• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.75-95
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• 2012

BACKGROUND: Increase of heavy metals in agricultural ecosystem has become a social issue nationwide as it is related to public health. This review was performed to find out more systematic and integrated future researches on heavy metals using up to date articles published in the Korean journals related to agricultural environment. METHODS AND RESULTS: Researches on heavy metals in agricultural soils and plant uptake were categorized by the establishment of criteria, analytical methods, monitoring, management of source, characteristics and behavior in soil, plant uptake, bioavailability affecting physico -chemical properties in soil, risk assessment and soil remediation. In the early 1990s, the monitoring for heavy metals in soil has been widely performed. Accumulation of heavy metals in contaminated soil and availability to plants has also attracted interests to study the soil remediation using various physico-chemical methods. The phytoavailability and phytotoxicity of heavy metals have been mainly studied to assess the safety of agro-products using risk assessment techniques in the 2000s. CONCLUSION: Future direction of research on heavy metal in agricultural environment must be carried out by ensuring food safety and sustainability. A steady survey and proper management for polluted regions should be continued. Law and regulation must be modified systematically. Furthermore, studies should expand on mitigation of heavy metal uptake by crops and remediation of polluted fields.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.323-330
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• 2006

We investigated the impact of watermelon grafted onto Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus (CGMMV)-resistant transgenic watermelon rootstock on insects as non-target organisms in a greenhouse in 2005. We quantitatively collected insect assemblages living on leaves and flowers, and we used sticky traps to collect alate insects. We compared the patterns of insect assemblages and community composition, cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii Glover) on watermelon leaves and western flower thrip (Frankliniella occidentalis Trybom) on watermelon male flowers, between CGMMV-resistant transgenic watermelon (TR) and non-transgenic watermelon (nTR). Non-parametric multidimensional scaling (NMS) ordination verified that insect assemblages on leaves and sticky traps were different between TR and nTR (P<0.05). The insect assemblages on male flowers were not statistically significant. Multi-response permutation procedures proofed our results from NMS results (P>0.05). Conclusively, TR watermelons appear to have some adverse effects on the population of cotton aphids on leaves and sticky traps, but watermelon male flowers do not show an adverse effect. Further research is required to assess the effect of TR on the aphid and western flower thrip. Life table experiments might support the specific reason for the adverse effects from leaf assemblages. Assessment of non-target impacts is an essential part of the risk assessment of non-target insects for the impact of transgenic organisms.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.28-32
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• 2006

Effect of organic-C on immobilization and nitrification patterns in acidic soil was examined during 20 weeks incubation period to verify if organic amendments such as composted material can increase soil retention of N by stimulating microbial immobilization of $NH_4^+$. Four treatments were laid out: control without fertilizer N and glucose (treatment code: S), ammonium sulfate (SN), ammonium sulfate with single glucose at the commencement (0 week) of incubation (SNG), and ammonium sulfate with double glucose at 0 and 4 weeks of incubation (SNGG). Glucose application (SNG) significantly increased microbial immobilization of $NH_4^+$ within 1 week of incubation over SN. Immobilization was followed by remineralization thereafter; however, second-application of glucose (SNGG) restored $NH_4^+$ immobilization. At the same time, nitrification was significantly inhibited by glucose application as indicated by consistently low $NO_3^-$ concentration in SNG and SNGG soils, suggesting that microbial assimilation of $NH_4^+$ is predominant compared to nitrification when available C-source is abundant. These results suggest application of chemical fertilizer-N with organic amendment would have beneficial effect on soil-N retention and environmental conservation by reducing production of $NO_3^-$ which is likely to be lost through leaching or denitrification.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.339-348
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• 2014

Agro-ecosystem plays an important role in the mitigation of atmospheric $CO_2$ concentration through photosynthesis and soil carbon fixation. The perennial crops have capacity of carbon accumulation because they have lived for years in the same position. Carbon dioxide fixation occurs in the fruit orchard by photosynthesis and soil carbon sequestration. The objectives of this review are to introduce the fruit orchard as a carbon dioxide sink and to summarize the methods that measure $CO_2$ flux in the orchard. There are three difference methods (chamber, biomass, and eddy covariance method) to measure $CO_2$ exchanges on sites. However, there is no standard method suitable for fruit cultivation condition in Korea. Thus the standard method have to be developed in order to exactly estimate the carbon accumulation. In foreign studies, the carbon assessments were conducted in apple, peach, olive, grape orchard and so on. On the other hand the estimation of $CO_2$ exchange was carried out for apple and mandarine orchard in Korea. According to these results, fruit orchard is a $CO_2$ sink even though amount of carbon accumulation is smaller than the forest. To introduce certainly fruit orchard as greenhouse gas sink, long-term monitoring and further study have to be conducted under each planting condition.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.137-146
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• 2021

We aimed to investigate the macromoth diversity and species composition between two forest types; a small and fragmented agroecosystem(SFA) and a large and continuous forest ecosystem(LCF). We sampled moths twice(in June and August) using ultraviolet light traps employed in eight regions from 2018 to 2019. The results showed a significant difference between the two ecosystems; species richness, abundance and species diversity index (H') were significantly higher in LCF than in SFA. Beta diversity using Chao-Sorensen Raw abundance showed that moth community in SFA was different from that in LCF. The two components of beta diversity showed that the turnover rate was higher in LCF while nestedness was higher in SFA.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.815-824
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• 2022

It is necessary to understand the amount of snowfall and area of snow cover of Mt. Halla to ensure the safety of mountaineers and to protect the ecosystem of Mt. Halla against climate change. However, there are not enough related studies and observation posts for monitoring snow load. Therefore, to supplement the insufficient data, this study proposes an analysis of snow load and snow cover using normalized-difference snow index. Using the images obtained from the Sentinel2 satellite, the normalized-difference snow index image of Mt. Halla could be acquired. This was examined together with the meteorological data obtained from the existing observatory to analyze the change in snow cover for the years 2020 and 2021. The normalized-difference snow index images showed a smaller snow pixel number in 2021 than that in 2020. This study concluded that 2021 may have been warmer than 2020. In the future, it will be necessary to continuously monitor the amount of snow and the snow-covered area of Mt. Halla using the normalized-difference snow index image analysis method.

• Proceedings of The Korean Society of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology Conference
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• 2013.11a
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• pp.23-24
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• 2013

Micrometeorological fluxes measured over a tall forest in a complex terrain are difficult to interpret. $CO_2$ storage often makes significant contributions to net ecosystem exchange of $CO_2$ (NEE) in early morning and during nighttime due to calm and stable conditions. We measured the above-canopy $CO_2$ flux along with its concentration profiles at eight levels within and above the canopy to evaluate $CO_2$ storage term. Our question is whether or not the $CO_2$ storage term can be estimated accurately from a single level measurement of $CO_2$ concentration in a complex terrain. Our objectives are (1) to document vertical profiles of $CO_2$ concentration and (2) to compare the diurnal and seasonal variations of $CO_2$ storages estimated from single and multi-level $CO_2$ concentration data. Seasonally averaged Diurnal variations of $CO_2$ concentration ranged from 398 to 455 ppm near the forest floor at 0.1 m whereas they ranged from 364 to 395 ppm at 40 m in the atmosphere. The diurnal variation of vertical profiles of $CO_2$ concentration shows very interesting features with season. At all eight levels, diurnal variation of $CO_2$ concentration showed little change in winter. In spring, the diurnal variations of $CO_2$ concentration at 8 levels showed three distinct groups of layers with height: the first layer: 0.1m (near surface), second layer: 1.0 m and 4.0m (below canopy) and the third layer: 7.4m to 40.7 m (near canopy and above). In summer, these three groups of layers were further separated with larger variations whereas such distinction became smaller in fall. The diurnal variation of $CO_2$ concentration in the first three layers near surface always showed higher concentration with larger variability. Typically, $CO_2$ concentration showed peaks in early morning and in the evening. After the evening peak, $CO_2$ concentration gradually increased except for those near the surface (i.e., 0.1, 1.0 and 4.0 m) where the concentrations actually decreased. We suspect that this could be attributed to the drainage flow of $CO_2$ along the hill slope from the headwater to downstream, which is not taken into account for net ecosystem $CO_2$ exchange. In comparison to the results of other studies, the distinct and different vertical structures of $CO_2$ concentrations observed at our site may be due to complex terrain and weak turbulent mixing under calm conditions at the site. The annual mean of diurnal variation of $CO_2$ storage flux from single level ranged from -0.6 to $0.9{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ and from multi-level from -1.2 to $1.0{\mu}\;{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$. When compared against the results from the multi-level concentrations, the storage flux estimated from a single-level concentration was generally adequate except for specific hours near sunrise and sunset. Further details and their implication will be discussed in the presentation.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.350-356
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• 2011

Environment-friendly agro-materials tend to be preferred to chemical insecticides recently. For this reason, many studies were conducted to develop environment-friendly insecticides containing natural materials. The purpose of this study was to assess ecotoxicity for 5 plant essential oils (Thyme white, Clove bud, Cassia, Lavender, Lemon eucalyptus) expected to prevent from pests and be used for agro-materials. Target species used to assess acute toxicity were aquatic invertebrate (Daphina magna), fish (Oryzias latipes), honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) and earthworm (Eisenia fetida). The EC50 value, toxicological responses of thyme white, clove bud, and cassia to Daphina magna were 2.5, 2.8, and $6.9mg\;L^{-1}$ respectively and these values were moderately toxic according to standard of USEPA. $EC_{50}$ of Lavender and lemon eucalyptus were >$10mg\;L^{-1}$ then they were considered as slightly toxicity. In case of acute toxicity test to fish, $LC_{50}$ of thyme white and cassia were 6.7 and $7.5mg\;L^{-1}$ each other. The other plant essential oils indicated $LC_{50}$ >$10mg\;L^{-1}$. Acute contact and oral toxicity test to Honeybee were conducted. As a result, $LD_{50}$ of all essential oils were >$100{\mu}g$ a.i. $bee^{-1}$ in both of tests. In case of acute toxicity test to earthworm, $LC_{50}$ of thyme white, clove bud, cassia, lavender, and lemon eucalyptus were 149, 230, 743, 234, and $635mg\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. In conclusion, if the safety for earthworm is confirmed, 5 plant essential oils are expected to be use for environment-friendly insecticide materials with low risk against ecosystem and contribute to developing environment-friendly agro-materials.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.198-221
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• 2021

After large-scale reforestation in the 1960s and 1970s, forests in Korea have gradually been aging. Net ecosystem CO₂ exchange of old-growth forests is theoretically near zero; however, it can be a CO₂ sink or source depending on the intervention of disturbance or management. In this study, we report the CO₂ budget dynamics of the Gwangneung deciduous old-growth forest (GDK) in Korea and examined the following two questions: (1) is the preserved GDK indeed CO₂ neutral as theoretically known? and (2) can we explain the dynamics of CO₂ budget by the common mechanisms reported in the literature? To answer, we analyzed the 15-year long CO₂ flux data measured by eddy covariance technique along with other biometeorological data at the KoFlux GDK site from 2006 to 2020. The results showed that (1) GDK switched back-and-forth between sink and source of CO₂ but averaged to be a week CO₂ source (and turning to a moderate CO₂ source for the recent five years) and (2) the interannual variability of solar radiation, growing season length, and leaf area index showed a positive correlation with that of gross primary production (GPP) (R²=0.32~0.45); whereas the interannual variability of both air and surface temperature was not significantly correlated with that of ecosystem respiration (RE). Furthermore, the machine learning-based model trained using the dataset of early monitoring period (first 10 years) failed to reproduce the observed interannual variations of GPP and RE for the recent five years. Biomass data analysis suggests that carbon emissions from coarse woody debris may have contributed partly to the conversion to a moderate CO₂ source. To properly understand and interpret the long-term CO₂ budget dynamics of GDK, new framework of analysis and modeling based on complex systems science is needed. Also, it is important to maintain the flux monitoring and data quality along with the monitoring of coarse woody debris and disturbances.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.101-116
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• 2018

Sustainability science is an emerging transdisciplinary research which necessitates not only the communication and collaboration of scientists, practitioners and stakeholders from different disciplines and interests, but also the paradigm shift from deterministic and reductionist approaches to the old basic. Ecological-societal systems (ESS) are co-evolving complex systems having many interacting parts (or agents) whose random interactions at local scale give rise to spontaneous emerging order at global scale (i.e., self-organization). Here, the flows of energy, matter and information between the systems and their surroundings play a key role. We introduce a conceptual framework for such continually morphing dynamical systems, i.e. self-organizing hierarchical open systems (SOHOs). To understand the structure and functionality of SOHOs, we revisit the two fundamental laws of physics. Re-interpretation of these principles helps understand the destiny and better path toward sustainability, and how to reconcile ecosystem integrity with societal vision and value. We then integrate the so-called visioneering (V) framework with that of SOHOs as feedback/feedforward loops so that 'a nudged self-organization' may guide systems' agents to work together toward sustainable ESS. Finally, example is given with newly endorsed Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Lab (i.e., 'Rural systems visioneering') by Future Earth, which is now underway in rural villages in Tanzania.