• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.29-45
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• 2022

For biodiversity conservation, the importance of beta-diversity which is changes in the composition of species according to environmental changes has become emphasized. However, given the systematic investigation of species distribution and the accumulation of large amounts of data in the Republic of Korea(ROK), research on the spatialization of beta-diversity using them is insufficient. Accordingly, this research investigated the applicability of the Generalized Dissimilarity Modeling(GDM) to ROK, which can predict and map the similarity of compositional turnover (beta-diversity) based on environmental variables. A brief overview of the statistical description on using GDM was presented, and a model was fitted using the flora distribution data(410,621points) from the National Ecosystem Survey and various environmental spatial data including climate, soil, topography, and land cover. Procedures and appropriated spatial units required to improve the explanatory power of the model were presented. As a result, it was found that geographical distance, temperature annual range, summer temperature, winter precipitation, and soil factors affect the dissimilarity of the vegetation community composition. In addition, as a result of predicting the similarity of vegetation composition across the nation, and classifying them into 20 and 100 zones, the similarity was high mainly in the central inland area, and tends to decrease toward the mountainous areas, southern coastal regions, and island including Jeju island, which means the composition of the vegetation community is unique and beta diversity is high. In addition, it was identified that the number of common species between zones decreased as the geographic distance between zones increased. It classified the spatial distribution of plant community composition in a quantitative and objective way, but additional research and verification are needed for practical application. It is expected that research on community-level biodiversity modeling in the ROK will be conducted more actively based on this study.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.175-189
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to analyze characteristics of distribution of amphibian species and the affecting ecological factors. For the study, habitat environment factors were determined and applied to a habitat suitability model for the data collected from the Seom River in Hoengseong County and Wonju City, Gangwon Province, Korea between March 2013 to October 2013. The analyzed amphibian species were Rana nigromaculata, Hyla japonica, Rana dybowski, and Rana rugosa Temminck and Schlegel, and a logistic regression model was used with the pseudo-absence data. The result of the model analysis suggests that the major factors for Rana nigromaculata are distance to vegetation and rock and that for Hyla japonica is waterway. Rana dybowski and Rana rugosa Temminck and Schlegel have similar habitat characteristics, but the latter is shown to be dominant due to its wider habitat preference. According to the species richness model, the analyzed amphibian species are shown to have tendency to move between valleys or streams. This study quantitatively analyzed habitat environment characteristics using species distribution model, however, there is a limitation in terms of analysis on food factor and connectivity with other species. Combined with additional density or habitat analysis on birds or fish, this study can lead to more comprehensive analysis on biological environment factors.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.94 no.5 s.162
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• pp.321-329
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• 2005

Based on the data representing four typical Korean pine forest types, the age structure, DBH distribution, species composition, and forking rule were systemically analyzed for old-growth Korean pine forest in Liangshui Nature Reserve, northeast China. The age structure of Korean pine trees was strongly uneven-aged with one dominated peak following normal distribution, and age of trees varied from 100 to 180 years within a stand. The DBH and height differences in same age class (20 years) varied from 28 cm~64 cm and 5 to 20 m, respectively. Many conifer and hard wood species, such as spruce, fir, costata birch, basswood, oak, and elm, were mixed with dominated trees of Korean pine. The canopy of the old-growth Korean pine forest can be divided into two layers, and differences of mean age and height between Layer I and Layer II were ranged 80~150 years and 7~13 m, respectively. The Weibull function was used to model the diameter distribution and performed well to describe size-class distribution either with a single peak in over-story canopy and inverse J-shape in under-story canopy for old-growth Korean pine stands. The forking height of Korean pine trees ranged from 16m to 24 m (mean 19.4 m) and tree age about 120 to 160 years old. The results will provide a scientific basis to protect and recover the ecosystem of natural old-growth Korean pine and also provide the model in management of Korean pine plantation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.75-84
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• 2012

The importance of the genetic value of native plants has been raised recently after the adoption of Nagoya Protocol. In this stream, this research focused on the future distribution of Megaleranthis saniculifolia which has been evolved and adapted to Korean natural environment and classified as an endemic endangered species by IUCN. The distribution of the species in future are projected based on 'present potential distribution area' by adopting SRES (Special Report on Emission Scenarios) A1B climate change scenario using 6 types of GCM (General Circulation Model). The major results of the research are as follows : habitats of Megaleranthis saniculifolia. (1) will be reduced by 44% nation wide; (2) in Chungcheongngnam Do and Jeollanam Do will be the most affected; and (3) in high altitude in Chungcheongbuk Do, Gyunggi Do and Gangwon Do will be relatively less affected.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.19-29
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• 2013

Cicuta virosa is an endangered species in Korea, which is a southern marginal area. To conserve and restore habitats of this plant, we investigated water and soil environmental characteristics and vegetation at four habitats during the growing season. The C. virosa habitats differed in community structure, water and substrate properties, and water regime. Although the total distribution ranges of the water and soil environments for C. virosa were wide and overlapped with the optimal environmental range of distribution of accompanying species, the optimal water level range for C. virosa was defined as $7{\pm}3.5$ cm. Water level was adjusted by substrate structure such as a mound of P. japonica and a floating mat comprised of accompanying species. A floating mat was an aid to maintain an optimal and stable water level in deep or fluctuating water and to prevent strong competition with prolific macrophytes. The GS sampling site, which had floating mats, could be a good model for C. virosa conservation in a warm temperate region, whereas the PC sampling sites, which experienced a water shortage in spring, provided a clue about the decline in C. virosa population size.

• Journal of applied mathematics & informatics
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• v.18 no.1_2
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• pp.273-286
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• 2005

Parameter identification problem of a three species (predator, mutualist-prey, and mutualist) ecological system with reaction-diffusion phenomenon is investigated in this paper. The mathematical model of the parameter identification problem is constructed and continuous dependence of the solution for the direct problem on the parameters identified is obtained. Finally, the existence of optimal solution and an optimality necessary condition for the parameter identification problem are given.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.381-396
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• 2017

Understanding species distribution plays an important role in conservation as well as evolutionary biology. In this study, we applied a species distribution model to predict hotspot areas and habitat characteristics for endangered herpetofauna species in South Korea: the Korean Crevice Salamander (Karsenia koreana), Suweon-tree frog (Hyla suweonensis), Gold-spotted pond frog (Pelophylax chosenicus), Narrow-mouthed toad (Kaloula borealis), Korean ratsnake (Elaphe schrenckii), Mongolian racerunner (Eremias argus), Reeve's turtle (Mauremys reevesii) and Soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis). The Kori salamander (Hynobius yangi) and Black-headed snake (Sibynophis chinensis) were excluded from the analysis due to insufficient sample size. The results showed that the altitude was the most important environmental variable for their distribution, and the altitude at which these species were distributed correlated with the climate of that region. The predicted distribution area derived from the species distribution modelling adequately reflected the observation site used in this study as well as those reported in preceding studies. The average AUC value of the eigh species was relatively high ($0.845{\pm}0.08$), while the average omission rate value was relatively low ($0.087{\pm}0.01$). Therefore, the species overlaying model created for the endangered species is considered successful. When merging the distribution models, it was shown that five species shared their habitats in the coastal areas of Gyeonggi-do and Chungcheongnam-do, which are the western regions of the Korean Peninsula. Therefore, we suggest that protection should be a high priority in these area, and our overall results may serve as essential and fundamental data for the conservation of endangered amphibian and reptiles in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.219-233
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• 2013

We employed the ecological niche modeling framework using GARP (Genetic Algorithm for Ruleset Production) to model the current and future geographic distribution of Pinus densiflora based on environmental predictor variable datasets such as climate data including the RCP 8.5 emission climate change scenario, geographic and topographic characteristics, soil and geological properties, and MODIS enhanced vegetation index (EVI) at 4 $km^2$ resolution. National Forest Inventory (NFI) derived occurrence and abundance records from about 4,000 survey sites across the whole country were used for response variables. The current and future potential geographic distribution of Pinus densiflora, one of the tree species dominating the present Korean forest was modeled and mapped. Future models under RCP 8.5 scenarios for Pinus densiflora suggest large areas predicted under current climate conditions may be contracted by 2090 showing range shifts northward and to higher altitudes. Area Under Curve (AUC) values of the modeled result was 0.67. Overall, the results of this study were successful in showing the current distribution of major tree species and projecting their future changes. However, there are still many possible limitations and uncertainties arising from the select of the presence-absence data and the environmental predictor variables for model input. Nevertheless, ecological niche modeling can be a useful tool for exploring and mapping the potential response of the tree species to climate change. The final models in this study may be used to identify potential distribution of the tree species based on the future climate scenarios, which can help forest managers to decide where to allocate effort in the management of forest ecosystem under climate change in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.173-184
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• 2016

Knowledge of the relationships among interspecific competition, spatial distributions and ecological niches plays an important role in understanding biogeographical distribution patterns of species. In this study, the distributional characteristics and ecological niches of the three Viperidae species (Gloydius ussuriensis, G. brevicaudus, and G. saxatilis) in South Korea were determined based on observation data and species distribution model. The effects of interspecific competition on geographical distribution and the division of the ecological niches of the vipers were also examined based on the models of predicted species distribution. The results showed that altitude was the most important environmental variable for their distribution, and the altitudes at which these snakes were distributed correlated with the climate of that region. Although interspecific ecological niches are quite overlapped, their predicted distribution patternsvary by the Taebaek Mountains. When overlaying the distribution models, most of the overlapping habitats were forest areas, which were relatively less overlapped than were the entire research areas. Thus, a parapatric distribution pattern was expected. The abundance of species occurring sympatrically was positively correlated with each other, indicating the lack of serious interspecies competition in this region. In conclusion, although the three Viperidae species in South Korea occupy similar ecological niches, these snakes exhibit parapatric distribution patterns without direct competition. Further research on various geographic variables (e.g., altitude, microhabitat characteristics) using relatively fine grid sizes, as well as further detailed ecological and behavioral research, is needed to determine the causative factors for the parapatric distribution pattern.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.55-69
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• 2018

As disaster risk and climate change volatility increase, there are more efforts to adapt to disasters such as forest fires, floods, and landslides. Most of the research, however, is about influence of human activities on disaster and there is few research on disaster adaptation for species. Previous studies focusing on biodiversity in selecting conservation areas have not addressed threats of disaster in the habitats for species. The natural disasters sometimes play role of drivers of ecological successions in the long run, but they might cause serious problems for the conservation of vulnerable species which are endangered. The purpose of this study is to determine whether soil loss (SL) is effective in selecting habitat management areas for amphibians and reptiles. RUSLE model was used to calculate soil loss (SL) and the distribution of each species (SD) was computed with MaxEnt model to find out the biodiversity index. In order to select the habitat management area, we estimated the different results depending if value of soil loss was applied or not by using MARXAN, a conservation priority selection tool. With using MARXAN, conservation goals can be achieved according to the scenario objectives, and the study has been made to meet the minimum habitat area. Finally, the results are expressed in two; 1) the result of soil loss and biodiversity with MATRIX method and 2) the result of regional difference calculated with MARXAN conservation prioritization considering soil loss. The first result indicates that the area with high soil loss and low species diversity have lower conservation values and thus can be managed as natural disturbances. In the area where soil loss is high and species diversity is also high, it becomes where a disaster mitigation action should be taken for the species. According to the conservation priorities of the second result, higher effectiveness of conservation was obtained with fewer area when it considered SL in addition to SD, compared to when considered only biodiversity. When the SL was not taken into consideration, forest area with high distribution of species were important, but when SL considered, the agricultural area or downstream of the river were represented to be a major part of habitats. If more species data or disaster parameters other than soil loss are added as variables later, it could contribute as a reference material for decision-making to achieve various purposes.