• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.102-113
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• 2016

This study analyzes the geographic information system (GIS) and machine learning models to understand the relationship between the appearance of hibernation sites and habitats in order to systematically manage the habitat of Asiatic Black Bear(Ursus thibetanus ussuricus) inhabiting Jirisan National Park, South Korea. The most important environmental factors influencing the hibernation sites was found to be the inclination(41.4%), followed by altitude(20.4%), distance from the trail(10.9%), and age group(7.7%) in the order of their contribution. A comparison between the hibernation habitat and the normal habitat of Asiatic Black Bear indicated that the average altitude of the hibernation sites was 63m, whereas the average altitude of the normal habitat was approximately 400m. The average inclination was found to be $7^{\circ}$, and a preference for the steeper inclination of $12-43^{\circ}$ was also observed. The average distance of the hibernation site from the road was approximately 300m; the range of separation distance was found to be 1,300-2,400m. This was thought to be the result of a safer selection of winter hibernation site by preventing human contact and outside invasion. This study analyzes the habitat environmental factors for the selection of hibernation sites that prevent severe cold and other threats during the hibernation period in order to provide fundamental data for hibernation ecology and habitat management of Asiatic Black Bear.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.191-201
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• 2021

Rivers have been damaged due to rapid urbanization, and river management has been carried out focusing on flow and flood control functions. Recently, interest in river restoration, emphasizing the environmental aspects of rivers, is increasing, but the beginning of river restoration requires an appropriate evaluation of the environmental flow required for the ecosystem. This study analyzed the effects on the habitat of the river ecosystem by estimating the changes in flow regime and environmental flow following the construction of the Buhang dam in Gamcheon, the first tributary of the Nakdong River. To evaluate the environmental flow, the dominant species of Gamcheon, Zacco Platypus, and the protected species Squalidus gracilis majime, and riparian vegetation were selected, and the environmental flow was calculated using the HEC-EFM (Ecosystem Function Model). The evaluated environmental flow was linked with hydraulic analysis and GIS platform, and habitat area change and habitat connectivity analysis before and after dam construction were performed by spatial habitat analysis in the river. Based on the results of this study, it can be used as a river restoration project and a dam operation plan considering the river environment through the calculation of environmental flow and habitat connectivity analysis to improve the habitat of the river ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.140-150
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• 2023

The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is an apex predator of the riparian ecosystem. It is a keystone and an indicator species; consequently, its presence suggests a sustainable water environment. Otter is a keystone species as a predator at the top of the food web in the aquatic environment and an indicator species representing the health of the aquatic environment. Although Eurasian otters disappeared from the Han River urban water system because of anthropogenic activities like habitat destruction, poaching, and environmental pollution in the 1980s, the species were sighted in the Cheonggye Stream, Jungrang Stream, and Seongnae Stream, which are urban sections of the Han River, in 2016 and 2021. Therefore, it is pertinent to assess the habitat potential in the area for conservation and management measures to ensure its permanent presence. However, existing studies on otter habitats focused on natural rivers and reservoirs, and there is a limit to applying them to habitats artificially confined habitats in narrow spaces such as tributaries in urban areas of the Han River. This study selected the Cheonggye Stream, an artificially restored urban stream, to evaluate its potential as a habitat for Eurasian otters in urban water environments using the habitat suitability index (HSI). The HSI was calculated with selected environment attributes, such as the cover, food, and threat, that best describe the L. lutra habitat. According to the results, the confluence area of Seongbuk Stream and Cheonggye Stream and the confluence area of Cheonggye Stream and Jungnang Stream were suitable otter habitats, requiring appropriate conservation efforts. The HSI model suggests a valuable method to assess the habitat quality of Eurasian otters in urban water environments. The study is crucial as it can help rehabilitate the species' populations by identifying and managing potential Eurasian otter habitats in highly urbanized areas of the Han River basin and its tributaries.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.33 no.4 s.111
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• pp.108-118
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• 2005

While the recent lift of restrictions in greenbelt areas is expected to generate a number of development plans, there are efforts to create various development plans into spatial plans that consider the natural and ecological conditions of development sites. However, these development plans consider Degree of Green Naturality or Degree of Ecology only when designating areas for conservation within development sites. It is true that they don't fully reflect the value of green areas and wetlands as habitats and natural resources. Therefore, this study built an conservation value assessment model that is applicable to sites where development is planned in Korea by reviewing prior case examples md studies and applied the developed model to a case study area. The site where the conservation value assessment model was applied to is an area around Yongsan-ri and Suha-ri, Doam-myon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon province where quality natural resources are located in and wend the site. This is a site for the development of Alpensia Resort where a resort including facilities for the Winter Olympics is planned to be introduced. In order to assess the conservation value of the site for Alpensia Resort, a total of eight items including area, distribution of communities, habitation of species with conservation value, functions of habitats, connectivity of habitats, vegetation layers of forests, age of forests, and ratio of non-native plants were studied through literature review and field surveys. The assessment was made by dividing the site into 95 habitats that are perceived by aerial photographs and each habitat unit was assessed on the eight items in a 3-point scale. Each unit habitat assessed in a 3-point scale was segmented into primary, secondary or tertiary areas based on the conservation value. Habitats assessed as primary were designated as priority (absolute) conservation areas and those assessed as secondary and tertiary were set as secondary conservation areas and tertiary conservation areas, respectively. As a result, each area represented 26.9%, 20% and 3% of total site area. Based on this result, habitat management plans were developed to conserve primary conservation areas, improve secondary conservation areas and restore tertiary conservation areas. In addition, a development plan was developed to create habitats in areas where new habitats are requested in order to build an eco-network in the site and a plan to create eco-corridors was proposed. In developing a land use plan for the site, a development plan that considers conservation areas first should be set up based on the outcome of conservation value assessment. This can be linked to the development of an environment-friendly land use plan as well as easing the establishment of a green area and eco-network. This study will facilitate the implementation of the 'conservation before development' principle, which can prevent reckless development, by assessing conservation value in setting up development plans.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2020

This study was conducted to determine whether invasive muskrats settle in the natural ecosystem of Korea. The study also aimed to provide information on the selection of target areas, basic behavioral characteristics, and habitat use-related data, all of which are essential for effective management strategy establishment and site management. To this end, a trend in international muskrat management was identified to examine the management direction according to the settlement stage. We also secured the location of 72 domestic farmers and classified five regions in Gyeonggi-do, Chungcheongnam-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and Sejong Special Self-governing City into regions with high potential for natural leakage to raise the need for a quick survey. We determined that muskrats successfully settled in the natural ecosystem of Korea, based on the fact that we consistently identified a muskrat habitat at the same point for three years, from 2016 to 2018, the age of the captured population was estimated to be 1.2 years, and there had been no additional make-up factors near the habitat since 2012. The muskrats that settled in Korea showed a small home range of 0.0027 ㎢ (MCP 95%) and were estimated to show regular mobility before Spring and Autumn. Also, the areas where the muskrat habitat was observed had a high level of habitat environment disturbance and their ecological and food intake characteristics reflected that disturbance. Muskrat traces were high in hydrophyte vegetation, which can be used as a hideout in open waters and where the growth of both floating leaved plants and floating plants are prevalent. Since international invasive muskrats have already settled in the domestic ecosystem and there is concern about their proliferation in the future, the government must consider a preemptive response and scientific management.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.96-109
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• 2024

Background: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government initiated the Billion Tree Tsunami Afforestation Project including regeneration and afforestation approaches. An effort was made to assess the distribution characteristics of afforested species under present and future climatic scenarios using ecological niche modelling. For sustainable forest management, landscape ecology can play a significant role. A significant change in the potential distribution of tree species is expected globally with changing climate. Ecological niche modeling provides the valuable information about the current and future distribution of species that can play crucial role in deciding the potential sites for afforestation which can be used by government institutes for afforestation programs. In this context, the potential distribution of 8 tree species, Cedrus deodara, Dalbergia sissoo, Juglans regia, Pinus wallichiana, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Senegalia modesta, Populus ciliata, and Vachellia nilotica was modeled. Results: Maxent species distribution model was used to predict current and future distribution of tree species using bioclimatic variables along with soil type and elevation. Future climate scenarios, shared socio-economic pathways (SSP)2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 were considered for the years 2041-2060 and 2081-2100. The model predicted high risk of decreasing potential distribution under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 climate change scenarios for years 2041-2060 and 2081-2100, respectively. Recent afforestation conservation sites of these 8 tree species do not fall within their predicted potential habitat for SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 climate scenarios. Conclusions: Each tree species responded independently in terms of its potential habitat to future climatic conditions. Cedrus deodara and P. ciliata are predicted to migrate to higher altitude towards north in present and future climate scenarios. Habitat of D. sissoo, P. wallichiana, J. regia, and V. nilotica is practiced to be declined in future climate scenarios. Eucalyptus camaldulensis is expected to be expanded its suitability area in future with eastward shift. Senegalia modesta habitat increased in the middle of the century but decreased afterwards in later half of the century. The changing and shifting forests create challenges for sustainable landscapes. Therefore, the study is an attempt to provide management tools for monitoring the climate change-driven shifting of forest landscapes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.26-37
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• 2004

Most domestic small rivers and streams due to industrialization and urbanization have managed by concrete structures. The environmental functions of the river and stream are disappearing and urban streams play only the role of drainage systems. Also, the researches to restore natural streams are something yet to develop and not established the restoration for ecological functions of a small stream. Therefore the researches are required to develop ecological engineering system for watershed management system to handle various pollutants with restoration for ecological functions of a small stream. To develop this, the ecological engineering system for watershed management system could be developed with ecological conservation. In addition, ecological engineering system for watershed management system should be prior to conserve the habitat of biological resources and water conservation and applied to the original shape of streams. Also, it should be designed to restore the micro-topography of stream, the habitat of plant population in watershed. It is needed to develop the integrated researches to restore a small stream ecosystem.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.615-623
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• 2016

Bird species (BS) of the Nakdong River estuary (NRE) were selected to suggest conservation and management strategies, taking habitats and major threats into consideration. Five BS (Cygnus spp., Calidris alpina, Sterna albifrons, Fulica atra, and Anser fabalis) were selected following analysis of their dominance, national importance, seasonality, taxonomic group, and distribution within the NRE. The BS comprise two winter birds, one summer, one passage bird, and one resident bird. They can also be classified into four taxonomic groups: two under ducks and geese (Anatidae), and one each under gulls (Laridae), shorebirds (Scolopacidae), and diving birds (Rallidae). The results show that BS could be a useful tool in guiding estuary management because their habitats are clearly distinct, and include important areas of the NRE. A reduction of feeding and resting places-such as tidal flats, Scirpus planiculmis habitat, and agricultural farmland-and climate change are major threats to BS, therefore countermeasures to such threats should be considered in future estuary management plans.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Environment and Ecology Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.24-29
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• 2005

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.24-36
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• 2021

Countries around the world, including the Republic of Korea, are participating in efforts to preserve biodiversity. Concerning species, in particular, studies that aim to find potential habitats and establish conservation plans by conducting habitat suitability analysis for specific species are actively ongoing. However, few studies on mid- to long-term changes in suitable habitat areas are based on accumulated information. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the time-series changes in the habitat suitable area and examine the otters' changing pattern (Lutra lutra) designated as Level 1 endangered wildlife in Gangwon-do. The time-series change analysis used the data on otter species' presence points from the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th national natural environment surveys conducted for about 20 years. Moreover, it utilized the land cover map consistent with the survey period to create environmental variables to reflect each survey period's habitat environment. The suitable habitat area analysis used the MaxEnt model that can run based only on the species presence information, and it has been proven to be reliable by previous studies. The study derived the habitat suitability map for otters in each survey period, and it showed a tendency that habitats were distributed around rivers. Comparing the response curves of the environmental variables derived from the modeling identified the characteristics of the habitat favored by otters. The examination of habitats' change by survey period showed that the habitats based on the 2nd National Natural Environment Survey had the widest distribution. The habitats of the 3rd and 4th surveys showed a tendency of decrease in area. Moreover, the study aggregated the analysis results of the three survey periods and analyzed and categorized the habitat's changing pattern. The type of change proposed different conservation plans, such as field surveys, monitoring, protected area establishment, and restoration plan. This study is significant because it produced a comprehensive analysis map that showed the time-series changes of the location and area of the otter habitat and proposed a conservation plan that is necessary according to the type of habitat change by region. We believe that the method proposed in this study and its results can be used as reference data for establishing a habitat conservation and management plan in the future.