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• 2013

This study was conducted to determine the extent of drought resistance based on physiological responses of Calystegia soldanella under water deficit. In order to investigate the changes of plant growth, stomatal density, photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence, the contents of chlorophyll and carotenoid, osmolality, total ion contents, the contents of carbohydrate and proline, C. soldanella was grown under well watered and drought stressed conditions for 12 days. In this study, water-deficit resulted in remarkable growth inhibition of C. soldanella. The effect of water-deficit on plant growth was associated with low osmotic potential of soil. On day 12 after drought treatment, dry weight, relative water contents, number and area of leaves and stem length were lower than those of control. The stomatal conductance and net photosynthetic rate were significantly reduced in water stressed plant to regulate inner water contents and $CO_2$ exchange through the stomatal pore. Chlorophyll fluorescence and chlorophyll contents were not different in comparison with the control, indicating that the efficiency of photosystem II was not affected by drought stress. This results could be explained that water-deficit in C. soldanella limits the photosynthetic rate and reduces the plant's ability to convert energy to biomass. A significant increase in total ion contents and osmolality was observed on day 7 and day 12. Accumulation of proline in leaves is associated with the osmotic adjustment in C. soldanella to soil water-deficit. Consequently, this increase in osmolality in water stressed plant can be a result in the increase of ion contents and proline.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2020.06a
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• pp.169-169
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• 2020

According to the IPCC analysis, severe climate changes are projected to occur in Korea as the temperature is expected to rise by 3.2 ℃, the precipitation by 15.6% and the sea level by 27cm by 2050. It is predicted that the occurrence of abnormal climate phenomena - especially those such as increase of concentrated precipitation and extreme heat in the summer season and severe drought in the winter season - that have happened in Korea in the past 30 years (1981-2010) will continuously be intensified and accelerated. As a result, the impact on and vulnerability of the water management sector is expected to be exacerbated. This research aims to predict the climate change impacts on streamflow of Daecheong Lake area of Geum River in South Korea during the summer and winter seasons, which show extreme meteorological events, and ultimately develop an integrated policy model in response. We projected and compared the streamflow changes of Daecheong Lake area of Geum River in South Korea in the near future period (2020-2040) and the far future period (2041-2060) with the reference period (1991-2010) using the HEC-HMS model. The data from a global climate model HadGEM2-AO, which is the fully-coupled atmosphere-ocean version of the Hadley Centre Global Environment Model 2, and RCP scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) were used as inputs for the HEC-HMS model to identify the river basins where cases of extreme flooding or drought are likely to occur in the near and far future. The projections were made for the summer season (July-September) and the winter season(November-January) in order to reflect the summer monsoon and the dry winter. The results are anticipated to be used by policy makers for preparation of adaptation plans to secure water resources in the nation.