• Journal of Species Research
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.246-254
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• 2021

Subalpine and alpine ecosystems are especially vulnerable to temperature increases. Betula ermanii Cham. (Betulaceae) is a dominant broad-leaved tree species in the subalpine zone and is designated as a 'Climate-sensitive Biological Indicator Species' in South Korea. This study aimed to predict the potential distribution of B. ermanii under current and future climate conditions in South Korea using the MaxEnt model. The species distribution models showed an excellent fit (AUC=0.99). Among the climatic variables, the most critical factors shaping B. ermanii distribution were identified as the maximum temperature of warmest month (Bio5; 64.8%) and annual mean temperature (Bio1; 20.3%). Current potential habitats were predicted in the Baekdudaegan mountain range and Mt. Hallasan, and the area of suitable habitat was 1531.52 km², covering 1.57% of the Korean Peninsula. With global warming, future climate scenarios have predicted a decrease in the suitable habitats for B. ermanii. Under RCP8.5-2070s, in particular, habitat with high potential was predicted only in several small areas in Gangwon-do, and the total area suitable for the species decreased by up to 97.3% compared to the current range. We conclude that the dominant factor affecting the distribution of B. ermanii is temperature and that future temperature rises will increase the vulnerability of this species.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.24 no.2 s.62
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• pp.160-165
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the prey composition and utilization of the Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra, in the ecosystem conservation region of the Seomjin River. The study was conducted for a 12-month period from March 2003 to February 2004 by spraints analysis and an investigation using artificial holts. We found seasonal variation in the number of spraints and composition of prey items. Fish were the main prey items throughout the period (82%), and other prey items included birds (14%), amphibians (2%) and arthropods (1%). In addition to prey identification, we investigated habitat utilization by otters through spraints distribution. The traces of otters were discovered in five of the six total artificial holts. However, the utilization of the artificial holts in the study area seemed to be limited as evidenced by the low frequency of traces in the holts.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.14-18
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• 2006

This study was carried out to investigate the distribution and habitat characteristics of Boehmeria for utilization and conservation plan of natural agro-plant resources in South Korea. The native habitat of B. longispica Steud., B. platanifolia Fr. et Sav., B. spicata Thunb., and B. tricuspis var. unicuspis Mak. were distributed nearly all areas in South Korea. B. nivea Gaudich. was distributed south of Chungnam but B. pannosa Nak. et Sat. and B. sieboldiana Bl. were partially distributed toward the southern part in South Korea. The average number of plant species growing with Boehmeria in natural habitat was found 124.9 species and Artemisia princeps var. orientalis Hara showed the highest importance value among neighbor species. B. platanifolia Fr. et Sav. and B. spicata Thunb. were the most commonly neighbor species growing with Boehmeria in rate of 49%. Average yearly precipitation and temperature of habitat for Boehmeria were 1100 mm to 1390 mm and $11.3^{\circ}C\;to\;13.7^{\circ}C$ respectively. Soil characteristics of habitat for Boehmeria. were that pH was 5.3 to 7.2 and B. nivea Gaudich. was higher content of organic matter than the other Boehmeria. Content of K and Na were similar among Boehmeria. $P_2O_5$, Ca and Mg were shown a little difference among seven species.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.84-90
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• 2020

We investigated carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) of the slipmouth Leiognathus nuchalis to reveal the effects of body size, feeding strategy and spatial distribution on the food resource utilization during the migration in the Seomjin estuary and Gwangyang Bay. The δ¹³C values of L. nuchalis caught in the Seomjin estuary where the salinity is lower than 30 psu were much lower than those in the deep-bay area of Gwangyang Bay. Such a spatial heterogeneity in δ¹³C values of the L. nuchalis clearly indicates active feeding within the estuarine habitat. In contrast, the δ¹⁵N values of L. nuchalis showed a consistency among sites, indicating that this species occupies identical trophic level across the whole area. The slipmouth distributed throughout the bay area, reflecting its euryhaline characteristics. However, the distribution pattern appeared to be separated according to body size into smaller individuals in the low-saline estuary and larger ones in the deep bay. Overall results support the plastic feeding strategy of the slipmouth from zooplanktonic (estuarine habitat) to epibenthic (deep-bay habitat) feeder during the migration between estuarine to deep-bay habitats.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.29-42
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• 2024

As a global response to climate and biodiversity challenges, there is an emphasis on the conservation and restoration of ecosystems that can simultaneously reduce carbon emissions and enhance biodiversity. This study comprised a text analysis and keyword extraction of 1,100 research papers addressing nature restoration in Korea, aiming to provide a quantative and systematic evaluation of domestic research trends in this field. To discern the major research topics of these papers, topic modeling was applied and correlations were established through network analysis. Research on nature restoration exhibited a mainly upward trend in 2002-2022 but with a slight recent decline. The most common keywords were "species," "forest," and "water". Research topics were broadly classified into (1) predictions of habitat size and species distribution, (2) the conservation and utilization of natural resources in urban areas, (3) ecosystems and landscape managements in protected areas, (4) the planting and growth of vegetation, and (5) habitat formation methods. The number of studies on nature restoration are increasing across various domains in Korea, with each domain experiencing professional development.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.181-193
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• 2018

The present study was conducted to analyze the quality of the habitats of Abies koreana WILS. by using the InVEST model based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) technique and to evaluate the economic value by estimating the carbon fixation. Abies koreana WILS., an original biological species of South Korea, may be an essential element in establishing the national biological sovereignty in the future. The subjects of the present study were the national parks in Mt. Halla, Mt. Jiri, and Mt. Sobaek, which are the habitats of Abies koreana WILS. As suggested by previous studies as a limitation of the InVEST model, the utilization of the data from relevant international publications as the input data, due to the lack of the domestic input data, may decrease the accuracy of the modeling. Therefore, the AHP technique was applied for the input data. The modeling was performed with reference to the years of 1980, 1990, and 2000 for the scenario analysis. The result of the modeling showed that the habitat quality was changed most in the national park in Mt. Halla, as the habitat quality score was decreased from 0.96 in 1980 to 0.97 in 1990 and 0.94 in 2000. In the national part of Mt. Sobeak, the habitat quality was changed most in the sub-alpine zone, as the habitat quality score was decreased from 0.98 in 1980 and 0.98 in 1990 to 0.97 in 2000. The habitat quality was best conserved in the national part in Mt. Jiri, as the habitat quality score was 0.98 in 1980, 0.99 in 1990, and 0.99 in 2000. The estimated economic loss by the change of the habitat quality was 19,280,000 USD for Mt. Halla and 8,030,000 USD for Mt. Sobeak. In the present study, the habitat quality of the Abies koreana WILS, the original species of South Korea, was evaluated and the economic value of the ecological services provided by the habitats was estimated quantitatively. The result showed that the ecosystem service model may be used to qualitatively analyze the quality of a habitat located in a specific region and to estimate the economic value quantitatively. The objective evaluation of ecosystem services demonstrated in the present study may be applied to promote sustainable utilization of natural resources and conservation of the ecosystem by predicting the changes that may be caused by external factors including the development of preservation areas.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.11-21
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• 2013

We tried to find out the core feeding site of the Red-crowned Crane(Grus japonensis) in Cheorwon, Korea by using analysis techniques which are MCP(minimum convex polygon), KDE(kernel density estimation), LoCoH(local nearest-neighbor convex-hull). And, We discussed the difference and meaning of result among analysis methods. We choose the data of utilization distribution from distribution map of Red-crowned Crane in Cheorwon, Korea at $17^{th}$ February 2012. Extent of the distribution area was $140km^2$ by MCP analysis. Extents of core feeding area of the Red-crowned Crane were $33.3km^2$($KDE_{1000m}$), $25.7km^2$($KDE_{CVh}$), $19.7km^2$($KDE_{LSCVh}$), according to the 1000m, CVh, LSCVh in value of bandwidth. Extent, number and shape complexity of the core area has decreased, and size of each core area have decreased as small as the bandwidth size(default:1000m, CVh: 554.6m, LSCVh: 329.9). We would suggest the CVh value in KDE analysis as a proper bandwidth value for the Red-crowned crane's core area zoning. Extent of the distribution range and core area have increased and merged into the large core area as a increasing of k value in LoCoH analysis. Proper value for the selecting core area of Red-crowned Crane's distribution was k=24, and extent of the core area was $18.2km^2$, 16.5% area of total distribution area. Finally, the result of LoCoH analysis, we selected two core area, and number of selected core area was smaller than selected area of KDE analysis. Exact value of bandwidth have not been used in studies using KDE analysis in most articles and presentations of the Korea. As a result, it is needed to clarify the exact using bandwidth value in KDE studies.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2020

This study aims to evaluate the effect of artificial facilities constructed afterthe release of the civilian controlled zone (CCZ) in Cheorwon on the inhabitation of cranes. The study site was released from the CCZ in 2012, and several barns have been built since 2017. The average number of Red-crowned Cranes was 9.3±4.3 individuals (±Standard Deviation) in the period before the release of the CCZ from 2009 to 2012, and it decreased by ca. one third of Red-crowned Crane's average individuals were showing 3.5±0.5 individuals after release. The average number of White-naped Cranes also appeared to be decreased by ca. 90% from 63.3±24.6 to 6.0±6.0 individuals. This results suggest that the construction of greenhouses and barns after the releasing of the CCZ affected the decrease of the population of these two crane species. In the case of Red-crowned Crane, the core area tended to move away from the area where barns were built. However, the distribution range of Red-crowned Cranes did not change significantly we expected because the study area was not their favorite place since 2012 when the area was released from the CCZ. The density of the White-naped Crane was relatively high even in the area where greenhouses were built, but after 2017 when the barn was built intensively, core habitat of crane became shrink and fragmented. These results suggest that both Red-crowned Cranes and White-naped Cranes response sensitively against habitat change due to the construction of barns. Since the release of the CCZ, the construction of the greenhouse has been influenced on the distribution of cranes, but subsequently, the construction of the barn seems to have caused a bigger change in their core habitat because the passage of people to barns is more frequent than the greenhouses.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.105 no.4
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• pp.401-413
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• 2016

Forest resources utilization and variable disturbance history have been affected the rarity and conservation value of forest relict trees, which served as habitat for forest biodiversity, important carbon stock and cultural role include human and natural history in South Korea. This study was conducted to establish the baseline data for forest resources conservation by clarifying species diversity, spatial distribution and ecological characteristics (individual and habitat) of forest relict trees (DBH > 300 cm) based on the data getting from mountain trail, high resolution aerial photos and field professionals and field survey. As results, 54 taxa (18 family 32 genus 48 species 1 subspecies 3 variety and 2 form) as about 22% of tree species in Korea was identified in the field. 837 individuals of forest relict trees were observed and the majority of the trees was in Pinaceae, deciduous Fagaceae and Rosaceae, which families are abundant in population diversity. High elevation area was important to relict trees as mean altitudinal distribution was 1,200 m a.s.l as likely affected by human activity gradients and mid-steep slope and North aspect was important environment for the trees remain. Many individuals exhibited 'damage larger branch' (55.6%) and consequent relatively lower mean canopy coverages (below 80%). Synthetically, present diversity and abundance of relict forest trees in South Korea were the result of complex process among climate variation, local weather and biological factors and the trees of big and old were estimated to important forest biodiversity elements. In the future, clarifying the role and function of relict trees in forest ecosystem, in- and ex- situ programmes for important trees and habitat, and activities for building the background of conservation policy such as "Guideline for identifying and measurement of forest relict trees".

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2011

Any significant inflow of fresh water due to flood or snow melting can rapidly reduce salinity at the bay. In such a case, the habitat environment in the sea near river mouth can be partly destroyed. Therefore, research to understand the salinity distribution quantitatively at the bay for the utilization of natural environment and for the inhabitant conservation must be very important. In this study, the investigation on the relationship between satellite image and turbidity is carried out first, and then the salinity distribution at the bay using the relationship between turbidity and salinity is derived. The main results are as follows. First the reappearance ability of RGB bands respectively of the satellite image is investigated, and then it was confirmed that the combination of band2 and band3 expressed best the movement characteristics of turbid water at the bay is chopped up into 4 small areas. Second the turbidity of river mouth is estimated using the travel time from the upward monitoring station to the river mouth. Finally the satellite image is converted into the salinity distribution by the correlation of salinity and turbidity. It is confirmed that the salinity distributions obtained from above three investigation methods are quite reasonable and clear.