• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.481-488
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• 2011

Various development activities have lead to the destruction of the ecosystem such as natural wetlands. In order to protect these natural wetlands, the Ministry of Environment (MOE) in Korea enacted the Wetland Conservation Act in 1999 and designated protected areas for wetland conservation. The MOE adapted the use of Best Management Practices (BMP) such as retention ponds and constructed wetlands to treat the polluted water before entering the water system. One of these projects was a free-water surface flow (FWS) constructed wetland built as a secondary treatment unit for piggery wastewater effluent coming from a livestock wastewater treatment facility. Water quality monitoring for the constructed wetland was conducted during rainfall events. The results showed that the average removal efficiencies of TSS, BOD, TN, TP were 86, 60, 45, 70%, respectively. It was observed that the removal efficiency of particulate matter and phosphorus was high compared to nitrogen. Therefore, a longer hydraulic retention time was needed in order to improve the treatment efficiency of nitrogen. The results of this study can contribute to the wetland design, operation and maintenance of constructed wetlands.

• Journal of Cadastre & Land InformatiX
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2017

Human activity such as agriculture, industrial development and urban sprawl has been the major threat to wetlands ecosystem, which have caused the greatest losses of coastal wetlands. The Garorim bay provides one of the most important wetland habitate and Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries designated Garorim bay to marine ecosystem protected area in July 2016. The purpose of this research is to analysis the spatial pattern of Garorim bay using Landsat 5 (TM), Landsat 7 (ETM+), Landsat 8 (OLI & TIRS). The surface temperature and NDVI of Garorim bay were processed with spatial analysis method and time series analysis were applied to 25 years Landsat satellite 19 images. The results of time series distribution map compared with the several wetland habitate on remotely sensed images. Landsat images showed the change area of wetland vegetation distribution from 1988 to 2014. The southern part habitate of Garorim bay have been changed with vegetation patterns on coastal wetland which were covered with tidal flat.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.249-260
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• 2022

This mini review examines the habitat connectivity and effectiveness of Korean Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecosystem (YSLME) region. We first reemphasize that the Korean region of the YSLME is a single ecosystem (ecoregion) given the biophysical distribution patterns. The MPAs within the YSLME contribute about 50% to the total MPAs in Korea, accounting for about 10% of the territorial sea waters of Korea and 20% of the waters of YSLME on the Korean side. By area, national parks account for nearly 45% of the MPAs, followed by the wetland protected areas at 25%, with other types of MPA comprising the remaining 30%. Large MPA (> 100 km²) is the dominant type of MPA, accounting for 90% of the total area. We find that MPAs in the region are connected physically and perhaps also genetically. However, the level of protection was found to be low, and a no-take zone is rarely implemented. In addition, interrupted freshwater discharge caused by river-mouth dams poses a major hindrance to the physical connectivity of the MPAs. Restoration of the river-mouth dams and strengthened regulation on MPAs, with further expansion of MPAs in line with the current development of post-2020 global biodiversity frameworks, should be priorities for better management of marine resources. The newly revised law incorporating the concept of "Marine Ecosystem Axis Management" would reinforce the processes, and their effectiveness together with overall management of MPAs in Korea should be evaluated by designing appropriate measurement tools.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.167-168
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• 2003

The Upo wetland, the largest natural wetland in Korea, is located in Changnyeong-gun, Gyeongsannam Province ($35^{\circ}33'$ N, $128^{\circ}25'$ E), and 70 km upstream from the Nakdong River estuary. Unlike most other Korean wetlands that have been destroyed under the name of economic development, the Upo wetland has been able to preserve its precious ecosystem throughout the years. Thanks to increased public awareness about natural wetlands and environmental conservation, the Korean Ministry of Environment designated the Upo wetland an 'Ecological Conservation Area' on July 26th, 1997. On March 2nd of the following year, the Upo wetland (8.54 $\textrm{km}^2$) was designated a 'Protected Wetland' in accordance with the international Ramsar Treaty. A 4.49m long (from 9.73 to 5.24 m in altitude) UP-1 core ($35^{\circ}33'05"N$, $128^{\circ}25'17"E$), recovered in the marginal part of the Upo wetland, is divided into eight buried paleosol units of different ages on the basis of the abundance of color mottles and vertical color variations (Aslan et al., 1998). Radiocarbon datings suggested that the paleosol profile represent the last 5700 years. The entire section of the core was more or less subjected to pedogenetic processes, and shows very weak to moderate soil profile development. These Holocene paleosols are therefore regarded as synsedimentary soils of deluvium (deposits formed by floods) origin (Sycheva et al., 2003). Unit 1 to 5 paleosols are generally silt-rich and exhibit moderate profile development. The boundaries between the units are somewhat distinguishable, but not so clear cut. This is due to variable repeated combination of accumulation, denudation and soil forming processes within various periods. Mottle textures gradually decrease in abundance with increasing clay content in Unit 6, which results in weak profile development. The lower boundary of Unit 6 lies around about 2000 yrBP, the beginning of Subatlantic in Korea (Kim et al., 2001). Abrupt sediment textural change is detected in Unit 7, which is interpreted to indicate the human activities on the Upo wetland. Unit 8 represents the recent soil forming processes. The preliminary results of this ongoing study imply the primary factor for pedogenetic processes is the water table fluctuations related to the sedimentary textures like grain size distributions, and the geomorphological stability of the Upo wetland.o wetland.

• The Journal of Fisheries Business Administration
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.41-61
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• 2011

Marine protected Areas(MPAs) are specially designated zones of the sea that are designed to secure operation of ecosystem function and to restore marine ecosystem to the original state by excluding all detrimental human activities. MPAs have been proposed in many countries as means of realizing sustainable fisheries and recently MPAs are newly receiving attention as precautionary measure for global warming and climate change. The purpose of this paper is to examine the possibility of MPAs as fisheries management tools through a wide range of literature analysis and to suggest necessity of fisheries purpose of MPAs in Korea. Establishment of marine protected area can accompany various economic benefits such as restoration of marine environment, preservation of habitats, promotion of marine tourism and so on. Especially, a lot of case studies suggested that MPAs may bring out benefits to the fishing industry as a result of enhanced stocks. Fisheries benefits of MPAs on targeted species include increased abundance, increased mean individual size and age, increased reproductive output, enhanced recruitment inside and outside refuge, maintenance of genetic diversity of stocks, and enhanced fishery yields in adjacent fishing grounds, so called spill-over. MPAs for ecosystem conservation and protection of coastal wetland have been applied appropriately and effectively, however, the Korean MPAs system is still detective due to absence of fisheries purpose MPAs. Finally, suggestions for Korean MPAs can be summarized as following four recommendations; to establish number of small-scale MPAs rather than few large MPAs, to designate island and its surrounding areas as reserve, to consider MPA design with stock enhancement program, and to undertake co-management with Eochon-Gye, the traditional coastal community in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.111-120
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• 2016

This study is aimed at using the grasped problems of protected areas in Korea as the basic data for management planning and system improvement of protected areas by grasping realistic problems through the interview with the persons in charge on the basis of general problems of domestic protected areas. To this end, this study deducted major problems in urgent need of improvement, and improvement direction through the survey of the persons in charge of protected areas. This study result is as follows: The major problems, which should be preferentially improved, were found to be shortages of management infrastructure, cooperation between interested parties, and threat factors in protected areas, etc. Such problems are interconnected with each other, thus coming up complexly; therefore, it's necessary to make a comprehensive approach to the problems after confirming the causal relationship of the identified problems. In addition, for the purpose of effective management of a protected area, it's necessary to implement priority management of major problems through different management intensity from the planning phase. Also, it's important to enhance the effectiveness of planning by considering a possible potential threat factor in the outside of protected areas, and referring to the contents of the development plan for the relevant area in time of management planning. Lastly, there is the need for systematic improvement of an institution through thorough status review of the actual state of management planning fulfillment in order to increase the effectiveness of planning in a follow-up study hereafter.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.465-474
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• 2016

Since Gyungan stream is included in the protected zone of the water supply source of the Metropolitan area in Korea, the water quality needs to be continuously managed. Therefore, a measure is required that can inhibit the flow of water pollutant into the water body and facilitate the ecological restoration of riparian vegetation. A field survey was conducted on the hydrological characteristics of the landscape elements established on the downstream catchment of the Gyungan stream, the result of which showed that the paddy field and urbanized area can be regarded as point pollution sources. The upland field can be regarded as a non-point pollution source. In order to improve the water quality in the Paldang lake, we first recommended creating a riparian vegetation belt. We also suggested introducing a treatment wetland and an artificial plant island to places in which the creation of a riparian vegetation belt is not ensured. We recommend creating a treatment wetland equipped with diverse functional groups. For creating the plant island, we recommend Zizania latifolia and Typha orientalis, which showed the highest productivity among aquatic plants. The former could be introduced around the outlet of a paddy field and the estuary of tributaries, while the latter could be introduced to a water body directly sourced from mountainous land.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.71-81
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• 2019

This study aims to provide basic data for the decision-making process in selecting sites for wetland restoration projects. To this end, the current list of demaged wetlands was identified based on the findings from the nationwide monitoring project in 2016 targeted at wetlands in inland areas. Then, to determine the necessity of restoration for these demaged sites, the cause of demage was investigated, and their conservation value was examined from an ecological and legal perspective. The 2016 monitoring project identified a total of 20 demaged wetlands, of which one site was deemed to have high conservation value through analysis of its ecological and legal values and on-site reviews. The results of this study are expected to support policymakers' decision-making in selecting wetlands for restoration projects since it identifies priority sites among demaged wetlands that require immediate restoration efforts. It should also be pointed out that wetlands in South Korea cannot benefit from legal protection despite their high conservation value unless they have a designated status as protected areas.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.104-116
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• 2019

Background: The composition of wild bird populations in temperate zones greatly varies depending on phenological changes rather than other environmental factors. Particularly, wild birds appearing in wetlands fluctuate greatly due to the crossover of species arriving for breeding during the summer and for wintering. Therefore, to understand the changes to species composition related to phenology, we conducted this basic analysis of populations to further the cause of the protection of wetland-dependent wild birds. Methods: It is wrong to simply divide a wild bird population investigation into seasons. This study identifies species composition and indicator species that change along with seasons. Wetlands to be surveyed are protected by natural monuments and wetland inventory and are in a state close to nature. In order to identify as many species as possible in wetlands, a survey was conducted in both shallow and deep wetlands. The water depth varied in these areas, ranging from 0.2 to 2.0 m, allowing for both dabbling and diving ducks to inhabit the area. Surveys were conducted using line-transect and distance sampling methods and were conducted at intervals of 2 weeks. The survey was conducted under the following three categories: the eco-tone and emergent zone, the submergent zone, and the water surface. The survey was conducted along a wetland boundary by observing wild birds. A PC-ord program was used for clustering, and the SAS program was used to analyze the changes in species composition. The data strongly indicates that day length is the main factor for seasonal migration periods, despite the fact that climate change and increasing temperatures are often discussed. Results and conclusions: The indicator species for determining seasons include migrant birds such as Ardea cinerea, Alcedo atthis, Anas penelope, and Poiceps ruficollis, as well as resident birds such as Streptopelia orientalis and Emberiza elegans. Importantly, increases in local individual counts of these species may also serve as indicators. The survey results of seasonal fluctuations in temperate zones shows that spring (April to June), summer (July to September), autumn (October), and winter (November to March) are clearly distinguishable, even though spring and summer seasons tend to overlap, leading to the conclusion that additional research could more clearly identify fluctuation patterns in species composition and abundance in the study area.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.149-169
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• 2022

Hwapocheon stream is located in Gimhae-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, and a part was declared a protected wetland area in 2017. In 2020 and 2021, we investigated the community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates of the Hwapocheon stream to provide ecological information for the management of the wetland. As a result, 4 phyla, 6 classes, 20 orders, 51 families, 83 species, and 2,621 individuals of benthic macroinvertebrates were identified. The average indices of diversity, richness, and evenness were the highest in the midstream area, whereas the highest average index of dominance was observed upstream. Seven biological water quality evaluations based on the distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates showed that the Biological Monitoring Working Party was an extremely suitable method for environmental evaluation of the Hwapocheon stream. Regarding functional feeding groups, the number of species of predators and gathering-collectors was the highest, and considering habitual dwelling groups, the number of species of clingers and sprawlers was the highest. The species number of Odonata, Hemiptera, and Coleoptera increased toward the downstream area, whereas the community loss index was the highest upstream. We also investigated relative resistance and resilience based on the distribution of aquatic insects and found that community stability was the highest downstream, whereas the lowest upstream.