• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.42 no.3
• /
• pp.90-102
• /
• 2018

Background: We sought to understand the relationship between the seed bank and vegetation in abandoned rice paddies in South Korea, in order to guide management of these sites. We investigated the floristic composition and species richness of the soil seed bank and ground vegetation in former paddies along three seral gradients (wet meadow, young forest, and mature forest) in Gwangneung Forest Biosphere Reserve. Results: Seed bank samples contained 59 species, of which the dominant families were Cyperaceae, Gramineae, and Polygonaceae. Species richness and seedling density (59 taxa and 19,121 germinants from all samples) were high. Carex spp. (11, 921 germinants) were the dominant taxa. The species composition in the seed bank changed gradually as the land transitioned from wet meadow to mature forest. Sørensen's index of similarity between above- and below-ground vegetation was 29.3% for wet meadow, 10.8% for young forest, and 2.1% for mature forest. Germinant density also declined, with 10, 256 germinants for wet meadow, 6445 germinants for young forest, and 2420 germinants for mature forest. Conclusions: Changes in aboveground environment and life history traits such as amphicarpic plants, likely affect the composition of soil seed bank species. Abandoned paddy fields may be good sites for restoration of wetland forest and conservation of wetland habitat. Some intervention may be required to promote the recovery of a natural species assemblage.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
• /
• v.57 no.6
• /
• pp.421-435
• /
• 2024

In April 2023, a wildfire broke out in Gangneung located in the east coast region due to the influence of the Yanggang-local wind. In this study, GIS-based RUSLE(Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation) and SEMMA (Soil Erosion Model for Mountain Areas) were used to evaluate the erosion rate due to vegetation recovery in a small watershed of the Gangneung WUI(Wildland-Urban Interface) fire. The small watershed of WUI fire has a low altitude range of 10-30 m and the average slope of 10.0±7.4° which corresponds to a gentle slope. The soil texture was loamy sand with a high organic content and the deep soil depth. As herbaceous layer regenerated profusely in the gully after the wildfire, the NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) reached a maximum of 0.55. Simulation results of erosion rates showed that RUSLE ranged from 0.07-94.9 t/ha/storm and SEMMA ranged from 0.24-83.6 t/ha/storm. RUSLE overestimated the average erosion rate by 1.19-1.48 times compared to SEMMA. The erosion rates were estimated to be high in the middle slope where burned pine trees were widely distributed and the slope was steep and to be relatively low in the hollow below the gully where herbaceous layer recovers rapidly. SEMMA showed a rapid increase in erosion sensitivity under at certain vegetation covers with NDVI below 0.25 (Ic = 0.35) on post-fire hillslopes. Gentle slopes with high organic content and rapid recovery of natural vegetation had relatively low erosion rate compared to steep slopes. As subsequent infrastructure and human damages due to sediment disaster by heavy rain is anticipated in WUI fire areas, the research results may be used as basic data for targeted management and decision making on the implementation of emergency treatment after the wildfire.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.1-18
• /
• 2024

The study aims to establish a direction for forest ecological restoration by classifying forest types and understanding the ecological characteristics of the Uljin forest area damaged by a large fire in 2022. Hierarchical cluster analysis and indicator species analysis were conducted on 78 survey plots located in the forest fire-affected area, and four forest cover types were derived: P. densiflora pure forests, P. densiflora dominant forests, mixed broad-leaved forests, and Q. variabilis dominant forests. As a result of visually comparing changes in forest types before and after forest fire damage, by classifying data according to whether or not upper dead trees are included, it was confirmed that pine forests, which have a high proportion of pine trees, spread widely due to forest fire damage. However, broad-leaved mixed forests and oyster oak dominant forests showed characteristics of maintaining concentration, indicating that pine forests were severely damaged. As a result of the important value analysis, during the process of natural recovery after a forest fire, the species that appear early in the lower layer are the sprouts of existing species such as Quercus mongolica Fisch. ex Ledeb., Quercus variabilis Blume, Fraxinus sieboldiana Blume, Rhododendron mucronulatum Turcz. The distribution of diameter at breast height by forest cover type showed that among areas with extreme forest fire damage, the proportion of dead trees was relatively high and structural changes were large in P. densiflora pure forests and P. densiflora dominant forests where pine trees had a high distribution ratio. However, if continuous monitoring is carried out in the future with reference to the results of this study and plant data is collected and analyzed from a mid- to long-term perspective, it is believed that it will be used as useful data to promote forest ecological restoration projects in forest fire-affected areas.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.537-549
• /
• 2012

The purpose of this study was to provide data for the basic research to found the effective conservation and management plan for the Hamyangsangrim designated as Natural Monument No. 154 and surround areas by analyzing the ecological characteristics such as landuse and actual vegetation, plant community structure, soil chemical property and also to identify the tendency of the ecosystem changes through comparison with past studies. According to analysis the results, the landuse and actual vegetation of survey site was classified as 8 types which were forest, artificial greenspace, plaza and open-space, bare ground and the pavement, water bodies, facilities, agricultural land and etc.. It was also categorized as 38 types according to detailed characteristic. 15 kinds of forest vegetation community types comprising silva were classified among them. The changes of actual vegetation showed little variation that the Quercus serrata-Carpinus tschonoskii forest was the most widely distributed in 2003(forest area ratio is 48.3%) and 2010(forest area ratio is 48.1%), whereas, the Quercus serrata forest declined a more dramatic from 11.6% to 23.2%. The Quercus serrata-Carpinus tschonoskii forest increased sharply(11.6% ${\rightarrow}$ 23.2%) and also the Quercus serrata-Zelkova serrata forest increased steadily(2.2% ${\rightarrow}$ 7.9%). The agricultural land around forest was transformed into artificial green zone. Moreover, water bodies, bare ground and the pavement of areas have increased. In addition, the urbanized area has decreased because the damaged areas inside forest have been restored to the woodlands. According to the result of typical 6 types vegetation communities change, the middle layer trees grew up to the canopy layer trees and was formed the canopy layer structure. The middle layer trees expanded their forces widely. Also new species appeared. And the shrub individuals also more dramatically increased due to the growth of shrubs. The force of Quercus serrata declined as well. However the force of Carpinus tschonoskii and Zelkova serrata expanded and increased in the forest. It must be the result of the ecological vegetation succession and environmentally soundly health recovery by influence of the projects of forest surrounding environment improvement and limitation of access to forest have managed and maintained since 2003. Those sorts of changes seems to be going to develop continuously. In the future Carpinus tschonoskii and Zelkova serrata will not be only codominant in the canopy layer but also Carpinus Tschonoskii, Zelkova serrata, Meliosma myriantha, Sapium japonicum. Styrax obassia and Acer pseudo-sieboldianum will be codominant in the middle layer. As a result, the forest's codominance species are going to be changed such like that.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.55-64
• /
• 1996

This is a report on the recovery of vegetation and secondary succession in the burned area studied from April, 1990 to April. 1991. The forest fire occurred in a part of Mt. $K\v{u}mo-san$ on April, 1986 and the pine forest and its understory vegetation were burned out completely. The floristic compositions of burned (B) and unburned (U) areas were composed of sixty eight and thirty one species (vascular plants), respectively. These species were divided into invaders (47 species), increasers (15 species), deceasers (3 species), neutrals (3 species), and retreaters (10 species) on the basis of summed dominance ratio ($SDR_3$). Biological spectra showed the $H-D_1-R_5-e$ type in both the burned and unburned areas. The species of Lespedeza ($SDR_3$=94.7), Miscanthus (91.95), Festuca (68.33), and Spodiopogon (52.06) were dominant in the burned areas, while the species of Pinus (76.67), Robinia (56.25), Quercus (52.08), and Carex (40.25)were dominant in the unburned area. Dominance index (C) in burned and unburned areas was 0.15 and 0.25, respectively. the index of similarity (CCs) was 0.42. The degree of succession (DS) and species diversity (H) in burned and unburned areas were 675.8, 884.2 and 4.07, 2.05, respectively. The degree of succession in the burned area graduall increased and the burned area was recovered to be simmilar to the unburned area. Evenness index in burned and unburned areas was 0.965 and 0.595, respectively.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.17-27
• /
• 2012

Coastal dunes help stabilize the coastal landscape and protect the hinterland through dynamic interaction with sand beaches. Sometimes dune erosion occurs during the tropical cyclones, while dune recovery may naturally follow after the event. As the typhoon Kompasu passed through the Korean Peninsula early-September in 2010, it caused a rise in water in association with the storm, wave run-ups, and heavy rains in coastal areas. As the result, coastal dunes along the west coast of Korea were severely damaged during the storm. However, the degree and extent of erosion and recovery of dunes were found to be related with the condition of beach-dune systems including gradients of foreshore and front slope of the dune, sediment supply, vegetation, wind activity, and human interferences. Some dunes retreated landward more and more after the erosional event, while others recovered its original profile by aeolian transport processes mainly during the winter season. Vegetated dunes with pine trees were less recovered after the erosion than grass-covered dunes. In addition, dunes with artificial defense were more eroded and less recovered than those without hard constructions. According to the observation after the severe storm, it is likely that the sand transport process is critical to the dune recovery. Therefore, the interactions between beach and dune must be properly evaluated from a geomorphological perspective for the effective management of coastal dunes, including natural recovery after the erosion by storm events.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.93-103
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study is to assess the recovery rate of vegetation structure after restoration works at the damaged Nogodan area in Jirisan National Park. Fourteen monitoring plots were set up at restoring work area and twelve control plots were set up at natural forest near monitoring plots. Flora, Relative Importance Percentage and Similarity Index were analyzed. Mean Similarity Index between monitering plot and control plot near helliport area showed thirty five point two percent and height of shrub layer recovered up to twenty percent, approxomately durindg twenty three years after experimental restoration works. Mean Similarity Index between monitering plot and control plot around Nogodan peak area showed seventeen point six percent but height of shrub layer recovered up to twenty percent, approxomately during ninteen years after restoration works. Mean similarity index between monitering plot and control plot on transfered millitary area showed thirty four point three percent but coverage of shrub layer showed twenty percent,approxomately during seven years after restoration works. Long term monitering shall be necessary for developing assessment criteria of ecologial restoration and ecological restoration technology.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
• /
• v.65 no.3
• /
• pp.57-67
• /
• 2023

A flash drought is a rapid-onset drought that develops over a short period of time as weather and environmental factors change rapidly, unlike general droughts, due to meteorological abnormalities. Abnormally high evapotranspiration rates and rapid declines in soil moisture increase vegetation stress. In addition, crop yields may decrease due to flash droughts during crop growth and may damage agricultural and economic ecosystems. In this study, Flash Drought Intensity Index (FDII) based on soil moisture data from Gravity Recovery Climate Experiment (GRACE) was used to analyze flash drought. FDII, which is calculated using soil moisture percentile, is expressed by multiplying two factors: the rate of intensification and the drought severity. FDII was developed for domestic flash drought events from 2014 to 2018. The flash drought that occurred in 2018, Chungcheongbuk-do showed the highest FDII. FDII was higher in heat wave flash drought than in precipitation deficit flash drought. The results of this study show that FDII is reliable flash drought analysis tool and can be applied to quantitatively analyze the characteristics of flash drought in South Korea.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
• /
• v.56 no.12
• /
• pp.855-869
• /
• 2023

Low Impact Development (LID) technology has been attracting attention as a countermeasure to solve frequent flood damage in urban areas. LID involves recovery of the natural circulation system based on infiltration and storage capacity at the site of rainfall runoff, to protect the aquatic ecosystem from the effects of urbanization. Bioretention as an element of LID technology reduces outflow through storage and infiltration of storm water runoff, and minimizes the effects of non-point pollutants. Although LIDs are being studied extensively, the amount of quantitative research on small watersheds with bioretention has been inadequate. In this study, a bioretention model was constructed in a small watershed using Korea-Low Impact Development Model (K-LIDM), which was conducted quantitative hydrologic analysis. We anticipate that the results of the analysis will be used as reference data for future bioretention research related to watershed characteristics, vegetation type, and soil condition.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.170-187
• /
• 2006

The purpose of this study is to provide a basic datd for establishing a basic park management plan for Bulamsan Urban Nature Park. This research surveys very closely about the present condition of the natural ecosystem based on the examination and analysis of the present condition. This research suggests development and management methods for environment-friendly park by understanding damages on the ecosystem due to overuse, as well as park facilities and their effects on the surrounding environment, using quantative analysis. The three steps: researching the present condition research, ecosystem evaluation, and park management plan were taken in order. The present condition research is based on the general condition, natural environment, and natural ecosystem data. In the ecosystem evaluation, wildlife habitats evaluation, landscape evaluation, and biotope type research which is a materialized form of the plant ecosystem were excuted based on the present condition research data. In the park management plan step, 1) classified ecosystem and landscae preservation zone, ecosystem protection zone and ecosystem restoration zone as ecosystem and landscape preservation plan, 2) plannings for ecosystem, fine landscape preservation, damaged area restoration and recovery plan were established in order to suggest environment-friendly plan,