• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.110 no.4
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• pp.530-542
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• 2021

To establish the basic unit for the ecological management of the Larix kaempferiplantations in the Baekdudaegan protected area, we classified the vegetation types using TWINSPAN and DCA ordination analysis based on the vegetation information collected from 119 plots and analyzed their spatial arrangement status. Vegetation types were classified into seven types, including Quercus mongolica-Rhododendron schlippenbachii type, Q. mongolica-Lespedeza maximowiczii type, Cornus controversa-Morus australis type, Q. mongolica-Carpinus cordata type, Lindera erythrocarpa-Rosa multiflora type, Q. serrata-Zanthoxylum schinifolium type, and Q. serrata-Sasa borealis type and they have usually reflected differences in the floristic composition according to latitude, elevation, establishment period, operation history, characteristics of the surrounding stands, and degree of disturbance. Furthermore, using the Jaccard coefficient to comparethe floristic composition similarity between Larix kaempferiplantations and surrounding potential natural vegetation (Q. mongolica and Q. serrata forests), although some differences depended on vegetation types, it was 0.21 on average with Q. mongolica forest and 0.32 with Q. serrata forest, indicating that the floristic composition was still heterogeneous.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.241-255
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• 2020

Background: The stem exclusion stage is a stage of forest development that is important for understanding the subsequent understory reinitiation stage and maturation stage during which horizontal heterogeneity is formed. Over the past 11 years (2009-2019), we observed a deciduous broad-leaved forest in the Albongbunji Basin in Ulleungdo, South Korea in its stem exclusion stage, where Fagus engleriana (Engler's beech) is the dominant species, thereby analyzing the changes in the structure (density and size distributions), function (biomass and species richness), and demographics. Results: The mean stem density data presented a bell-shaped curve with initially increasing, peaking, and subsequently decreasing trends in stem density over time, and the mean biomass data showed a sigmoidal pattern indicating that the rate of biomass accumulation slowed over time. Changes in the density and biomass of Fagus engleriana showed a similar trend to the changes in density and biomass at the community level, which is indicative of the strong influence of this species on the changing patterns of forest structure and function. Around 2015, a shift between recruitment and mortality rates was observed. Deterministic processes were the predominant cause of tree mortality in our study; however, soil deposition that began in 2017 in some of the quadrats resulted in an increase in the contribution of stochastic processes (15% in 2019) to tree mortality. The development of horizontal heterogeneity was observed in forest gaps. Conclusions: Our observations showed a dramatic shift between the recruitment and mortality rates in the stem exclusion stage, and that disturbance increases the uncertainty in forest development increases. The minor changes in species composition are likely linked to regional species pool and the limited role of the life-history strategy of species such as shade tolerance and habitat affinity. Our midterm records of ecological succession exhibited detailed demographic dynamics and contributed to the improvement of an ecological perspective in the stem exclusion stage.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.390-407
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• 2020

This study was carried out to evaluate the restoration effect in the restored Yangjae stream and to draw up an adaptive management plan based on the results. As the result of evaluation on the restoration effect, the restored Yangjae stream was evaluated with low naturalness in both terms of the morphology of the stream and the composition and spatial distribution of vegetation. The diverse functional groups were introduced in the vegetation restoration, but the flooding regime, which is significant in the spatial distribution of riparian vegetation, were not correctly reflected. Exotic species or species that were not ecologically suitable for the location were introduced on the embankment and thus a measure to improve those problems is required. As the ecological principle was not reflected in the restoration plan, the stream was constructed as the double terrace structure. Therefore, the width of the waterway was narrowed further, and the waterfront was not designed to accommodate changes from flooding disturbance, making the micro-topography of the stream simpler and the naturalness lower. The adaptive management plan was prepared to improve those problems, and a plan for creating an ecological network was recommended to enhance the restoration effect.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.380-389
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• 2020

Research on diagnosing and predicting the response of ecosystems caused by environmental changes such as artificial disturbance and climate change is emerging as the most important issue of biodiversity and ecosystem researches. This study aims to clean, standardize, and provide the results of National Ecosystem Survey which should be considered fundamentally in diagnosing and predicting ecosystem changes in the form of dataset. To refine and clean the dataset we developed a simple verification program based on the fifth National Ecosystem Survey Guideline and applied that program to the data from the second (1997~2005), third (2006~2013) and fourth (2014~2018) National Ecosystem Survey. Data quality control processes were implemented including (1) standardization of terminology, (2) similar data table integration, (3) unnecessary attribute and error elimination, (4) unification of different input items, (5) data arrangement in codes, and (6) code mapping for input items. These approaches and methods are the first attempt propose an option for ecological data standardization in Korea. The standardized dataset of National Ecosystem Survey in Korea will be easily accessible, reusable for both researchers and public. In addition, we expect it will contribute to the establishment of diverse environmental policies concerning environmental assessments, habitat conservation, prediction of endangered species distribution and ecological risks due to climate change. The dataset through this study is open freely online via EcoBank (nie-ecobank.kr) which is the first ecological information portal system in Korea developed by National Institute of Ecology.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate ectomycorrhizal (ECM) diversity on Pinus densiflora seedlings in a disturbed pine forest. Pine seedlings less than one year old were collected from disturbed and undisturbed sites in the Mt. Songni region. The belowground ECM fungal communities colonizing P. densiflora seedlings were studied using morphotyping and DNA sequencing. The relative abundance of ECM root tips was significantly higher in the undisturbed sites than in the disturbed sites, and the ECM species diversity was lower in the disturbed sites than in the undisturbed sites. In addition, the ECM community composition was significantly different in the disturbed and undisturbed forest sites.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.113-118
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• 2015

Conservation drones are remote-controlled devices capable of collecting information from difficult-to-access places while minimizing disturbance. Although drones are increasingly used in many research disciplines, their application to wildlife research remains to be explored in depth. This paper reports on the use of Phantom 2 Vision+ for monitoring areas in two national parks in South Korea. The first research area was conducted in Chiaksan National Park, and the second in Taeanhaean National Park. The aim of this research is to introduce ecologists and researchers alike to conservation drones and to show how these new tools have are fundamentally helping in the development of natural sciences. We also obtained photographs and videos of monitoring areas within our test site.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.209-216
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• 1998

The invasion of Ambrosia artemisiifolia in the Ukrainian Carpathians Mts. and the Transcarpathian Plain in Central Europe was reconstructed on the basis of floristic records. The first spontaneous occurrence was dated from the beginning of the 1940s. Within the next 55 year period, the distributional spread speed of the species was of 67.6 $km^2/y$ (by the average data). The occupied area by A. artemisiifolia in the range of the studied areas is about $3716.5km^2$ now. The features of behavior of the invader and the habitat preference were determined. The frequency of occurrence by sociologic-ecological classification was carried out. The generalized model of correlations among the gravitation, the active temperature sum and the disturbance gradients and the frequency of occurrence of the species was presented. The scheme of the invasion stages of A. artemisiifolia is reflected in the population status changes of the species during the areal dynamics.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.149-154
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• 2019

The information matter-element system was built to assess safety of water source. Based on the thought of multiindex fusion, fuzzy matter-element model evaluating water source behavior was constructed by matter-element transform. This model can process comprehensively hydrogeological data, ecological environment, water pollution, surface disturbance, and so on. Water source safety behavior can be described by the qualitative and quantitative manners. According to the development trend of quantitative results, water source safety behavior can be expressed dynamically. As an example, the proposed method was used to assess safety status of 7 water sources in the region. The numerical example shows that the proposed method is feasible and effective, and the evaluation results are reasonable.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.103-111
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• 2016

Seasonal dynamics of kelp forest-forming algae, Ecklonia cava population formed following the large-scale disturbance by Typhoon 'Bolaven' in August 2012 were investigated in Jeju Island, Korea. Morphological characteristics, recruits density, mortality rate, total density and biomass were monitored bimonthly from June 2013 to June 2015. Total and longest blade lengths, and individual weight of E. cava showed distinct seasonal trends. Stipe length increased from winter to spring, but did not show increase or reduced from summer to autumn. This indicates that morphological characteristics of E. cava are mainly affected by the change of blades. The optimal temperature for E. cava growth was about $15-18^{\circ}C$ during winter to spring while the growths were inhibited at the water temperature above $20^{\circ}C$ during summer. E. cava exhibited very low recruitment during spring-summer. However, high recruitment was observed on April 2015 when canopy cover was very low due to low density. This indicates that recruitment of E. cava was controlled not by seasonal effects but by physical factors such as canopy and space. The mortality rate of juvenile plants was highest due to their unstable settlement. By June 2015, 34 months after the disturbances, E. cava was almost recovered to the pre-disturbance population size structure. These results suggest that recovery of kelp forest following the large-scale disturbance requires a considerable period of time (more than three years). This study should provide valuable ecological information on management, restoration and protection of kelp species.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2020

In fluvial and riparian ecosystems, biogeomorphological research has considered the complex, multi-way relationships between biological and hydro-geomorphological components over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. In this review, we discussed the scope and processes of fluvial biogeomorphology by explaining (1) the multi-lateral interactions between organisms and hydrogeomorphic conditions, (2) the relationships between biodiversity and habitat heterogeneity, and (3) the effects of disturbance on ecosystem patterns. Over time, an organism-landform complex along streams transitions in the sequences of geomorphic, pioneer, biogeomorphic, and ecological stages. Over space, water flow and sediment distributions interact with vegetation to modify channel topography. It is the habitat heterogeneity in streams that enhances riparian biodiversity. However, in the areas downstream of a dam, habitat types and conditions are substantially damaged and biodiversity should be reduced. In South Korea, riparian vegetation flourishes in general and, in particular, invasive species actively colonize in accordance with the changes in the fluvial conditions driven by local disturbances and global climate change. Therefore, the importance of understanding reciprocal relationships between living organisms and hydrogeomorphic conditions will ever increase in this era of rapid climate change and anthropogenic pressure. The fluvial biogeomorphic framework reviewed in this article will contribute to the ecological management and restoration of streams in Korea.