• 한국지하수토양환경학회지:지하수토양환경
• /
• 제20권3호
• /
• pp.15-24
• /
• 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
• /
• 제29권4호
• /
• pp.319-326
• /
• 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.

• 수산해양교육연구
• /
• 제26권6호
• /
• pp.1185-1192
• /
• 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).

• 한국환경복원기술학회지
• /
• 제26권6호
• /
• pp.117-133
• /
• 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.

• 한국지하수토양환경학회지:지하수토양환경
• /
• 제23권3호
• /
• pp.10-26
• /
• 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.

• 환경정책연구
• /
• 제1권1호
• /
• pp.91-110
• /
• 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
• /
• 제21권2호
• /
• pp.93-102
• /
• 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.

• 환경영향평가
• /
• 제6권1호
• /
• pp.47-54
• /
• 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.

• 생태와환경
• /
• 제53권1호
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2020

본 연구는 훼손된 하천 수생태계의 훼손원인을 식별하고 그 전이 과정을 규명하기 위해 수생태계 훼손원인 진단체계를 구축하고 정책적 활용 가능성을 보고자 하였다. 수생태계 현황 조사 및 건강성 평가결과는 하천의 훼손에 대한 전반적인 상황을 알 수 있어 하천 복원 및 관리의 판단 근거로 사용된다. 그러나 하천이 훼손된 원인이나 훼손이 발생하게 된 전이 과정을 고려하지 못한다는 한계를 가진다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 과학적이고 체계적인 진단체계를 제안하여 훼손원인과 그 전이 과정을 규명하였다. 미국, 호주, 유럽의 사례를 분석하여 우리나라에 맞는 진단체계를 제안하였다. 총 8단계로 구성되며, 기초자료 조사, 하천 수생태계 훼손 판단, 훼손 구간 설정, 훼손 유형화 및 잠재적 훼손원인 도출, 본 조사, 주훼손원인 진단 및 최적 훼손 모델 도출, 종합분석 및 하천 복원방안으로 이루어져 있다. 이러한 진단체계는 하천 생태계의 복잡하고 다양한 특성을 고려하여 훼손원인을 파악할 수 있으며 하천 복원 및 관리 방안을 제시하여 효율적인 의사결정을 지원할 수 있다.

• 생태와환경
• /
• 제49권2호
• /
• pp.147-152
• /
• 2016

본 연구는 국립공원 생태계 건강성 평가 방법을 개발하기 위해 실시하였다. 국립공원 자원 모니터링 사업은 국립공원 생태계의 구성, 구조 및 기능의 현재 상태를 파악하고, 장기적인 경향성에 대해 과학적 정보를 개발하기 위함이다. 또한 지속 가능한 생태계를 유지하기 위해 과학적 관리방법을 결정하는 자료를 제공한다. 평가 결과는 공원 보전과 공원정책에 반영하고 국민과의 공감 기회를 확대할 수 있다. 건강성 평가 프로그램 절차는 목표 설정 및 개념 정립, 개념적 모델 개발, 프레임 설정, 평가 지표 선정, 평가등급 및 지수화, 건강성 평가 순으로 진행하였다. 건강성 평가 지표는 공통 지표, 선택 지표, 기후 지표 등 총 13개의 지표를 추출하였으며, 평가 결과의 시각화를 위해 픽토그램을 개발하였다. 건강상태를 5개 색깔로 구분하였으며, 과거의 상태와 비교하기 위해 3개의 도형으로 구분하였다. 건강성 평가를 실시한 결과 설악산, 오대산국립공원이 높게 평가되었으며, 북한산, 계룡산국립공원이 낮게 평가되었다.