• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.285-291
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• 2018

The impact of climate change on animals has been globally documented. Especially, migration of birds has been extensively monitored as migratory birds are susceptible to any changes occurring both on breeding grounds and on wintering grounds. However, in contrast to spring migration, the patterns and the factors for autumn migration have not been well documented. In this study, we investigated the relationship with climate condition and the first arrival dates (FADs) of bean geese (Anser fabalis) and white-fronted geese (A. albifrons), the representative group of wintering birds in South Korea, using the data collected by Korean Meteorological Association during 1995-2016. Average temperature of September in wintering grounds has increased, and the FADs of the geese have advanced over the 22 years. Even when the influence of autumn temperature was statistically controlled for, the FADs of the geese have significantly advanced. This suggests that warming has hastened the completion of breeding, which speeded up the arrival of the geese at the wintering grounds. In order to assess the effect of climate condition on the arrival of the wintering migratory birds such as the geese in more detail, extensive data collection over many sampling sites and with long-term monitoring is needed.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.294-303
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• 2013

BACKGROUND: It is well known that rice-fields can provide excellent foraging places for birds including seasonal migrants, wintering, and breeding and hence the high biodiversity of rice-fields may be expected. However, how environmental change including climate-changes on life-history and population dynamics in birds on rice-fields has not been fully understood. In order to investigate how climate-change affects population migratory patterns and migration timing, I modeled a population dynamics of birds in rice-fields over a whole year. METHODS AND RESULTS: I applied the Lotka-Volterra equation to model the population dynamics of birds that have been foraging/visiting rice-fields in Korea. The simple model involves the number of interspecific individuals and temperature, and the model parameters are periodic in time as the biological activities related to the migration, wintering and reproduction are seasonal. As results, firstly there was a positive relationship between the variation of seasonal population sizes and temperature change. Secondly, the reduced lengths of season were negatively related to the population size. Overall, the effects of the difference of lengths of season on seasonal population dynamics were higher than the effects of seasonal temperature change. CONCLUSION(S): Climate change can alter population dynamics of birds in rice-fields and hence the variation may affect the fitness, such as reproduction, survival and migration. The unstable balances of population dynamics in birds using paddy rice field as affected by climate change can reduce the population growth and species diversity in rice fields. The results suggest that the agricultural production is partly affected by the unstable balance of population in birds using rice-fields.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.19-22
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• 2010

Migratory birds, by crossing significant ecological barriers, carry and may subsequently introduce exotic seeds into new ecological zones during period of migration. The study of epizoochory, which includes seed dispersal by adhesion to bird feathers, has been relatively neglected compared to the study of seed dispersal by frugivores. To determine whether exotic seeds are being imported to stopover islands by migrating birds, and to estimate the quantity of seeds of exotic species being introduced, we examined migratory birds that were captured in mist nets for attached exotic plant diaspores in 2008 and 2009 on Hongdo Island, Korea. From a total of 3,947 birds examined, we found exotic seeds of Japanese Chaff Flowers (Achyranthes japonica) attached to three species of migratory birds (0.08%; Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris, Swinhoe's Rail Coturnicops exquisitus and Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis). Despite the low occurrence of A. japonica seeds on the external parts of birds, the results suggest that migratory birds may be potential dispersing agents for A. japonica, a species that is currently threatening native ecosystems on many islands in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.50-55
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• 2009

To understand the status of the migrating Oriental Honey Buzzard(Pernis ptilorhynchus) in Korea, we carried out a preliminary study on the number and local movements of the Honey Buzzard from September 2005 to October 2007 at Hongdo Island, Jeonnam Province, Korea. A total of 702 Honey Buzzards in 2005, 404 individuals in 2006, and 659 individuals in 2007 were recorded during the fall migration season, but during the spring migration season only two and eight birds were observed in 2006 and 2007 respectively. The migrating Honey Buzzard showed peak numbers from 20 September to 5 October at the study site. According to observation of arrival time of538 Honey Buzzard in October 2007, a total of 2l6 birds(40.l %) were passing over Hongdo Island between 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM, rising skyward on columns of warm air. This suggests the use of thermal currents and avoidance of nocturnal movement for crossing water. They preferred moderate winds(<5 m/s in speed) from northwest, but the migrating number apparently decreased in case of strong winds (${\geqq}5 m/s$). This suggests that wind speed and direction are important environmental factors for migration of the Oriental Honey Buzzard. At present, it is unclear which breeding population(from north-eastern China or Japan) passes over Hongdo Island. Moreover, it is difficult to prove migration route and to understand migratory behaviors of the Oriental Honey Buzzard in Korea. To prove the breeding sites and routes of the migrants over the study site, we need more detailed and further studies such as satellite tracking researches.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.97-110
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to provide basic data and evidence for the habitat improvement of wild birds in urban stream by analyzing changes in habitat characteristics of wild birds by riparian forest construction in Yangjae stream in Seoul. In Gangnam-gu, the multi layered riparian forest consisting of landscape trees and shrubs was formed on the slope. In Seocho-gu, the vertical vegetation structure of woody and herbaceous wetland plants was good. In Gangnam-gu, the vegetation area of the slope increased and the vertical stratification structure affected the species diversity of the forest birds. The number of species and individuals of plovers, sandpipers and wagtails decreased due to the impact of bicycle roads and trails. The poor forests on the levee slope in Seocho-gu affected the habitat selection and migration of the forest birds. The willows and amur silver-grasses formed in the riverside have been developed into the riparian forest, thus stabilizing the habitat of water birds by blocking disturbances from the influence of the trails.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.26-34
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• 2023

Wetlands are very critical for the conservation of aquatic ecosystems, while also serving as the breeding/ nesting/ resting grounds for water birds. Generally, wetlands support both resident and migratory birds, thus serving as connecting dots in the global flyways. The Rajasthan state of India has two Ramsar sites (Keoladeo National Park and Sambhar Lake) and many other water bodies/wetlands. However, most of these areas are segregated in the eastern, southeastern, southern, and northern parts. In the western part of Rajasthan, where lies the Great Indian or Thar desert, there are no such reported prominent wetlands drawing attention towards a substantial number of resident and migratory water birds. The author is an Indian Forest Service officer, who was posted in the Thar Desert region and during that time had identified a hidden wetland in the desert landscape. This study deliberates on the wetland location and its faunal diversity with prospects of developing the area as a proper wetland conservation zone. India is a signatory to the Central Asian Flyway of migratory species and serves as an important member in terms of having significant wetlands and reported migratory birds count. The need of preserving and bring the arid zone's hidden wetlands to the forefront can serve as an important tool to conserve water birds and comply with worldwide bird migration conservation efforts.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.681-692
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• 2015

It is well documented that physiological and nutritional condition of wintering birds is strongly related to migration success to breeding sites, and also breeding success. However, how abiotic factors during winter affect the migration and breeding successes still remains unclear. Thus, this study developed a dynamic-state-dependent model for wintering life-history to identify the potential impact on the life-history, success to breeding site and breeding success of wintering birds, which are related to temperature fluctuation, interspecific competition and human disturbance at the wintering sites. To find the best-fit-model, we referred to the existing research data on wintering ecology of Red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis) in Cheolwon, Korea, which is well documented as a long-term wintering study. Our model predicted that the higher temperature fluctuation and a higher rate of human disturbance are negatively related to migration success to breeding sites and their fitness, ultimately breeding success via changing of proportion in resource allocation (for e. g., lower energy compensation or higher level of stress accumulation). Particularly, the rate of body mass compensation after arrival at wintering sites may be accelerated when there are less temperature fluctuations and a lower rate of human disturbance. In addition, the rate of interspecific competition sharing the wintering foraging sites is negatively related to the rate of body mass compensation. Consequently, we discussed the conservation strategies of wintering birds based on the outcomes of the model.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.334-343
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• 2014

BACKGROUND: Shorebirds use a variety of wetlands as their stopover sites to replenish energy and nutrient reserves along the migration route. It is increasingly important to understand how birds use the remaining available habitats during migration period, because shorebird stopover sites are often altered and destroyed. Rice fields serve as a major inland stopover site for migrating shorebirds. However, the information on habitat use patterns of shorebirds in rice fields is very limited in Korea. Therefore, we studied the patterns of shorebird abundance and their habitat use in rice fields during spring migration period in western-central Korea. METHODS AND RESULTS: Surveys were conducted at interval of 2-3 days during the spring migration period of 2014 at rice fields of mid-western Korea. We recorded the location of the observed birds on the rice field map according to the local habitat type. The habitat types were divided by physical structure and cultivation methods. Fifteen shorebird species and 7,852 individuals were recorded during the survey period. The number of shorebird species and their abundance began to increase from the beginning of flooding in late-April, and reached a maximum in early-May. After rice transplantation, the number of shorebird species and their abundance dramatically declined. Shorebirds selectively used paddy and levee rather than road and ditch and most species used shallow depth field type. Plowed field types were less attractive to most species. CONCLUSION: Flooding rice fields were functioned as stopover sites for a variety of shorebird species during spring migration period. Furthermore, these results provide that the appropriate agricultural practices can be improving the habitat quality for shorebirds.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.104-116
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• 2019

Background: The composition of wild bird populations in temperate zones greatly varies depending on phenological changes rather than other environmental factors. Particularly, wild birds appearing in wetlands fluctuate greatly due to the crossover of species arriving for breeding during the summer and for wintering. Therefore, to understand the changes to species composition related to phenology, we conducted this basic analysis of populations to further the cause of the protection of wetland-dependent wild birds. Methods: It is wrong to simply divide a wild bird population investigation into seasons. This study identifies species composition and indicator species that change along with seasons. Wetlands to be surveyed are protected by natural monuments and wetland inventory and are in a state close to nature. In order to identify as many species as possible in wetlands, a survey was conducted in both shallow and deep wetlands. The water depth varied in these areas, ranging from 0.2 to 2.0 m, allowing for both dabbling and diving ducks to inhabit the area. Surveys were conducted using line-transect and distance sampling methods and were conducted at intervals of 2 weeks. The survey was conducted under the following three categories: the eco-tone and emergent zone, the submergent zone, and the water surface. The survey was conducted along a wetland boundary by observing wild birds. A PC-ord program was used for clustering, and the SAS program was used to analyze the changes in species composition. The data strongly indicates that day length is the main factor for seasonal migration periods, despite the fact that climate change and increasing temperatures are often discussed. Results and conclusions: The indicator species for determining seasons include migrant birds such as Ardea cinerea, Alcedo atthis, Anas penelope, and Poiceps ruficollis, as well as resident birds such as Streptopelia orientalis and Emberiza elegans. Importantly, increases in local individual counts of these species may also serve as indicators. The survey results of seasonal fluctuations in temperate zones shows that spring (April to June), summer (July to September), autumn (October), and winter (November to March) are clearly distinguishable, even though spring and summer seasons tend to overlap, leading to the conclusion that additional research could more clearly identify fluctuation patterns in species composition and abundance in the study area.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.283-295
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• 2002

The number of species and individvals of birds observed in Bibong, Chinju-castle, Nosan and Saho parks were 49 and 4,349, 46 and 6,453, 37 and 2,817, and 33 and 6,014, nespectively The dominant species in all survey areas were shown in the order of Passer montanus(21.8%), Aegithalos spp.(20.7%), Pica pica(8.7%), Hypsipetes amaurotis(7.6%), Parus major(6.4%), Carduelis spp.(4.6%). Migration of birds was the order of residents, summer visitor, winter visitor, and passage migrant. The number of bird species appeared was the fewest in winter as 40 species and the most in spring as 53 species. Species diversity was the highest in Bibong park as 1.3256 and followed in the order of Sanho park, Nosan park, and Chinju-castle park. The nesting guild was higher at outside and artificial nesting guild(7-15 species) compared with hole, canopy, bush nesting guild(1-7 species) in all survey areas. The breeding forage guild was higher at canopy and bush(12-25 species) than that at outside, artificial, and air forage guild(2-8 species).