• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2024

Most wetlands worldwide have suffered from extensive human exploitation. Unfortunately they have been less explored compared to river and lake ecosystems despite their ecological importance and economic values. This is the same case in Korea. This study was aimed to estimate the assemblage attributes and distribution characteristics of benthic macroinvertebrates for fifty wetlands distributed throughout subtropical Jeju Island in 2021. A total of 133 taxa were identified during survey periods belonging to 53 families, 19 orders, 5 classes and 3 phyla. Taxa richness ranged from 4 to 31 taxa per wetland with an average of 17.5 taxa. Taxa richness and abundance of predatory insect groups such as Odonata, Hemiptera and Coleoptera respectively accounted for 67.7% and 68.2% of the total. Among them Coleoptera were the most diverse and abundant. Taxa richness and abundance did not significantly differ from each wetland type classified in accordance with the National Wetland Classification System. There were three endangered species (Clithon retropictum, Lethocerus deyrolli and Cybister (Cybister) chinensis) and several restrictively distributed species only in Jeju Island. Cluster analysis based on the similarity in the benthic macroinvertebrate composition largely classified 50 wetlands into two major clusters: small wetlands located in lowland areas and medium-sized wetlands in middle mountainous regions. All cluster groups displayed significant differences in wetland area, long axis, percentage of fine particles and macrophyte composition ratio. Indicator Species Analysis selected 19 important indicators with the highest indicator value of Ceriagrion melanurum at 63%, followed by Noterus japonicus (59%) and Polypylis hemisphaerula (58%). Our results are expected to provide fundamental information on the biodiversity and habitat environments for benthic macroinvertebrates in wetland ecosystems, consequently helping to establish conservation and restoration plans for small wetlands relatively vulnerable to human disturbance.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.111 no.4
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• pp.667-675
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• 2022

Agroforestry is an ecological and economic land-use system that enables sustainable agriculture by combining forestry, agriculture, and livestock industries. North Korea chose agroforestry as a strategy for the restoration of sloping land and deforested land. Agroforestry was proposed for the inter-Korean forest cooperation subcommittee meeting and is currently highlighting carbon removal and promoting the '2050 Carbon Neutral Strategy' and 'Korea Peninsula Green Détente.' The study area, Suan-gun, Hwanghaebuk-do, is a constant deforestation monitoring area and a pilot site for management by the International Center for Research in Agroforestry. The requirements for agroforestry were analyzed through literature analysis. The agroforestry site-suitability map was visualized by applying GIS overlap analysis. Approximately 8,839 ha of sloping area was selected as suitable for agroforestry management, which is about 15% of Suan. We compared the map with Google Earth images and visually detected the land use status, such as agroforestry in Suan, to verify the results. As a future study, we will consider both natural-environment and socioeconomic factors and evaluate the relative importance of the factors to produce a high-accuracy agroforestry sitesuitability map at the national scale with the goal of producing basic data for the inter-Korea forest cooperation policy for long-term goals.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.733-743
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• 2020

We estimated the carbon storage of coal mines reclaimed using Betula platyphylla (BP), Pinus koraiensis (PK), and Pinus spp. (PS, Pinus densiflora, Pinus rigida, and Pinus thunbergii). The carbon storage of tree biomass (TB), forest floor(FF), mineral soil (MS), and the total forest were quantified. Reclaimed sites were located in Gangwon-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and Jeollanam-do; reclamation was conducted at various times in each region. The carbon storage (ton C ha^-1) in FF (BP: 3.31±0.59, PK: 3.60±0.93, PS: 4.65±0.92), MS (BP: 28.62±2.86, PK: 22.26±5.72, PS: 19.95±3.90), and the total forest(BP: 54.81±7.22, PK: 47.29±8.97, PS: 45.50±6.31) were lower than that of natural forests (NF). The carbon storage in TB was lower in BP (22.57±6.18) compared to NF, while those in PK(21.17±8.76) and PS (20.80±6.40) were higher than in NF. While there were no significant differences in the carbon storage of TB, FF, and the total forest among tree species, results from MS showed a significant difference among species. TB and the total forest carbon storages in all sites increased after reclamation. Soil pH and cation exchange capacity values in BP and PS were lower than in NF. Amounts of labile carbon, available phosphate, and microbial biomass carbon in reclaimed sites were less than half of NF. There are a number of methods that could increase the reclamation efficiency. Applications of lime or organic fertilizers, as well as tillage operations, may improve soil properties in reclaimed coal mines. Additionally, pruning and thinning would increase tree growth thereby increasing carbon storage.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.111 no.3
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• pp.374-384
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• 2022

There is an increasing demand for Tetradium daniellii seedlings due to their uses as alternative energy, for ecological restoration, and as a honey plant. This study was conducted to determine the optimum container for superior seedling production of T. daniellii. Experiments were performed using five plastic container types (500, 350, 320, 300, and 250 ml) for forestry facility cultivation. The height and root collar diameter growth of T. daniellii seedlings were significantly high in the 350-ml container. High growth appeared primarily in the container with a larger cavity volume and lower growing density. Root development was most active in full sunlight. The maximum dry matter production was observed in the 350-ml container, which was similar to the results of height and root collar diameter growth. QI, an index showing the quality of a seedling, was maximum at 0.97 in the 350-ml container. In conclusion, the 350-ml container is optimum for superior seedling production of T. daniellii.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.113 no.2
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• pp.198-209
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• 2024

This study aimed to investigate the impact of light intensity, manipulated through different shading levels, on the growth and physiological responses of Thermopsis lupinoides. To assess the effects of shading treatments, we examined leaf mass per area, chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence response, and photosynthetic characteristics. T. lupinoidesexhibited adaptive responses under low light conditions (50% shading), showing increased leaf area and decreased leaf mass per area as shading levels increased. These changes indicate morpho-physiological adaptations to reduced light availability. At 50% shading, the physiological and ecological responses were favorable, with optimal photosynthetic functions including chlorophyll content, photosynthesis saturation point, photosynthetic rate, carbon fixation efficiency, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, and water use efficiency. However, at 95% shading, the essential light conditions for growth were not met, significantly impairing photosynthetic functions. Consequently, 50% shading was determined to be the most optimal condition for T. lupinoides growth. These findings provide valuable insights for effective ex-situconservation practices and site selection for T. lupinoides, serving as foundational data for habitat restoration efforts.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.157-164
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• 2009

In order to rehabilitate habitats for marine organisms in the slag dumping area, succession of benthic communities was monitored on artificial seaweed beds with transplantation of Ecklonia stolonifera from April 2004 to June 2005. Acinetospora critina was only primary dominated on steel frame in the first experiment (April 2004). A total of 15 species of seaweed were identified in the second experiment (June 2004). Enteromorpha intestinalis and Enteromorpha sp. were dominated, and Urospora penicilliformis, Ulothrix flacca, Cladophora sp., and Ulva pertusa were found on Ecklonia stolonifera fronds gradually with increasing time. This time was coincided with occurrence of benthic macrofaunas, molluscans and small fish species. The epiphytic benthic macrofaunas were dominated on amphipods, molluscans were Mytilus edulis, Thais clavigera, and fish species were Mugil cephalus, Pholis nebulosa. These results indicated that transplantation of Ecklonia stolonifera on artificial seaweed beds have been contributed on restoration habitats for benthic communities in the slag dumping area.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.303-312
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• 2018

In Ethiopia, climate change and deforestation are major issues hindering sustainable development. Local Ethiopian communities commonly perceive an increase in temperature and a decrease in rainfall. Meteorological data shows that rainfall has declined in southern Ethiopia, and spring droughts have occurred more frequently during the last 10-15 years. The frequently occurring droughts have seriously affected the agriculture-dominated Ethiopian economy. Forests can play an important role in coping with climate change. However, deforestation is alarmingly high in Ethiopia, and this is attributed mainly to agricultural expansion and fuel wood extraction. Deforestation has led to a decrease in various benefits from forest ecosystem services, and increased ecological and environmental problems including loss of biodiversity. To resolve the issues effectively, it is crucial to enhance climate change resilience through reforestation and various international collaborations are urgently needed. To continue collaboration activities for resolving these issues, it is first necessary to address fundamental questions on the nature of collaboration: does collaboration aim for a support-benefit or a mutual benefit situation; dividing the workload or sharing the workload; an advanced technology or an appropriate technology; and short-term and intensive or long-term and extensive?. Potential collaboration activities were identified by sectors: in the governmental sector, advancing governmental structure and policy, enhancing international collaborations and negotiations, and capacity building for forest restoration and management; in the research and education sector, identifying and filling gaps in forestry and climate change education, capacity building for reforestation and climate change resilience research, and developing bioenergy and feed stocks; and in the business and industry sector, supporting conservation based forestry businesses and industries, while promoting collaboration with the research and education sectors. It is envisaged that international collaboration for enhancing climate change resilience through reforestation will provide a strong platform for resolving climate change and deforestation issues, and achieving sustainable development in Ethiopia.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.3
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• pp.313-320
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to provide basic data for preserving forest ecosystem with understanding forest wetland condition of Mt. Cheongok. It was found from this research that vascular plants of surveyed area were composed of 72 families, 167 genera, 209 species, and 2 subspecies, 27 varieties, 5 formae. totaling 243 taxa. Among the investigated vascular plants, Korea endemic plants were 9 species, rare plants 15 species, and naturalized plants 8 species, respectively. According to the occurrence frequency within the wetland investigated, obligate upland plants (OBU) accounted for 75.72% (184) among the total species investigated, wherea obligate wetland plant (OBW) were four species (4.65%). There were 26 of hygrophyte plants and 2 of emergent plants in the research area according to wet degree. According to habitat category, the most frequently occurred habitat was forest (136 species, 55.97%), and the others were in the order of meadow and shrubland (70 species, 28.81%), wet meadow (35 species, 14.40%), and aquatic environment (2 species, 0.82%), respectively. In the result of analysis of important value, Fraxinus rhynchophylla and Carex pseudosinensis was the highest as 22.17% and 10.40%. It was confirmed that the species diversity was relatively high. Shannon-Wiener's species diversity index was calculated as 2.507. Based on these results, long-term monitoring survey should be urgently needed for ecological restoration and recovery.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.80 no.4
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• pp.369-378
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• 1991

Major statutory nature protection areas include Nature Parks, Nature Reserves. Nature Ecological System Protected Areas. Biosphere Reserves, Nature Protected Forests, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Protection Forests with total area of 1,124,000 ha. These protected areas cover almost 18% of the forested area. The number of visitors of NPs reached over 33 million per year with sharp increasing rate over the years. To protect the deteriorated hiking trails and camp grounds caused by overuse, two management policies have been implemented : cooking prohibition and natural rest rotation system. While prohibition of cooking is based on the fact that most of the solid wastes in nature parks are leftovers of cooking, natural rest rotation system is mainly for rehabilitation of deteriorated areas by natural processes. The system has closed 47 trails(in 27 mountains) throughout the country since January 1991, which is scheduled to continue 3 years. Due to the lack of accumulated scientific knowledge on how, when and where to close, application of the system leaves much to be desired. This paper discusses the current efforts to protect the natural resources for recreational use and suggests future directions for an effective policy implementation.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.397-408
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to identify the home range and habitat using pattern of the native species, Mauremys reevesii, and the exotic species, Trachemys scripta elegans, and to analyze the mutual competition relationship of the two species. This study was conducted at the Goldfish square pond, which is located in the upper part of the valley of Cheonggye mountain from August 2, 2010 to January 30, 2011. We used the three artificially proliferating M. reevesii and three T. scripta elegans which were inhabited in the ponds and reservoirs for monitoring study after attaching the transmitter to each of them. We measured the home range and the habitat utilization radius of three individuals of each species and the environmental factors such as temperature, humidity and soil and water temperature around the Goldfish square pond. As our results, it was analyzed that the M. reevesii and T. scripta elegans have a redundant ecological positions in various aspects such as limited sunbathing places, food resource utilization, hibernation place, etc. We also found that the relatively small M. reevesii was being pushed out of the competition by the relatively big. Further investigation of food competition and habitat utilization should be necessary for these two species for the natural habitats, their home range, food competition, and habitat utilization. The result of this study will be the basic data M. reevesii's restoration project.