• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• 제29권4호
• /
• pp.298-306
• /
• 2020

This study was conducted to examine the impact of the correlation between habitat suitability of the Saemangeum lake area for otters and spatial variables (watersides, wetlands, farmlands, urban areas, roads, etc.) on the inhabitation of otters. As a result of the habitat suitability analysis, it was found that 380grids of 1097 grids (34.6%) studied are most suitable and suitable, whereas 413 grids of 1097 grids (37.7%) of the total are marginal and unsuitable. Comparatively analyzing otter traces data against for each spatial variable in the Saemangeum area revealed that the distance to the road or man-made areas is directly proportional to the number of otter traces, while more traces of otters were found areas close to waters. Despite the impact from the internal construction of Saemangeum lake, there found 2 to 6 times more otter traces in the area farthest from the urban areas and roads compared to the area nearest to the urban areas and roads. Thus, when restoring habitats for otters, a minimum of 500(m) distance to roads or urban areas, which can be considered as a threat to the habitats, must be secured.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• 제22권3호
• /
• pp.219-230
• /
• 2013

Species distribution modeling is one of the most effective habitat analysis methods for wildlife conservation. This study was for evaluating the suitability of species distribution to distance between forest patches in Seoul city using tits. We analyzed the distribution of the four species of tits: varied tit (Parus varius), marsh tit (P. palustris), great tit (P. major) and coal tit (P. ater), using the landscape indexes and connectivity indexes, and compared the resulting suitability indexes from 100m to 1,000m. As factors affecting to the distribution of tits, we calculated landscape indices by separating them into intra-patch indices (i.e. logged patch area (PA), area-weighted mean patch shape index (PSI), tree rate (TR)) and inter-patch indices (i.e. patch degree (PD), patch betweenness (PB), difference probability of connectivity (DPC)), to analyze the internal properties of the patches and their connectivity by tits occurrence data using logistic regression modeling. The models were evaluated by AICc (Akaike Information Criteria with a correction for finite sample sizes) and AUC (Area Under Curve of ROC). The results of AICc and AUC showed DPC, PA, PSI, and TR were important factors of the habitat models for great tit and marsh tit at the level of distance 500~800m. In contrast, habitat models for coal tit and varied tit, which are known as forest interior species, reflected PA, PSI, and TR as intra-patch indices rather than connectivity. These mean that coal tit and varied tit are more likely to find a large circular forest patch than a small and long-shaped forest patch, which are higher rate of forest. Therefore, different strategies are required in order to enhance the habitats of the forest birds, tits, in a region that has fragmented forest patches such as Seoul city. It is important to manage forest interior areas for coal tit and varied tit, which are known as forest interior species and to manage not only forest interior areas but also connectivity of the forest patches in the threshold distance for great tit and marsh tit as adapted species to the urban ecosystem for sustainable ecosystem management.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• 제24권2호
• /
• pp.175-189
• /
• 2015

The objective of this study was to analyze characteristics of distribution of amphibian species and the affecting ecological factors. For the study, habitat environment factors were determined and applied to a habitat suitability model for the data collected from the Seom River in Hoengseong County and Wonju City, Gangwon Province, Korea between March 2013 to October 2013. The analyzed amphibian species were Rana nigromaculata, Hyla japonica, Rana dybowski, and Rana rugosa Temminck and Schlegel, and a logistic regression model was used with the pseudo-absence data. The result of the model analysis suggests that the major factors for Rana nigromaculata are distance to vegetation and rock and that for Hyla japonica is waterway. Rana dybowski and Rana rugosa Temminck and Schlegel have similar habitat characteristics, but the latter is shown to be dominant due to its wider habitat preference. According to the species richness model, the analyzed amphibian species are shown to have tendency to move between valleys or streams. This study quantitatively analyzed habitat environment characteristics using species distribution model, however, there is a limitation in terms of analysis on food factor and connectivity with other species. Combined with additional density or habitat analysis on birds or fish, this study can lead to more comprehensive analysis on biological environment factors.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• 제31권4호
• /
• pp.265-270
• /
• 2022

With the implementation of the fox restoration project, the number of foxes released into nature are increasing; therefore, in the future, foxes will be dispersed to other areas and will appear in human habitats. In this study, the habitat suitability index (HSI) of foxes was developed to predict and prepare for the effects. After extracting major environmental variables through literature research and GIS analysis, 5 suitability indices (SIs) were constructed. The forest physiognomy, slope, aspect, distance from water source, and distance from road are the main variables, and the arithmetic average value by giving twice the weight to the forest physiognomy is the HSI result. As a result of comparing with the data from the Natural Environment Survey, it is found that the fox coordinates have an average HSI value of 0.64, and the probability of appearance is high when it is 0.53 or higher. Using the results of this study, it is expected to be able to predict the distribution of foxes in advance, to use them as basic data for future restoration plans, or to identify the distribution of the species and the reduction plan in future environmental impact assessments.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
• /
• 제31권4호
• /
• pp.307-314
• /
• 2015

This study sampled endangered species, Lamprotula coreana, and surveyed its habitat at the Guem River with three times from June to August 2013. To assess the habitat, this study conducted field survey considering diverse physical conditions of stream, such as pool, run and riffle, and measured transect, water depth, water velocity, substrate structure, and habitat type. When L. coreana collected, length, weight and age were measured. Water velocity, water depth and substrate structure were recorded to develop HSI (habitat suitability index) and performed PHABSIM (physical habitat simulation) to estimate the optimum flow discharge. Water level, flow discharge and transect data were used for habitat assessment, and PHABSIM was applied to calculate WUA (weighed usable area). Shell length was $73.1{\pm}18.4mm$ (28.5-102.0 mm), shell weight was $131.6{\pm}72.3g$ (28.0-281.0 g) and age was two to seven years from L. coreana collected at the upstream of the Guem River. Developed HSI indicated that the optimal habitat for L. coreana was 0.4-0.5 m for water depth, 0.3-0.5 m/s for water velocity and sand to boulder for substrate structure. The optimum ecological flow discharge for L. coreana was 2.1 cms and WUA was $3,730m^2$/1000 m by the result of PHABSIM. Recently, river construction work and habitat disturbance have caused negative impact on the distribution of L. coreana. The result of this study would provide fundamental data for habitat restoration and management of L. coreana.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
• /
• 제21권5호
• /
• pp.484-491
• /
• 2015

The productivity of Manila clam(Ruditapes philippinarum) aquaculture farm is closely related to suitable site selection, so it is essential to assess the habitat suitable for aquaculture species in order to manage yield. This study evaluated the habitat suitable index(HSI) with 9 sites for tidal flat farm, Gochang(Hajun) on May 2014. The suitability index was selected Growth(hydrodynamics, chlorophyll a), Survival(sediment-sand, silt-clay) and Water Environment(dissolved oxygen, salinity). Both Weight and No weight were tried for objective judgment as HSI scoring method. As a result, it shows lower tidal flat(HSI; No weight: 0.60~0.76, Weight: 0.47~0.70) is higher than upper(HSI; No weight: 0.25~0.27, Weight: 0.09~0.10), hydrodynamics and sediment particle size are the most effective. This research can consider the potential suitable site for Manila clam through scientific approach, and provide the basis for optimal management practices in tidal flat farm.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
• /
• 제9권1호
• /
• pp.59-67
• /
• 2022

The purpose of this study is to provide essential data necessary to assess ecological flow requirements by understanding habitat conditions for fish species through monitoring an ecological environment in the Korea stream (Dal Stream) and building related database. On-site surveys were conducted for identifying ecological and habitat conditions at the four monitoring sites. Fish sampling was carried out at the selected four sites (St.) during the period ranging from September, 2008 to September, 2009. At the four sampling sites, we measured water surface elevation, depth and velocity at the cross-sections. Optimal Ecological Flowrates (OEFs) were estimated using the Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) established for four fish species Zacco koreanus (St.1), Pungtungia herzi (St.2), Coreoleuciscus splendidus (St.3), and Zacco platypus (St.4) selected as icon species using the Physical HABitat SIMulation system (PHABSIM). Eighteen species (56.3%) including Odontobutis interrupta, Coreoperca herzi and C. splendidus were found endemic out of the 32 species in eight families sampled during this study period. The endangered species was collected Acheilognathus signifier, Pseudopungtungia tenuicorpa and Gobiobotia macrocephala, and this relative abundance was 9.4%. The most frequently found one was Z. platypus (31.3%) followed by C. splendidus (17.6%) and Z. koreanus (15.7%). The estimated IBI values ranged from 27.3 to 34.3 with average being 30.3 out of 50, rendering the site ecologically poor to fair health conditions. For C. splendidus (St.3), the dominant fish species in the stream, the favored habitat conditions were estimated to be 0.3-0.5 m for water depth, 0.4-0.7 m/s for flow velocity and sand-cobbles for substrate size, respectively. An OEFs of 8.5 m³/s was recommended for the representative fish species at the St.3.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
• /
• 제1권2호
• /
• pp.61-67
• /
• 2014

Dam construction changes flow regime and stream morphology in the downstream reach. These affect the ecosystem of downstream reach. This study provides the assessment of the impact of dam construction on the downstream fish habitat. For this, physical habitat simulations are carried out. The quasi-steady model is used for hydraulic simulation, The hydraulic model used in the present study is capable of simulating the morphological change due to sediment transport. The change of the fish habitat condition is investigated using the flow scenarios before and after the dam construction. Simulation results indicate that the habitat suitability decreases frequently due to hydropeaking after dam construction. In addition, erosion is expected to occur in a reach downstream of dam. This is a long term effect due to the shut-down of sediment supply from the upstream reach.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
• /
• 제17권4호
• /
• pp.771-785
• /
• 2014

As marine desertification and chlorosis in Korean coast have been intensified over time, Korean government is promoting marine afforestation projects. However, marine afforestation location is mainly decided by administrative convenience. Also, there is limited literature on location suitability about the marine afforestation. This study aims to assess location suitability of marine afforestation considering 3 significant criteria: ecological, submarine topographical, and human-social environment. Jeju, the study area of this study, first observed chlorosis in Korean coast at the small fishery town in Seogwipo. Jeju is currently suffering from chlorosis all around the island. Habitat Evaluation Procedure (HEP), 3D kriging, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is applied as analysis methods. Especially, 3D kriging is utilized for modeling 3D ocean space reflecting ocean environment appropriately. The result shows that Jocheon coast has better location suitability than Seogwipo Pyoseon coast. Jocheon coast has the maximum 61% suitability as the habitat of Ecklonia cava Kjellman, and is highly evaluated in other criteria. The results of this study are expected to find optimal marine afforestation location, and to contribute to the restoration of the Jeju coastal ecosystem and the revitalization of Jeju fishing village societies.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• 제23권6호
• /
• pp.516-527
• /
• 2009

We assessed fish fauna and habitat suitability indexes in the Geum river basin. Field monitoring was conducted for ecological and habitat condition assessment at 23 sites from October 2007 to March 2009. The habitat suitability indexes established for dominant fish species using the monitoring data were employed to assess riverine health conditions such as composition ratio of fish species, richness and dominance indexes, bio-diversity(dominance index, diversity, evenness and richness), and water depth, velocity and substrate size. Twenty-one species(42%) including Rhodeus uyekii and Pseudopungtungia nigra were found endemic out of the 50 species in 11 families sampled during this study period. The most frequently found one was Zacco platypus(34.3%) followed by Z. koreanus(10.2%) and Coreoleuciscus splendidus(8.4%). For Z. platypus, the dominant fish species in the basin, the favored habitat conditions were estimated to be 0.1~0.9 m for water depth, 0~0.9m/s for flow velocity and silt(<0.1mm)~cobbles(100.0~300.0mm) for substrate size, respectively. Overall, it was concluded that the Geum river basin has been relatively well protected from the anthropogenic disturbance for the legally protected species including the endemic species studied in this study.