• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.167-179
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• 2023

The extent of change in the Land use/Land cover (LULC) of Okomu National Park (ONP) and fringe communities was evaluated. High resolution Landsat imagery was used to identify the major vegetation cover/land use systems and changes around the national park and fringe communities while field visits/ground truthing, involving the collection of coordinates of the locations was carried out to ascertain the various land cover/land use types identified on the images, and the extent of change over three-time series (2000, 2010 and 2020). The change detection was analyzed using area calculation, change detection by nature and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). The result of the classification and analysis of the LULC Change of ONP and fringe communities revealed an alarming rate of encroachment into the protected area. All the classification features analyzed had notable changes from 2000-2020. The forest, which was the dominant LULC feature in 2000, covering about 66.19% of the area reduced drastically to 36.12% in 2020. Agricultural land increased from 6.14% in 2000 to 34.06% in 2020 while vegetation (degraded land) increased from 27.18% in 2000 to 38.89% in 2020. The magnitude of the change in ONP and surroundings showed the forest lost -247.136 km² (50.01%) to other land cover classes with annual rate change of 10%, implying that 10% of forest land was lost annually in the area for 20 years. The NDVI classification values of 2020 indicate that the increase in medium (399.62 km² ) and secondary high (210.17 km² ) vegetation classes which drastically reduced the size of the high (38.07 km² ) vegetation class. Consequent disappearance of the high forests of Okomu is inevitable if this trend of exploitation is not checked. It is pertinent to explore other forest management strategies involving community participation.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.638-646
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the long-term habitat morphological alteration resulting from a large dam and weirs in the Tamjin River. To achieve this, we carried out a hydrograph analysis and a substrate size distribution analysis. We also estimated the channel width, bar area and vegetation encroachment using aerial photographs taken before and after the construction of the dam and weirs. The result of the hydrological analysis showed that flooding downstream was greatly reduced with small peaks occurrence after the dam construction. Interestingly, normal hydrographs in the main channel appeared just after tributary conjunction. There was a similar pattern in the substrate size analysis. Despite coarsened substrate just downstream of the dam site, more sand appeared again after introduction of the tributary. However, there was an increase in the bar area downstream of the dam's channels with most bars covered with vegetation. The channel width increased at the upper area of weirs through impoundment, but decreased downstream because of vegetation encroachment. This study indicate that unregulated tributary plays an important role in restoring hydro-physical habitat conditions in mainstream channels below a large dam. However, numerous weirs could be a causal factor to accelerate habitat deterioration in the dam downstream channels.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2017.05a
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• pp.333-333
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• 2017

Recently, long-lasting landscape of the Naesung Stream has been changed due to encroachment of vegetation. To analyze patterns and causes of these changes, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) has been carried out long-term monitoring research for the 56.8 km long study reach of the Naeseong Stream. Using the consecutive airborne LiDAR survey data obtained from 2012~2016, changes of channel bed forms such as bars could be detected. For the last four years of monitoring, mid-channel bars has been formed along the straight reaches and the existing bars showed vertical accretion caused by deposition on the vegetated surfaces.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.44-53
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• 2017

In order to investigate the response in fauna and biological communities of terrestrial insects to the vegetation encroachment on the sandbar, species composition, species diversity, functional species traits and community structure of land-dwelling insects sampled by a pit-fall trap were compared at the bare and vegetated sandbar of a typical sand-bed stream, the Naeseong Stream, Korea. Species diversity of the insects was increased but their density was decreased as the riparian vegetation encroached at the sandbar. In particular, indicator species of bare sandbar such as Cicindela laetescripta and Dianemobius csikii, were found at the bar sandbar. The insect communities were clearly classified at the bare and vegetated sandbar according to coverages of riparian plants. The food web of the bare sandbar was composed of detritus - detritivore and scavenger - predator consisted mainly of Coleoptera. On the other hand, the food web of the vegetated sandbar was composed of plants - sucking and chewing herbivore - parasitoid and predator. These results showed that biodiversity of terrestrial insects was increased, food web was changed from grazing to detritus food chain, and insect fauna specific bare sandbar disappeared as the riparian vegetation invaded on the sandbar of a sand-bed stream.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.194-205
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• 2022

Sandbars formed by sediment transportation and sedimentation are some of the most important habitats for specific wildlife and they provide an aesthetic landscape in streams. The purpose of this study was to understand the successional process of the colonization and development of early vegetation over time on sandbars exposed by the opening of a gate at a downstream weir. We selected the following four study sites in the Geumgang River, South Korea: three weir-upstream sites with different gate-opening times and a control site that was not affected by weir operation. Changes in the structural characteristics and spatial distribution of the riparian vegetation on the sandbars exposed after opening the gate at the weir were surveyed according to the different exposure periods of the sandbars at the study sites. The newly formed sandbars accounted for more than 33% of the area of the existing floodplain in the three weir-upstream sites of the Geumgang River after opening the gate at the weir. Nine main plant communities were distributed on the exposed sandbars. These communities were classified as annual mesophytic, perennial hydrophytic, perennial hygrophytic, subtree, and tree vegetation based on their species traits. As the duration of exposure of the sandbar increased, the area of the bare sandbar and the annual herbaceous and perennial hydrophytic communities decreased, and the areas occupied by perennial hygrophytic, subtree, and tree communities increased. Changes in vegetation on the sandbar were classified into three types of succession according to the condition of the aquatic habitat before the gate-opening and the degree of physical disturbance caused by the water flow after the gate-opening. The types of succession were: 1) succession starting from hydrophytes in the lentic aquatic zone, 2) succession starting from annual herbaceous hygrophytes in the lotic aquatic zone, and 3) willow-dominated succession in the disturbed channel side. Our results suggested that the dynamics of successional changes in vegetation should be considered during weir operation to ecologically manage the habitats and landscape of the fluvial landforms, including sandbars in streams.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.287-294
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• 2019

This study investigated longitudinal changes in riverbed materials properties and temporal alteration of river channel geomorphology in the Geum River basin, where two multipurpose dams(Yongdam Dam and Daecheong Dam) were built in upstream area. We carried out grain size distribution analyses and measured soil organic matter contents of riverbed materials taken at the upper and lower sites of the two large dams. We also estimated the channel width, bar area and vegetation encroachment using the oldest map and aerial photographs taken before and after the construction of the dams. The results can contribute to increasing understandings of dam induced habitat alteration in river ecosystem.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.12-23
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• 2017

The Naeseong Stream is a meandering sand-bed stream flowing through mountains and has so long maintained its geomorphological uniqueness characterized by extensive braided bare bars. Recently, its long-lasting landscape has been changed due to encroachment of vegetation. In this study being a part of long-term monitoring research morphological changes of the 56.8 km long study reach of the Naeseong Stream, which occurred during the period of 2012 - 2016 were analyzed. Airborne LiDAR and terrestrial cross-section surveys were carried out. Hydrological and on-site investigation data were also collected. Among the main four sites, two bend reaches showed point bars enlarged, while along the other two straight reaches mid-channel bars were either newly formed or increased in area and height. At the highest deposition point of each bar, vertical changes which were caused by one or two times of sediment deposition amounted to 0.6 - 1.4 m. On the contrary channel bed degradation was not obvious. Overall morphological changes in the study reach were attributed to deposition of sediment which occurred during the flood in July 2016 on the bar surfaces vegetated during the precedent dry seasons. These kind of geomorphological processes are thought to be the same as those related to the existing mid-channel islands along the mid- and downstream reach of the Naeseong Stream.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.445-454
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• 2012

The present study aims to investigate the long-term channel morphological changes derived from channelization, embankment and levee construction works in unregulated fluvial channel of the Jiseock River. Analyses of aerial photographs taken past (Year 1966) and recent (Year 2002) showed the temporally remarkable changes in channel planform such as channel shape, bar migration, vegetation encroachment in bar. During the period, the natural single threading changed into braided types together with decreasing sinuosity by 9.2%, increasing vegetation occupied bar ranged 97% of total bars area. Because such channel morphological changes are closely similar to those in dam downstream channels, we assume that both/either flow regime alteration and/or sediment transport discontinuity may be critical for the fixed channel and spread of vegetated bars even in unregulated river without dam reservoir upstream. We found more reduced frequency and magnitude of flooding water level comparing with past, but no significant alteration of inter annual water level variation. Bed material has been coarsened by 4~5 times and the riverbed has been degraded in overall channel but aggraded locally in conjunction reach of tributaries. The results indicates that reduced sediment dynamics in fluvial channel which derived by bed material coarsening, river bed degradation and unbalanced sediment transport capacity between tributary and mainstem can be a causal factor to trigger channel morphological changes even in unregulated rivers.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.69-80
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• 2012

The purpose of this paper was to study the issues related to converting the graveyards within forests into spaces intended for tree burials by means of planting, given the situation that the graveyards have encroached on land and damaged the environment. For the reason, a field survey was performed to determine the width, length, and distance to the nearest tree of 205 graveyards in the capital area. Through this, it was determined that the domestic lands damaged by graveyards amounted to $862km^2$, including the areas that were deforested to manage the graves. This only confirms that land encroachment by graveyards is a serious issue. The methods for making tree burial sites were examined from the perspective of how to meet public demands given the graveyard's spatial distinctiveness. As a result, this study suggested different methods to establish tree burial sites according to the degree of transformation and the term of its formation. This study also classified the graveyards into three types, and identified the planting methods that harmonized the safe growth of trees and the scenic beauty of memorial places based on the standard. This is in order to plant trees that are shade-tolerant and suitable to the forest line, along with which other tree line was and also, to plant aesthetic trees around the empty space. Through applying the developed methods, this study established and monitored two exemplary sites in Yongin and Boryeng. Aesthetic trees were planted in Yongin site which was located in an open area, aod the shade-tolerant trees were planted in Boryeong, which was located in a forest area. As a result, the image of a garden appeared at Yongin site and the image of a tree colony harmonized with the near forest emerged at Boryeong site. Therefore, it is confirmed that the method of planting according to the distribution status of neighboring trees was effective. As a result of monitoring, mulching wood chips were suitable for sites that were small or easy to approach. This is because the weeds were controlled in Yongin site by mulching. Furthermore, by monitoring the growth of 11 species of vegetation, this study confirmed that low and cover-type vegetations were suitable for tree burial sites. In Boryeong site, the wild cherry trees, which were planted as adult trees, all died, and the tilling of snake's beard, which were planted as cover vegetation, was slow. Therefore, this study found that seedlings were more suitable to plant in forest graveyards than adult trees, which were large and difficult to approach, and it was effective to use the remaining lawn and form a low vegetation after the crown of trees had expanded to such places.