• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.15-24
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• 2015

The soil ecosystem is a complex system performing particularly complicated and varied functions, such as providing a habitat for organisms, acting as a medium for plant cultivation and growth, and functioning as a buffer against external materials in the environment. To assess whether these important functions of the soil ecosystem are executed appropriately, the concept of soil ecosystem health has been introduced, which is defined as the ability to perform the specific functions of the soil ecosystem. Understanding soil properties and soil indicators related to soil functions is essential to assess the soil health. In this study, systems, the indicators, and evaluation factors for assessing soil ecosystem health employed in a number of countries were investigated and discussed. In particular, it is necessary to introduce a technique for the evaluation of soil ecosystem health in Korea and to develop techniques and indicators appropriate to the soil ecosystem and status in Korea.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.319-326
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• 2007

Coastal marine ecosystems continue to suffer unrelenting pressures from human population growth, increased development, and climate change. Moreover, these systems' capacity for self-repair is declining with such increases in anthropogenic production of various pollutants. What is the present health status or condition of the coastal ecosystem? If our coastal areas are unhealthy, which conditions are considered serious? To answer such questions, the United States, Canada, and Australia are currently assessing coastal ecosystem health using systematic monitoring programs as well as identifying and implementing management plans to improve the health of degraded coastal ecosystems. To evaluate marine environments, Korea is currently using a limited number of factors to estimate water quality. In fact, we are ill-prepared for assessing coastal ecosystem health because no biologically specific criteria are in place to measure the responses to various pollutants. We should select ecosystem-specific indicators from physicochemical stressors and evaluate the subsequent biological responses within each ecosystem. Furthermore, a set of practical indicators should be generated by considering the characteristics and uses of a local coastal area and the key issues at hand. The values of indicators should be presented as indices that allow understanding by the general public as well as by practitioners, policy makers, environmental managers and other stakeholders.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.1185-1192
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• 2014

Health assessment of aquatic ecosystem was investigated by using LEHA (Lentic Ecosystem Health Assessment) model method with habitat fish population structure analysis in this study. The investigation was two comparison spots (St 1; floating island, St 2; 500 m away site from st 1) in the Habcheon lake of Korea. As results, health evaluation of Habcheon lake ecosystem was fair grade of LEHA scores base on metric values in both place (30 score in st. 1 and 32 score in st. 2).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.117-133
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• 2023

This study assessed the ecological health of border areas using the ecological health index and suggested Indicators for maintaining and promoting ecological values. We analyzed the change trends, pressures, and resilience of ecosystems and services in border areas, and identified their current status and sustainability. The main findings were: (1) ecological assets and ecosystem services in border areas could be compared through ecosystem health assessment; (2) it can be used to set priorities for management and conservation by identifying the relative importance and vulnerability of ecosystems and ecosystem services in each border area; and (3) the index presented in this study can be judged to have explanatory power for the characteristics of border areas and ecosystem health when compared to previous studies. Limitations of this study include the lack of literature and statistical data at the local government level and the resulting limited application of evaluation methods, which limited direct regional comparisons. To overcome the research limitations, further studies are needed, such as establishing ecological information in border areas, mapping and assessment of ecosystem services, and developing and applying assessments that reflect the opinions and participation of various stakeholders. This study was the first attempt to assess the health of ecosystems and ecosystem services in border areas and provided an important baseline for future changes in border areas. In the future, it will be helpful in national and local government policies and ecological assetecosystem management by supplementing insufficient information and presenting clear goals.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.10-26
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• 2018

This paper reviews the soil conservation policies (SCP) in the global community and suggests the improved options in SCP in Korea. Soil Environment Conservation Act in Korea states soil is a valuable natural resource and it's value should be enhanced to provide the benefits that soil ecosystem can offer to people. However, SCP in Korea limits its application to not only the scope of soil environment but also the issues on soil pollution. The SCPs in the advanced countries have shifted their scopes from soil environment to soil ecosystem, put emphasis on the conservation of soil health rather than soil quality, and set the goals to optimize the soil ecosystem services to people while minimizing the soil threats. In this context, the soil security initiative was recently proposed to accomplish this goal while employing the nexus concept to bridge the soil ecosystem services with water, atmosphere, climate and biodiversity. Therefore, the key policies in soil conservation in Korea should expand the scope from soil environment to soil ecosystem, focus on soil health management, and develop the holistic governance among diverse stakeholder to maximize the soil ecosystem services. Soil ecosystem should be secured by national soil policies for human health.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.91-110
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• 2002

Ecosystem health assessment is an emerging concept regarded as a useful diagnostic tool for evaluating ecosystems. The stability of ecosystem is the main theme in the assessment. Generally, two components - resilience and resistance - are involved in the mechanism of ecosystem stability. In this study, relative degrees of the resistance and the resilience were quantified for most aquatic Insects Inhabiting running waters in Korea. A total of 34 groups were newly categorized based on previous studies, and a conceptual model has been produced. The model was applied for the aquatic insect communities inhabiting different streams and demonstrated that each stream ecosystem possessed different degrees of stability. This study also indicated that it was possible to compare stabilities of different ecosystems using relative degrees of resilience and resistance. Using the conceptual model, suitable conservation and management strategies could be recommended in ecological assessments. The model can be used as a stepping-stone for developing more comprehensive methodology that objectively diagnoses and evaluates the ecosystem stability.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.21 no.2 s.53
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• pp.93-102
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• 2006

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), an octane booster that is added to the reformulated gasoline, has been a widespread contaminant in aquatic ecosystem. MTBE is a recalcitrant pollutant having low biodegradability. Due to its higher water solubility and low octanol-water partition coefficient, it can be rapidly transported to the surrounding water environment. Also, MTBE is a known animal carcinogen, and is classified as a possible human carcinogen by U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. The adverse effect of MTBE to aquatic biota was widely reported. In Korea, the recent detection of MTBE in groundwater near gasoline filling stations has drawn concern to public health and ecosystem. To address this concern, the effect of MTBE to human health and ecosystem was discussed in this review. Also, ecotoxicity data of MTBE for fish, invertebrates, and algae were extensively compared to estimate the hazard concentration 5($HC_5$) of MTBE as a screening level.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 1997

Vegetation Index(VI) derived from remote sensing data is used to assess ecosystem factor in Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA) process. Ecosystem factor has been prepared by Degree of Green Naturality(DGN) mainly in Environmental Impact Statements. But DGN has room for improvement of assessing actual ecosystem situation. The objectives of this study are to define the relationship between field measure DGN and VI, and to develop methodologies to use VI for assessing the status and conditions of natural ecosystem. For verification of DGN and VI, 35 sites using global positioning system are selected and reviewed. Correlation coefficients of DGN and VI shows highly as 0.69. Also VI in EIA found it can be applied to assess ecosystem. It concluded that VI as well as DGN can be applied to assess ecosystem newly and largescale.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2020

The Stream/River Ecosystem Survey and Health Assessment has been carried out regarding the ecological health of the streams by the Ministry of Environment (MOE), South Korea. However, the sources of impairment of the stream ecosystem and the interactions between the sources, stressors, and the responses of impaired streams have not been taken into consideration. The purpose of this study is to propose the establishment of diagnosis systems for the impaired stream ecosystem because of the need to incorporate the same in the making of the policy to enable the recovery and improvement of the health of the impaired streams or river ecosystem. First, we define the concept of a diagnosis of the impaired stream or river ecosystem through a literature review. Second, through case studies [e.g., US CADDIS (Causal Analysis/Diagnosis Decision Information System), AUS. Eco Evidence, EU WFD (Water Framework Directive)], we try to develop the diagnosis system for the making of policy. In this study, the diagnosis system that is proposed consists of eight steps including the basic data collection, detecting or suspecting impairment, defining the impaired stream reach, identifying the biological impaired cases and listing the candidate causes, illustrating the interactive conceptual diagrams between stressors and responses, investigating the stressors-responses in the field, verifying causes and identifying the probable causes of the impaired cases, and summarizing and proposing the restoration of the streams. The results of this study will support and enable efficient decision-making for sustainable stream restoration and management based on the diagnosis of the probable causes for the impaired complex and the diverse stream ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.147-152
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• 2016

This study was conducted to develop a technique of ecosystem health assessment on Korea National Parks. The purpose of natural resource monitoring in national parks is to develop scientific information on the current status and long term trends in the composition, structure, and function of park ecosystems, and to determine how well current management practices are sustaining those ecosystems. The evaluation results will reflect in the park conservation and polices and promote the effect and functions of assessment program to the people. Health assessment steps were performed in order the establishing monitoring goals and objectives, development of the conceptual model, frame establishment, determination of indicators, standard and classification and health assessment. Health Indicators were selected the 13 with common, choice and climate indicators. We developed a pictogram and was separated into five colors to health condition, it was divided into three shape for comparison with the past state. Seoraksan, Odaesan National Park has been rated highly but Bukhansan, Kyeryongsan National Park has been underestimated.