• Title/Summary/Keyword: ecological indicators

Search Result 239, Processing Time 0.034 seconds

The verification about possibility of introducing Window to Floor Ratio as design index for building energy performance

  • Choi, Won-Ki;Lee, Yong-Jun;Lee, Hyun-Soo;Eom, Jae-Yong;Lee, Chung-Kook
    • KIEAE Journal
    • /
    • v.17 no.1
    • /
    • pp.23-28
    • /
    • 2017
  • Purpose: Many design index that are using in planning phase have been developed. The most popular things among them are Window to Wall Ratio and Surface to Volume Ratio. However there are some limits. Window to Wall Ratio cannot consider building size and Surface to Volume Ratio cannot do Window to Wall Ratio. Accordingly, in this paper, the Window to Floor Ratio was proposed that it can be considered both building size and Window to Wall Ratio. And analyzed correlation of energy demand. Method: For the test, 16 modules with the size of $6m{\times}6m{\times}4m$ were used to make 35 models with the same volume. The simulation was conducted to 945 cases using the window-to-wall ratio of 30, 50 and 70 % in three areas such as Seoul, Gwangju and Jeju and three kinds of windows. And IES_VE was used. Result: The findings above show that the Window to Floor Ratio that can be considered both building size and Window area have to become as design index. It was found out that design criteria with SHGC is necessary, not with the thermal performance (U-value). It is needed to additional analysis about residential building and the effect of 24-hours heating and cooling condition. It plans to carry out research to establish design indicators for climatic conditions in the country and building applications.

Distribution Patterns of the Dominant Macrobenthos and the Benthic Environments on Subtidal Soft-bottom in Chonsu Bay, Korea (천수만 조하대 연성저질에 서식하는 저서동물 우점종의 분포 양상과 저서 환경)

  • Park Heung-Sik;Kang Rae-Seon;Lee Jae-Hac
    • Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
    • /
    • v.39 no.spc1
    • /
    • pp.214-222
    • /
    • 2006
  • Dominant species of macrobenthos were analyzed based on differentiation of three distinct methods: the density based method, the biomass based method and LeBris method, by considering the frequency of occurrence using quantitative data collected over 5 years (1993-1998) at 21 stations in Chonsu Bay. Sedimentary environments as well as species composition and diversity showed the spatial and temporal distribution patterns. The ranks of dominant species as determined by the density based method were more similar to the results by the LeBris method than to those from the biomass based method. Considering the temporal variation, LeBris method were more efficient than any other methods for the determination of dominant species in Chonsu Bay. Lumbrineris longifolia, Theora fragilis, and Moerella jedoensis were recognized by all three methods. A one-way analysis of variance indicated spatial distributions patterns among most of the dominant species. These species showed positive correlations to sedimentary parameters such as mean grain size. However, T. fragilis and Paraprinospio pinnata showed the temporal patterns in their distribution, and were also correlated to the benthic environment, organic content and dissolved oxygen. Some dominant species, e.g., T. fragilis, S. scutata, G. gurjanovae proved to be useful benthic indicators based on the environmental variations determinated by long-term benthic ecological monitoring in Chonsu Bay.

Kidney Toxicity Induced by 13 Weeks Exposure to the Fruiting Body of Paecilomyces sinclairii in Rats

  • Jeong, Mi-Hye;Kim, Young-Won;Min, Jeong-Ran;Kwon, Min;Han, Beom-Suk;Kim, Jeong-Gyu;Jeong, Sang-Hee
    • Toxicological Research
    • /
    • v.28 no.3
    • /
    • pp.179-185
    • /
    • 2012
  • Paecilomyces sinclairiis (PS) is known as a functional food or human health supplement. However concerns have been raised about its kidney toxicity. This study was performed to investigate the kidney toxicity of PS by 13 week-oral administration to rats. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine, and kidney damage biomarkers including beta-2-microglobulin (${\beta}2m$), glutathione S-transferase alpha (GST-${\alpha}$), kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1), tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), calbindin, clusterin, cystatin C, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and osteopontin were measured during or after the treatment of PS. BUN, creatinine and kidney damage biomarkers in serum were not changed by PS. However, kidney cell karyomegaly and tubular hypertrophy were observed dose-dependently with higher severity in males. KIM-1, TIMP-1 and osteopontin in kidney and urine were increased dose dependently in male or at the highest dose in female rats. Increased urinary osteopontin by PS was not recovered at 2 weeks of post-exposure in both genders. Cystatin C in kidney was decreased at all treatment groups but inversely increased in urine. The changes in kidney damage biomarkers were more remarkable in male than female rats. These data indicate that the PS may provoke renal cell damage and glomerular filtration dysfunction in rats with histopathological lesions and change of kidney damage biomarkers in kidney or urine. Kidney and urinary KIM-1 and cystatin C were the most marked indicators, while kidney weight, BUN and creatinine and kidney damage biomarkers in serum were not influenced.

Comparative Analyses of Community and Biological Indices based on Benthic Macroinvertebrates in Streams using a Self-Organizing Map

  • Tang, Hong Qu;Bae, Mi-Jung;Chon, Tae-Soo;Song, Mi-Young;Park, Young-Seuk
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
    • /
    • v.42 no.3
    • /
    • pp.303-316
    • /
    • 2009
  • Benthic macroinvertebrate communities collected from eight different streams in South Korea were analyzed to compare community and biological indices across different levels of water pollution. The Self-Organizing Map (SOM) was utilized to provide overview on association of the proposed indices. The sample sites were accordingly clustered according to the gradient of pollution on the SOM. While the general trends of the indices were commonly observable according to different levels of pollution, the detailed differences among the indices were also illustrated on the SOM. The conventional diversity and evenness indices tended to be high even though the water quality state was poor representing relatively weak gradient at polluted sites, while the index presenting the saprobic degree such as family biotic index showed the stronger gradient at the polluted area and was robust to present the gradient. Our results also confirmed the general characterization of two indices: The Shannon index is more strengthened by the number of species occurring at the sample sites, while the Simpson index is more influenced by the degree of evenness among the species. The patterning based on the SOM was efficient in comparatively characterizing the proposed indices to present ecological states and water quality.

Effects of Polysaccharide Ginsan from Panax ginseng on Liver Function

  • Song, Jie-Young;Medea-Akhalaia;Alexander-Platonov;Kim, Hyung-Doo;Jung, In-Sung;Han, Young-Soo;Yun, Yeon-Sook
    • Archives of Pharmacal Research
    • /
    • v.27 no.5
    • /
    • pp.531-538
    • /
    • 2004
  • Ginsan, a polysaccharide isolated from Panax ginseng, has been shown to be a potent immunomodulator, producing a variety of cytokines such as TNF-a, IL-1$\beta$, IL-2, IL-6, IL-12, IFN-${\gamma}$ and GM-CSF, and stimulating lymphoid cells to proliferate. In the present study, we analyzed some immune functions 1$^{st}$-5$^{th}$ days after ginsan i.p. injection, including the level of non-protein thiols (NPSH) as antioxidants, heme oxygenase (HO) activity as a marker of oxidative stress, zoxazolamine-induced paralysis time and level of hepatic cytochrome P-450 (CYP450) as indices of drug metabolism system, and activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin, and albumin level as indicators of hepatotoxicity. Ginsan in the dose of 100 mg/kg caused marked elevation (1.7-2 fold) of HO activity, decrease of total CYP450 level (by 20-34%), and prolongation of zoxazolamine-induced paralysis time (by 65-70%), and showed some differences between male and female mice. Ginsan treatment did not seem to cause hepatic injury, since serum AST, ALT, and ALP activities and levels of total bilirubin and albumin were not changed.d.

Identifying Spatial Distribution Pattern of Water Quality in Masan Bay Using Spatial Autocorrelation Index and Pearson's r (공간자기상관 지수와 Pearson 상관계수를 이용한 마산만 수질의 공간분포 패턴 규명)

  • Choi, Hyun-Woo;Park, Jae-Moon;Kim, Hyun-Wook;Kim, Young-Ok
    • Ocean and Polar Research
    • /
    • v.29 no.4
    • /
    • pp.391-400
    • /
    • 2007
  • To identify the spatial distribution pattern of water quality in Masan Bay, Pearson's correlation as a common statistic method and Moran's I as a spatial autocorrelation statistics were applied to the hydrological data seasonally collected from Masan Bay for two years ($2004{\sim}2005$). Spatial distribution of salinity, DO and silicate among the hydrological parameters clustered strongly while chlorophyll a distribution displayed a weak clustering. When the similarity matrix of Moran's I was compared with correlation matrix of Pearson's r, only the relationships of temperature vs. salinity, temperature vs. silicate and silicate vs. total inorganic nitrogen showed significant correlation and similarity of spatial clustered pattern. Considering Pearson's correlation and the spatial autocorrelation results, water quality distribution patterns of Masan Bay were conceptually simplified into four types. Based on the simplified types, Moran's I and Pearson's r were compared respectively with spatial distribution maps on salinity and silicate with a strong clustered pattern, and with chlorophyll a having no clustered pattern. According to these test results, spatial distribution of the water quality in Masan Bay could be summed up in four patterns. This summation should be developed as spatial index to be linked with pollutant and ecological indicators for coastal health assessment.

Relationship between Vegetation Composition and Dissolved Nitrogen in Wetlands of Higashi-Hiroshima, West Japan

  • Miandoab, Azam Haidary;Nakane, Kaneyuki
    • Journal of Ecology and Environment
    • /
    • v.30 no.3
    • /
    • pp.209-223
    • /
    • 2007
  • Twenty-four wetlands located in Higashi-Hiroshima City in West Japan were selected for this study in order to investigate both the relationship between aquatic plant composition and environmental conditions; and the relationship between changing land use patterns in the catchments and the concentration of different forms of nitrogen in the wetlands. The dominant and subdominant species which comprised the principal vegetation were determined based on a vegetation census conducted in each wetland during the growing season from June to August, 2006. The seasonal variations of water quality factors (pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solid, and temperature) and different forms of nitrogen such as nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, total nitrogen, dissolved organic nitrogen and dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentrations were analyzed as important indicators of water quality for the surface water of the wetlands. The surveyed wetlands were classified into three types (non-disturbed wetlands, moderately-disturbed wetlands and highly-disturbed wetlands), based on the degree of human disturbance to their catchment areas. An analysis of variance indicated that there was a significant difference among the wetland groups in the annual mean values of electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, total nitrogen, nitrite, dissolved inorganic nitrogen and dissolved organic nitrogen. Classification of the wetlands into three groups has revealed a pattern of changes in the composition of plant species in the wetlands and a pattern of changes in nitrogen concentrations. A majority of the non-disturbed wetlands were characterized by Brasenia schrebi and Trapa bispinosa as dominant; with Potamogeton fryeri and Iris pesudacorus as sub-dominant species. For most of the moderately-disturbed wetlands, Brasenia schrebi were shown to be a dominant species; Elocheriss kuriguwai and Phragmites australis were observed as sub-dominant species. For a majority of the highly-disturbed wetlands, Typha latifolia and T. angustifolia were observed as dominant species, and Nymphea tetragona as the sub-dominant species in the study area. An analysis of land use and water quality factors indicated that forest area played a considerable role in reducing the concentration of nutrients, and can act as a sink for surface/subsurface nutrient inputs flowing into wetland water, anchor the soil, and lower erosion rates into wetlands.

GeoAI-Based Forest Fire Susceptibility Assessment with Integration of Forest and Soil Digital Map Data

  • Kounghoon Nam;Jong-Tae Kim;Chang-Ju Lee;Gyo-Cheol Jeong
    • The Journal of Engineering Geology
    • /
    • v.34 no.1
    • /
    • pp.107-115
    • /
    • 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.

A Study on the Selection of Evaluation Index for Private-Initiated Park Development Project Using FGI (Focus Group Interview) (FGI를 활용한 민간공원 특례사업 평가항목 선정 연구)

  • Kim, Jong-Ho;Kim, Gun-Woo
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
    • /
    • v.50 no.6
    • /
    • pp.70-83
    • /
    • 2022
  • This study aims to select evaluation items that can be used in planning park creation to evaluate the proposal to solve the environmental and social problems in promoting private-initiated park development projects. To this end, evaluation items that can consider various aspects of the development project were selected, and the indicators' validity and appropriateness were carried out through an expert Focus Group Interview (FGI). Firstly, an expert FGI was performed for six major categories and 50 evaluation items derived from literature reviews and brainstorming. As a result, five major and 27 middle category items were selected. Based on the derived major and middle classification items, 95 detailed items were selected. Secondly, 55 sub-items were derived through a suitability questionnaire. As a result of the suitability survey, the average scores of the subcategories for the major categories of natural environment, function of parks, and use of land were relatively high. The average scores for environmental index items such as ecology/vegetation, topography and slope, landscape, park service, wildlife, wide-area ecosystem, and park items were high in the middle classification. The average score of indicators in the natural environment was relatively high, and the average score in the function of parks also soared. In the environmental impact assessment, the occurrence of plan change issues, including the reappraisal of the location, led to unclear detailed evaluation factors for the faithfulness of the plan and the appropriateness of the plan direction. This study is significant in that it is a study on the selection of evaluation items that can minimize the problem of plan alteration and achieve objective evaluation when promoting development projects. This study could be used to forward development projects in the future and evaluate long-term unexecuted urban parks.

A Study on the Eco-Cultural Assessment Indicator for Buddhist Temple Forest - Focused on Mt. Jogye Songgwang-sa Temple - (사찰림의 생태문화적 평가지표에 관한 연구 - 조계산 송광사를 중심으로 -)

  • Jang, Young-Whan;Koo, Bon-Hak
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
    • /
    • v.37 no.2
    • /
    • pp.74-88
    • /
    • 2019
  • This study developed the Assessment Indicator evaluating eco-cultural value of temple forest in Korea and applied the developed Assessment Indicator to Songgwang-sa(also known as Seungbo-sachal), one of the Three Jewels Temple. Literature reviews and the draft of Assessment Indicator were drawn from brainstorming(including 2 forest therapy experts, 1 Buddhist monk expert, 1 landscape architect, 1 forest expert, and 6 researchers). After that, the Assessment Indicator drawn from the group of experts(the 1st in-depth interview: 32 people, the 2nd in-depth interview: 30 people) was verified and revised. The final Assessment Indicator, which was composed of 4 parts and 20 items, was developed. The results are as follows. The eco-cultural Assessment Indicator of temple forest was composed of 4 parts, which were Historical Cultural value, Ecological value, Recreatory Visitational value, and Educational Useful value, and 20 items and each item had 5 points. Historical Cultural value had 5 items and its total points were 25. Ecological value had 5 items and had total 25 points. Recreatory Visitational value had 6 items, 30 total points. Educational Useful value had 4 items, 20 total points. The total points of the eco-cultural Assessment Indicator were 100 points. As a result of applying the developed Assessment Indicator to the target place, Songgwang-sa in Mt. Jogye, Historical Cultural value of temple forest was calculated as 23 points(out of 25). Ecological value was 21 point(out of 25), Recreatory Visitational value, 22 points(out of 30), and Educational Useful value, 16 points(out of 20). The total points were 82(out of 100). Consequently, this study is meaningful based on the following 5 aspects. Firstly, this study challenged the development of the eco-cultural Assessment Indicator of temple forest for the first time. It is significant because the developed Assessment Indicator can be a useful resource for the eco-cultural value of temple forest. Secondly, the result showed that Educational Useful value and Recreatory Visitational value of forest temple were very low. Therefore, the supports for leisure, tour, education, and use of temple forest are needed from Korea Forest Service, Ministry of Environment, Cultural Heritage Administration and other government agencies since they acknowledge the temple forest as the best customers in Korea. Thirdly, the excellence or for eco-cultural value of temple forest needs to be extended in a national level. It is possible to make a Korean National Bran(e.g., the Therapy at the Temple) by blending temple stay, which is only in temples, and therapy, and is also possible to be a global tour industry. Fourthly, this study suggested legal definition about the necessary of legal definition for temple forest because there is no legal definition on temple forest in the current situation. When the definition of temple forest is legally arranaged, it would be a foundation for conserving eco-cultural value of temple forest, for organizing exclusively responsible departments in governmental institutions, and further for registering temple forest as World Natural Heritage. Lastly, the developed eco-cultural Assessment Indicators of temple forest from this study would be applied to "the 7 Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea(Sansa)" and the characteristics of each 7 temple are drawn. This study would be a basic data for temples' management and use with the eco-cultural Assessment Indicator of temple forest.