• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.285-297
• /
• 2024

This study, conducted in Geolpo-dong and Gamjeong-dong near Gimpo-Hangang New Town, examines an area adjacent to the Han River estuary, a major wintering ground for migratory birds. Over 59 surveys from October 2015 to March 2022 in four representative rice fields (sites A-D) recorded 44,942 individuals from 32 genera and 72 species. Site D, a large area near the Han River, exhibited high species diversity. Despite lower diversity in areas under development (sites A, B, C), ongoing species influx and utilization persist. The study focuses on Anser fabalis, a species predominantly utilizing rice fields, and identified their distribution characteristics. The analysis revealed 162 instances of population influx, with over a 30-fold increase observed across 39 surveys conducted over a 30-month period (October to March, '15~'22). The area, a key wintering site for migratory birds of Janghang Wetland, about 5 km from feeding sites, is heavily utilized by migratory geese, indicating the region's high value considering migration distance and anticipated continuous bird influx despite urban expansion. Therefore, future developments should preserve ecological corridors and connected stepping stone habitats to not only preserve existing habitats but to secure alternative feeding sites, ensuring smooth movements and mitigating habitat loss.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.642-649
• /
• 2014

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is the abundant winter visitor in South Korea. Mallard migrates long distances between Russian Siberia and Korea. This species prefers a rice paddy area as their winter habitat. We captured birds using cannon-net, and attached the GPS-Mobile phone based Telemetry(WT-200) on Seven Mallards in the winter of 2011~2013. We were monitored wintering home-range and movement distance. We analyzed the tracking location data using ArcGIS 9.0 and calculated Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) and Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP). The average home-range in the wintering ground by MCP was $118.8km^2$(SD=70.1, n=7)and the maximum home-rang was $221.8km^2$ and the minimum was $27.7km^2$. Extents of home-range by KDE were $60.0km^2$(KDE 90%), $23.0km^2$(KDE 70%) and $11.6km^2$(KDE 50%). Mallard moved an average of 19.4 km from start site(attach to WT-200 site), maximum moved was 33.2 km and minimum moved was 9.4 km. The average distance of 0.8 km between GPS fixed point(range 0.2~1.6 km), maximum moved was 19.7 km. Mallard moved a very short distance in wintering season and showed a very high water-dependent trends in wintering site.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.165-169
• /
• 2006

As a Biodiversity Management Plan in S. Korea, barley fields are being prepared for the wintering migratory birds. However, the effectiveness of barley fields as a feeding habitat has not been evaluated. In 2003/04 wintering period, we installed exclosures in the barley fields to evaluate the waterfowl grazing effectiveness. Approximately 8,000 waterfowls used the Dongup Reservoir System and utilized the barley fields during the daytime. The white-fronted goose Anser albifrons occupied more than 90% of the all barley-feeding waterfowls. Waterfowls significantly impacted to the shoot density and biomass of barley. In the closed plot, barley shoot density gradually increased to $267{\pm}27/m^2$ in January, 2004. Shoot density in open plots (site 1) declined sharply from.15 December ($189{\pm}18/m^2$) to 5 January 2004 ($25{\pm}11/m^2$). However, barley shoot density in open plots (site 2) was stable in January 2004 because of human disturbances. The changes in barley biomass and shoot density showed similar trend in both open and closed plot. From the exclosure experiment, it was clear that barley fields were important feeding habitat for wintering waterfowls in this area. Further, human disturbances such as noise from traffic and other human activities (farming and hiking) had significant impact on waterfowls' grazing activity. Collectively, winter barley fields were effective for waterfowl feeding, but the location of barley fields should be carefully selected for the maximum utilization of the barley feeding.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Environment and Ecology Conference
• /
• 2008.04a
• /
• pp.34-37
• /
• 2008

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.37-43
• /
• 2008

We analyzed soil characteristics, soil seed banks, and plant communities in a small islet in Ganwol Lake from May 2005 to August 2006 to examine the forces driving plant settlement on sand bars and the effects of plant settlement patterns on nesting sites of little terns (Sterna albifrons). The soil nutrients contents in a site where the feces of wintering birds accumulate (N: 15.4 mg/kg, P: 10.5 mg/kg, LOI: 0.51 %, pH: 6.8) and a site where organic sediments accumulate (N: 20.7 mg/kg, P: 16.4 mg/kg, LOI: 0.40%, pH: 6.6) were much higher those of a control site which was not affected by bird feces and organic sediments (N: 4.1 mg/kg, P: 5.4 mg/kg, LOI: 0.41%, pH: 6.7). However, a seed bank was formed only on the site with accumulated organic sediments. Plant settlement was accelerated by feces from wintering birds and organic sediment accumulation on sand bars in Ganwol Lake. The percentage of area disturbed by human activities increased from 0.2% in May 2005 to 13.9% in August 2006, and the percentage of annual communities increased from 27.5% to 43.3%, but the percentage of open area decreased from 55.2% to 28.0% from May 2005 to August 2006. These increases in disturbed area and annual communities decreased the open area for breeding of little terns. The enlargement of P. communis and T. angustata communities was suppressed by irregular flooding. These results provide useful information for the management of little tern breeding sites for conservation purposes.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.305-315
• /
• 2013

This study is aimed to provide the preliminary data for conservation and management of wintering site for Anser fabalis population in Cheongna Area, Incheon Free Economic Zone, Korea through analyzing the relationship between the biotop structure of its wintering site and behavior characteristics. The main types (size and ratio) of the biotope in Cheongna Area, Incheon Free Economic Zone are reed wetlands ($6,093,762m^2$, 47.8%), rice fields without rice straw ($2,927,916m^2$, 23.0%), and rice fields with rice straw ($1,915,655m^2$, 15.0%). According to the survey carried on 13th Feb., 2013, total 33 species and 6, 535 individual birds were observed and among of them, the dominant bird was Anser fabalis showing 5,128 indiviuals, 78% of total population. As the result of analyzing the migratory route of Anser fabalis, the bird moved from roosting site to foraging site before and after sunrise and from feeding site to roosting site before and after sunset. According to the analysis of interrelation between habitat characteristics and biotope types of the bird, population density was the highest in reed wetlands among habitat types and individual appearance was the highest in water-filled rice field melting ice. The bird ate the roots and bulb of hydrophytes in reed wetlands and showed various behaviors like eating dropped grains, resting and sleeping in water-filled rice fields and eating dropped grains and resting in rice fields with and without rice straw. It is shown that the number of Anser fabalis appearing in rice fields is depended on the presence of dropped grains than types of rice field.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.418-430
• /
• 2009

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the topography of land and vegetation and the preferred habitat of wintering cranes. Investigations were conducted twelve times in Cheorwon basin, South Korea, during two wintering seasons (12/2005 - 2/2006; 1/2007 - 2/2007). The density of rice grain in the middle of rice paddies was higher than that of the areas along the edge of rice paddies. However it was observed that red-naped cranes preferred to feed along the edges of rice paddies rather than to feed in the middle of the paddies. White-naped cranes, on the other hand, Preferred to feed in the middle of paddies. To be more specific, red-crowned cranes preferred feeding sites such as levees of the paddies or the areas where the level of the rice beds was comparatively more elevated. But the preference of the white-naped cranes turned out to be just the opposite. Another finding was that both red-naped cranes and white-naped cranes preferred concealed areas for their feeding site, and the frequency rate of their feeding in concealed areas has little to do with weather factors. This finding contradicts a widely accepted view that cranes prefer open spaces for their feeding site. Besides, red-crowned cranes, compared with white-naped cranes, preferred to feed in more concealed areas. The frequency rate of feeding in both concealed areas and non-concealed areas had little to do with the size of feeding flocks. There was no difference between a flock of fewer than five cranes and a flock of more than five cranes in terms of frequency rate of their feeding. In conclusion, the result of these investigations indicate that red-naped cranes comparatively prefer concealed areas for their feeding site, and white-naped cranes are less prone to them, and there is no direct connection between their preference of feeding site or frequency and the size of their flock. This is presumed to be the characteristics unique to their individual species.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.18 no.6
• /
• pp.151-165
• /
• 2015

This study surveys and analyzes the ecology of Gangseo area to be developed near Nakdonggang River and West Nakdonggang River in Busan - before its development. With the result of the surveys as its basis, the study also finds ways to conserve the area's bird habitats in response to the planned development. According to the site surveys over four seasons, West Nakdonggang River which is near the targeted development area is a wintering ground for migratory birds. Some representative bird types in this area are ducks, geese, and other water birds. There are even six legally protected species. The average altitude of their flight is calculated to be $92.4{\pm}18.8m$ and the main purpose for the migration is determined to be for food. According to evalution of the conservation value of the area, Nakdonggang River and West Nakdonggang River turns out to have the highest conservation value. Other areas are developable as long as it was environmentally friendly. Therefore, this study suggests incorporation of ecological parks and biotopes within the targeted development area along with the proposal for spaces in the surroundings where the wintering birds can rest and feed. Especially for the wintering birds that rest at Nakdonggang River and West Nakdonggang River, their flight direction and pattern was examined to determine that their resting ground should be located 50~100m off of the river bank. Furthermore, this study proposes ways to maximize bird habitat by building ecological corridors between the agricultural channel and other small streams in the targeted development area and the habitats in the surroundings. Lastly, the study suggests the construction of low buildings, at most 20m in height, near Nakdonggang River and West Nakdonggang River considering the birds' flight altitude and direction.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.52 no.3
• /
• pp.205-213
• /
• 2013

Forest fires disturb communities of forest-dwelling insects by killing or dispersal. Species diversity, species composition, and functional guilds of ant communities will be changed following forest fires. A survey of ants was conducted to find changes in ant communities after a large fire occurred in Goseong within Gwangwon province in South Korea in 1996. In total, 1,308 ants representing 16 species were collected; 696 ants representing 15 species were collected at the burned site, and 612 ants representing 13 species were collected at the unburned site. Contrary to the general expectation which predicts a decrease of diversity and abundance after fire, abundance, species diversity, species composition, and functional guilds of ant communities did not differ between the burned site and the unburned site. Furthermore, estimated species richness was significantly higher at the burned site than at the unburned site. However, monthly occurrences of ants (abundant species and pooled) were different between the burned site and the unburned site. Ants were more abundant at the burned sites than the unburned site just after the fire (May 1996). However, they were more abundant at the unburned site than the burned site in autumn (September and October 1996). This phenomenon might be caused by environmental change (e.g., decrease of soil moisture). In conclusion, the fire did not significantly change ant fauna, as fire in spring cannot destroy ant colonies that are wintering in deep soils.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.146-154
• /
• 2016

In this study, understanding the habitats on spot-billed duck that wintering-breed in the korea, which using the GPS-Mobile based Telemtry (WT-200), I tried to take advantage as the basic data of the protection and management of the habitats of the waterbirds of Korea. Study area is Gyeonggi-do Bokhacheon, Chonmichon, Chungcheongnam-do Gokugyochon, Chungcheongbuk-do Byeongcheoncheon, Jeollabuk-do Mangyunggang, which Five rivers and Jeju Island reservoir, I have attached the tracking of the location(WT -200) to the twenty-five spot-billed ducks. among twenty five ducks, twelve ducks moved to overseas countries, the arrival site was China, North Korea, Russia. Moving average distance was 683km, the largest distance was 1,238km. The average northbound starting date was April 26. The average daily movement distance of thirteen ducks remaining in the domestic country is $1.0{\pm}0.89km$, maximum travel distance was 23.8km. The average daily movement distance of wintering prior to average going north dating is a 0.9km, is the largest 14.6km, the breeding season is an average 1.3km, maximum was 14.4km. Spot-billed duck used the rivers in domestic country most frequently, following was rice field, a filed, reservoir. It used the river most frequently during the wintering period, in the breeding season it used paddy paddies most frequently. While wintering, during the day and night's utilization rate was the highest in the river, but utilization rate was incleased on filed, paddy filed at night. During breeding season, daytime and night's utilization rate was the highest but, utilization rate was increased on river and utilization rate was decreased on river. In accordance with time change, spot-billed duck showed different tendency in paddy fields, and they utilized the filed adjacent to rivers mostly.