• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.189-194
• /
• 2012

Coarse woody debris (CWD) is generally considered dead woody material in various stages of forest decomposition and has been hypothesized to be an important habitat feature for mammals in forests of the Pacific Northwest, USA. Sherman and pitfall trapping were conducted for 2 years on three paired sites with low and high amounts of CWD. Deer mice was the dominant species with a total capture of 605 (45.6%). Four species of insectivores were captured, including Sorex moncicolus, S. trowbridgii, S. vagrans, and Neurotrichus gibbsii. A Poisson regression model was used to test whether 11 CWD variables could predict insectivore captures. The volume of logs and mean decay were important variables for deer mice use of CWD. Mean distance from pieces of CWD to the capture point was significantly related to the total number of captures of trowbridge shrew (Sorex trowbridgii) and all insectivore species. Vagrant shrews (Sorex vagrans) were significantly associated with log volume. Retaining large size CWD should be part of a management plan for ground-dwelling insectivores in forests to secure their biodiversity.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.139-151
• /
• 2018

This study was carried out to provide the basic information for efficient protection management of natural recreation forest in addition to providing ecological information by analysing the vascular plants in Ohdosan natural recreation forest, and conducted from September 2016 to June 2017. This study showed that the area had a total 295 taxa including 86 families, 192 genuses, 255 species, 3 subspecies, 32 variants 6 forms and the ratio of genus/family was 1.5. Korea endemic plants were 10 taxa including Aconitum austrokoreense and A. pseudolaeve. Rare plants designated by Korea Forest Service were 6 taxa including Aconitum austrokoreense and Goodyera schlechtendaliana. The floristic regional indicators plants found in this survey area were 30 taxa comprising 5 taxa of grade IV, 6 taxa of grade III, 7 taxa of gradeII and 11 taxa of gradeI. Based on the list approved for delivering overseas of plants, 42 taxa were recorded in the surveyed area. The target plants adaptable to climate change were 4 taxa such as Abies koreana, Acotinum austrokoreense and so forth. The naturalized plants were 11 taxa including Cerastium glomeratum, Oenothera biennis and so forth.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.103 no.2
• /
• pp.307-312
• /
• 2014

Wild boar have increased in recent years in Korea where damage to agricultural crops is considered as a social issue. The ecological studies on wild boar are essential for the effective management in the future. During May and December 2012, We collected 79 wild boar stomach samples from culling program implementation to reduce agricultural damage in Geochang County and analyzed stomach contents to figure out wild boar diet habit and which crop was preferred. There was seasonal variation in the diet. Plant foods represented up to 93.5% of the diet and were consumed more frequently than animal foods. Invertebrates occurred with high frequency but were underestimated in dry weight because they are rapidly digested. Agricultural crops consumed comprised mainly chestnuts(33%), rice(33%), and apples(24%). Agricultural crops are also a potentially important food resources for wild boar. The frequency of occurrence of earthworms was 50% of diet. Earthworm consumption generally increased in summer, and then decreased in winter. Our results show that wild boar can be considered an omnivore whose diet consists of plant and animal foods. To reduce wild boar agricultural damages, We have to focus on the prevention effort to rice paddy adjacent to chestnut forest and to apple orchard.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.44 no.4
• /
• pp.264-274
• /
• 2020

Background: Climate change has altered the various ecosystem processes including forest ecosystem in Himalayan region. Although the high mountain natural forests including treelines in the Himalayan region are mainly reported to be temperature sensitive, the temperature-related water stress in an important growth-limiting factor for middle elevation mountains. And there are very few evidences on growth performance of planted forest in changing climate in the Himalayan region. A dendrochronological study was carried out to verify and record the impact of warming temperature tree growth by using the tree cores of Pinus roxburghii from Batase village of Dhulikhel in Central Nepal with sub-tropical climatic zone. For this total, 29 tree cores from 25 trees of P. roxburghii were measured and analyzed. Result: A 44-year long tree ring width chronology was constructed from the cores. The result showed that the radial growth of P. roxburghii was positively correlated with pre-monsoon (April) rainfall, although the correlation was not significant and negatively correlated with summer rainfall. The strongest negative correlation was found between radial growth and rainfall of June followed by the rainfall of January. Also, the radial growth showed significant positive correlation with that previous year August mean temperature and maximum temperature, and significant negative correlation between radial growth and maximum temperature (Tmax) of May and of spring season (March-May), indicating moisture as the key factor for radial growth. Despite the overall positive trend in the basal area increment (BAI), we have found the abrupt decline between 1995 and 2005 AD. Conclusion: The results indicated that chir pine planted population was moisture sensitive, and the negative impact of higher temperature during early growth season (March-May) was clearly seen on the radial growth. We emphasize that the forest would experience further moisture stress if the trend of warming temperatures continues. The unusual decreasing BAI trend might be associated with forest management processes including resin collection and other disturbances. Our results showed that the planted pine forest stand is sub-healthy due to major human intervention at times. Further exploration of growth climate response from different climatic zones and management regimes is important to improve our understanding on the growth performance of mid-hill pine forests in Nepal.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.112 no.1
• /
• pp.71-82
• /
• 2023

Forest biomass is used as a representative indicator of forest size, maturity, and productivity. Therefore, quantitative evaluation is important for management and harvest as well as the evaluation of ecosystem functions and services including CO₂ absorption. The allometric equation is a widely used method for estimating the value of each component through the relative growth rate of plants. Recently, studies indicated that the relative growth of trees is changing because of the increased CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere and the resulting climate change, raising the need to review the previously developed relative growth models and coefficients. In this study, the height-diameter at breast height (DBH) relationships of four major tree species in Korea [(Pinus densiflora (PD), Larix kaempferi (LK), Quercus variabilis (QV), and Quercus mongolica (QM)] were analyzed using the 5th-7th National Forest Inventory (NFI) data. Furthermore, these results were compared with the present yield table from the National Institute for Forest Science. This analysis revealed that the expected height for the same DBH increased as the NFI progressed. For example, in model analysis, the expected heights for PD, LK, QV, and QM for DBH of 25 cm were 12.48, 19.17, 14.47, and 13.19 m, respectively, in the 5th NFI data. In the 7th NFI data, these values were estimated as 13.61 (+9.1%), 21.58 (+12.7%), 15.76 (+8.9%), and 13.93 m (+5.6%), respectively. These results indicate that the major tree species in South Korean forests currently are more vigorous in height growth than in diameter growth when compared to the height-DBH development trends by tree species identified through past survey data.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.1-15
• /
• 2006

As the imports of foreign agricultural products are liberalized and the consumption of agricultural products declines, abandoned rice paddy fields continues to rise. However, such abandoned rice paddy fields has not been precisely surveyed yet. In this backdrop, a necessity to develop technology to utilize such abandoned rice paddy fields has emerged. Utilization of abandoned rice paddy fields as wetlands may be a good example. This study aimed to survey the current status and characteristics of wetlands created within abandoned rice paddy fields by selecting abandoned rice paddy fields throughout the nation and conducting field surveys on the sites that had transformed into wetlands. The abandoned rice paddy fields almost transformed into wetland and the types of wetlands transformed from abandoned rice paddy fields were mainly Inland/Moutain/Depression/Abandoned rice paddy fields/Marsh/Phragmites communis community and Inland/Moutain/Depression/Abandoned rice paddy fields/Swamp/Salix koreensis community. Abandoned rice paddy fields that had transformed into wetlands was depending heavily on waterways for water supply than other reservoirs and lakes do. Abandoned rice paddy fields transformed into wetlands was most observed in mountainous area. Abandoned rice paddy fields are because agricultural land is no longer profitable due to international and social changes and is not cultivated as government policy. Wetland period and dimension originated from abandoned rice paddy fields are very various and its surrounding land its mostly forest and the next largest follow roads and rural community. The abandoned rice paddy fields transformed into wetlands is mostly deserted currently. Despite their value as wetlands, no restoration and utilization efforts are made in Korea today. Therefore, it is imperative to conduct a precise current status survey on these areas and introduce management and restoration plans at the government level in the case of important habitats.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.55-71
• /
• 2018

To improve the ecological function of urban areas, the guideline for applying the Biotope Area Ratio to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was developed in 2005 and modified in the July, 2017. This study investigates whether the guideline has been actually practiced in the real world by searching reports including 648 cases of the Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA) and 471 cases of the EIA. The results show that the 38% of SEIA and the 43% of EIA include sections about Biotope Area Ratio, and the 15% of SEIA and the 25 % of EIA are satisfied the threshold of the Biotope Area Ratio suggested by the guideline. The statistical analysis results show that this low level of practice was not improved through the modification of the guideline in 2017. This is because the guideline is forcibleness, its explanation is unclear, and stockholders' understanding of it lacks. In addition, lack of tracking management on SEIA and EIA also contributes to the low level of practice of the guideline. To promote the practice, the efforts to legislate and publicize the guideline are required.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.287-299
• /
• 2015

If the Nakdong River estuary is to be sustainable, land use management practices need to consider bird habitat requirements, especially given that the area serves as an important migratory bird sanctuary. In this study, bird habitats found in the Nakdong River estuary were classified into 11 different types including Phragmites australiss, mud flat, farmland, open surface in freshwater, sand bar, riparian forest, Scirpus planiculmis, waterway, construction, grasslands, and open surface in sea or brackish water. Taking into consideration the regional characteristics, habitat properties, and landscape indices, a total of 12 study sites were analyzed. Mud flat, construction, farmland, and P. australis account for 80% of the total land area. The high area ratio of construction and farmland to other types of habitat revealed a high amount of historical human activity and intervention in the area. Both patch numbers as well as patch density were high in West Nakdong River, Samrak Waterfront, Maekdo River, and Daejeo Floodgate, with these areas showing the greatest fragmentation as well. Total numbers of species and individuals had a positive correlation with the area and the number of habitat types. Findings suggest that protecting the habitat area, especially in S. planiculmis, is the most important factor for bird habitat management and that future development could result in habitat loss, having a profoundly adverse impact on bird populations. Therefore, it is important that the total area should be carefully protected by land use regulations in order to ensure that the Nakdong River estuary maintains its functional integrity as a migratory bird sanctuary.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.417-430
• /
• 2018

Identification and mangement of ecosystem service hotspots are necessary to set environmental policies that include concepts of ecosystem service. Assessment and mapping of ecosystem service hotspot referring areas with high amount of ecosystem services provide essential information to manage ecosystem services effectively. Assessment of hotspots based on regional environmental stakeholders' perception is an useful approach to identify priority areas where management practices are required. This study estimated weights on regulating ecosystem services from regional environmental stakeholders' surveys in Ansan, and then, identified regulating service hotspots with weights. The result indicated that regulating services are, in order of importance, water quality, air quality, erosion, and climate control. The north-eastern forest of Ansan was mainly revealed as an ecosystem service hotspot. Ecosystem service hotspots were spatially distributed similarly regardless of environmental stakeholders' weights. Identification of ecosystem service hotspot with environmental stakeholders' perception can be applied in decision-support tools for ecosystem service management.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.56-72
• /
• 2015

This study area for this research was the Taereung of the 2009 World Heritage-listed Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty. The Taereung space was divided into that of the royal tomb space, religious service space, transposition space and entry space. The original vegetation is assumed to have been planted at the right, left and backside of the tomb based on historical research literature. Regarding the original vegetation landscape of Taeneung, it was assumed that Pinus densiflora was distributed around the tomb lines and tomb space, Pinus densiflora was distributed in the religion services space and transposition and Alnus japonica was distributed in the entry space. By the present status of vegetation in Taeneung, the Pinus densiflora forest was the widest area with 50.3% with the broadleaf forest at 33.7%. Quercus aliena, Quercus acutissima, and Quercus mongolica were the main species found in Taeneung. The planting area was 7.9% and Pinus densiflora were the main species planted. To analyze the plant community structure of Taeneung, 108 plots were set and divided into four spaces. The importance of the percentage of those districts was analyzed on a spatial basis and it was found that the current dominant species of the tomb space was Pinus densiflora. However, as Pinus densiflora began dying out, the power of Quercus acutissima increased and an ecological succession from the Pinus densiflora forest to Quercus aliena forest was made. In the spaces of religious services and transposition, Pinus densiflora was decreasing and Quercus spp. was expanded. In the space of entry, the dominant species were Pinus densiflora and Quercus aliena, Pinus densiflora and Quercus aliena. As soil of this area is argillaceous, Pinus densiflora is expected to disappear in the end. The prior vegetation(assumed) and present vegetation of Taeneung were compared and analyzed and a goal of vegetation management and the way in which to manage vegetation were suggested. The goal of vegetation landscape management was to analyze ecological characteristics and vegetation changes, maintain and restore a landscape suitable for historical landscape forests by space. About the space of the tomb, Pinus densiflora forests and Pinus densiflora planting zones forests should be maintained and there should be efforts to restore and manage the Pinus densiflora forests, instead of the Quercus spp. forests. About the space of religious services, Pinus densiflora forests and Pinus densiflora planting zones should be maintained and managed and there should be efforts to restore and manage Pinus densiflora forests to replace Quercus spp. Pinus densiflora forests in the space of transposition should be maintained and managed and Pinus densiflora forests should be restored to replace Quercus spp. trees. Alnus japonica forests should be restored in the space of entry.