• 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.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.103-114
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• 2019

Despite recent projects to create urban forests to reduce the levels of particulate matter, objective evaluation criteria for selecting suitable sites for the projects have not been provided. The purposes of this study are to identify assessment items for the evaluation of available spaces for urban forests for the reduction of particulate matter and to analyze the relative importance of the items using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). We identified a total of 19 items in five categories through a literature review and a panel discussion. A total of 29 responses were collected from surveys given to experts, and an AHP analysis was conducted on the results. As a result, 'locational characteristics' (0.355) received the highest weighted value among the five categories, followed by 'planting type of existing green space' (0.184), 'weather conditions' (0.183), 'physical characteristics' (0.15), and 'human social environment' (0.128). In addition, among all the assessment items, 'proximity of source apportionment of particulate matter' (0.143) had higher weighted value while 'plantation of existing green space' (0.024) had the lowest weighted value. This study will present objective criteria and directions in the selecting of available spaces to create urban forests for the reduction of particulate matter.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.63-71
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• 2020

Various types of amendments have been studied for heavy metal stabilization in soil. However, researches on the effect of amendments on alkali soil and their effects on the plants at various edible parts are insufficient. The aim of this study was to evaluate the stabilization efficiency of heavy metals and their transfer into edible parts of food crops. Abandoned mine area was selected and 3 types of amendments (lime stone, LS; steel slag, SS; acid mine drainage sludge, AMDS) was applied with 3% (w/w). in field. After 6 month aging, Chinese cabbage (leafy), bok choy (leafy), garlic (root) and red pepper (fruit) were transplanted and cultivated. For chemical assessment, total concentration and bioavailability using Mehlich-3 solution were determined. For biological assessment, fresh weight and heavy metal uptakes were analyzed. It was revealed that AMDS reduced bioavailability most effectively, resulting in the decrease in heavy metal concentration in edible parts of all crops. When explaining the heavy metal uptake of plants, the bioavailability was more appropriate than the total contents of soil heavy metals. Therefore, bioavailability-based further research and management practices should be carried out continuously for the sustainable environment management, safe crop production, and human health risk reduction.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2023

In 2022, the Korean Ministry of Environment designated Parthenium hysterophorus as an ecosystem-disturbing plant. The purpose of this study was to present a management plan for P. hysterophorus considering its distribution, morphological, physiological, and ecological characteristics, and to introduce various control techniques. P. hysterophorus is native to Central America and occurs in about 45 countries worldwide. However, in Korea, it only grows in some areas of Tongyeong and Changwon, Gyeongsangnam Province. P. hysterophorus is an annual plant and spreads by seeds, moves between countries in the process of importing and/or exporting agricultural seeds, and spreads by agricultural machinery and vehicles after introduction. P. hysterophorus releases parthenin, an allelochemical that suppresses the occurrence of the surrounding vegetation, from its stems and roots. In addition, P. hysterophorus causes damage to humans and livestock through various allergens. P. hysterophorus can be controlled by physical methods, such as cutting its stems or pulling roots, and by treatment with non-selective herbicides, such as glyphosate. Many biological control research studies have been conducted and, unfortunately, there is no a practical solution so far.

• Journal of Digital Contents Society
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.1727-1737
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• 2018

In this paper, we propose a system to detect spatial structures in land cover maps and to detect time-series spatial structure changes. At first, the proposed system detects patches in a certain area at different times and calculates their measures to analyse spatial structure patterns of the area. Then the system conducts patch mapping among the detected time-series patches and decides 6 types of patch changes such as keeping, creating, disappearing, splitting, merging, and changing in a mixed way. Also, the system stores the patch-based spatial structure patterns of time-series land cover maps in binary form to extract changes. This demonstrated that the proposed change detection system can be used as a basis for planning the reconstruction of the urban spatial structure by measuring the degree of urban sprawl.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.71-84
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• 2021

Restoration of DMZ has come up with the discussion on the peaceful use of the DMZ and the conservation plan of the army. In this study, we aim to identify soil characteristics of 108 sites to figure out environmental conditions around the iron fence of DMZ where vegetation has been removed repeatedly. Based on the soil characteristics and climate variables, hierarchy clustering was performed to categorize sites. As a result, we categorized 108 sites into 4 types: middle elevation region, lowland, East coast lowland, other areas. Group of 'other area' is only high in nutrient and clay proportion. Others are in igneous rock and metamorphic rocks with a high proportion of sand and lower nutrients than the optimum range of growth in Korean forest soil. The middle elevation region has a high altitude, low temperature. The east coast lowland has a high temperature in January and low precipitation. The lowland has a low altitude and high temperature. This category provides the environmental condition around the DMZ fence and can be used to select plants for restoration. The restoration project around the DMZ iron fence should satisfy the security of military plans, which means that functional restoration is prior to ecological restoration such as vegetation management under a power line. Additionally, improvement of soil quality and surface stability through restoration projects is required to enhance the resilience of the ecosystem in DMZ.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.236-248
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• 2019

Green belts can help to set boundary for city growth, provide ecological protection system and enhance the resilience of Beijing. During the implementation period of the current overall city planning of Beijing, the proportion of green space varies much among the sub-districts, villages and towns involved in the two green belts in the research. With this as starting point, by researching the correlations of 'city system factors' and 'planning policy factors' with the change in the scale of green space, the paper discussed the influential factors of implementing the planning of green space of Beijing, and conducted quantitative research, with such possible influential factors classified into 'city system factors' and 'planning policy factors'. Through multiple linear regression model, the paper tested the correlations of city system factors and planning policy factors (independent variable) with the increment in the construction land in green belts (dependent variable). Through influence to population aggregation and the expansion force of construction land, city system factors such as mountain land and water, house rent of unit area, accessibility of public transport and the newly-defined state-owned construction land generate correlation with the change in the scale of construction land in green belts.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.69-78
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• 2023

This investigation delves into the adverse repercussions stemming from the impact of arsenic on steel pipes concealed within soil designated for rice cultivation. Simultaneously, the study aims to ascertain effective techniques for detecting arsenic in the soil and to provide strategies for mitigating the corrosion of steel pipes. The realm of nanotechnology presents promising avenues for addressing the intricate intersection of renewable energy, oil, and environmental pollution from a novel perspective. Nanostructured materials, characterized by distinct chemical and physical attributes, unveil novel pathways for pioneering materials that exert a substantial impact across diverse realms of food production, storage, packaging, and quality control. Within the scope of the food industry, the scope of nanotechnology encompasses processes, storage methodologies, packaging paradigms, and safeguards to ensure the safety of consumables. Of particular note, silver nanoparticles, in addition to their commendable antibacterial efficacy, boast anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory prowess, environmental compatibility, minimal irritability and allergenicity, resilience to microbial antagonism, thermal stability, and robustness. Confronting the pressing issue of arsenic contamination within both environmental settings and the food supply is of paramount importance to preserve public health and ecological equilibrium. In response, this study introduces detection kits predicated upon silver nanoparticles, providing an expeditious and economically feasible avenue for identifying arsenic concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 3 ppm within rice. Subsequent quantification employs Hydride Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (HG-AAS), which features a detection threshold of 0.05 ㎍/l. A salient advantage inherent in the HG-AAS methodology lies in its capacity to segregate analytes from the sample matrix, thereby significantly reducing instances of spectral interference. Importantly, the presence of arsenic in the soil beneath rice cultivation establishes a causative link to steel pipe corrosion, with potential consequences extending to food contamination-an intricate facet embedded within the broader tapestry of renewable energy, oil, and environmental pollution.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.30-39
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• 2024

The conservation of the endangered Korean fir, Abies koreana, is of critical ecological importance. In our previous study, a yeast-like fungus identified as Aureobasidium pullulans AK10, was isolated and shown to enhance drought tolerance in A. koreana seedlings. In this study, the effectiveness of Au. pullulans AK10 treatment in enhancing drought tolerance in A. koreana was confirmed. Furthermore, using transcriptome analysis, we compared A. koreana seedlings treated with Au. pullulans AK10 to untreated controls under drought conditions to elucidate the molecular responses involved in increased drought tolerance. Our findings revealed a predominance of downregulated genes in the treated seedlings, suggesting a strategic reallocation of resources to enhance stress defense. Further exploration of enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways and protein-protein interaction networks revealed significant alterations in functional systems known to fortify drought tolerance, including the terpenoid backbone biosynthesis, calcium signaling pathway, pyruvate metabolism, brassinosteroid biosynthesis, and, crucially, flavonoid biosynthesis, renowned for enhancing plant drought resistance. These findings deepen our comprehension of how AK10 biostimulation enhances the resilience of A. koreana to drought stress, marking a substantial advancement in the effort to conserve this endangered tree species through environmentally sustainable treatment.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.74-84
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• 2024

Background: Despite many environmental problems, plastic waste emissions have been a significant surge during last few decades in the Republic of Korea. Furthermore, the emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has lead to an increased use and disposal of plastic waste worldwide. This paper tried to present summarized data related to the production and disposal of plastics especially before and after the COVID-19 pandemic with environmental impacts of plastics. Also, review of plastic waste reduction policies and feasible policies to promote an act for a safe, sustainable environment are presented. Results: Plastics cause many environmental problems due to their non-degrading properties and have a huge direct and indirect impact on Ecosystems and Public Health. Microplastics need a lot of attention because their environmental effects are not yet fully identified. Despite plastic's significant impact on climate change, the impact is not yet widely known to the public. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of plastic has surged and recycling has decreased due to the increase in delivery food and online shopping. Korea is introducing very active plastic and waste management policies, but it is necessary to implement more active policies by referring to the cases of other countries. Conclusions: In this article, we have scrutinized the evolution of plastic waste generation in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and delved into policy frameworks adopted by other nations, which South Korea can draw valuable lessons from. The formidable challenges posed by plastic waste, the remarkable shifts witnessed during the COVID-19 era, and the multifaceted response strategies elucidated in this paper all play a pivotal role in steering South Korea toward a sustainable future.