• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.281-285
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• 2007

Cold environments, including polar and alpine regions, are colonized by a wide diversity of micro-organisms able to thrive at low temperatures. There is evidence of a wide range of metabolic activities in alpine cold ecosystems. Like polar microorganisms, alpine microorganisms playa key ecological role in their natural habitats for nutrient cycling, litter degradation, and many other processes. A number of studies have demonstrated the capacity of alpine microorganisms to degrade efficiently a wide range of hydrocarbons, including phenol, phenol-related compounds and petroleum hydrocarbons, and the feasibility of low-temperature bioremediation of European alpine soils by stimulating the degradation capacity of indigenous microorganisms has also been shown.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2001

Total upland area for cultivating the vegetable crops in the Alpine soils of Northeastern South Korea has been extending its limit to meet the increasing demand of vegetable food in recent decades. About 70% of these alpine soils are located in over 7% of the slope and most of vegetable crops have been cultivated intensively without practicing the best management systems. Thus, soil erosion and continuous cropping system have degenerated the soil fertility and shown detrimental effects on water quality. We initiated an intensive and extensive investigation to characterize the fertility problems encountered in these uplands. Objectives of this paper were to characterize the fertility status in the Alpine soils cultivated with vegetable crops for many years and to provide the recommendations for adequate soil management measures including fertilization and erosion control. Soils in general have good drainage with textural classes of loam or sandy loam. Their topographical characteristics tended to lead them to shallow plow layers, and the steepness of the terrain created erosion hazard. Of the soils examined, about 11% of uplands over 30% gradient was found in need of an urgent reforestation. A high content of gravel and firm hardness of soil attributed to inhibit the utilization of farm machinery and plant-root development. The average soil pH 5.6 was slightly low relative to pH 5.70 of the national average. Organic matter content was high compared with 2.0% of national average, but decreased with the prolonged cultivation periods. Available $P_2O_5$ concentration was unusually high due to the consequence of over dose application with chemical and organic fertilizers. Exchangeable cations as Ca, Mg, and K were appeared to be decreased in these regions with prolonging the cultivation periods. There were no significant differences in cation exchange capacity (CEC) and electrical conductivity (EC) among locations. Heavy metal contents were mostly lower than the threshold of danger level designated by Soil Environment Conservation Law of South Korea. Results indicated that a proper countermeasure and the best management practice should be immediately implemented to conserve the top soil and fertility in the Alpine regions.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.25 no.3 s.68
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• pp.183-189
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• 1986

Fifty three diseased root samples of Chinese cabbage and 22 soil samples were taken from six alpine areas in Kangwon province to examine the organisms causing root rot of Chinese cabbage. Among thirteen microorganisms detected from diseased roots samples, Pythium ultimum, Pythium echinocarpum and Rhizoctonia solani were detected frequently and were pathogenic to Chinese cabbage. Five to 100% of young Chinese cabbage plants grown in the sample soils taken from alpine cabbage fields were infected either alone or together with P. ultimum, P. echinocarpum and R. solani, depending upon the or gin of sample soils. When relative density of the three organsims in the sample soils was estimated based on the infection frequency on the plants grown in those sample soils, P. ultimum was prevalent only in Chahang-i-li area. P. echinocarpum was prevalent in Yongsan-il-li, Hoengwe-li, and Munmaek areas. R. solani was solely found in Maebongsan area where both P. ultimum and P. echinocarpum were not detected. In the three areas where both P. ultimum and P. echinocarpum were present, density of P. echinocarpum was generally greater than that of P. ultimum. Seedlings of thirty major Chinese cabbage varieties were inoculated independently with the three organisms in the greenhouse. Six varieties were resistant to P. ultimum. Three and two varieties were moderately resistant to P. ultimum and P. echinocarpum, respectively. All varieties were highly susceptible to R. solani.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 2007

Most of the uplands in alpine regions during off-season are left as bare soil and thus vulnerable to severe erosion due to the inherent topographical conditions. Appropriate management strategy to cope with this problem is urgently needed, yet few researches have been reported on the effects of winter cover crop and management on soil erosion. We assessed effects of ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) as cover crop, green manure or mulching residue on soil erosion and quality through field and segment plot lysimeter experiments in alpine uplands. Ryegrass successfully adopted to winter in alpine region based on biomass, nutrient contents, and vigors of top and root systems. Incorporation of ryegrass into soil maintained soil fertility, nutrient uptake, and yield of cabbage exerting potential use as green manure. Cultivation of ryegrass suppressed occurrence of Chinese cabbage pests. Surface coverage by ryegrass as cover crop and mulching residue significantly reduced soil loss up to 96%, when combined with soil conservation management practices. Results revealed maintaining cover crop over winter was beneficial in reducing soil erosion, and sustaining soil quality and Chinese cabbage productivity. This study suggested winter cover crop, followed by green manure and mulching, and conservation tillage system could be one of the best management practices in alpine sloping uplands cultivating Chinese cabbage.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.306-313
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• 2014

BACKGROUND: Forest soils contain microbes capable of consuming atmospheric methane ($CH_4$), an amount matching the annual increase in $CH_4$ concentration in the atmosphere. However, the effect of plant residue production by different forest structure on $CH_4$ oxidation is not studied in Korea. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Korean alpine soils having different forestation structure on $CH_4$ uptake rates. METHODS AND RESULTS: the $CH_4$ flux was measured at three sites dominated with pine, chestnut and oak trees in southern Korea. The $CH_4$ uptake potentials were evaluated by a closed chamber method for a year. The $CH_4$ uptake rate was the highest in the pine tree soil ($1.05mg/m^2/day$) and then followed by oak ($0.930mg/m^2/day$) and chestnut trees ($0.497mg/m^2/day$). The $CH_4$ uptake rates were highly correlated to soil organic matter and moisture contents, and total microbial and methanotrophs activities. Different with the general concent, there was no any correlation between $CH_4$ oxidation rates, and soil temperature and labile carbon concentrations, irrespective with tree species. CONCLUSION: Conclusively, the methane oxidation rate was correlated in positive manner with organic matter, abundance of methanotrophs. Methane oxidation was different among tree species. This results could be used to estimate methane oxidation rate in forest of Korea after complementing information about statistical data and methane oxidation of other site.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers Conference
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• 1998.10a
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• pp.521-526
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• 1998

This study was initiated to build runoff plots, install soil and water quality monitoring systems and collect background data from the plots and soils to assess runoff the nonpoint source pollution and soil physical change in mountainous soils. Eleven 3 $\times$ 15 m runoff plots and monitoring systems were installed at a field of National Alpine Agricultural Experiment Station to monitor soil physical change, and discharge of nonpoint source pollutant. Corn and potato were cultivated under different fertilizer, tillage and residue cover treatments. The soil has a single-layered cluster structure that has a relatively good hydrologic properties and can adsorb a large amount of nutrient. 11 runoff plots were treated and monitored with respect to physical property of the soil, runoff and sediment discharge.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.113-123
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• 1997

This study was initiated to build runoff plots, install soil and water quality monitoring systems and collect background data from the plots and neighboring soils as the 1st year study of a 5 year project to assess soil quality and develop the management practices for environmentally sound agriculture in mountainous soils. Eleven $3{\times}15m$ runoff plots and monitoring systems were installed at a field of National Alpine Agricultural Experiment Station to monitor soil quality and discharge of nonpoint source pollutants. Corn and potato were cultivated under different fertilizer, tillage and residue cover treatments. The soil has a single-layered cluster structure that has a relatively good hydrologic properties and can adsorb a large amount of nutrient. Concentrations of T-N, $NH_4$-N, and $NO_3$-N of surface soil sampled in the winter were relatively high. Runoff quality in the winter and thawing season in the spring was largely dependent on surface freezing, snow accumulation, temperature, surface thawing depth and so on. Runoff during the thawing season caused serious soil erosion but runoff quality during the winter was relatively good. Serious wind erosion from unprotected fields after the fall harvest were obserbed and best management practices to reduce the erosion need to be developed.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.261-265
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• 2003

In order to examine the difference in processing quality of potato tubers among localities, chemical properties of soils were analyzed and climatic conditions were investigated. Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) were grown at seven localities of Korea during two years from 1994 to 1995. Soil samples and tubers were obtained from 2 to 3 commercial farms per locality with 10 days interval from 70 days before harvesting. As the result of that, higher correlation in processing quality was found with organic material content among soil conditions. On the climatic conditions, minimum temperature and sunshine hours during the period from 30 to 11 days before harvesting exhibited highly significant negative correlations with all quality parameters except reducing sugar content. Additionally, regression equations based on the observed level of these factors showed the relatively high coefficients of determination for dry matter content and chip color. To produce higher quality potatoes for processing, therefore, climatic conditions such as minimum temperature and sunshine hour and soil condition such as organic matter content have to be considered before the selection of areas or fields.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.361-367
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• 2011

Soil fertility of alpine soils in Gangwon-Do has been deteriorating because of heavy input of chemical fertilizers for intensive crop production. To reduce application of chemical fertilizers, use of livestock manure compost in alpine soils increases consistently. Soil loss and runoff due to heavy rainfall in alpine area cause nutrient loss from soil, and subsequently pollute stream water. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess nutrient efficiency and loss in Chinese cabbage cultivated soil with different livestock manure composts in several slopes. As control, chemical fertilizer was applied at the rate of $250-78-168kg\;ha^{-1}$ for $N-P_2O_5-K_2O$. Each pig-and chicken manure compost was applied at the rate of $10MT\;ha^{-1}$. Chemical fertilizer + chicken manure compost was applied as same rate. Four treatments was practiced in 5, 20, and 35% filed slopes, respectively. We monitored the amounts of soil loss and runoff water after rainfalls, and we also analyzed the contents of nutrients in soil and runoff water through lysimeter installed in alpine agricultural institute in Gangwon-Do. T-N loss due to soil loss was much greater with increasing filed slops rather than different fertilizer treatments. T-N loss has positive relationship with field slopes, which showing soil loss (MT/ha) = 1.66 slopes (%) - 3.5 ($r^2$ = 0.99). Available phosphate and exchangeable cations showed similar tendency with increasing slopes. T-N and T-P losses caused by runoff water were highest in chemical fertilizer (NPK) + chicken manure compost treated plot, while lowest in chemical fertilizer treatment. T-N contents (2.13, 1.95%) in chinese cabbage treated either pig and chicken manure composts compared to that (2.65%) of chemical fertilizer were significantly less. This could be resulted from much greater T-N loss in soil treated with pig and chicken manure composts.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.357-365
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• 2006

The investigations were conducted to find out the situation of fertilizer use and the contents of soil chemical components on summer vegetable crops at 791 farmers' upland fields located in the parts of Gangwon-do, Gyengsangbuk-do and Jeollabuk-do of alpine area. Major vegetable crops were potato, Chinese cabbage, radish, carrot, onion, and cabbage. From the location surroundings cultivated alpine vegetable crops, the orders were Gangwon-do>Gyeongsangbuk-do>Jeollabuk-do part in the sizes of a fie1d area and the height above sea level, and Jeollabuk-do>Gyeongsangbuk-do>Gangwon-do part in the slope degrees. The soil texture was of wide distribution on sandy loam soil for Gangwon-do(76%) and Jeollabuk-do part(64%), and 1oam(42%) and sandy loam soil(35%) for Gyeongsangbuk-do part. From the numbers of investigated fields, the distribution of slope degree was wider than those of height above sea level in relation to location surroundings. The upland soils of 785 fields cultivated vegetable crops were sampled at 0~15 cm of top soil before seeding or transplanting and analyzed. On an average, pH, organic matter, available phosphate and exchangeable potassium, calcium, magnesium of soil were 5.7, $27.6g\;kg^{-1}$, $765mg\;kg^{-1}$, $1.16cmol_c\;kg^{-1}$, $6.1cmol_c\;kg^{-1}$, and $1.6cmol_c\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. The average cation exchange capacity(CEC) of 120 sites in Gangwon-do part was $9.2cmol_c\;kg^{-1}$. The content of organic matter, exchangeable potassium, exchangeable calcium and exchangeable magnesium was higher, while that of available phosphate was lower with slope degrees. And the content of major chemical components in carrot soil was lower in comparison with other crop soils. The average levels of N, $P_2O_5$, $K_2O$, livestock manure and lime fertilizer of 785 Belds applied by farmers were 335, 198, 244, 12,680 and $1,750kg\;ha^{-1}$, respectively, for summer vegetable crops in alpine area. The average amounts of $N-P_2O_5-K_2O$ fertilizers applied by farmers in 785 Gelds of vegetable crops were higher 1.7~2.0-4.2~7.0-1.4~2.0 times on potato, 1.4~1.6-4.6~8.3-3.5~4.2 times on Chinese cabbage, and 1.2~1.3-4.2~7.2-3.0~3.61 times on radish than the rates of NPK fertilizers based on soil testing for each crop.