• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.149-163
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• 2015

The aim of the present study was to assess the variation in species composition and diversity of woody species at different altitudes (900 to 2600 m asl) in Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary (KWLS) and its adjoining areas in Garhwal Himalaya, India. A total of 94 woody plant species (including 44 tree and 50 shrub species) belonging to 72 genera and 44 families were reported. Density varied from $235{\pm}9$ to $505{\pm}21trees\;ha^{-1}$ and $4,730{\pm}474$ to $9,530{\pm}700shrubs\;ha^{-1}$. Total basal cover varied from $10.49{\pm}0.66$ to $42.92{\pm}2.57m^2ha^{-1}$ (trees) and $0.36{\pm}0.024$ to $0.62{\pm}0.047m^2ha^{-1}$ (shrubs). Shannon-Wiener Index fluctuated between 2.30 to 3.53 (trees) and 2.74 to 3.78 (shrubs). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that altitude and aspect had significant effect on the distribution of woody species. Taxonomically, Rosaceae with 15 species emerged as the dominant family. Low value of maturity index and contiguous distribution of species denoted the early successional status of the studied forests. The conservation assessment based on altitudinal regimes and the information on species structure and function can provide baseline information for monitoring and sustaining the biodiversity.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.235-242
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• 2012

Mikania micrantha, a neo-tropical vine, is spreading rapidly in the tropical part of Nepal and is now threatening the rural ecosystem including biodiversity and rural livelihoods. However, no attempt has been made to control the spread of M. micrantha. As a result, the vines are spreading freely and rapidly. After a thorough literature review and assessment of forest management practices, we proposed a manual cutting method, as it suits the Nepalese situation for several reasons: required labor is readily available, as local communities are managing forest patches, and the method does not have any potential adverse effects on non-target native species. Experimental plots were laid out in August 2011 to examine the effectiveness of manual cutting. Two different site types based on canopy coverage were selected and divided into three blocks based on cutting strategy. Four treatments were assigned across the experimental plots following a complete block design. We harvested above-ground biomass according to the assigned treatment. The results suggested that there should be at least two consecutive cuttings within a 3-week interval before flowering, and that three consecutive cuttings resulted in 91% mortality of the vines. In addition, cutting promoted regeneration of native plant species. Employing regular cutting operations can modify understory shade enhancing regeneration of native species, which is a desirable condition to constrain proliferation of M. micrantha. Periodic cuttings reduced the competitiveness of M. micrantha regardless of canopy openness, but native ground cover should be retained.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.109-122
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• 2001

This study was performed to identify the roles of residents for the environmentally sound and sustainable development, taco-polis(kologisches Bauen), eco-village and Symbiotic Housing. These buildings will achieve energy efficiency through design strategies such as passive solar heating system, natural cooling and day lighting. Their infrastructure will feature parking on the periphery, extensive pedestrian paths, outdoor ground lights that preserve stellar visibility, and environmentally sensitive technologies such as low writer use fixtures. And they will restore biodiversity while protecting the wildlife, wetlands, forests, soil, air and water. Their houses wile be designed to support home-based occupations, offering high-speed Internet access and other options to promote a localized, sustainable economy. To support and encourage the evolution of sustainable settlements, it is necessary to prepare constructing the physical facilities and the social functions relating with residents. The roles of residents are important to provide a high Quality lifestyle and to integrate a supportive social environment with a low-impact way of life. This study concluded the four main roles of residents for the sustainable of Eco-polis and Ecovillage. 1. Residents assist transition towards a sustainable society as eco-conscious consumers in the planning stage. 2. Residents live in a ecological way for the sustainable ecovillage. 3. Residents exchange information and education for increasing the community glue as a communication network. 4. Residents support and transmit their cultural vitality and tradition for the next generation. So, users are expected to encourage resident's participation in the planning, design, ongoing management and maintenance of the sustainable ecovillage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.270-280
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• 2023

The creation of marine protected areas is an important aspect of marine ecosystem sustainability. However, South Korea has not achieved its Aichi Biodiversity Target to designate 10% of its sea as marine protected by 2020. Local residents have strong opposition to the designation of protected areas in South Korea; there has been little trust in the government since the 1970s, when residents felt that their property rights were being ignored in favor of creating national parks. Here, we present a case where creation of a marine protected area was led by residents of TongYeong City. The success of a participation income project to remove marine debris in the city seems to be an important factor that led to the designation of the marine protected area. The case of TongYeong City is compared with that of nearby Geoje City, where an ecologically important stream has not been designated as a wetland protection area, although a similar participation income project enrolled the city's residents. The comparison provides a tentative assessment of the conditions needed to increase trust among residents. The results suggest that, if the projects are well-designed and well-managed, participation income projects to remove marine debris can be effective in building trust among stakeholders in potential marine protected areas.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.287-298
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• 2005

This study was carried out to offer the raw data on conservation of land and natural environment by constructing groups of indicators to objectively and rationally assess the sustainable natural ecosystem and present the direction for establishing and planning the environmental policy. There were selected that four assessment items were biotic, abiotic, qualitative, and functional factor. And there were extracted fifty-six indicators including density, total nitrogen, hemeroby degree, and goods production. As assessment items and indicators were over 0.6, the design of questionnaire showed no great problem. In the results of correlation analysis of assessment indicators, sociality and dominance was highly correlative in biotic factor, soil property and aspect in abiotic factor, naturalized and urbanized index in qualitative factor, and protection of landslide and soil erosion were too correlative. In the results of deciding the dimension by multidimensional scaling, as stress values were from 0.042 to 0.133, index of fit over 0.9, there no statistical problems. In case of X axis, biotic factor was structure, viewpoint in abiotic factor, composition in qualitative factor, and object in functional factor, and Y axis was shaped Into form, range, structure, and activity.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.241-254
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• 2013

The nutria(Myocastor coypus) that is originated from South America is a representative Invasive alien species in Korea. invasive alien species is one of the biggest causes for the loss of biodiversity and it may threaten the conservation and function of ecology as well as the welfare of mankind. Intense habitation has been made around the Nakdong River basin area that this study has analyzed the habitat density of nutria for the subject of 3 survey sites in the Nakdong River basin area. As a result of survey on habitation density in 2011 and 2012, under St.1 it was shown $2.01{\pm}0.21$/ha in 2011 and $0.69{\pm}0.55$/ha in 2012. Under St.2, it was shown $0.91{\pm}0.37$/ha in 2011 and $0.55{\pm}0.39$/ha in 2012. Under St.3, it was shown $5.31{\pm}0.72$/ha in 2011 and $3.99{\pm}2.31$/ha in 2012. The wet survey areas of St.1 and St.3 had shown relatively high habitation density compared to St. 2, the river survey area, and the average annual habitation density of the survey area was $2.74{\pm}2.29$/ha in 2011 and $1.74{\pm}1.18$/ha in 2012 that it has shown slightly reducing trend. As a result of measuring the morphology by capturing the habitation individuals, the average body length of adults is $92.23{\pm}9.41cm$, the length from the head to body for $53.90{\pm}5.15cm$, tail length for $38.33{\pm}4.83cm$, hind foot length for $13.82{\pm}1.00cm$, front foot length for $6.02{\pm}0.56cm$, and weight for $5.48{\pm}1.08kg$. As a result of comparing the types between genders, male showed a slightly higher figure in all parts compared to female and it showed significantly difference in total body length, head-body length, front foot length and total weight. As a result of analysis for each head-body length, other measured parts, weight and relativity for each measured part, all bodily part is shown to have the higher volume of correlations. The condition index of individuals in the survey area was shown in the average of $35.67{\pm}4.78$ with female for an average of $36.60{\pm}5.19$ and male for an average of $34.73{\pm}4.34$. The winter temperature in the southern area of Korea is considered for not greatly impacting on the habitation and development of nutria that, if there is no artificial control, it is considered to have certain concern of showing drastic breeding and territory expansion for the habitation group.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.3-19
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• 2014

Large-scale unband development resulted from the rapid economic growth in the Republic of Korea has brought about the habitat destruction for the native animals and plants living in forest and farmland. In order to resolve this problem, it is necessary to consider the natural ecosystem as an organism and to preserve the natural ecosystem by managing ecologically significant habitat consistently. Especially, the local governments should be able to establish regional ecologic networks in consideration of the ecological connectivity and the environmental and ecological excellence, and to reflect them into the local development plans. In regard to this, the methods of the regional ecological network establishment was presented, making use of the results including the national ecological network which assessed the ecological connectivity of the nation and the environmental and ecological assessment results of the Environmental Conservation Value Assessment Map which was designed to analyze and assess the national environmental and ecological values quantitatively. Making use of the case of Gyeongsangnam-do; the results presented that the existing national ecological network in the core region has expanded from $2,986km^2$ to $4,049km^2$ and the existing national ecological network in the buffer region has expanded from $2,940km^2$ to $3,006km^2$. Referring to the regional ecological network in the process of the local development plans could contribute to the increase in biodiversity and the integrated local environmental management including the ecosystem preservation.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2013

BACKGROUND: Today, environmentally friendly farming has become an important feature of agricultural policy. It promotes or sustains farming systems which protect and enhance the environment. This study was conducted to compare benthic invertebrate communities in an organic and a conventional paddy field in South Korea. METHODS AND RESULTS: Benthic invertebrates were collected at 11 regions of a rice paddy from June to August, 2009, 2010 and 2011. These comparisons undertaken using a community assessment approaches such as the number of individuals and species and community composition. Generally, the larger number of individuals and species of benthic invertebrates was observed in an organic paddy than in a conventional paddy field. Organic paddy fields could supported the wider range of species and abundance in aquatic invertebrates comparing to conventional paddy fields. Carrying capacity to support larger numbers of invertebrates also tends to be higher in organic paddy than in conventional paddy field. Specially, organic farming regions surrounded by forests were high quality habitat for benthic invertebrates than other surrounded regions such as grassland. CONCLUSION(S): We concluded that organic farming was more advantaged to benthic invertebrates than conventional farming. In order to improve biodiversity in rice paddy field, farming regimes without agricultural chemicals are recommended. The effect of organic management on biodiversity and abundance of benthic invertebrates could be maximized across highland farmland.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.239-246
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• 2014

To cope with the potential risks associated with invasive alien species, the Korean Government implemented the Biodiversity Act in 2014. Among the alien species not yet introduced into that country, 24 have been designated as alert species. These include mammals, birds, fish, mollusks, insects, and plants that may invade and cause serious harm to the ecosystem. Approval from the Ministry of Environment is required to import or carry any of them. Although these measures are more advanced than those from the previous legal framework, several terms still need to be improved. First, the category of alert species should cover not only those not yet introduced but also those that are being raised or cultivated at aquariums, botanical gardens, and zoos. Second, for applicants who intend to import or carry alert species, the government must provide them with detailed standards for the ecological risk assessment of alert species as well as guidelines for their safe use in Korea to prevent their unregulated release from confinement facilities into natural environments. Third, tools and protocols should be developed for early detection and rapid responses to those escapes.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.319-325
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• 2014

A lot of Pond Wetland (Palustrine Wetland) are distributed in agricultural landscapes, Korea. These wetlands are evaluated as important resources for conservation of biodiversity. However, the study of Pond Wetland is rarely conducted except type classification in Korea. In this study, the function of pond wetland as ecosystem services is studied for conservation and utilization of wetland. Research was conducted in three steps; functionality analysis, functionality derivation, and importance analysis. A total of 22 features were derived by analyzing the previous studies. As a result of expert survey, 4 features were selected by each in the field of biological, environmental, and socio-culture among the 22 features. Importance was calculated by conducting a cross-functional features using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Finally, 10 ecosystem service functions of pond wetland were derived through expert survey; (1) Water Storage & Irrigation, (2) Vegetation Diversity, (3) Amphibian & Reptile Habitat, (4) Water Purification, (5) Aquatic Insect Habitat, (6) Nutriments Control was derived, (7) Groundwater Recharge, (8) Fishery Habitat, (9) Eco-Experience & Education, and (10) Aesthetic landscape. It is expected that this study is able to utilize in evaluation of pond wetlands ecosystem services by further study on analysis of functional importance and economic value index.