• Atmosphere
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.413-424
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• 2013

Urban Heat Island (UHI) intensity is one of vital parameters in studying urban boundary layer meteorology as well as urban planning. Because the UHI intensity is defined as air temperature difference between urban and rural sites, an objective sites selection criterion is necessary for proper quantification of the spatial variations of the UHI intensity. This study quantified the UHI intensity and its spatial pattern, and then analyzed their connections with urban structure and metabolism in Seoul metropolitan area where many kinds of land use and land cover types coexist. In this study, screen-level temperature data in non-precipitation day conditions observed from 29 automatic weather stations (AWS) in Seoul were analyzed to delineate the characteristics of UHI. For quality control of the data, gap test, limit test, and step test based on guideline of World Meteorological Organization were conducted. After classifying all stations by their own local climatological properties, UHI intensity and diurnal temperature range (DTR) are calculated, and then their seasonal patterns are discussed. Maximum UHI intensity was $4.3^{\circ}C$ in autumn and minimum was $3.6^{\circ}C$ in spring. Maximum DTR appeared in autumn as $3.8^{\circ}C$, but minimum was $2.3^{\circ}C$ in summer. UHI intensity and DTR showed large variations with different local climate zones. Despite limited information on accuracy and exposure errors of the automatic weather stations, the observed data from AWS network represented theoretical UHI intensities with difference local climate zone in Seoul.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.107-117
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• 2013

Problems in regard of ecological stability of urban ecosystem ensue from climate change and urbanization. Particularly, urban ecological conditions are deteriorating both quantitatively and qualitatively to a great extent. The present study aims to assess the current condition of selected sites (i. e. urban green zones and parks) in terms of preset assessment components; to find out problems and relevant solutions to improve the quality and quantity of parks and green zones; and ultimately to suggest some measures applicable to coping with climate change as well as to securing the ecological attributes of urban green zones and parks. According to the findings of this study, from quantitative perspectives, ecological attributes and responsiveness to climate change are high on account of the large natural-soil area(80%). By contrast, from qualitative perspectives including the planting structure (1 layer: 47%), the percentage of bush area(17%), the connectivity with surrounding green zones (independent types: 44%), the wind paths considered (5.6%), the tree species with high carbon absorption rates (20%), water cycles (17%), energy (8%) and carbon storage capacities(61%), ecological attributes and responsiveness to climate change were found very low. These findings suggest that the ecological values of urban parks and green zones should be improved in the future by conserving their original forms, securing natural-soil grounds and employing multi-layered planting structures and water bodies, and that responsiveness to climate change should be enhanced by planting tree species with high carbon storage capacities and obtaining detention ponds. In sum, robust efforts should be exerted in the initial planning stages, and sustained, to apply the methodology of green-zone development along with securing ecological attributes and responsiveness to climate change.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.97-106
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• 2020

Urban parks provide a variety of ecosystem services and are an important means of providing positive functions to urban ecosystems. Recently, various studies on wildlifes in urban parks have been conducted. However, there is a lack of research on habitat use in urban parks at important times such as before and after fledging in bird ecology. This study analyzed habitat use and home-range before and after fledging on Cheongsa park, a neighborhood park located in Cheonan city. An artificial nest was set up to check and capture great tit in fledging time. One female was captured and attached to the NTQB-2 (0.4g) radio transmitter, the location was tracked using SIKA Radio Tracking Receiver, hand-held three element Yagi antenna and GPS. Location information was recorded for 10 minutes for 3 hours each morning and afternoon for 12 days from May 17 to May 31, 2019. As a result, the home-range of the target species was 1.776 ha (MCP) and the core area was 499 ㎡ (KD 50%). The average daily home-range was 0.513 ha for the entire period, 0.688 ha before fledging, 0.339 ha after fledging based on MCP. The bird moved about 29.9 m on average and moved up to 131.7 m. For the most of the time, the great tit stayed inside the park, but the bird also used small green spaces such as street trees, tree flower beds, and green areas of unused lands. The results of this study could be applied to the study of habitat use and the greenery management policy of the urban park considering wild birds.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.327-335
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• 2021

We aimed to find new space types and characteristics for creating gardens in the city through the type of idle space in the city, present guidelines that can be used in creating gardens in the future, and establish basic data for expanding green infrastructure. As a result, we found that the idle space in the city was classified into four types, and it was determined that differentiation should be given to the creation of each type. The achievements of this study can be a potential source of urban ecosystem services that can provide community benefits and opportunities for urban regeneration through the redevelopment of the community and support the health and well-being of local residents. In addition, urban idle space can be a valuable resource as a green infrastructure that can be used to support the health of urban ecosystems and improve the quality of life of urban residents.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.67-78
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• 2024

The term ecosystem services refers to natural ecosystems' benefits to humans. Various models have been developed and applied to quantify ecosystem services. Habitat quality assessment is a widely used leading InVEST ecosystem service model. In Korea, habitat quality assessment is conducted for national parks. For habitat quality assessment, the initial value of habitat quality must be used to assess the sensitivity to threats, which varies depending on the country and application field. Therefore, an expert survey (AHP) was conducted based on previous habitat quality assessments in national parks to adjust the sensitivity, the initial value for the habit quality assessment. As a result of the AHP, 18 items were adjusted, including 10 items, such as natural grassland and unarranged fields, upward and 8 items, such as rivers and ponds, downward. Based on the adjusted sensitivity results, the habitat quality of Bukhansan National Park and Gyeryongsan National Park (urban type), Gyeongju National Park (historic type), Hallyeohaesang National Park (ocean type), and Jirisan National Park and Seoraksan National Park (mountain type) were adjusted. The results of the analysis showed that the habitat quality of urban dry areas and water bodies distributed in the national parks was reflected in the habitat quality assessment. In the future, it will be possible to evaluate the habitat quality of natural parks using this standard.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.311-316
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• 2015

This study defined and classified no-net-loss-of-greenness (NNLG) based on the law, and then assessed the NNLG index by metropolitan cities and provinces in Korea after estimating NNLG evaluation indicators for the introduction of NNLG for health improvement of urban ecosystems. The results are as follows. First, NNLG was the comprehensive meaning that was included in the greenbelt and park greenbelt and the green area which was defined by the Act on Urban Parks, Greenbelts, etc. and the National Land Planning and Utilization Act respectively. Second, NNLG was classified as a park greenbelt which was included urban parks and greenbelts such as buffer greenbelts, scenic greenbelts, and connecting greenbelts, green areas which was included in green conservation areas, green production areas, green natural areas, and green coverage which is included forests, grasslands, and wetlands that were occupied by vegetation such as trees, shrubs, and plants. Third, NNLG index by cities and provinces was assessed based on the estimation of NNLG evaluation indicators, which included parks and greenbelt areas per capita, green areas per capita, green coverage per capita, ratio of parks and greenbelts, ratio of green areas, and ratio of green coverage. As a result, Sejong city got the highest point of NNLG index and Seoul and Daegu got lowest points of NNLG index among metropolitan cities in Korea. Chungbuk got the highest point of NNLG index and Kyonggi and Jeju got lowest points of NNLG index among provinces in Korea.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.523-532
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• 2017

Environmental problems in urban spaces tend to result from excessive use of resources faster than the ecosystem can recover itself. In order to address this problem, city or municipal governments tend to devise plans and policies to lead development within their ecological carrying capacity. This study computes ecological capacity of Asan city, Province Chung Nam, South Korea through applying the concept of ecological footprint. This study finds ecological footprint and deficit of Asan city in 2015 were 5.12 and -4.99, respectively. From 2001 to 2015, Asan city experienced not only an 81% increase of ecological footprint, but also a 190% increase of ecological deficit. Such results suggest that Asan city has experienced a steady increase of resource consumption due to population increase and urban growth, indicating that loss of ecological spaces such as green space, farmland, wetland and so on restoring the ecosystem has been accelerated. Therefore, in order to promote sustainable development, Asan city should not only protect green space, farmland, wetland, and so on but also create urban growth plans and policies taking into account its environmental capacity of the city. This study provides suggestions for Asan city to lead urban growth within its environmental capacity by applying ecological deficit.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.505-515
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• 2015

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of stream nutrient regime, N:P ratios and suspended solids on fish tolerance/trophic compositions and stream ecosystem health, based on multi-metric model, during 2008-2013. Also, stream ecosystem health was evaluated in relation to chlorophyll-a (CHL) as a measure of algal productivity or indicators of trophic state to water chemical parameters. Total number of sampled fish species were 50 and showed a decreasing trend from 2008 to 2013. The minnow of Zacco platypus, based on the catch per unit effort (CPUE), was the most dominant species (25.9%) among the all species. Spatial heterogeneity was evident in the fish tolerance guilds that showed the dominance of sensitive species (89%) in the headwaters (S1) and the dominance of tolerant species (57%) in the urban. These conditions were directly influenced by concentrations of nutrients and organic matter (COD). The N:P ratios, as a barometer of water pollution, had a negative linear function (R² = 0.40, P < 0.01) with CHL, and the ratios had an important role in changes of COD concentration (R² = 0.40, P < 0.01). Under the circumstances, the N:P ratio directly influenced the relative proportions of fish trophic/tolerance compositions. According to the regression analysis of omnivore (O_m) and insectivore sp. (I_n) on total nitrogen and total phosphorus, nitrogen had no significant influences (P > 0.05) to the two compositions, but phosphorus influenced directly the two guilds [slope (a) = -32.3, R² = 0.25, P < 0.01 in the I_n; a = 40.7, R² = 0.19, P < 0.01 in the O_m]. Such water chemistry and fish trophic guilds determined the stream ecosystem health, based on the multi-metric fish model.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.33 no.6_3
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• pp.1187-1196
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• 2017

Despite the continuing effort to estimate the value of function and services of ecosystem, most of the researches has used low and medium resolution satellite imagery such as MODIS or Landsat. It means that the researches to measure the ecosystem service value using VHR (Very High Resolution) satellite imagery have not been performed much, while the source of available VHR imagery is increasing. Thus, the aim of this study is to estimate and compare the result of ecosystem service value over Sejong city, S. Korea, which is one of the rapidly changed city, through the pixel-based and object-based classification analysis using VHR KOMPSAT-3 images, for more specific and precise information. In the result of the classification, forest and grassland were underestimated while agriculture and urban were overestimated in the pixel-based result compared to the object-based result. Furthermore, bare soil area was presented contrasting result that was increased in the pixel-based result, however, decreased in the object-based result. Using those results, ecosystem service values were estimated. The annual ecosystem service values in 2014 were $8.18 million USD(pixel-based) and $8.63 million USD(object-based), however, decreased to $7.80 million USD(pixel-based) and $8.62 million USD(object-based) in 2016. It is expected to use those results as a preliminary data when to make sustainable development plan and policy to improve the quality of life in the local level.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.311-322
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• 2008

The objectives of the study were to analyze chemical water quality and physical habitat characteristics in the urban streams (Miho and Gap streams) along with evaluations of fish community structures and ecosystem health, throughout fish composition and guild analyses during 2006$\sim$2007. Concentrations of BOD and COD averaged 3.5 and 5.7 mg L$^{-1}$, in the urban streams, while TN and TP averaged 5.1 mg L$^{-1}$ and 274 ${\mu}g$ L$^{-1}$, indicating an eutrophic state. Especially, organic pollution and eutrophication were most intense in the downstream reach of both streams. Total number of fish was 34 species in the both streams, and the most abundant species was Zacco platypus (32$\sim$42% of the total). In both streams, the relative abundance of sensitive species was low (23%) and tolerant and omnivores were high (45%, 52%), indicating an typical tolerance and trophic guilds of urban streams in Korea. According to multi-metric models of Stream Ecosystem Health Assessments (SEHA), model values were 19 and 24 in Miho Stream and Gap Stream, respectively. Habitat analysis showed that QHEI (Qulatitative Habitat Evaluation Index) values were 123 and 135 in the two streams, respectively. The minimum values in the SEHA and QHEI were observed in the both downstreams, and this was mainly attributed to chemical pollutions, as shown in the water quality parameters. The model values of SEHA were strongly correlated with conductivity (r=-0.530, p=0.016), BOD (r=-0.578, p< 0.01), COD (r=-0.603, p< 0.01), and nutrients (TN, TP: r>0.40, p<0.05). This model applied in this study seems to be a useful tool, which could reflect the chemical water quality in the urban streams. Overall, this study suggests that consistent ecological monitoring is required in the urban streams for the conservations along with ecological restorations in the degradated downstrems.