• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.117-128
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• 2023

Tree dieback in Geumgang pine forest has occurred in Uljin and Bonghwa since the 2010s. In order to identify status of tree dieback and prevent further damages, a monitoring project for tree dieback in Geumgang pine forest had been launched by Southern regional office of forest service in 2020. This study was conducted to understand the characteristics of tree dieback occurrence and assess the high risk areas using the occurrence data in the project. Pine tree dieback occurred frequently in areas with mountain ridges in high elevation, dry south-facing slopes, mature stands, and high temperature rise in winter. Furthermore, the result of risk assessment showed that 6.2 percent(5,294ha) of Geumgang pine forest(85,000 ha) in total study area are at high risk of tree dieback. As the pine trees in the high risk area are prone to experience the dieback due to temperature and drought-related extreme weather events, regular forest management activities are needed to reduce the drought stress of pine trees. Forest health management for the pine forest with high protection priority can be also useful strategy to counter the risk of decline. This results can be used as the basic information for the adaptive forest management to climate change.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.182-196
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• 2023

Accurate and timely estimation of crop yields is crucial for various purposes, including global food security planning and agricultural policy development. Remote sensing techniques, particularly using vegetation indices (VIs), have show n promise in monitoring and predicting crop conditions. However, traditional VIs such as the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI) have limitations in capturing rapid changes in vegetation photosynthesis and may not accurately represent crop productivity. An alternative vegetation index, the near-infrared reflectance of vegetation (NIRv), has been proposed as a better predictor of crop yield due to its strong correlation with gross primary productivity (GPP) and its ability to untangle confounding effects in canopies. In this study, we investigated the potential of NIRv in estimating crop yield, specifically for corn and soybean crops in major crop-producing regions in 14 states of the United States. Our results demonstrated a significant correlation between the peak value of NIRv and crop yield/area for both corn and soybean. The correlation w as slightly stronger for soybean than for corn. Moreover, most of the target states exhibited a notable relationship between NIRv peak and yield, with consistent slopes across different states. Furthermore, we observed a distinct pattern in the yearly data, where most values were closely clustered together. However, the year 2012 stood out as an outlier in several states, suggesting unique crop conditions during that period. Based on the established relationships between NIRv peak and yield, we predicted crop yield data for 2022 and evaluated the accuracy of the predictions using the Root Mean Square Percentage Error (RMSPE). Our findings indicate the potential of NIRv peak in estimating crop yield at the county level, with varying accuracy across different counties.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.251-265
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to deduce key indicators in evaluating the pedestrian environment for the elderly in Busan, which has entered an aging society, and to propose policy improvement measures. The key indicators were selected based on prior research and surveys, and the effectiveness of those indicators were measured through evaluations conducted on three places which have the highest proportion of the elderly population in Busan. The summaries of analysis are as follow. First, the three places are hillslide residential areas, and areas of activity that the elderly have were very narrow due to the restrictions on their movement caused by slope. Second, the areas were filled with a number of illegally parked vehicles. And the degree of segregation of pedestrian and vehicle and the level of safety were very low. Third, the streets with steep slopes of the target site force the elderly to move vertically, and for this reason, the elderly are expressing difficulties in outdoor activities. Fourth, it was found that the target site lacked a space for relaxation during outdoor activities. The poor walking environment not only limit the essential and social activities of the elderly, but also adversely affects the health and quality of life of the elderly. In order to maintain the health of the elderly and improve the quality of life, actions should be taken to improve the walking factors that affect the movement and external activities of the elderly.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.270-283
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• 2024

Purpose: Considering the rising frequency of earthquakes in Korea, it is crucial to revise the rainfall thresholds for landslide triggering following earthquake events. This study was conducted to provide scientific justification and preliminary data for adjusting rainfall thresholds for landslide early warnings after earthquakes through soil physical experiments. Method: The study analyzed the change in soil shear strength by direct shear tests on disturbed and undisturbed samples collected from cut slopes. Also, The study analyzed the soil strength parameters of remolded soil samples subjected to drying and wetting conditions, focusing on the relationship between the degree of saturation after submergence and the strength parameters. Result: Compaction water content variation in direct shear tests showed that higher water content and saturation in disturbed samples led to a significant decrease in cohesion (over 50%) and a reduction in shear resistance angle (1~2°). Additionally, during the ring shear tests, the shear strength was observed to gradually decrease once water was supplied to the shear plane. The maximum shear strength decreased by approximately 65-75%, while the residual shear strength decreased by approximately 53-60%. Conclusion: Seismic activity amplifies landslide risk during subsequent rainfall, necessitating proactive mitigation strategies in earthquake-prone areas. This research is anticipated to provide scientific justification and preliminary data for reducing the rainfall threshold for landslide initiation in earthquake-susceptible regions.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.109-116
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• 2024

The Rapid Hardening Composite Mat (RHCM) is a product that improves the initial strength development speed of conventional Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mats (GCCM). It offers the advantage of quickly securing sufficient strength in railway slopes with insufficient formation level, and provides benefits such as preventing slope erosion and inhibiting vegetation growth. In this study, an analysis of the practical applicability of RHCM in railway settings was conducted through experimentation. The on-site applicability was assessed by categorizing it into fire resistance, durability, and stability, and conducting combustibility test, ground contact pressure test, and daily displacement analyses. In the case of South Korea, where a significant portion of the territory is composed of forested areas, the prevention of slope fires is imperative. To analyze the fire resistance of RHCM, combustibility tests were conducted as an essential measure. Durability was assessed through ground contact pressure tests to analyze the deformation and potential damage of RHCM caused by the inevitable use of small to medium-sized equipment on the construction surface. Furthermore, daily displacement analysis was conducted to evaluate the structural stability by comparing and analyzing the displacement and behavior occurring during the application of RHCM with railway slope maintenance criteria. As a result of the experiments, the RHCM was analyzed to meet the criteria for heat release rate and gas toxicity. Furthermore, the ground contact pressure was observed to be consistently above 50 kPa during the curing period of 4 to 24 hours under all conditions. Additionally, the daily displacement analyzed through field site experiments ranged from -1.7 mm to 1.01 mm, confirming compliance with the criteria.

• Journal of Korean Society of Disaster and Security
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.1-7
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is an experimental research to investigate the effectiveness of debris flow reduction structures when a debris flow disaster occurs on a steep slope. The control structure for debris flow took the form of baffle, and the soil deposition area and soil runout distance due to debris flow from the downstream were investigated according to the installation number of baffle and each specification. As the slope of the channel became steeper, the sediment deposition area and runout distance increased, and as the sediment volume concentration decreased, the sediment deposition area and runout distance increased. When the sediment concentration was low, differences appeared depending on the slope of the channel because the debris flow had a high liquid content. Overall, the larger the sediment volume concentration, the greater the decrease in sediment deposition area and soil runout distance. As the number of baffles increases, the soil deposition area and runout decrease, showing that the baffles have the ability to control debris flows. The results of this research will provide good information when installing attenuation or control structures when sediment disasters occur in steep slopes.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.282-289
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• 2023

Background: As wildlife habitats are being destroyed and growth environments are changing, the survival of animals and plants is under threat. Epilobium hirsutum L., a species that inhabits wetlands, has held legally protected status since 2012. However, no specific measures are currently in place to protect its habitat, leading to a decline in remaining populations as a result of land use change and human activities. Results: The growth environment (including location, climate, land use, soil, and vegetation) of the five habitat sites (Samcheok, Taebaek1, Taebaek2, Cheongsong, Ulleung) of E. hirsutum L. was investigated and analyzed. These habitats were predominantly situated in flat areas with gentle south-facing slopes, at an average altitude of 452.7 m (8-726 m) above sea level in Gangwon-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do. The average annual temperature ranged 11.5℃ (9.2℃-12.9℃), whereas the average annual precipitation ranged 1,304.5 mm (1,062.7-1,590.7 mm). The surrounding land use status was mainly characterized by mountainous areas, and human interference, such as agricultural land and roads, was commonly found in proximity to these natural habitats. Soil physicochemical analysis revealed that the soil was predominantly sandy loam with a slightly high sand content. The average pH measured 7.64, indicating an alkaline environment, and electrical conductivity (EC) averaged 0.33 dS/m. Organic matter (OM) content averaged 66.44 g/kg, available phosphoric acid (P₂O₅) content averaged 115.73 mg/kg, and cation exchange capacity (CEC) averaged 23.43 cmolc/kg. The exchangeable cations ranged 0.09-0.43 cmol⁺/kg for potassium (K), 10.23-16.21 cmol⁺/kg for calcium (Ca), 0.67-4.94 cmol⁺/kg for magnesium (Mg), and 0.05-0.74 cmol⁺/kg for sodium (Na). The vegetation type was categorized as E. hirsutum community with high numbers of E. hirsutum L., Persicaria thunbergii (Siebold & Zucc.) H. Gross, Phragmites japonica Steud., Humulus japonicus (Siebold & Zucc.), and Bidens frondosa L.. An ecological flora analysis, including the proportion of lianas, naturalized plants, and annual herbaceous plants, revealed that the native habitat of E. hirsutum L. was ecologically unstable. Conclusions: Analysis of the habitat of E. hirsutum L., a class II endangered wildlife species, provided essential data for local conservation and restoration efforts.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.63 no.1
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• pp.19-33
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• 2024

This study investigates longitudinal patterns in middle school students' mathematics interest and achievement using panel data from the 4th to 6th year of the Gyeonggi Education Panel Study. Results from the multivariate growth mixture model confirmed the existence of heterogeneous characteristics in the longitudinal trajectory of students' mathematics interest and achievement. Students were classified into four latent classes: a low-level class with weak interest and achievement, a high-level class with strong interest and achievement, a middlelevel-increasing class where interest and achievement rise with grade, and a middle-level-decreasing class where interest and achievement decline with grade. Each class exhibited distinct patterns in the change of interest and achievement. Moreover, an examination of the correlation between intercepts and slopes in the multivariate growth mixture model reveals a positive association between interest and achievement with respect to their initial values and growth rates. We further explore predictive variables influencing latent class assignment. The results indicated that students' educational ambition and time spent on private education positively affect mathematics interest and achievement, and the influence of prior learning varies based on its intensity. The perceived instruction method significantly impacts latent class assignment: teacher-centered instruction increases the likelihood of belonging to higher-level classes, while learner-centered instruction increases the likelihood of belonging to lower-level classes. This study has significant implications as it presents a new method for analyzing the longitudinal patterns of students' characteristics in mathematics education through the application of the multivariate growth mixture model.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.338-350
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• 2024

A vegetation survey was conducted and analyzed on 25 survey plots of Betula ermanii communities in the subalpine zone of Mt. Gariwang, Mt. Balwang, Mt. Bangtae, and Mt. Hambaek in Gangwon-do. As a result of TWINSPAN and DCA analysis, the community was divided into a total of 3 communities: Betula ermanii-Quercus mongolica community(GroupI), Betula ermanii-Acer pseudosieboldianum community (GroupII), and Betula ermanii community(GroupIII). As a result of the vegetation structure analysis, Betula ermanii-Quercus mongolica community(GroupI) is located on the periphery of the Mt. Bangtae trail at altitude of 1,082~1,192m, and Betula ermanii-Acer pseudosieboldianum community(GroupII) is located on the ridges and slopes of Mt. Bangtae, Mt. Gariwang, and Mt. Hambaek at altitudes of 1,230~1,373m. Betula ermanii-Quercus mongolica community(GroupI) and Betula ermanii-Acer pseudosieboldianum community(GroupII) are currently dominated by Betula ermanii, but after long term, it is expected that they will transe to Quercus mongolica. The Betula ermanii community(GroupIII) is located the summit of Mt. Hambaek and the summit of Mt. Balwang at altitude of 1,428~1,464m. It is expected that the community will be maintained as Betula ermanii community, because Betula ermanii is very dominant, and so the next generation dominant species is maintained by Betula ermanii. Betula ermanii community generally appear above 1,000 m above sea level, and the higher the altitude, the more dominant the Betula ermanii are. As a result of the soil analysis, the soil characteristics shows a similar pattern to the subalpine belt of Daecheongbong Peak of Mt. Seoraksan and Banyabong Peak of Mt. Jirisan. As a result of the species diversity index analysis, the species diversity index was 1.210~1.293, the abundance index was 0.698~0.795, and the dominance index was 0.208~0.302.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.165-175
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• 2006

To analyze the deformation and failure of slopes, generally, two types of model, Polynomial model and Growth model, are applied. These two models are focused on the behavior of the slope by time. Therefore, this research is more focused on predicting of slope failure than analyzing the slope behavior by time. Generally, Growth model is used to analyze the soil slope, to the contrary, Polynomial model is used for rock slope. However, 3-degree polynomial($y=ax^3+bx^2+cx+d$) is suggested to combine two models in this research. The main trait of this model is having an asymptote. The fields to adopt this model are Gosujae Danyang(soil slope) and Youngduk slope(rock slope), which are the cut-slope near national road. Data from Gosujae are shown the failure traits of soil slope, to the contrary, those of Youngduk slope are shown the traits of rock slope. From the real-time monitoring data of the slope, 3-degree polynomial is proved as excellent system to analyze the failure and behavior of slope. In case of Polynomial model, even if the order of polynomials is increased, the $R^2$ value and shape of the curve-fitted graph is almost the same.