• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.200-206
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• 2017

The damage and fragmentation of habitat due to urbanization pose a great threat to amphibians worldwide. To understand the effect of urbanization on the distribution and abundance of Hyla japonica, we measured their population sizes by listening frog calling and investigated the habitat their population sizes and land use in the 18 rice paddy fields located in Incheon and its surroundings. Abundance of H. japonica was 0 - 17 male adults / habitat or 0 - 41 male adults / ha in Incheon. The number of the frog was increased as the distance between the habitat and the road became longer or the ratio of circumstance / area of the habitat increased. Unlike the general prediction, the density of H. japonica showed a negative correlation with the size of the habitat and a positive correlation with the surrounding land use intensity. Our results suggested that H. japonica could be concentrated in a narrow habitat due to the habitat size decrease and the periphery development according to the urbanizaion.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.30-39
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• 2010

We researched community structure, species composition, and habitat environment of Dendropanax morbifera populations distributed in Goheung, Haenam, Wando (I.), and Bogildo (I.) at south coast of the Korean Peninsula. Our research was also estimated possible area for growth of Dendropanax morbifera by analyzing meteorological factors of the habitat thereof. Dendropanax morbifera community divided into Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii group and Carpinus laxiflora group by difference of species composition. Broad-leaved evergreens showed high dominance value in view of rNCD in Dendropanax morbifera community as follows: Camellia japonica (100.0), Quercus acuta (88.6), Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii (55.8), Dendropanax morbifera Lev. (41.4), Trachelospermum asiaticum var. intermedium (23.8), Eurya japonica (19.9) and Ligustrum japonicum (11.5). In the population distribution, 94.2% of Carpinus laxiflora group consisted of sapling and small size class that are less than 5 cm in DBH while 54.2% of Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii group did. The soil environment of habitat showed low soil acidity, good organic matter and water content, and good drainage. The distribution area of Dendropanax morifera habitat had $13^{\circ}C$ or more in annual mean temperature, $7.4^{\circ}C$ or more in daily minimum temperature, $100^{\circ}C$ month or more in warmth index, and approximately 1,344 mm in mean annual precipitation. Dendropanax morifera habitat corresponded to evergreen broad-leaved forest zone located in islands and coast in the southwest region of the Korean Peninsula. The northern limit line of Dendropanax morifera community was determined as Gunsan-Jeongeup-Gwangju-Jinju-Pohang-Youngdeok line based on $13^{\circ}C$ in annual mean temperature that was confirmed in natural habitat of Dendropanax morifera community.

• 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.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.366-373
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• 2020

This study investigated habitat diversity changes by conducting weir operations at the Sejongbo site in the Geum River basin. High-resolution aerial photographs taken before and after the weir-opening operation were used for habitat analyses. We classified water and bar areas into 17 types, such as lotic habitats, including riffles, runs, and glides, and lentic habitats, including reservoirs, pools, bar-head backwaters, and bar ponds. Then, we estimated each habitat area quantitatively, calculated a habitat diversity index, and established a habitat diversity map. Our results indicated that after the weir-opening operation, lotic habitats and new types of shallow lentic habitats increased in the water area. In addition, for the bar area, bare lands without cultivation increased distinctively. Finally, we observed that the habitat diversity index drastically increased after the weir-opening operation, which could provide a relatively simple channel of diverse habitats.

• 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.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.21-29
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• 2018

Riparian management has become important as stream water quality as well as riparian ecosystem gain more public attentions. The objective of this study was to determine riparian widths based on the functions of nutrient removal and wildlife habitat protection and to apply for the Jinwee stream area as a preliminary case. Nitrogen and phosphorus filtration efficiencies were considered in water quality aspect, while the habitat radii of amphibian and reptiles were used for wildlife conservation purpose. In addition, observation of endangered species and human impact on wildlife disturbance in riparian area were also taken into account in determining riparian widths. The stream confluence zone was emphasized by doubling the riparian widths as the focal point for wildlife habitat conservation. As the results, three different levels of riparian widths were proposed depending on the major riparian functions and applied to the Jinwee stream section as the case study. The proposed method can be used to determine riparian width in other stream areas based on different functional focus, ie, water quality or riparian conservation purposes.

• 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.4 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2023

We analyzed data of endangered mammals in the 1st grade zone of the Ecological and Natural Map of Korea that were obtained through 202 field surveys over six years. Five endangered mammal species were identified including otters, long-tailed gorals, martens, leopard cats, and flying squirrels. The total number of habitat traces collected was 918, of which 897 traces (97.7%) were excrement types. The total surveyed distance was 697.7 km and there were 2,184 grids of 250×250 m each. Of these grids, 441 or 20.2% were confirmed as habitats of endangered mammals. Moreover, we analyzed results of repeated surveys in the same area by converting them into individual one-time surveys, accounting for 23.1% of the total area. The flying squirrel showed a low correlation with the frequency of field surveys but showed many habitats in a specific season. Leopard cats and martens were correlated with the frequency of field surveys. Results of analysis confirm that the grid method used for establishing the Ecological and Natural Map is unsuitable for the habitat division of flying squirrels, otters, leopard cats, and martens, and it does not reflect the actual habitats of these four species. Therefore, we propose that the concept of the habitat grid of species must be reevaluated and improved, specifically for endangered mammals.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.395-401
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• 2023

In this study, 12 environmental factors were used to evaluate the potential habitat of Pteromys volans living around some development areas. The analyzed value ranged from 0 to 20.1, and the area with a score of 10 or less was analyzed to have a low possibility of inhabiting Pteromys volans. To verify the analyzed results, a field survey was conducted on areas with 10 or more scores, and traces of habitat of Pteromys volans were confirmed in areas with 16 or more scores. All the areas with an evaluation score of 16 or higher showed high crown density and age class. However, despite the high crown density and age class, the evaluation score in some areas was low owing to the influence of other environmental factors. Therefore, in evaluating Pteromys volans habitats, it is necessary to apply various and complex criteria suitable for field conditions rather than applying uniform and fragmentary environmental factors only.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.393-405
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• 2023

This study was conducted to select indicators for assessing national biodiversity. For this purpose, 140 biodiversity-related indicators were identified as a result of inventorying biodiversity-related indicators used in Korea and abroad, and when these indicators were applied to the pressure, status, and response indicator system, it was found that status indicators accounted for the largest number of indicators, with 29 pressure, 59 status, and 44 response. We also categorized the status indicators into genes, species, habitat, function, and quality, and found that species and habitat indicators accounted for the majority. Pressure indicators were categorized into direct exploitation, pollution, alien species, climate change, and habitat change. As a result, it was found that direct exploitation and pollution accounted for most of the pressure indicators. In addition, this study used internationally used indicator selection criteria to establish criteria for selecting domestic biodiversity assessment indicators. Using this list of indicators and indicator selection criteria, we evaluated the prioritization of domestically applicable biodiversity indicators through relevant expert consultations. 1) Vegetation class, 2) Land cover indicators, and 3) Change of protected area ranked highly. In fact, these indicators have been used in many studies due to the availability of assessable data. However, most of the highly scored indicators are based on ecosystem area, and further consideration of ecosystem functions and components(species) is needed.