• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.27 no.6 s.122
• /
• pp.363-367
• /
• 2004

Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) beneath the forest canopy, understory species richness and diversity, and biomass were measured in a Larix leptolepis plantation seven years after thinning in Yangpyeong. Four different thinning intensities (control, $10\%,\;20\%\;and\;40\%$ stocking reduction) were applied in 1997. The current PAR values were lower than those measured four years after thinning, and PAR at the heavy thinning plots was significantly higher than that of other thinning intensities. A total of 23 species including 9 tall-trees and 14 shrubs were found for the high layer while a total of 82 species including 10 tall-trees, 29 shrubs, and 43 herbs for the low layer. Species richness and diversity generally increased with thinning intensities, and the trends were more evident for the low layer. Aboveground biomass significantly differed among thinning intensities for both shrubs and herbs. Also there was a negative correlation between biomass and the current number of stems per hectare. The current study suggested that the effects of thinning on light conditions at the forest floor, species richness and diversity and production of understory vegetation continued seven years after the treatment.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.375-381
• /
• 2009

In this paper, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) clutter images are simulated based on the extensive analyses for radar backscatter characteristics of various earth surfaces, and the simulated images are compared with measured SAR images. At first, the surface parameters including soil moisture content and surface roughness parameters and other parameters for vegetation canopies are measured for various surfaces. The backscattering coefficients for the surfaces are computed using theoretical and empirical models for surface scattering and the radiative transfer for vegetation-canopy scattering. Then, the digital elevation map (DEM) and land cover map (LCM) are used for the SAR image generation. The SAR impulse response (correlation function) is also employed to simulated reliable SAR images. Finally, the appropriate speckle and texture parameters for various earth surfaces are used for generating the SAR clutter images.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.155-163
• /
• 2021

The number of trees to be removed trees (ART) in the environmental impact assessment is an environmental indicator used in various parts such as greenhouse gas emissions and waste of forest trees calculation. Until now, the ART has depended on the forest tree density of the vegetation survey, and the uncertainty of estimating the amount of removed trees has increased due to the sampling bias. A full-scale survey can be offered as an alternative to improve the accuracy of ART, but the reality is that it is impossible. As an alternative, there is an individual tree detection using aerial image (ITD), and in this study, we compared the ARTs estimated by full-scale survey, sample survey, and ITD. According to the research results, compared to the result of full-scale survey, the result of ITD was overestimated by 25. While 58 were overestimated by the sample survey (average). However, as the sample survey is an estimate based on random samples, ART will be overestimated or underestimated depending on the number and size of quadrats.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.221-234
• /
• 2023

This study was conducted to develop a habitat assessment system for the endangered wildlife II Kirengeshoma koreana Nakai through in-depth interviews with experts based on field surveys and environmental characteristics through spatial data analysis and literature research. Evaluation factors were selected based on the survey results of 31 variables for 23 K. koreana habitats. Afterwards, the importance and evaluation range for each assessment factor were selected. The selection of survey variables, assessment factors, importance of each factor and assessment range was conducted through in-depth interviews with experts at each stage. As a result, the assessment factors and importance were 16% for precipitation of the wettest month, 10% for vegetation zone, 12% for vegetation type, 10% for crown canopy vitality, 14% for tree layer coverage, 13% for drainage grade, 12% for soil depth, and 13% for distance to stream including dry stream. This study provides basic ecological information and a habitat assessment system for K. koreana habitats. Therefore, it can be used as primary data for preparing an endangered wildlife conservation policy, preparing a habitat improvement plan, and selecting an alternative habitat.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.131-142
• /
• 2017

The function of urban parks as wildlife habitats is becoming increasingly important. The urban park serves as a key area for preserving urban biodiversity. The purpose of this study is to estimate the bird species diversity in 30 parks in Cheonan city and quantitatively analyze the influence of vegetation, park structure and landscape connectivity index. As the results, a total of 27 birds species and 1,509 individuals were found at the sites and the largest number of birds were found in the Cheongsa park with 17 species. The optimal regression model was selected as the explanatory variables for the logged park area (LPA), the tree cover ratio (Co_T) and the patch betweenness centrality (PB). LPA and Co_T mean the internal characteristics of the park, and PB was the external environmental variable meaning landscape connectivity. LPA was the most important factor (73.3%) as bird habitat, and the PB could be interpreted as a factor that should be considered as important (26.7%). It will be possible to consider these environmental variables in the park and green area construction and management.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.126-135
• /
• 2015

This study was conducted to evaluate the ecological characteristics of forest cover types which were classified by cluster analysis in the natural forest of Sobaeksan on the basis of the vegetation data from the point-quarter sampling method. Recognized forest cover types were 1) Mixed mesophytic forest, 2) Taxus cuspidata forest, 3) Fraxinus rhynchophylla-Quercus mongolica forest, 4) Betula ermanii forest, 5) Pinus densiflora forest, 6) Quercus mongolica mixed forest, and 7) Quercus mongolica pure forest. For those of classified types, the species composition was expressed by importance value (IV) to describe the community floristically. The species diversity was quantified using the Shannon's diversity index. The results showed that the forest cover types were characteristically different from one another in growing species and compositional rates, depending upon the type which was formed by a number of similar vegetational sample points. Species diversity indices (H') of total and overstory both were the highest in the mixed mesophytic forest (3.530 and 2.880, respectively), and lowest in the Q. mongolica pure forest (2.122 and 0.000, respectively) with only one canopy species. The highest species diversity in the mixed mesophytic forest may due to the relatively high species richness and evenness in the forest cover types. The description on ecological characteristics were suggested to understand the formation and development of forest cover types in this study area.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.156-167
• /
• 2008

Meorological data have been collected to monitor the wetland area in Goheung bay since 2003 and four intensive observations were conducted to study effects of the atmospheric turbulence on the energy budget and the ecological changes. We improved an algorithm to estimate the sensible heat flux with routine data. The sensible heat flux estimated by gradient method was in good agreement with that measured by precision instruments such as surface layer scintillometer and ultrasonic anemometer. Diurnal variations of sensible heat flux showed analogous tendency to those of temperature gradient. When the vertical wind shear of horizontal wind components was weak, even though temperature gradient was strong, the gradient method underestimated the sensible heat flux. A compensation for the cloud will make this gradient method be a helpful tool to monitor the ecosystem without expensive instruments except for weak wind shear and temperature gradient.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.172-179
• /
• 2010

This study was conducted to establish a management plan for the Songrim woodland restoration by analyzing the site characteristics of the Songrim Woodland Natural Monument (Natural Monument 445) in Hadong-Gun, Gyeongsangnam-Do, Korea. The Songrim woodland was a pure pine forest. To stimulate the growth of sub-trees or mid- story vegetation in both a non-rest year forest and a rest year forest, it is recommended to take a silvicultural practices such as pruning because canopy of over-story trees was closely covered. The Songrim woodland in the non-rest year forest severely competed among individual trees of DBH classes of 60 cm and height of 18 m, while the woodland in the rest-year forest competed with DBH classes of 62 cm and height of 10 m, respectively. Soil physical property such as soil hardness, soil pore space rates, and pF 2.7 was restored following the rest-year forest designation. Mean salt concentration in the Songrim woodland soils was 0.006%. The result suggests that it is needed to take a study to prevent the salt inputs to conserve the Songrim woodland.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
• /
• v.33 no.5_1
• /
• pp.571-585
• /
• 2017

The number of spaceborne optical sensors including red-edge band has been increasing since red-edge band is known to be effective to enhance the information content on biophysical characteristics of vegetation. Considering that the Agriculture and Forestry Satellite is planning to carry an imaging sensor having red-edge band, we tried to analyze the current status and potential of red-edge band. As a case study, we analyzed the effect of using red-edge band and tried to find the optimum band width and wavelength region of the red-edge band to estimate leaf area index (LAI) of very dense tree canopy. Field spectral measurements were conducted from April to October over two tree species (white oak and pitch pine) having high LAI. Using the spectral measurement data, total 355 red-edge bands reflectance were simulated by varying five band width (10 nm, 20 nm, 30 nm, 40 nm, 50 nm) and 71 central wavelength. Two red-edge based spectral indices(NDRE, CIRE) were derived using the simulated red-edge band and compared with the LAI of two tree species. Both NDRE and CIRE showed higher correlation coefficients with the LAI than NDVI. This would be an alternative to overcome the limitation of the NDVI saturation problem that NDVI has not been effective to estimate LAI over very dense canopy situation. There was no significant difference among five band widths of red-edge band in relation to LAI. The highest correlation coefficients were obtained at the red-edge band of center wavelength near the 720 nm for the white oak and 710 nm for the pitch pine. To select the optimum band width and wavelength region of the red-edge band, further studies are necessary to examine the relationship with other biophysical variables, such as chlorophyll, nitrogen, water content, and biomass.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.98 no.1
• /
• pp.94-105
• /
• 2009

Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) stand is representative lowland exotic plantation with low ecological quality and arrested succession in South Korea. To facilitate succession and restore natural vegetation, small canopy gaps (${\sim}57m^2$), which can modify minimally structural variables and reduce restoration related disturbances on stand, was established in the black locust stand, and oak (Quercus serrata) seedlings were introduced in the gap. Two types of varying levels were introduced for gap creation; cutting (C) and girdling (G) on canopies. Understory removal (CU and GU) treatment was applied as subtypes of structural modification. Growth (diameter, height and leaf area) of target species and responses (species composition, diversity and coverage) of understory community were monitored during study years (2007~2008). Canopy openness was different significantly among treatments but not for light availability. Based on the result of logistic regression, growth of height and leaf area of seedlings were significant variables on seedling survival. Height and leaf area of seedlings were increased during study years, although radial growth was reduced. During study years, there were no significant differences in species composition and diversity, and total coverage increased about 20%. Increase of resources by gap creation and understory removal likely affect growth of target species. Small gap creation was effective to reduce understory responses in composition and diverstiy. Synthesized, growth of target species and responses of understory community to small canopy gap creation exhibited, in short term, possibility of utilization in alternative forest restoration and management option. Long-term monitoring is necessary to certificate effect of artificial gap creation on forest restoration.