• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.115-124
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• 2013

This study was conducted to make a biotop planning and construct 3 types of biotop by each site conditions. Three sites of different types in ecological and scenery conservation area of the Dong-gang river were selected by expert brain-storming process and constructed terrestrial biotops and aquatic biotops. Targets of 3 sites were set up such as constructing a habitat for Kaloula borealis and an ecological education place, building a terrestrial biotopes and monitoring the natural vegetation succession, and constructing a habitat for Luciola unmunsana Doi. The study results can be applied hereafter to ecological restoration projects, after construction of habitat, the priority should be prepare measures of monitoring and maintenance, hereafter continuous study on ecological restoration should be performed actively through construction of biotope and wild animals and plants habitat.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.65-72
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• 2023

The endangered species of Cyathea spinulosa (tree ferns) are among the least concerned ferns of Nepal that bring threats to them and their habitat. A way to reduce such threats is by maintaining a database of species' whereabouts and generating a scientific understanding the habitat preferences. This will eventually help in the formulation of conservation plans for the species. This research aimed to characterize the suitable habitat of C. spinulosa by enumerating the location of species in the Panchase Forests of central Nepal. The statistical index method was applied to relate the occurrence locations of species with various environmental factors for the development of indices. The suitable habitat of C. spinulosa (more and most suitable categories) covered 119 km² and accounted for 43% of the total area studied. 74.4% of occurrence locations of C. spinulosa were recorded from these habitats. The habitat characteristics suitable for C. spinulosa were: proximity to streams (high moisture), land covered by forested area (shady area), mid-elevations of hills about 1,000 m to 2,000 m (sub-tropical climate), slope gradient of 20° to 40° (steep slopes), and northern to eastern aspects. These habitat characteristics could be considered for in-situ protection of tree ferns and designating the conservation plots.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.55-64
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• 2017

The problem of the population number of honeybees that is decreasing not only domestically but also globally, has a great influence on human beings and the entire ecosystem. The habitat of honeybees is recognized to be superior in urban environment rather than rural environment, and predicting for habitat assessment and conservation is necessary. Based on this, we targeted Cheonan City and neighboring administrative areas where the distribution of agricultural areas, urban areas, and forest areas is displayed equally. In order to predict the habitat preferred by honeybees, we apply the Maxent model what based on the presence information of the species. We also selected 10 environmental variables expected to influence honeybees habitat environment through literature survey. As a result of constructing the species distribution model using the Maxent model, 71.7% of the training data were shown on the AUC(Area Under Cover) basis, and it was be confirmed with an area of 20.73% in the whole target area, based on the 50% probability of presence of honeybees. It was confirmed that the contribution of the variable has influence on land covering, distance from the forest, altitude, aspect. Based on this, the possibility of honeybee's habitat characteristics were confirmed to be higher in wetland environment, in agricultural land, close to forest and lower elevation, southeast and west. The prediction of these habitat environments has significance as a lead research that presents the habitat of honeybees with high conservation value of ecosystems in terms of urban space, and it will be useful for future urban park planning and conservation area selection.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.377-389
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• 2010

Understanding the factors relevant to endangerment and the patterns of habitat locations in relation to protected areas is critically important for the conservation of rare species. Although 64 plant species have recently been listed as endangered species in Korea, this information has, until now, not been available, making appropriate management and conservation strategies impossible to devise. Thus, we collected information on potentially threatening factors, as well as information on the locations in which these species were observed. The potentially threatening factors were classified into seven categories. National parks, provincial parks, ecosystem conservation areas, and wetland conservation areas were defined as protected conservation areas. Korean digital elevation model data, along with the maps of all protected areas were combined with the maps of endangered plant species, and analyzed via Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Excluding the category of "small population", endangered plant species in Korea were associated more frequently with extrinsic factors than intrinsic factors. Considering land surface only, all conservation areas in Korea totaled 4.9% of the land, far lower than International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)'s 10% coverage target. At the species level, 69% of the endangered plant species were detected in conservation areas, mostly in national parks. However, this result demonstrates that 31% of endangered species inhabit areas outside the conservation zones. Furthermore, at the habitat level, a large proportion of endangered species were found to reside in unprotected areas, revealing "gaps" in protected land. In the face of rapid environmental changes such as population increases, urbanization, and climate changes, converting these gap areas to endangered species' habitats, or at least including them in habitat networks, will help to perpetuate the existence of endangered species.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.242-257
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• 2019

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) stretches two kilometers north and south from the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) of South and North Korea. This area was established as a weapons-free buffer zone when an armistice agreement was signed in 1953. However, there have been several very high-tension military standoffss over the past 65 years. On the South Korean side, civilian access to the Civilian Control Line (CCL) and beyond to the north has been restricted, and natural heritage has been well maintained. Natural heritage is defined as living things, their habitat and non-living things of the ecosystem which deserve to be protected. Research shows that a variety of flora and fauna, their habitat, marshes and geographical structures are found across the DMZ region. Although the DMZ region has not been such a good place for habitat conservation, we can say that this area may be the best location for restoration in terms of its variety of ecosystems and considerable land size. Restoration of course depends on future plans and management policies. This area, including the DMZ and the well-protected north of the CCL, will be the best habitat for endangered species of wild fauna and flora if we classify the various habitat types and create a habitat map. In doing this project, we need to include the estuary of the Han River and the lagoon (brackish water lake) of the East Sea coast. In addition, we must establish long-term plans for conservation and sustainable use and do international scientific research across the DMZ region in collaboration with scientists of South and North Korea and international experts. Mutual cooperation between the two Koreas for investigation and conservation efforts is paramount.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2015

Beginning of the human ecology in 1920s, the efforts for applying the environmental values to a policy have been embodied by the enactments of international agreement and relevant laws. The government has been struggling to adopt the environmental values for the policy by enacting the relevant laws and establishing the environmental value evaluation information (environmental conservation value assessment map, eco-natural map, biotope map). In spite of the efforts to apply the environmental value assessment information for the habitat potential of wildlife, the application is being challenged by the discrepancy in methods and criteria. Thus this study intends to measure the potential of wildlife habitat and apply it to the spatial value classification for the application plan of wildlife habitat potential in policy. Maxent was used for the habitat potential and the land types were classified depending on the surface and land use pattern of cadastral map. As a result, the policy matrix including conservation strategy(CS), restoration strategy(RS), practical use strategy(PS) and development strategy(DS) has been deduced as CS $13.05km^2$(2.38%), RS $1.64km^2$(0.30%), PS $162.42km^2$(29.57%) and DS $8.56km^2$(1.56%). CS was emerged mostly on forest valleys and farmlands, and RS was appeared in the road area near the conservation strategy areas. Boryung downtown and Daecheon Beach were the center of DS, while the forest and farmlands were presented as PS. It is significant that this study suggest the new approaching method by comparing the wildlife habitat potential with the land type. Since this study evaluated the environmental value by one species of leopard cat (Prionailurusbengalensis) with Maxent model, it is necessary to apply the habitat potential measuring method for various target species as further research.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.55-69
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• 2018

As disaster risk and climate change volatility increase, there are more efforts to adapt to disasters such as forest fires, floods, and landslides. Most of the research, however, is about influence of human activities on disaster and there is few research on disaster adaptation for species. Previous studies focusing on biodiversity in selecting conservation areas have not addressed threats of disaster in the habitats for species. The natural disasters sometimes play role of drivers of ecological successions in the long run, but they might cause serious problems for the conservation of vulnerable species which are endangered. The purpose of this study is to determine whether soil loss (SL) is effective in selecting habitat management areas for amphibians and reptiles. RUSLE model was used to calculate soil loss (SL) and the distribution of each species (SD) was computed with MaxEnt model to find out the biodiversity index. In order to select the habitat management area, we estimated the different results depending if value of soil loss was applied or not by using MARXAN, a conservation priority selection tool. With using MARXAN, conservation goals can be achieved according to the scenario objectives, and the study has been made to meet the minimum habitat area. Finally, the results are expressed in two; 1) the result of soil loss and biodiversity with MATRIX method and 2) the result of regional difference calculated with MARXAN conservation prioritization considering soil loss. The first result indicates that the area with high soil loss and low species diversity have lower conservation values and thus can be managed as natural disturbances. In the area where soil loss is high and species diversity is also high, it becomes where a disaster mitigation action should be taken for the species. According to the conservation priorities of the second result, higher effectiveness of conservation was obtained with fewer area when it considered SL in addition to SD, compared to when considered only biodiversity. When the SL was not taken into consideration, forest area with high distribution of species were important, but when SL considered, the agricultural area or downstream of the river were represented to be a major part of habitats. If more species data or disaster parameters other than soil loss are added as variables later, it could contribute as a reference material for decision-making to achieve various purposes.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.94 no.2 s.159
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• pp.117-120
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• 2005

This study was conducted to estimate population size and investigate habitat characteristics for the conservation and management of Amur goral Nemorhaedus caudatus raddeanus in DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) of Gangwon Province in South Korea from November 2003 to May 2004. The Amur gorals counting were carried out by assistance of military soldiers who guards the southern boundary of DMZ. Four hundred sixty individuals were estimated as total population size in DMZ of Gangwon Province. Deciduous forest, rocky area and coniferous forest were dominant land cover types in habitat of Amur goral. DMZ and its vicinity of Gangwon Province are very important areas for the conservation of this species. It is needed to establish management plan for the conservation of Amur goral and their habitats in DMZ.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.111-117
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• 2011

This study attempts to facilitate climate change adaptation in conservation area by spatial planning of climate adaptation zone for endangered species. Spatial area is South Korea and select leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) as a target species of this study. In order to specify the climate adaptation zone, firstly, Maximum entropy method (Maxent) was used to identify suitable habitat, and then core habitat was selected for leopard cat. Secondly, land use resistance index was evaluated and least cost distance was analyzed for target species. In this step we choose dispersal capacity of leopard cat to reflect species ecological characteristic. Finally, climate adaptation zone is described and adaptation measures are suggested. The presented approach could be generalized for application into conservation planning and restoration process. Furthermore, spatial planning of climate adaptation zone could increase heterogeneity of habitat and improve adaptive capacity of species and habitat itself.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2022

Among the 13 species of otters in the world, only one Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is found in South Korea. In the Korean Peninsula, otter pelts were historically valuable and expensive commodities used for international trade, and otters have long been poached as hunting animals. Recent rapid economic development in South Korea has increased habitat fragmentation and loss, creating a continuing threat to the natural environment. Otters live only in the area of rivers and streams as a family group and are territorial (linear habitat). Due to these limited conditions of otter habitat, the population size of otter is lower than that of onshore mammals. According to recent research, DNA analyses using microsatellite markers have shown that only approximately 7-21 otter individuals inhabit river systems for a length of 50-230 km. Korea's urban streams are associated with many threats that hinder otters from inhabiting them. Many areas around the urban streams are surrounded by high concrete riverbanks, and the risk of roadkill is also high. Nevertheless, ecological restoration projects in the urban rivers will contribute greatly to the stable inhabitation of otters. Detailed otter conservation strategies, such as the elimination of threat factors, improvement of habitat environment, and restoration of food resources and shelter, will provide a positive restoration effect on otter and river ecosystems as well.