• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.318-326
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• 2022

The Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) recommends that 17% of the land be designated as a protected area to counter global environmental problems. Korea also realized a need to designate protected areas according to the international level and explain the significance of designating protected areas. Accordingly, studies on ecosystem services are required. In Korea, the protected areas are designated as national parks, provincial parks, and county parks by hierarchy under the Natural Parks Act. However, as priority was on political and administrative aspects, research on ecosystem service value evaluation and habitat management were concentrated in national parks, and provincial and county parks were relatively neglected. Therefore, more studies on provincial and county parks are necessary. In this study, habitat quality for Gajisan Provincial Park, where there were few studies on habitat management and ecosystem service valuation, was evaluated using the InVEST Habitat Quality model among the InVEST models. The analysis results were compared with 16 mountainous national parks. The results showed that the habitat quality value of Gajisan Provincial Park was 0.83, higher than that of the surrounding areas. The analysis of habitat quality in three districts showed 0,84 for the Tongdosa and Naewonsa districts and 0.83 for the Seoknamsa district. By use district, the nature conservation district, the natural environment district, the cultural heritage district, and the park village district had the highest habitat quality value in that order. Compared with the existing habitat quality analysis results of national parks, Gajisan Provincial Park showed naturalness at the level of Mudeungsan National Park. These results can be used as objective data for establishing policies and management plans to preserve biodiversity and promote ecosystem services in provincial parks.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.314-324
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• 2017

In order to consider application and evaluation of value and class of domestic wetland, we investigated 146 wetlands located Gyeongsangnam-do using Rapid Assessment Method (RAM). We utilized Self-Organizing-Map (SOM) to analysis relationship between evaluation index and land coverage ratio surrounding wetland. Among total 8 evaluation index, 'Fish and herptile habitat' and 'Aesthetic value' were higher, most of the wetlands evaluated as 2, 3 grade. Result of SOM analysis, 'vegetation diversity and wild animals habitat' is negatively related to the 'Fish and herptile habitat', because fishs were not prefer habitat excessively occupied by plant. However, high vegetation diversity can be support high score of 'Aesthetic' in wetland. Also, 'Erosion control' and 'Flood storage and control' were closely related, wetlands with high score of 'Erosion control' have high score of 'Flood storage and control'. When applied RAM in domestic wetland, six out of 6 evaluation index induced biased results, the index of RAM need a little change as some new or modify evaluation index. Therefore, we consider to need adjustable, subdivide, and actualization of some evaluation index for application of RAM in domestic wetlands. Consequently, wetland assessment and class using RAM can be utilized as important indicate for conservation and management of wetland, and contributed greatly to maintain biodiversity include to endangered species by preserving remaining wetland.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.73-83
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• 2013

The object of this study was to evaluate lotic ecosystem health using multiple eco-metric approaches such as water chemistry diagnosis, physical habitat health evaluations, and biological integrity modeling at 100 streams of four major watersheds. For the study, eight chemical water quality parameters such as nutrients (N, P) and organic material were measured and 11-metric models of Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) and multiple eco-metric health assessment model (MEHA) were applied to the four major watershed. Nutrient analysis of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in all watersheds indicated a eutrophic state depending on the locations of sampling streams. Physical habitat health, based on the QHEI model, averaged 114 (range: 56 - 194), judging as a "good condition" by the criteria of Plafkin et al. (1989). In addition, primary (H1 - H4), secondary (H5 - H7), and tertiary habitat metric variables (H8 - H11) were analyzed in relation to the physical habitat degradations. The plots of tolerant species ($P_{TS}$) and sensitive species ($P_{SS}$) to water quality showed that the proportions of $P_{TS}$ had positive linear functions with nutrients, and that the $P_{SS}$ had inverse linear relations with the chemical variables. The model of eco-metric health assessment showed that mean MEHA was 20.4, indicating a fair condition. Overall, our data suggest that water chemistry, based on nutrients and organic matter, directly modified the trophic structures in relation to food chain in the aquatic ecosystems, and then these directly influenced the compositions of tolerance/sensitive species, resulting in degradations of overall ecological health.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.121-133
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• 2016

It was required to evaluate ecological restorations in a comprehensive way in order to systematically manage conservation areas such as DMZ and national parks in South Korea. In this research we developed a new approach to evaluating ecological restorations with more various indexes than vegetation covering-related indexes. By analyzing damaged areas in the vicinity of DMZ, major damaged types were identified as six classes: landform modification, surface loss, soil pollution, soil physio-chemical modification, vegetation decline and vegetation damaged. From literature review, 39 indexes were selected and were grouped into four divisions: soil property, vegetation growth & structure, habitat property and landscape structure & functions. By conducting a survey with the selected indexes targeting relevant experts, data on relative importance among the divisions and indexes by damaged type were collected. As a result, it was found that the orders and values of weighted values of the divisions were different by damaged type: for example, soil property (0.402), vegetation growth & structure (0.209), habitat property (0.225), landscape structure & function (0.163) for "landform modification"; but soil property (0.171), vegetation growth & structure (0.401), habitat property (0.270), landscape structure & function (0.158) for "vegetation decline". Similarly, evaluation indexes showed different orders and values of relative importance, easiness in field measurement and representativeness for the division by damaged type, and the values were used for calculating importance factor for each index. In the evaluation table, score1 and score2 were made by the importance factors of indexes multiplied by distribution values which present grades and by the weighted values of divisions. In conclusion, while dealing with the damaged type was considered significant for evaluating and managing restorations, further tests on this table with a range of cases were needed to improve its quality.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.99-114
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• 2013

In this study, constructability of ecologocal stream restoration process was evaluated and improved approaches for habitat were suggested. The study site is Gucheon River in Geoje city where conducted ecologocal restoration work within maintaining its flood control function. Application of ecological design factors and constructability in the process from planning to construction was analyzed and its results are as follows: In the process of planning and designing, it was focused more on the naturality of Gucheon River rather than the human convinience and ecological design factors were applied within the ecological capacity of the site. First, the indexes for constructability evaluation is selected. It was classified into three major categories as construction quality, design quality and construction administration system. Each index has details, so there are twenty sub indexes for contractibility evaluation. Second, the evaluation results shows that the index most in need of improvement was plumbing construction, followed by Stone construction and pavement construction. design concept was evaluated as appropriate in entire categories. Finally it is suggested that it can be improved in both process of design to enhance the technology and process of construction to enhance the quality management. The constructability of ecological stream needs adaptive management and it must be discussed with its designing which is at the stage before construction. Also it needs discussion with its designer constantly and feed-back process.

• 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 the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.771-785
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• 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.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.213-223
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• 2022

This study was conducted to establish a Habitat Suitability index (HSI) based on literature research and field surveys on ecology and habitat of 'Hynobius leechii'. And this study will be used as basic data for qualitative evaluation of habitat environment. The survey sites were divided into natural habitats close to the prototype habitat and artificial restoration areas where Hynobius leechii was monitored. So the types of habitats were diversified. Hynobius leechii is a vulnerable species to climate change because it is affected by the microhabitat and has low mobility. HSI variables of Hynobius leechii were extracted through domestic and overseas literature, and standards were extracted from literature research and field survey. The standards were presented as a value of the physical allowable category in consideration of realization. To verify the study, an in-depth consultation was conducted by amphibians experts. HSI variables of Hynobius leechii were included 9 variables such as Overstory canopy cover(%), Understory cover(%), Water-pH, Soil-pH, Soil relative humidity(%), Leaf litter depth(cm), Rock substrates (%), Type of Coarse woody, Distance from Street or Pollutant(m).

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.34 no.3 s.95
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• pp.153-165
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• 2001

We evaluated the health condition of Pyong-Chang river, the tributary of Han- River, using the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) and Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) during September 1999${\sim}$August 2000. The annual mean of IBI,　which was estimated using eleven metrics, was 49 (range: $45{\sim}51$) and the mean of QHEI, which was estimated using seven parameters, was 88 (range: $76{\sim}94$) during　the study. The river health, based on the IBI criteria of Karr (1981), ranged from "excellent" to "good" conditions, while based on the habitat criteria of Plafkin et al. (1989), it ranged from "pristine" (comparable to reference) to "supporting" conditions. Values of IBI showed slight differences between upstream and downstream sites and QHEI values varied weakly depending on characteristics of variables. Regression analyses showed that annual values of QHEI had no functional relations with stream order (p = 1.82; n = 8) but showed some decreases near slight point-sources. This result indicates that conditions of physical habitat did not change highly with increases of the stream order. According to analyses of feed guilds, relative abundance of insectivores, omnivores and carnivores was 85.1%, 3.5% 0.3%, respectively. Also, relative abundance of sensitive and tolerant species was 75% and 4.6%, respectively, while exotic and morphological anomalies were not found in the river. These outcomes indicate that health condition of fish, based on the trophic conditions of U.S. EPA (1993), was excellent in the river. Regression analyses of IBI values against the QHEI showed that the variation of habitat conditions accounted 57% for the variation of the Index of Biological Integrity (p<0.05; $R^2\;=\;0.57$; n = 7).Overall data of IBI and QHEI suggest that the river health in the present is in optimal conditions but may be degradated by acceleration of chemical inputs and physical-habitat disturbance.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.611-618
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• 2009

Road construction has been worked on by focusing on cost effectiveness such as the reduction of construction costs without understanding the natural environment and ecosystems. In addition, since ecosystems have been destroyed and the habitats of animals and plants have been isolated, wild animals have sought other habitats or have moved into isolated habitats. Thus, issues such as roadkills or the extermination of species are increasingly occurring. Based on this background, the development and application of a general assessment method need to be researched in order to verify whether or not spaces or habitats where animals can be inhabited and their species can be maintained exist. The purpose of this study is to develop an ecosystem map where a conservation value evaluation method considering the functions of an ecosystem where animals live as well as the naturalness of ecosystems is used and can be made into a drawing. The items applied to evaluate the habitat conservation values were naturalness, rarity, and functionality, and sub-items for evaluation were created. GIS as well as the evaluation items were used to create a digital map about the level of importance based on the evaluation criteria. The created digital map showed that it was not limited to the adjustment or distribution of the fauna and flora but was applicable for a general ecosystem evaluation method for the conservation of habitats. It is expected that the isolation of habitats would be able to be minimized if the digital map is used for road construction projects. The digital map is deemed to be able to be used for the construction of environmentally friendly roads, which will minimize the destruction of ecosystems and the isolation of habitats for creatures.