• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-19
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• 2020

A river bed which is submerged in water at high flow and becomes part of the river at low flow, serves as a bridge between the river and the land. The channel bar creates a unique ecosystem with vegetation adapted to the particular environment and the water pool forms a wetland that plays a very important role in the environment. To evaluate anthropogenic impacts on the river bed in the Middle Yeongsangang River, the fluvial landforms in the stream channel were analyzed using multi-temporal remotely-sensed images. In the aerial photograph of 2005 taken before the construction of the large weirs, oxbow lakes, mid-channel bars, point bars, and natural wetlands between the artificial levees were identified. Multiple bars divided the flow of stream water to cause the braided pattern in a particular section. After the construction of the Seungchon weir, aerial photographs of 2013 and 2015 revealed that most of the fluvial landforms disappeared due to the dredging of its riverbed and water level control(maintenance at 7.5El.m). Sentinel-2 images were analyzed to identify differences between before and after the opening of weir gate. Change detection was performed with the near infrared and shortwave infrared spectral bands to effectively distinguish water surfaces from land. As a result, water surface area of the main stream of the Yeongsangang River decreased by 40% from 1.144km² to 0.692km². A large mid-channel bar that has been deposited upstream of the weir was exposed during low water levels, which shows the obvious influence of weir on the river bed. Newly formed unvegetated point bars that were deposited on the inside of a meander bend were identified from the remotely sensed images. As the maintenance period of the weir gate opening was extended, various habitats were created by creating pools and riffles around the channel bars. Considering the ecological and hydrological functions of the river bed, it is expected that the increase in bar areas through weir gate opening will reduce the artificial interference effect of the weir.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.321-338
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• 2014

This study aims to identify spatial distribution of estuarine wetlands in Korea, and to assess temporal variation of the wetlands in the last few decades. Widely known in environmental and coastal management, watershed-based regions which composed with Han-river(western and eastern parts), Keum-river, Yeoungsan-river, Seomjin-river, Nakdong-river, and Jeju, are analyzed to evaluate temporal change of estuarine wetlands in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, through the land-cover map. Results show that estuarine wetlands dramatically decreased in Han-river(western part), Keum-river, Yeoungsan-river that estuarine circulation have been interrupted with man-made structures such as dyke and drainage. But, estuarine wetlands surrounded by forests and grasslands has been relatively less damaged. Habitat diversity providing healthy estuary ecosystem is lower in interrupted estuaries than circulated estuaries, which are composed of tidal-flat, open water, salt marsh, rocky coasts and sandy shoreline. This study indicates that spatial distribution and temporal variation of estuarine wetlands are different with estuary type and region, so estuary type with seven regions can be applied to provides a framework for estuary management strategies and to establish estuary restoration plans.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.99 no.4
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• pp.559-567
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate the hydrological characteristics of groundwater level change and rainfall hydrological runoff processes caused by tunnel construction at Milbot bog located in Mt. Cheonseong. Data were collected from July 2004 to May 2008. The results were summarized as follows: The occurrence time of the direct runoff caused by unit rainfall at the Milbot bog were tended to be slower than those at general mountainous basin. Also, runoff did not sensitively respond to amount of rainfall at the most of the long and short term hydrograph. The annual runoff rates from 2004 to 2008 were 0.26, 0.13, 0.16, 0.25 and 0.27, respectively, slightly increased after 2005 regardless of the tunnel construction. Thus, the function of Milbot bog will be weakened, and it supposed to be changed to land in the future because of increasing annual runoff. The annual runoff rate for 4 years was 0.19, which is greatly lower than that of general mountainous basin. The recession coefficient of the direct runoff in short term hydrograph was ranged to 0.89~0.97, which is much larger than that of the general mountainous basin, 0.2~0.8. The recession coefficient of base flow ranged from 0.93 to 0.99, which are similar to general mountainous watershed's values. Groundwater level of Milbot bog increased or decreased in proportion to rainfall intensity, and in the descending time after the groundwater level was reached at peak point, it tends to be decreased very slowly. Also, groundwater level increased or decreased maintaining relatively high value after precedent rainfall. Groundwater level was highest during summer with heavy rainfall, but was lowest during winter. Average groundwater levels decreased annually from 2004 to 2008, -8.48 cm, -14.60 cm, -20.46 cm, -20.11 cm, -28.59 cm, respectively. Therefore, it seems that the Milbot bog is becoming dry and losing its function as a bog.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2017

The objective of this study is to seek for improvement measures to make the Ecosystem and Nature Map by analyzing causes for grade changes and distributional characteristics of areas with public objections to the Ecosystem and Nature Map notified by e-official gazette from 2014 to June 2016. The receipt of public appeals has been recently increased from average 23 cases a year(2007-2013) to average 33 cases a year(2014-June 2016) while there were 42 areas with public appeals for less than the minimum area($62,500m^2$) for the evaluation of grade of the Ecosystem and Nature Map. Most of the public appeals focused on the 1st grade zone of the Ecosystem and Nature Map. Before grade changes by public appeals, the 1st grade zone of the Ecosystem and Nature Map were 76.0% of the whole areas with public appeals. However, after grade changes by public appeals, it was rapidly decreased to 25.2%, which means that a lot of the 1st grade zone with public appeals were lowered. In the results of analyzing the distributional characteristics of areas with public appeals, they were mostly distributed in lowland(less than 250m altitude), section with $10{\sim}20^{\circ}$ slope, and areas close to or within 100m from built-up area. Regarding areas with public appeals, the biggest time difference between the period of the existing research by National Ecosystem Survey and the period of notice after completing the treatment of public appeals was 18 years while areas showing 6-15 years of time difference were about 70%. Thus, there were huge differences in time of research and notice. Also, the biggest causes for grade changes were boundary errors caused by small-scale survey, and then followed by changes in evaluation of endangered species and occurrence of built-up area and damaged land. Analyzing areas with public appeals in each evaluation item of the Ecosystem and Nature Map, vegetation part was 73.0%, and endangered species area was 23.1% while topography and wetland was less.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.250-261
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• 2016

The Philippines is a naturally water-rich archipelago capable of sustaining its ecological goods and providing services and needs of its people. Several waterbodies have been declared as natural wetlands in the country supporting the needs of community like water and food. In this study, 65 natural wetlands were considered including six sites that were identified as 'Wetlands of International Importance' such as Naujan Lake National Park, Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary, Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary, Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, Las $Pi{\tilde{n}}as-Para{\tilde{n}}aque$ Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area and Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. There are 22 wetland types presented in this research categorizing the Philippine wetlands. Philippine wetlands are now facing tremendous challenges such as land use conversion, abuse of resources, pollution coming from domestic, industrial and agricultural activities, and climate change. This paper provides an overview of Philippine wetlands in terms of their characteristics and components, impacts in the ecosystem, and the challenges they are dealing with. Moreover, the preservation measures that the government and private agencies implements to these wetlands were discussed and assessed. The enforcement of local and national laws concerning wetlands is found to be inadequate resulting in poor quality wetlands. The preservation and utilization of these wetlands can be maximized with a voluntary participation of whole Philippine community.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.265-276
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• 2021

This study investigated the characteristics of fish communities and river health in the Sincheon stream of Imgin River between April and October 2019. The survey collected 3,677 objects in 30 species belonging to 12 families from 23 survey stations. The dominant and subdominant species were Zacco platypus (28.4%) and Oryzias sinensis (13.6%), respectively, followed by Z. koreanus (11.8%), Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (11.7%), Carassius auratus (9.6%), and Pseudorasbora parva (7.9%) in that order. Among the fish species collected, 10 (33.3%) were endemic species in Korea. The exotic species were 5 (16.7%), including Micropterus salmoides, Lepomis macrochirus, Cyprinus carpio (Israeli type), Poecilia reticulata, and Xiphophorus maculatus. The land-locked species included Cottus koreanus and Rhinogobius brunneus, while C. koreanus was a climate change-sensitive species. The dominance of the fish community was low, and the diversity was high in the Sincheon mainstream, Sudongcheon and Cheongdamcheon, whereas Dongducheon and Sangpaecheon showed higher dominance and low diversity. The river health was very good and good in the uppermost and Sudongcheon areas, whereas the upper stream was normal, and the middle and lower streams were poor and very poor, respectively. The water quality was also mostly poor or very poor from the midstream to the downstream, and only Sudongcheon was very good. Therefore, the water quality had a great impact on fish habitat and eventually affected river health significantly. Although the water quality of Shincheon has improved each year, the introduction of several foreign species had a very negative effect. Improvement of river health in Shincheon requires water quality improvement and management of exotic fish species.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.553-565
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• 2022

Awareness of the ecological value and importance of protected areas has increased as climate change accelerates, and there is a need for research on ecosystem services provided by nature. The natural park, which is a representative protected area in Korea, has a system of national parks, provincial parks, and county parks. National parks are managed systematically by the Korea National Park Service, but local governments manage provincial parks and county parks. There may be the same hierarchical differences in naturalness (habitat quality) depending on the hierarchy of the natural parks, but it has not been verified. To identify differences, we examined 22 mountain-type natural parks using habitat quality using the INVEST model developed by Stanford University. The analysis of the habitat quality, regardless of the type and area of the natural park, showed that it was higher in the order of Taebaeksan National Park (0.89), Juwangsan National Park (0.87), Woongseokbong County Park (0.86), and Gayasan National Park (0.85). The larger the area, the higher the value of habitat quality. A comparison of natural parks with similar areas showed that the habitat quality of national parks was higher than that of provincial parks and parks. On the other hand, the average habitat quality of county parks was 0.83±0.02, which was 0.05 higher than that of provincial parks at 0.78±0.03. Furthermore, the higher the proportion of forest areas within the natural park, the higher the habitat quality. The results confirmed that the naturalness of natural parks was independent of their hierarchy and that there are differences in naturalness depending on land use, land coverage, and park management.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.81-91
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• 2020

As part of method for ecologically utilizing abandoned paddy, potential of the abandoned paddy as a target site for ex-situ conservation of 9 endangered species of different life form was confirmed by considering the nature of rice paddy. In order to create Dum-bung, a component of traditional Korean rice paddy, a part of the abandoned paddy was modified to change the water environment. The seeds, asexual reproductive and sexually reproductive individuals of each endangerd species were transplanted into the abandoned paddy to observe the survival rate and phenological response for 1 year, and then monitored for 2 years. As a result, Hydrophyte 4 taxa (Euryale ferox, Saururus chinensis, Dysophylla yatabeana, Menyanthes trifoliata), Geophyte taxa 1 (Epilobium hirsutum), and Hemicryptophyte taxa 1 (Cicuta virosa) could be introduced into the abandoned paddy. In particular, Euryale ferox, Dysophylla yatabeana, and Menyanthes trifoliata should be introduced into Dum-bung, and Saururus chinensis, Epilobium hirsutum, and Cicuta virosa should be introduced into paddy wetland. Growth of Euryale ferox and Brasenia schreberi was inhibited by herbaceous species, and the growth of Epilobium hirsutum was inhibited by herbivores. Therefore, in order to help efficient settlement of endangered plants introduced in abandoned paddy, it is necessary to remove herbs that inhibit growth and to manage herbivores. In addition, it is necessary to prevent the collapse of paddy bank by planting on the paddy field trees or herbaceous forming vegetation mat. When using abandoned paddy ecologically, it is effective to diversify the moisture environment by creating a Dum-bung to increase biodiversity.