• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.43-55
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• 2023

The railway project is an essential green transportation tool that is considered suitable for the domestic and foreign policy direction of carbon neutrality, but there are some limitations, such as damaging important carbon absorption sources during construction. This study analyzed the environmental impact assessment related to carbon absorption sources of greenhouse gas evaluation items conducted during the railway project, and limitations and implications were derived. The analysis of environmental impact assessment guidelines related to railway projects and carbon absorption sources dealt with prediction and reduction methods related to carbon absorption sources, but guidelines, including environmentally friendly railway construction guidelines, lacked descriptions. Since the greenhouse gas environmental impact assessment, 83 railway project environmental impact assessments have been reviewed, but in some cases, carbon absorption-related predictions have not been implemented, or carbon absorption-related reduction measures have been insufficient. In addition, there were cases where there was a limit to calculating emissions and reduction or where the reduction value was insignificant compared to emissions. In order to supplement the environmental impact assessment in the field of carbon absorption sources related to railway construction projects, alternatives such as quantitative emission and low reduction calculation, review of the no net loss system using the total environmental resource system, and linkage with climate change impact assessment are needed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.43-55
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• 2024

The purpose of this study is to examine residents' perspectives on factors contributing to rural decline, including population decrease and landscape degradation, with the goal of proposing strategies to revitalize rural spaces in response to these challenges. After exploring rural decline issues in Jinan, a questionnaire was developed based on a review of existing research. Following this, participants were selected, and Focus Group Interviews(FGI) were conducted. Through the analysis of the findings, strategies for local revitalization were suggested in four sectors. Based on the research findings, there is a need to reassess public transportation and vacant property projects. On the social front, preventing the misuse of rural relocation policies and enhancing residential environments through spatial clarity are essential. Environmentally, clustering renewable energy and livestock facilities and attracting educational facilities are necessary to minimize disruption to rural landscapes. From a governance perspective, fostering entrepreneurship in rural tourism and business models utilizing the local landscape is crucial for an increase in regional visits. This study holds significance by emphasizing the practical situation of rural decline, steering away from resource-centric or business-focused policies. It underscores the potential usefulness of integrating this understanding into detailed planning within policies aimed at tackling rural decline.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.11-11
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• 2017

The most drought resistant among the five most important cereal crops, and a key dual-use (grain and biomass) crop in regions containing some of the world's most degraded soils, sorghum has inherent climate resilience that is likely to become more important under environmental conditions that are projected by many climate change models. The importance of sorghum might be further elevated by the development of productive genotypes that increase the extent and duration of soil cover beyond those of conventional annual crops, mitigating or even reversing losses of ecological capital through multiple crops from single plantings. Rich genetic and genomic resources have been developed to link Sorghum phenotypic diversity to its molecular basis, and in particular the genus has become a model for dissecting the molecular control of perenniality. Nature has made Sorghum perennial at least twice, and crosses between wild perennials and cultivated sorghums show the feasibility of developing genotypes with varying degrees of investment in perenniality while still providing harvestable food, feed, sugar and/or cellulose. Genetic analysis of progeny from these crosses is revealing the hereditary basis of traits related to ratooning and perenniality and providing diagnostic DNA markers. One perennial Sorghum species has adapted to continents and latitudes far beyond the reach of its progenitors, surviving stresses year after year that are only periodically experienced by conventional (annual) sorghum, and may also harbor novel alleles that may mitigate production challenges in conventional annual sorghums.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.82-95
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• 2021

Current international negotiation and cooperation for sustainable development are focused on three main themes. The first theme is implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The second theme is development of measures for climate change. The third theme is sustainable management of biodiversity and ecosystem services. In South Korea, responses of government policies and academic studies have been predominantly to one of these three themes. There have not been many integrated efforts to develop countermeasures considering all three international themes. In addition, while "green growth" policies have been setting national agendas for Korea's sustainable development, they must be scrutinized such as why they have not dealt with some parts of these three themes and whether they have ignored one of these themes due to lack of integrated responses. This study finds critical issues in South Korea on how to harmoniously respond to the three themes of international efforts and improve green growth policies. First, to achieve SDGs, the domestic statistical system must be reorganized to track the achievement of "inclusiveness" and "green growth". Second, the climate change response policy should seek inclusion between countries and between social groups. Third, in the field of biodiversity and ecosystem services, it is necessary to establish Korea's identity in global geopolitics and enhance its own traditional ecological knowledge. Fourth, it is necessary to consider how to solve discrepancy between climate change response policies and biodiversity-ecosystem service management policies. Finally, proactive improvement of laws and institutions must occur to promote inclusive green growth.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.366-377
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• 2016

Water use efficiency (WUE) is considered as an important ecological indicator which may provide information on the process-structure relationships associated with energy-matter-information flows in ecosystem. The WUE at ecosystem-level can be defined as the ratio of gross primary productivity (GPP) to evapotranspiration (ET). In this study, KoFlux's long-term (2007-2015) eddy covariance measurements of $CO_2$ and water vapor fluxes were used to examine the WUE of needle fir plantation in Korea National Arboretum. Our objective is to ascertain the seasonality and inter-annual variability in WUE of this needle fir plantation so that the results may be assimilated into the development of a holistic ecological indicator for resilience assessment. Our results show that the WUE of needle fir plantation is characterized by a concave seasonal pattern with a minimum ($1.8-3.3g\;C{\cdot}(kg\;H_2O)^{-1}$) in August and a maximum ($5.1-11.4g\;C{\cdot}(kg\;H_2O)^{-1}$) in February. During the growing season (April to October), WUE was on average $3.5{\pm}0.3g\;C\;(kg\;H_2O)^{-1}$. During the dormant seasons (November to March), WUE showed more variations with a mean of $7.4{\pm}1.0g\;C{\cdot}(kg\;H_2O)^{-1}$. These values are in the upper ranges of WUE reported in the literature for coniferous forests in temperate zone. Although the growing season was defined as the period from April to October, the actual length of the growing season (GSL) varied each year and its variation explained 62% of the inter-annual variability of the growing season WUE. This is the first study to quantify long-term changes in ecosystem-level WUE in Korea and the results can be used to test models, remote-sensing algorithms and resilience of forest ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.400-412
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• 2023

In this study, the biogeochemistry management (BGC-MAN) model was applied to North and South Korea pine and oak forest stands to evaluate the Net Primary Productivity (NPP), an indicator of forest ecosystem productivity. For meteorological information, historical records and East Asian climate scenario data of Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) were used. For vegetation information, pine (Pinus densiflora) and oak(Quercus spp.) forest stands were selected at the Gwangneung and Seolmacheon in South Korea and Sariwon, Sohung, Haeju, Jongju, and Wonsan, which are known to have tree nurseries in North Korea. Among the biophysical information, we used the elevation model for topographic data such as longitude, altitude, and slope direction, and the global soil database for soil data. For management factors, we considered the destruction of forests in North and South Korea due to the Korean War in 1950 and the subsequent reforestation process. The overall mean value of simulated NPP from 1991 to 2100 was 5.17 Mg C ha^-1, with a range of 3.30-8.19 Mg C ha^-1. In addition, increased variability in climate scenarios resulted in variations in forest productivity, with a notable decline in the growth of pine forests. The applicability of the BGC-MAN model to the Korean Peninsula was examined at a time when the ecosystem process-based models were becoming increasingly important due to climate change. In this study, the data on the effects of climate change disturbances on forest ecosystems that was analyzed was limited; therefore, future modeling methods should be improved to simulate more precise ecosystem changes across the Korean Peninsula through process-based models.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2023

Alien species are known to threaten regional biodiversity globally, which has increased global interest regarding introduction of alien species. The Ministry of Environment of Korea designated species that have not yet been introduced into the country with potential threat as alert alien species to prevent damage to the ecosystem. In this study, potential habitats of Esox lucius and Maccullochella peelii, which are predatory and designated as alert alien fish, were predicted on a national basis. Habitat suitability was evaluated using EHSM (Ecological Habitat Suitability Model), and water temperature data were input to calculate Physiological Habitat Suitability (PHS). The prediction results have shown that PHS of the two fishes were mainly controlled by heat or cold stress, which resulted in biased habitat distribution. E. lucius was predicted to prefer the basins at high latitudes (Han and Geum River), while M. peelii preferred metropolitan areas. Through these differences, it was expected that the invasion pattern of each alien fish can be different due to thermal preference. Further studies are required to enhance the model's predictive power, and future predictions under climate change scenarios are required to aid establishing sustainable management plans.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.749-758
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• 2019

The aim of this study is to provide a scientific basis for decision making regarding environmental damage in case of future chemical accidents by evaluating the ecotoxicity of 4 substances requiring preparation for accidents. For this purpose, acute and chronic toxicities of nitric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and ammonia solution, which can change the physical and chemical properties of soil to Paronychiurus kimi(Collembola) were investigated. The pH of artificial soil spiked with a series of test chemical concentrations was also measured. The pH of soil spiked with 10,000 mg kg^-1 of soil nitric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and ammonia solution were 2.86, 2.72, 7.18 and 9.69, respectively. The 28-d LC₅₀ of nitric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrogen peroxide and ammonia solution were 2,703, 5,414, 3,158 and 859 mg kg^-1 soil dry wt., respectively and 28-d EC₅₀ were 587, 2,148, 1,300 and 216 mg kg^-1 soil dry wt., respectively. These results indicated that the mortality and juvenile production of P. kimi were influenced by not only the soil pH but also by the reduced organic content and products produced by the reaction of soil with the tested chemicals. Given the fact that most substances requiring preparation for accidents can change soil characteristics, assessment and restoration methods that take into account changes in soil properties are needed for accurate decision making after chemical accidents.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.530-538
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• 2023

This study conducted an investigation into the effects of fruit type and cultivation practices (organic and conventional) on soil characteristics and soil arthropod communities within apple, blueberry, grape, peach, and pear orchards. The collection of soil arthropod communities was achieved through the utilization of pitfall traps, with concurrent measurements taken for soil moisture content, electrical conductivity, and temperature. The findings of this study unveiled substantial impacts attributed to fruit type and cultivation practices on soil characteristics. Specifically, within organic apple orchards, discernibly higher levels of soil moisture content, electrical conductivity, and temperature were observed when compared to their conventional counterparts. The investigation into soil arthropod communities yielded a total of 1,527 individuals, classified in to five phyla and 15 orders. The range of abundance, species richness, and diversity indices varied across conventional and organic orchards. Cultivation practices were found not to exert a significant influence on soil arthropod community characteristics. However, Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) analysis indicated a significant differentiation in soil arthropod community structure based on cultivation practices. This study underscores the importance of considering vegetation structure and environmental characteristics that may influence soil arthropod communities comprehensively when assessing the impact of cultivation practices on soil arthropods. Furthermore, it emphasizes the need to account for both the characteristics and structure of soil arthropod communities in understanding the implications of cultivation practices on these organisms.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.519-527
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• 2013

The Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea set up 'the $2^{nd}$ Fundamental Plan for Wetlands Conservation' to facilitate systematic surveys and management of various national wetlands and to promote sustainable conservation and use of those wetlands. The mid-term fundamental plan was established in accordance with the Article 5 of the Wetland Conservation Act, which spans 5 years from 2013 to 2017 and covers national wetlands including inland wetlands and coastal wetlands stated in the Act. The fundamental plan aims to promote the wise use of wetlands through establishing policies for sustainable conservation based on the assessment of implementation of the $1^{st}$ Fundamental Plan, setting up a scientific framework for establishment and implementation of national wetland policies by improving wetland survey systems and enhancing basis wetland data, improving the ecological health of wetlands and securing biodiversity conservation of wetlands by strengthening conservation and management system of national wetlands, and through raising public awareness and diversify education and promotion tools. The main objectives of the $2^{nd}$ Fundamental Plan is to revise the entire Wetland Conservation Act, to create a new monitoring system of national inland wetlands, to upgrade the national wetlands inventory, to reflect the 'Ecological Map' for promoting precautionary management of wetlands, to improve the 'Wetland Restoration and Management' system to build wetlands resilience, and to systematize the wise use of wetlands that benefits local people. As the Ministry of Environment plans to establish its other master plan for wetland conservation based on the $2^{nd}$ Fundamental Plan, this document introduces the $2^{nd}$ Fundamental Plan to stakeholder and wetland professions.