• Title/Summary/Keyword: Ecological indicator

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Ecological Characteristic of Clithon retropictus inhabitating in Yeoncho River in Southern Coastal Area (남해안 연초천에 서식하는 기수갈고둥의 생태적 특성 연구)

  • Lee, Soo-Dong;Kim, Mi-Jeong;Kim, Ji-Suk
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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    • v.32 no.6
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    • pp.591-602
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    • 2018
  • Clithon retropictus has been designated as an endangered wildlife Class II due to its high value as a biological indicator species capable of judging environmental quality such as salinity, water flow, and ground conditions. However, basic research on its physiological and ecological characteristics is still lacking. As such, this study intended to examine the impact of environmental conditions such as salinity and soil particle size on the size and density of Clithon retropictus at the Yeoncho river estuary. The investigation of the salinity, which is a key variable that affects the distribution of organisms in the estuary, showed that Clithon retropictus could grow at a salinity ranging from 0#x2030; (freshwater) to 25‰ (brackish water). The coarse gravel (19-75mm) tended to increase nearer the upper stream (under the Yeoncho weir), while the proportion of particles smaller than sand (less than 19mm) increased toward the downstream. The population and the size of the individuals decreased rapidly in the downstream where water stagnated near the Yeoncho weir, and the salt water joined. The results indicated that Clithon retropictus had a high tolerance to salinity, but the adaptability was weaker toward the extremes since the population, and the size tended to decrease as the salinity increased. The correlation analysis revealed that both salinity and soil particle size affected the population and individual size. The correlation between the individual size and salinity was -0.242 (P <0.01), indicating that the size decreased with increasing salinity. The correlation between individual size and coarse gravel having a particle size of 19mm or more was 0.420 (P <0.01), indicating that the size increased with increasing the particle size.

A study for Desertification Monitoring and Assessment based on satellite imagery in Tunisia (위성영상기반 튀니지 사막화 모니터링 및 평가에 관한 연구)

  • KIM, Ji-Won;SONG, Chol-Ho;PARK, Eun-Been;LEE, Jong-Yeol;CHOI, Sol-E;LEE, Eun-Jung;LEE, Woo-Kyun
    • Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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    • v.21 no.4
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    • pp.91-107
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    • 2018
  • It is required to monitor and assess the desertification in Tunisia, where the Sahara Desert, which is located in the southern part of Tunisia, is recently expanding northward. In this study, by using remote sensed data, land cover changes were examined, and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Topsoil Grain Size Index (TGSI) and Albedo are used to monitor and assess desertification in Tunisia. Decision Tree was constructed, and the frequencies and trends of each assessment indicator, desertification degree and land cover were identified. In addition, we analyzed the correlation between assessment indicators and precipitation. As a result, desertification is generally intensifying northward, especially in areas with high levels of desertification. Also, bivariate correlation analysis showed that Albedo, NDVI and TGSI were all highly correlated with precipitation. It indicates that changes in precipitation have also been shown to affect Tunisian desertification. In conclusion, this study has improved the usability of various methodologies considering the assessment indicators based on satellite imagery, Decision Tree, which is a method of evaluating them complexly, and trends of land cover change.

Artificial Light at Night and Cancer: Global Study

  • Al-Naggar, Redhwan A.;Anil, Shirin
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.17 no.10
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    • pp.4661-4664
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    • 2016
  • Background: Artificial light at night (ALAN) has been linked to increased risk of cancers in body sites like the breast and colorectum. However exposure of ALAN as an environmental risk factor and its relation to cancers in humans has never been studied in detail. Objective: To explore the association of ALAN with all forms of cancers in 158 countries. Materials and Methods: An ecological study encompassing global data was conducted from January to June 2015, with age-standardized rates (ASR) of cancers as the outcome measure. ALAN, in the protected areas, as the exposure variable, was measured with reference to the Protected Area Light Pollution Indicator (PALI) and the Protected Area Human Influence Indicator (PAHI). Pearson's correlations were calculated for PALI and PAHI with ASR of cancers for 158 countries, adjusted for country populations, electricity consumption, air pollution, and total area covered by forest. Stratified analysis was conducted according to the country income levels. Linear regression was applied to measure the variation in cancers explained by PALI and PAHI. Results: PALI and PAHI were positively associated with ASR of all forms of cancer, and also the four most common cancers (p < 0.05). These positive correlations remained statistically significant for PAHI with all forms of cancer, lung, breast, and colorectal cancer after adjusting for confounders. Positive associations of PALI and PAHI with cancers varied with income level of the individual countries. Variation in all forms of cancers, and the four most common cancers explained by PALI and PAHI, ranged from 3.3 - 35.5%. Conclusion: Artificial light at night is significantly correlated for all forms of cancer as well as lung, breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers individually. Immediate measures should be taken to limit artificial light at night in the main cities around the world and also inside houses.

The Evaluation and Improvement Proposal of an Urban Park by Analysis of Its Shape and Buffer (도시공원의 형태 및 완충성 분석에 따른 가치평가와 개선방안)

  • Ryu, Yeon Su;Ra, Jung-Hwa;Kim, Soo Bong
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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    • v.9 no.6
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    • pp.23-37
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    • 2006
  • The purposes of this study are (1) carrying out the case study for the urban park planning in point of landscape ecology, (2) analyzing and evaluating the indicator character of the landscape ecological view on the basis of the case study and (3) proposing the urban park planning in point of landscape ecology. The results of this study are as follows. As a result of the elongation analysis among the shape indicators, especially, Dalsung Park has the highest score 0.85 and Chimsan Park has the lowest score 0.34. In case of green shape index, Bummul Park has 1.70 and Chimsan Park has 1.40 respectively. As a result of the buffer analysis, Chimsan Park turned out to be the highest, Bummul Park turned out the lowest. Chimsan Park gets I grade in two indicators but Bummul Park gets III grade in four indicators contrastively. As a result of the possibility analysis of the urban park planning, increasing elongation index and the number of major lobes can be an improvement method. Also by changing multilayer structure, micro-multiformity and curvature are increased and buffer of edge is improved.In this study, the basic data of landscape ecology can be obtained by the character analysis of landscape ecology. This study has a significant meaning of possibility in planning of the urban park which reflects the character of landscape ecology. This research was only performed in Chimsan Park, so additional researches for various cases will be needed.

Development and Adaption of Sustainablility Evaluation Indicators for Chungcheongbuk-Do Province - Adopting Quantitative & Qualitive Indicators - (충청북도 지속가능성 평가지표의 개발 및 적용 - 정량적 정성적 지표의 도입 -)

  • Moon, Seok-ki;Yu, Byong-Deuk
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.85-100
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    • 2016
  • Local Agenda 21 organizations have been founded at the most divisions of local government in Chungcheongbuk-Do, but there has been no methods to monitor the total Sustainable Development trends. For the alternative solution of that problem in the Province, this study purposed (1) to develop Indicators fit to this Province (2) to examine the availability of the developed indicators adopting to each division section. Indicators were developed and examined by fields and Quantity / Quality considerations. As a 1st step, committee-composed with field professionals each-selected and developed Quantitative Sustainable Development Indicators(SDIs) optimized to Chungbuk-Province through critical discussions proposing Qualitative Indicators as a suggestion. In 2nd step, developed Indicators were applied and tested upon each divisions. Statistic data were used to calculate indices. 3rd step is adoption stage of Qualitative Indicators which were tested with questionnaire survey analysis. As a results, SDIs for Chungcheongbuk-Do -38 Quantitative SDIs within 4 provisions of 11 items with 8 Qualitative indicators categorization be put off- is developed. With the application test, 5 Quantitative Indicators- were found to be not adaptable because of lack or none of statistic data. Among the 8 Qualitative Indicators, 3 pairs found to be similar results in each pair which needed to be integrated into one. With them, bio-species related and health related Indicators were proposed to be newly added. Nation wide Sustainability comparison between divisions and Ecological Indicator selection are another themes to be considered.

Use of Bioluminescent Indicator Acinetobacter Bacterium for Screening and Characterization of Active Antimicrobial Agents

  • Haleem Abd-El;A.M. Desouky;Zaki Sahar A.
    • Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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    • v.16 no.11
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    • pp.1706-1712
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    • 2006
  • Because of the need for new antimicrobial substances with novel mechanisms of action, we report here the use of an Acinetobacter reporter system for high-throughput screening of active antimicrobial agents. The bioreporter Acinetobacter strain DF4/PUTK2 carrying luciferase genes luxCDABE was chosen because of its ecological importance and it is widespread in nature. This bioreporter is genetically engineered to emit light constitutively that can be measured in real time by luminometry. Hence, this reporter system was employed to determine the bacteriostatic actions of spent-culture supernatants derived from twelve bacterial isolates. Out of the results, the strongest bioluminescence inhibitory effect of the supernatants was recorded with Bacillus cereus strain BAC (S5). Subsequently, ethyl acetate extracts of extracellular products of strain BAC (S5) were separated by a thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Based on the bioluminescence inhibitory assay, three fractions were found to have antimicrobial activity. One fraction (C) having the strongest antimicrobial activity was further purified using TLC and characterized by IR, $^1H$ NMR, mass spectrometry, SDS-PAGE, and amino acid composition analysis. The results predicted the presence of 2-pyrrolidone-S-carboxylic acid (PCA) and the octadeconic-acid-like fatty acid. Fraction C also demonstrated a broad inhibitory activity on several Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. In conclusion, the Acinetobacter reporter system shows great potential to be a reliable, sensitive, and real-time indicator of the bacteriostatic actions of the antimicrobial agents.

The Evaluation Model for Natural Resource Conservation Areas - Focused on Site Selection for the National Trust - (자연자원 보전지역의 평가모형 - 내셔널 트러스트 후보지 선정을 중심으로 -)

  • 유주한;정성관
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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    • v.30 no.2
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    • pp.39-49
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    • 2002
  • The purpose of this study is to propose an objective and rational methodology for the selection of proposed sites far the National Trust(NT), which is the new alterative proposal far the conservation of natural environments destroyed by injudicious land development and economic growth. That is to enforce many analysis for the effective estimation of rare ecological and landscape resources and to propose a model based on estimation and united indicators. Using the estimative model, we apply it to the selection of the proposed site in micro scale and simultaneously offer the basic methodology of effective and systematic land conservation in macro scale. The results of this study are as follows: 1) The results of analysis for the reliability of estimative items and indicators, presented no problem in that the coefficient of reliability was over 0.7. 2) The correlation measure of the estimative indicator indicated that 'succession'and 'regenerating restorability' were highly correlative in the item of plants. Another three items showed a tendency to be alike. 3) The results of factor analysis on the characteristics of indicators, classified plants into four categories including a stable factor. The item of animals was classified as a stable and rare factor. The item of landscape was classified as a physical and mental factor and the environment as a pollutional and conditional factor. 4) The model of estimation created through factor analysis was valid for the approval of the regression model because significant probability was 0.00. When we consider the NT proposed site as a complex body that is composed of diverse natural and manmade resources, certainly the synthetic methodology of estimation is needed. If these studies are carried out, NT sites will be selected more rationally and effectively than at present. Consequently, they have the potential to play a core role of natural ecosystem conservation in Korea.

Early Alterations of Chlorophyll Fluorescence by Light-Chilling in Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) Leaves and Their Usage as Stress Indicators (오이 잎에서 저온 광저해에 의한 형광유도과정의 초기 변이와 스트레스 지표)

  • Ha, Suk-Bong;Young-Jae Eu;Choon-Hwan Lee
    • The Korean Journal of Ecology
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    • v.19 no.2
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    • pp.151-163
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    • 1996
  • To investigate the early symptoms of light-chilling, alterations of chlorophyll fluorescence transients were monitored in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Ilmichungjang) leaves. During 24 h chilling, decreases in (Fv)m/Fm, qE and qQ, and an increase in Fo were observed. The chilling effects were not recovered at room temperature, and a significant increase in Fo was observed during the recovery period. After 6 h chilling, ‘dip’(D) level of the transients became obscure, and the negative slope after ‘peak’(P) disappeared. The first derivative (dFv/dt) of the fast fluorescence rise curve was used to obtain more accurate information about the changes in the transients. The maximal rate of the fluorescence increase in the D-p rise curve (Fr) has been the most frequently used chilling stress indicator. However, a correct value of Fr could not be measured when the D level became obscure. This problem was overcome by introducing a new indicator, HFr (dFv/dt at Fv = 1/2 (Fv)m), and HFr gave very similar values to Fr. To monitor the changes in curvature around D level, another new parameter, ${\Delta}S$(D-Fr), was also introduced. These three parameters decreased very sensitively during light-chilling. In addition, increases in these parameters were observed during the first 2 h chilling, but this increase in Fr was also observed in pea leaf discs dark-chilled for 15 min, suggesting that this very early change is a common response to chilling in both pea and cucumber leaves. Quenching coefficients were also very sensitive to chilling, especially qE. Discussion on the usage of these parameters as chilling stress indicators is given in the text.

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Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Epilithic Diatom Communities in Major Harbors of Korean Peninsula (국내 하구역 부착돌말의 시, 공간적 분포에 미치는 몬순의 영향)

  • Kim, Ha-Kyung;Kim, Yong-Jae;Won, Du-Hee;Hwang, Soon-Jin;Hwang, Su-Ok;Kim, Baik-Ho
    • Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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    • v.29 no.5
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    • pp.598-609
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    • 2013
  • Spatial and temporal distribution of environmental factors and epilithic diatom communities in major rivers (30 rivers and 58 sampling points) of the Korean peninsula were surveyed each one time before (May) and after the monsoon (October) 2012. The stream of the east harbor (EAST), the south harbor (SOUTH), and the west harbor (WEST) was sampled in order. Over the survey, a total of 284 taxa were classified, and the number of diatom species in each harbor did not show significant changes after the monsoon, but a biomass significantly decreased. Results also showed that EAST deterioration of water quality and chlorophyll-a after the monsoon, was opposite to SOUTH. Five major dominant species including Nitzschia inconspicua, which contained higher biomass over the survey, were common species which widely distributed in brackish water. Indicator Species Analysis showed that a large number of clean water species in EAST and polluted water species in SOUTH and WEST were emerged respectively. In sum, the Asian monsoon significantly decreased a biomass of epilithic diatoms and water qualities over the harbors (lower stream) in the Korean peninsula, but did not change the major species indicating water quality.

A Study on Correlations of the Gap Ratio of Apartment Houses Arrangement and the Wind Field (공동주택단지배치의 간극비와 바람장의 상관관계에 관한 연구)

  • Moon, Chul-Seong;Oh, Se-Gyu;Cho, Sung-Woo
    • KIEAE Journal
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    • v.11 no.2
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    • pp.75-82
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    • 2011
  • In Korea, the ratio of population in urban areas used to be only 50.1% in 1970, but with the value risen to 90.8% in 2009, urbanization is going on rapidly. Urbanization, which occurs by the rampantly planted buildings, has become major source of raising building density, changing wind direction and reducing wind amount, and such reductions are affecting even inside the building. In each year, among the total energy consumption in Korea, residential portion takes up significant ratio, and specifically the ratio of apartment house is shown to be highest. In order to solve such problem, many studies are being conducted for the improvement of natural ventilation performance. The natural ventilation performance of apartment house are significantly determined by the characteristics of external and internal structure, but in macroscopic perspective, the performance is established fundamentally by the layout characteristics of the main building of the apartment house in preparation for wind conditions. So far researches on raising the thermal comfort through elevation of ventilation performance have been conducted actively, but many of them propose only theoretical concepts deduced through wind path analysis, and do not include any indicator to measure ventilation performance simply only with area data from layout planning stage. Therefore, in this study, gap ratio a wind field measuring indicator was developed, and after the ventilation characteristics by layout types and main building uniformity were identified, the scope of gap ratio efficient for ventilation and that of uniformity were clarified, followed by verification through simulation.