• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.99 no.1
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• pp.24-35
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• 2010

This paper aims to contribute to the introduction of forest certification (a private enterprise) in Korea by developing C&I with consideration of the Korean forestry situation. For this study, 6 attributes for establishing certification system at FMU level was applied. To weigh relative importance of international organization's assortment and indicators, AHP survey was conducted to each experts in political, ecological, social, and economic field. By the experts attending FSC's auditing process, indicators adopted through AHP survey were inspected again for the realistic application in the fields. In this process, the typical environment of Korean forestry in real aspect and problems in FSC system were reaffirmed. Therefore, 7 criteria, 27 indicators and 92 checklists were finally developed for the construction of forest certification based on the results of AHP surveys and from investigation on the realistic situation in the fields.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.107-115
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• 2024

This study assesses forest fire susceptibility in Gangwon-do, South Korea, which hosts the largest forested area in the nation and constitutes ~21% of the country's forested land. With 81% of its terrain forested, Gangwon-do is particularly susceptible to wildfires, as evidenced by the fact that seven out of the ten most extensive wildfires in Korea have occurred in this region, with significant ecological and economic implications. Here, we analyze 480 historical wildfire occurrences in Gangwon-do between 2003 and 2019 using 17 predictor variables of wildfire occurrence. We utilized three machine learning algorithms—random forest, logistic regression, and support vector machine—to construct wildfire susceptibility prediction models and identify the best-performing model for Gangwon-do. Forest and soil map data were integrated as important indicators of wildfire susceptibility and enhanced the precision of the three models in identifying areas at high risk of wildfires. Of the three models examined, the random forest model showed the best predictive performance, with an area-under-the-curve value of 0.936. The findings of this study, especially the maps generated by the models, are expected to offer important guidance to local governments in formulating effective management and conservation strategies. These strategies aim to ensure the sustainable preservation of forest resources and to enhance the well-being of communities situated in areas adjacent to forests. Furthermore, the outcomes of this study are anticipated to contribute to the safeguarding of forest resources and biodiversity and to the development of comprehensive plans for forest resource protection, biodiversity conservation, and environmental management.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.99-109
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• 2012

Litterfall dynamics in forests are assessed by estimating biomass production and decomposition. However, there have been few studies on how litter dynamics impact the health and management of ecosystems. Here, a new approach to measure and assess ecosystem function is presented based on conventional methods using littertraps, litterbags, and the mass on the forest floor. To assess the status of litter dynamics, the decay rate (k) was estimated from a litterbag experiment, and removal rates ($k_i$) were determined from mass balance on the forest floor at 21 sites on three mountains in South Korea. The $k_3$ (organic mass ratio of $O_i$ and $O_e+O_a$ + A horizons in November) values in an equilibrium state in South Korea were within the range of $k{\pm}0.174$ when considering the annual variation of litterfall production. This study also suggests that sampling sites for these types of studies should be in the middle, not at the ends, of steady slopes on the forest floor.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.435-438
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• 2000

Diameter distributions describe forest stand structure information. Prediction equations for percentiles of diameter distribution and parameter recovery procedures for the Weibull distribution function based on four percentile equations were applied to develop prediction system of even-aged slash pine stand structure development in terms of the number of stems per diameter class changes. Four percentiles of the cumulative diameter distribution were predicted as a function of stand characteristics. The predicted diameter distributions were tested against the observed diameter distributions using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov two sample test at the ${\alpha}$=0.05 level. Statistically, no significant differences were detected based on the data from 236 evaluation data sets. This stand level diameter distribution prediction system will be useful in slash pine stand structure modeling and in updating forest inventories for the long-term forest management planning.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.38-47
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• 1999

The mixed rural city is adjusting to change by urbanization. The recent landcover change in mixed rural city is an important factor that changes structure and function of regional ecosystem. Landscape ecology is an integrated ecology widely available for environmental science such as nature conservation and sustainable land-use planning. As the concern about environmental quality rises, many studies are trying to create and conservate for biotop. The creation of biotop is related to the plan and management of the effective landuse because the important factor to change the structure and function of ecological area in the country. This study was carried out to establish the foundation of the landuse plan to analyze the change of landuse and to plan the scheme in creating biotop and landuse. We used the approach of ecological landscape and using landscape indices with RS(Remote Sensing) and GIS(Geographic Information System) technology, spatio-temporal variations of areas and distribution of forest patches were examined in the Sunghwan in Chonan from 1985 to 1996. A result of this study showed that the area of forest and paddy decreased by urban sprawl. The size of patch in the forest and agriculture had been smaller and irregular form, heterogeneity of size of forest and agriculture patches within sub-basin was increased, pattern of forest and agriculture patches decreased the corridor and network from 1985 to 1996.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.293-302
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• 2018

This study was carried out to provide basic information on efficient preservation and management of an Abies koreana forest through analyzing the ecological characteristics by slope in Seseok, Mt. Jirisan. Soil moisture content at southern and northern slopes was 29.9% and 21.7%, respectively, and there was no significant difference among soil properties between southern and northern slopes. The importance value of A. koreana in the southern and northern slopes was high for tree and subtree layers, respectively. It is noteworthy that many seedling and saplings of A. koreana were present on the southern slope. The species diversity was 0.413 for the tree layer, 0.632 for the subtree layer, and 0.609 for the shrub layer on the southern slope and 0.396 for the tree layer, 0.783 for the subtree layer, and 1.215 for the shrub layer on the northern slope. Evenness and dominance ranged from 0.371 to 0.609 and 0.629 to 0.391 on the southern slope and from 0.380 to 0.968 and 0.620 to 0.032 on the northern slope, respectively. The mortality of A. koreana was 9.6% on the southern slope and 24.4% on the northern slope, a distinct difference between the slopes. The mortality type at two slopes was the highest proportion of standing dead. Annual mean tree ring growth of A. koreana on the southern slope (1.76 mm/yr) was higher than that on the northern slope (1.64 mm/yr).

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.141-151
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• 2022

Soil seed banks as natural storage of plant seeds play an important role in the maintenance and regeneration of watershed. Natural regeneration potential of the soil seed bank of Land use types (LUTs) in Ogun River watershed (ORW) was investigated. ORW was stratified using proportionate sampling technique into Guinea Savannah (GS), Rainforest (RF) and Swamp Forest (SF) Ecological Zones (EZs). Three LUTs: Natural Forest (NF), Disturbed Forest (DF) and Farmland (FL) were purposively selected in GS: GSNF, GSDF, GSFL; RF: RFNF, RFDF, RFFL and SF: SFNF, SFDF, SFFL, respectively. Systematic line transects was used in the laying of the sample plots. Sample plots of 25 m×25 m were established in alternate positions. Ten 1 m×1 m quadrats were randomly laid for soil core sampling from previously randomly selected ten plots. The core samples (10) were pooled per plot in each LUT and placed in individual trays. Ten trays with sterilized soil were used as control. The trays were watered regularly and checked for seedlings emergence fortnightly for 18 months. The experimental design used was 3×3 factorial experiments. ANOVA, Diversity index (H') and Similarity index (SI) were used to analyze the data. There was significant difference in seedling emergence among ecological zones and land use types (p<0.05). A total of 4,400 seedlings emerged from the soil samples. All species were distributed among 32 families. FL in the RF had the highest number of germinated seeds (705±37.33 seedlings) followed by DF in the RF (701±49.6 seedlings). The lowest emergence was in NF of the SF (199±28.41 seedlings). DF in the RF had highest number of species (34) distributed among 22 families. Emergence from soil seed bank of NF in ORW was generally with more of tree species than herbs that were predominant in FL and DF.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.89 no.5
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• pp.552-563
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• 2000

The aim of this study was to characterize the forest vegetation and site of Odaesan National Park for ecological forest management. The vegetation could be divided into two forest community groups, seven forest communities, and several subcommunities. South exposed, dry slopes were covered with forests of the Quercus mongolica-Acer pseudosieboldianum community group. Quercus mongolica-Acer pseudosieboldianum community group could be subdivided into ${\bullet}$ Rhododendron mucronulatum var. ciliatum community on dry sites, especially on south or south-westly exposed ridges or convex slopes; ${\bullet}$ Lespedeza${\times}$tomentella community on south exposed slopes, at low altitudes in the eastern part of the study area; ${\bullet}$ Carex humilis-Maackia amurensis community on south exposed slopes up to the montane region; ${\bullet}$ Quercus mongolica-Acer pseudo-sieboldianum typical community on south exposed middle and low slopes, and on upper and middle north exposed slopes; ${\bullet}$ Pimpinella brachycarpa community, preferably on moderately moist and cool sites. On north exposed, more humid and moist sites, forests of the Dryopteris crassirhizoma-Cornus controversa community group were found. This group was subdivided into ${\bullet}$ Acer tschonoskii var. rubripes-Acer tegmentosum community on moderately moist to moist, loamy soils on shady slopes; ${\bullet}$ Deutzia glabrata-Ulmus laciniata community on north exposed slopes with rocky soil and boulders, having high humidity. There are several rare and endangered species in Rhododendron mucronulatum var. ciliatum community, Carex humilis-Maackia amurensis community, Vicia venosa var. cuspidata subcommunity and Saxifraga punctata subcommunity, and the communities were located in azonal areas in topography. To protect the species, the areas should be categorized as an absolute conservation area, and any forest working should be prohibited in this area.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.329-336
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• 1998

This study was conducted to find out the changes of the botanical composition, ecological behaviour and forage value of vegetation in abandoned hilly pasture, in Yeoju, Kyonggi Province from April, 1993 to October, 1996. This experiment was arranged as a vegetation survey(Pflanzenaufnahme) with two different pastures ((1) with forkcrane planed pasture and (2) forest pasture). After the abandoned management of pasture, wild grasses and shrubs of the botanical composition were gradually increased and pasture plants tended to decrease rapidly in the two different hilly pasture. In abandoned management of planed and forest pasture, moisture figure, reaction figure and nitrogen figure of the ecological behaviour were greatly decreased and also the forage value of standing crop was greatly decreased in three years (from 7.06 to 4.60 in planed pasture and from 6.81 to 4.38 in forest pasture). After abandon of two different hilly pastures, fresh weight of standing crops in flowering stage was greatly decreased 48.5~54.1% in three years than that of the vegetation at the pasture management.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.119-130
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• 1998

The purposes of this study were to investigate vegetation structure and to present management plan of mountain type green space in Kangwhado, Inchon. The actual vegetation in survey sites(11,331ha) was divided into 19 community types. It was consisted of secondary forest(92.32%) which was Quercus acutissima, Pinus densiflora-Q. acutissima, and Q. mongolica community so on. Artificial planting forest area, such as Robinia pseudoacacia and Pinus rigida forest and others, was 5.40%(612ha) and it was less than cases in other cities in the Metropolitan area. According to the classification by TWINSPAN, 57 survey plots were divided into seven community types; P rigida(community A), Q. acutissima(community B) P. densiflora-Q. acutissima(community C), Q. acutissima-P. densiflora (community D), P. densiflora-Carpinus laxiflora-Q. serrata-Q. acutissima(community E), Q. serrata-Q. mongolica(community F), and Zelkova serrata-Acer mono(community G). From this result, ecological succession trend of vegetation in this area seems to be change from P. densiflora forest through Q. acutissima forest to Q. mongolica, Q. serrata, and C. laxiflora forest. It was similar to the ordinary successional trend of temperate deciduous forest in middle area, Korea. In addition, this study area was showed acid soil(pH 4.17). Therefore, there is a need for managing the soil environment for effective vegetation management.