• Title/Summary/Keyword: exotic species

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Characteristics of Fish Assemblage by Reservoir Size in Yeongsan·Seomjin River Watershed in Korea (영산강·섬진강 수계 호소의 규모별 어류군집 특성)

  • Park, Sang-Hyeon;Kim, Jeong-Hui;Baek, Seung-Ho;Choi, Ho-Seung;Kim, Dae-Won;Ko, Eui-Jeong;Kim, Hyun-Woo
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.53 no.3
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    • pp.229-240
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    • 2020
  • In this study, the results of fish assemblage survey for 16 reservoirs in the Yeongsan·Seomjin-River watershed were presented with fish assemblage characteristics analysis in relation to reservoir size. The survey method including number of sampling sites was followed the "Biomonitoring survey and assessment manual" of the Ministry of Environment/National Institute of Environmental Research (MOE/NIER), and the reservoirs were categorized as three size groups, small, medium or large reservoirs, based on the MOE/NIER as well. Total 13 family classified into 44 species were collected from 2018 (7 reservoirs) to 2019 (9 reservoirs), and the dominant and subdominant species were Hemiculter eigenmanni (Relative abundance, RA, 32.9%) and Lepomis macrochirus (RA, 31.4%), respectively. As a result of the analysis in relation to the reservoir size, the average (±standard deviation) number of species of the small, medium and large reservoirs were 11±2.9, 14.3±2.1, 22.7±0.6, respectively, which showed positive correlation with the reservoir size. Total 6 fish assemblage characteristics(number of species, number of individuals, richness index, herbivorous fish ratio, carnivorous fish ratio, exotic fish ratio) showed significant differences between the each reservoir size groups (P<0.05). As a result of cluster analysis, 16 reservoirs were clustered into 5 groups with 60% similarity, and the each reservoirs seems to be clustered depends on the distance from each other, watershed and their historical geology rather than size. These results are baseline information for the understanding of fish assemblage in Korean reservoirs, important for establishing management policy of reservoirs in the Yeongsan·Seomjin-River watershed.

Flora, Actual Vegetation Map, and Primary Production of the Vascular Hydrophytes and Hygrophytes in the Upo Wetland (우포늪에서 수생 및 습생 관속식물의 식물상, 현존식생도 및 1차 생산)

  • Kang, Min-jeong;Kim, Cheol-Soo;Oh, Kyung-hwan
    • Journal of Wetlands Research
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    • v.9 no.2
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    • pp.45-55
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    • 2007
  • Flora, actual vegetation map, distribution area by the life form, primary productivity and annual primary production by the vascular hydrophytes and hygrophytes were investigated in the Upo wetland, Changnyeong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea from May 2005 to March 2006. The flora of Upo, Mokpo, Sajipo, Jokjibyeol, Topyeongcheon upstream, and Topyeongcheon downstream were composed of 263, 233, 244, 182, 190, and 178 taxa, respectively. The flora of total study area was 85 families, 224 genera, 287 species, 42 varieties, 4 form, or total 333 taxa. Among them, hydrophytes, hygrophytes, and others were 38, 108, and 187 taxa, respectively. The life form of the vascular hydrophytes was classified as 20 taxa of emergent plants, 6 taxa of floating-leaved plants, 5 taxa of free-floating plants, and 7 taxa of submersed plants, respectively. There were 27 plant communities including pure population, mixed population, and etc. It is also found that Trapa japonica-Ceratophyllum demersum community occupies 60.64 ha, the largest area, and Salvinia natans-Ceratophyllum demersum community 32.91 ha, Zizania latifolia community 30.05 ha, and that the area of free-floating plants was the largest as 172.6 ha(47.9%) on the basis of life form. Total annual primary production of the vascular hydrophytes and hygrophytes was 1,383.3ton. That of the emergent hydrophytes was the most as 564.1 ton(40.8%), and those of the free-floating, floating-leaved, and the submersed were 484.1 ton(34.9%), 146.7 ton(10.6%), and 1.3 ton(0.5%), respectively, and the hygrophytes was 182.1 ton(13.2%). Since most plant species are fairly adapted to the present marsh environment, bad influences and change of species composition are expected by the artificial influences on the wetland such as fragmentation, reclamation, and introduction of the exotic species. Therefore, schemes and counterplans for the conservation and preservation of the marsh are demanded.

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Flora of Mt. Balbaek (Gyeongbuk, Gyeongsan) (발백산(경북, 경산)의 관속식물상)

  • Youjin Hwang;SeongJun Park;SuMi Choi;Saeyeon Hwang;Jaesik Hwang;Seonghyun Bae;SeonJoo Park
    • Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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    • v.36 no.1
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    • pp.62-90
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    • 2023
  • This study was conducted to study the vascular plants of Balbaeksan, located on the border between Gyeongsan-si and Cheongdo-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do. It was performed 13 times from September 2020 to November 2021, and the investigated vascular plants were identified as a total of 93 families, 302 genera, 485 species, 10 subspecies, 40 varieties, 13 varieties, and 545 taxa. Endemic plants were investigated in 18 taxa, 9 taxa of rare plants; Vulnerable (VU) 5 taxa, Least concerned (LC) 3 taxa, Data Deficient (DD) 1 taxa, Red List plants 5 taxa; 3 taxa of least concerned (LC), 2 taxa of Not Evaluated (NE), 183 taxa of biological resources subject to export approval, 78 taxa of specific taxonomy; There were 9 taxa of grade IV, 20 taxa of grade III, 20 taxa of grade II, and 28 taxa of grade I. 4 taxa of plants subject to climate change adaptation; 2 taxa of endemic plants, 1 taxa of southern plants, 1 taxa of northern plants, 4 taxa of climate change biomarker species, 2 taxa of candidate species of climate change biomarker, 65 taxa of exotic plants, and 3 taxa of ecosystem disturbance species. Plants 235 taxa (43.1%), medicinal plants 257 taxa (47.2%), ornamental plants 148 taxa (27.2%), woody plants 54 taxa (9.9%), herbaceous plants 37 taxa (6.8%), industrial plants 15 Taxa (2.8%), 11 taxa (2.0%) of fiber-bearing plants, and plants of unknown use were identified as 73 taxa (13.4%). The flora of Mt. Balbaek was investigated for the first time, and plants to be preserved in order to secure useful plant resources and biological sovereignty were identified. So continuous monitoring is necessary to prevent the introduction of foreign plants that may be caused by the recent increase in the number of people coming and going.

Passive restoration under progress in wetland of National Institute of Ecology (국립생태원 습지에서 진행 중인 자발적 복원)

  • An, Ji Hong;Lim, Chi Hong;Nam, Gyung Bae;Jung, Song Hie;Lee, Chang Seok
    • Journal of Wetlands Research
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    • v.18 no.4
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    • pp.465-473
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    • 2016
  • This study was carried out to evaluate restoration process of a few wetlands in the National Institute of Ecology (NIE). Wetlands were composed of the former rice paddies that passive restoration was led through only natural process and by creating waterway, and an ecological pond, a reservoir that restorative treatment was practiced. As the result of analysis on landscape change in the current wetland space, existing wetland in NIE was usually from the former rice field and some parts were from the residential area or forest. Change of species composition was progressed from crops or ruderals resistant to human interferences to plant species, which has removed artificially for cultivation and grow usually in the typical wetland. Both species diversity and occurrence of exotic plants were the highest when restoration project is in progress and stages after and before restoration were followed. In an ecological pond that restorative treatment was done, vegetation introduced as riparian buffer was established successfully and thereby it was expected that it could contribute to buffer environmental stress comming from the outside. Synthesized the above mentioned results, change of wetland vegetation established in NIE resembled the typical trend of early successional stage occurring in the abandoned rice paddy and consequently, it was estimated that successful restoration is under progress. Restoration under progress in an ecological pond where artificial aid in the least level was added, could be evaluated in successful as well. In particular, successful establishment of buffering vegetation, which can play diverse ecological functions, could be evaluated as significant restoration effect. But adaptive management to improve ecological quality for the section that buffering vegetation is insufficient, is required.

Microbe Hunting: A Curious Case of Cryptococcus

  • Bartlett, Karen H.;Kidd, Sarah;Duncan, Colleen;Chow, Yat;Bach, Paxton;Mak, Sunny;MacDougall, Laura;Fyfe, Murray
    • Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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    • 2005.06a
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    • pp.45-72
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    • 2005
  • C. neoformans-associated cryptococcosis is primarily a disease of immunocompromised persons, has a world-wide distribution, and is often spread by pigeons in the urban environment. In contrast, C. gattii causes infection in normal hosts, has only been described in tropical and semi-tropical areas of the world, and has a unique niche in river gum Eucalyptus trees. Cryptococcosis is acquired through inhalation of the yeast propagules from the environment. C. gattii has been identified as the cause of an emerging infectious disease centered on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. No cases of C. gattii-disease were diagnosed prior to 1999; the current incidence rate is 36 cases per million population. A search was initiated in 2001 to find the ecological niche of this basidiomycetous yeast. C. gaftii was found in the environment in treed areas of Vancouver Island. The highest percentage of colonized-tree clusters were found around central Vancouver Island, with decreasing rates of colonization to the north and south. Climate, soil and vegetation cover of this area, called the Coastal Douglas fir biogeoclimatic zone, is unique to British Columbia and Canada. The concentration of airborne C. gattii was highest in the dry summer months, and lowest during late fall, winter, and early spring, months which have heavy rainfall. The study of the emerging colonization of this organism and subsequent cases of environmentally acquired disease will be informative in planning public health management of new routes of exposure to exotic agents in areas impacted by changing climate and land use patterns. Cryptococcosis is an infection associated with an encapsulated, basidiomycetous yeast Cryptococcus neoformans. The route of entry for this organism is through the lungs, with possible systemic spread via the circulatory system to the brain and meninges. There are four cryptococcal serogroups associated with disease in humans and animals, distinguished by capsular polysaccharide antigens. Cryptococcus neoformans: variety grubii (serotype A), variety neoformans (serotype D), and variety gattii (serotypes B and C) (Franzot et at. 1999). C. neoformans variety gattii has recently been elevated to species status, C. gattii. C. neoformans val. grubii and var. neoformans have a world-wide distribution, and are particularly associated with soil and weathered bird droppings. In contrast, C. gattii (CG) is not associated with bird excrement, is primarily found in tropical and subtropical climates, and has a restricted environmental niche associated with specific tree species. (Ellis & Pfiffer 1990) Ellis and Pfeiffer theorize that, as a basidiomycete, CG requires an association with a tree in order to become pathogenic to mammals. In Australia, CG has been found to be associated with five species of Eucalypts, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, E. tereticornis, E. blakelyi, E. gomphocephala, and E. rudis. Eucalypts, although originally native to Australia, now have a world-wide distribution. CG has been found associated with imported eucalypts in India, California, Brazil, and Egypt. In addition, in Brazil and Columbia, where eucalypts have been naturalized, native trees have been shown to harbour CG (Callejas et al. 1998; Montenegro et al. 2000). In British Columbia, Canada, since the beginning of 1999, there have been 120 confirmed cases of cryptococcal mycoses associated with CG in humans, including 4 fatalities (data from British Columbia Centre for Disease Control), and over 200 cases in animal pets in BC (data from Central Laboratory for Veterinarians). What is remarkable about the BC outbreak of C. gattii-cryptococcosis is that all of the cases have been residents of, or visitors to, a narrow area along the eastern coast of Vancouver Island, BC, from the tip of the island in the south (Victoria) to Courtenay on the north-central island as illustrated in Figure 1. Of the first 38 human cases, 58% were male with a mean age of 59.7 years (range 20 - 82): 36 cases (95%) were Caucasian. Ten cases (26%) presented with meningitis, the remainder presented with respiratory symptoms. Cultures recovered from cases of cryptococcosis associated with the outbreak were typed as serogroup B, which is specific to CG (Bartlett et al. 2003). This was the first reported outbreak of CVG in Canada, or indeed, the world. Where infection with CG is endemic, for example, Australia, the incidence of cryptococcosis ranges from 1.8 - 4.7 per million between the southern and northern states (Sorrell 2001). However, the overall incidence of cryptococcosis in immunocompenent individuals has been estimated at 0.2 per million population per year (Kwon-Chung et al. 1984). The population of Vancouver Island is approximately 720,000,consequently, even if the organism were endemic, one would expect a maximum of 0.15 cases of cryptococcal disease annually.

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An Evaluation on Health Conditions of Pyong-Chang River using the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) and Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index(QHEI) (생물보전지수(Index of Biological Integrity) 및 서식지 평가지수 (Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index)를 이용한 평창강의 수환경 평가)

  • Jung, Seung-Hyun;Choi, Shin-Sok;An, Kwang-Guk
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.34 no.3 s.95
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    • pp.153-165
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    • 2001
  • We evaluated the health condition of Pyong-Chang river, the tributary of Han- River, using the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) and Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) during September 1999${\sim}$August 2000. The annual mean of IBI, which was estimated using eleven metrics, was 49 (range: $45{\sim}51$) and the mean of QHEI, which was estimated using seven parameters, was 88 (range: $76{\sim}94$) during the study. The river health, based on the IBI criteria of Karr (1981), ranged from "excellent" to "good" conditions, while based on the habitat criteria of Plafkin et al. (1989), it ranged from "pristine" (comparable to reference) to "supporting" conditions. Values of IBI showed slight differences between upstream and downstream sites and QHEI values varied weakly depending on characteristics of variables. Regression analyses showed that annual values of QHEI had no functional relations with stream order (p = 1.82; n = 8) but showed some decreases near slight point-sources. This result indicates that conditions of physical habitat did not change highly with increases of the stream order. According to analyses of feed guilds, relative abundance of insectivores, omnivores and carnivores was 85.1%, 3.5% 0.3%, respectively. Also, relative abundance of sensitive and tolerant species was 75% and 4.6%, respectively, while exotic and morphological anomalies were not found in the river. These outcomes indicate that health condition of fish, based on the trophic conditions of U.S. EPA (1993), was excellent in the river. Regression analyses of IBI values against the QHEI showed that the variation of habitat conditions accounted 57% for the variation of the Index of Biological Integrity (p<0.05; $R^2\;=\;0.57$; n = 7).Overall data of IBI and QHEI suggest that the river health in the present is in optimal conditions but may be degradated by acceleration of chemical inputs and physical-habitat disturbance.

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Ecological Investigations on the Managed Forests in Northwestern Europe and Tree Seed-Orchard System (북구(北歐)의 우량임분(優良林分)의 생태(生態) 및 채종원(採種園) 체계(體系)에 관(關)한 연구(硏究))

  • Kim, Chi Moon
    • Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.239-249
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    • 1982
  • The outlines of superior stands, including species mixed, age classes, canopies, and ecological conditions of the stands, were examined in the forests of west Germany, Sweden, and Netherland. The establishment schemes of tree seed orchards for the production of high genetic quality seed were also investigated in the present study. 1. The meteorological conditions, abundant in precipitation and high in relative humidity, prove it to be oceanic climate characteristics in the Scandinavia located in high latitude and north-western part of Europe. The photo periodical characteristics following to day-length and the frost times determine the patterns of tree growth and distribution as well as the tree adaptability due to bud-setting and bud-flushing in Sweden forest. 2. The European forests are generally characterized by dense multistoried forest type composed of upper stories of tall tree species such as Norway spruce, fir, Scots pine and beech, lower stories of shade tolerant poles and saplings of spruce, fir, beech, and floor vegetations covered with birch, oak and hornbeam etc. 3. The single tree selection method and group shelterwood method are commonly applied for silvicultural system but shelterwood method and clearcutting method practiced partially in limited area. Badischer Femelschlagbetrieb and Bayerischer Femelschlagbetrieb are popularized to the regeneration of Schwarzwald but selection method applied in part. 4. Tree cuttings are properly limited so as not to exceed annual increment volume for the sustained yield and the preservation of ecosystem in European forest management. Land preservation and recreation function are more interested with the promotion of wood production in the forest management. 5. Careful attentions are paid to the reforestation of the introduced exotic species, such as Douglas-fir, red oak, pines from America, Japanese larch, Italian poplar etc., with concern against the insect and pest damage, and the meteorological damage. 6. Some intensive studies on tree improvement, such as selection of plus tree, selection of plus stand for seed collection, provenance trial, progeny test of clone, hybrid seed orchard for clone complexing, are performed in the countries and the great part of the seed required for reforestation are supplied from the seed orchard established in Sweden and Netherland.

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Present State and Conservation Counterplan for the Wetlands of the Tributaries around Namgang-River (남강 주변 습지의 보전 현황과 보전 대책)

  • Ha, Hye-Jeong;Oh, Kyung-Hwan
    • Journal of Wetlands Research
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    • v.12 no.3
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    • pp.21-37
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    • 2010
  • The abiotic factors and the vegetation naturalness of the 13 tributary wetlands around Namgang-River were assessed to investigate the present state and to present the conservation counter plan for the wetland ecosystem of the tributaries. Assessment indices for the abiotic factors were estimated based on the dominant land use types of the riparian zone, ecological function of the upper levee, levee slope structure, artificiality and utilization intensity of the waterfront, artificiality of the revetment structure, diversity of the substrate, and severance of the transverse. The assessment index of Omi-cheon is the highest among 13 tributaries. The second was Banseong-cheon and third was Hyangyang-cheon, followed by Nabul-cheon and Yeongcheon-gang and Sugok-cheon, Jungchon- cheon, and Daegok-cheon in their order and Munsan-cheon got the lowest assessment index. Assessment indices for the vegetation naturalness were estimated based on the vegetation diversity, exotic species dominance, annual herb dominance, naturalness and peculiarity of the vegetation, and species diversity. The assessment index of Omi-cheon is the highest among 13 tributaries. The second was Sugok-cheon and third was Banseong-cheon, followed by Yeongcheon-gang, Jungchon- cheon, Jinae-cheon, Nabul-cheon, and Jisu-cheon in their order, and Yonga-cheon got the lowest assessment index. The grades of the stream naturalness were estimated based on the the naturalness indices for the abiotic factors and the vegetation naturalness. The grades of Omi-cheon is the highest among 13 tributaries as the grade I. Those of Banseong-cheon, Sugok-cheon, Yeongcheon-gang, Nabul-cheon and Jungchon-cheon, Hyangyang-cheon, Jinae-cheon, Jisu-cheon, Daegok-cheone, and Munsan-cheon and Doksan-cheon were grade II in their order, and Yonga-cheon got the lowest as the grade III. It was suggested that restoration of the simple and flat substrate, create the natural vegetation on the levee slope constructed with concrete or stone wall, and rehabilitation of the eco-bridge were demanded to improve the grades of the stream naturalness through the restoration of the tributaries for the diverse aquatic wildlife, high vegetation diversity and species diversity with the vegetation consisted of perennial herbs and trees.

Environmental Adaptability of Eupatorium rugosum : Relationship between Accumulation of Heavy Metals and Phenolic Compounds (서양등골나물의 환경적응력 : 중금속 축적과 Phenolic Compounds의 관계)

  • 김용옥;박종야;이호준
    • The Korean Journal of Ecology
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    • v.26 no.1
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    • pp.5-12
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    • 2003
  • Seed germination rate and seedling growth were measured on 6 different species(Phytolacca americana, Eupatorium rugosum, Rumex acetocella, Echinochloa crusgalli, Cassia mimosoides var. nomame, Setaria viridis) treated with leaf extract of E. rugosum. Total phenolic compound and heavy metal were analyzed on leaf and soil with and without E. rugosum. The growth of P. americana seedlings were stimulated by 10% and 25% of E. rugosum water extract treatment. The content of total phenolic compounds in soil was lower than that of leaf extract, and 25% was confirmed as threshold concentration in natural systems because the total phenolic compounds were not significantly different between the control soils and the soil treated with 10%, and 25% extract. Total phenolic compound concentrations of the leaf extracts were highest (1.66 mg/l) with E. rugosum grown under the Quercus forest canopy and lowest (1.09 mg/l) for the plant grown in the mixed forest edge. Leaf extracts of plants selected in different sampling sites (Forest interior, Forest edge, under Pinus Canopy and Quercus Canopy) were significant, while soil extracts were not. Seed germination of R. acetocella and S. viridis were significantly inhibited at over 50% concentrations of E. rugosum, but C. mimosoides var. nomame was not affected at any concentration. The radicle and shoot growth of the native species group were reduced two times more than those of the exotic species group by the treatment of extracts. Especially, the seed germination percentage and dry weight of E. rugosum were greater than those of the control group by treatments with extracts of 10% and 25%. Analysis of aqueous extracts from E. rugosum by HPLC identified 6 phenolic compounds: caffeic acid (460.9 mg/l), benzoic acid (109.7 mg/l), protocatechuic acid (7.3 mg/l), ρ-hydroquinone (6.0 mg/l), cinnamic acid (2.7 mg/l) and hydroquinone (0.23 mg/l). The seed germination of P. americana was also inhibited dramatically by protocatechuic acid and cinnamic acid even though the content of caffeic acid (460.9 mg/l) was the highest among analyzed phenolic compounds. The heavy metal content of soil without A. altissima was higher than that of soil with E. rugosum. Particularly, Al, Fe and Mn was considerably high and most of the heavy metal were accumulated in leaves where a high level of total phenolic compounds was found.

A Study on the Construction Characteristics of Folk Houses Designated as Cultural Heritage in Jeolla-do Province (전라도 지역 문화재 지정 민가정원의 현황 및 조영특성)

  • Jin, Min-Ryeong;Jeong, Myeong-Seok;Sim, Ji-Yeon;Lee, Hye-Suk;Lee, Kyung-Mi;Jin, Hye-Yeong
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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    • v.38 no.4
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    • pp.25-38
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    • 2020
  • For the purpose of recording Folk House Garden, this study was to review the historical value, location, space composition, Placememnt of the Building, garden composition, and management status of Folk House Garden designated as a cultural asset in Jeolla-do and to promote continuous maintenance and preservation in the future and enhance its value. The results of the study are as follows. First, most of them have been influenced by the trend of the times, such as the creation of a modern private garden and the spread of agricultural and commercial development through the garden components influenced by the royal, Japanese, and Western styles. Second, there are differences in the spatial composition of private households and the way they handle sponsorship, depending on the geographical location. When the geographical features were divided into flat and sloping areas, private houses located on flat land were divided into walls, walls were placed around the support area, and flower systems and stone blocks were created. The private houses located on the slope were divided into two to three tiers of space, and the wooden plant, flower bed, and stone bed were naturally connected to the background forest without creating a wall at the rear hill. Third, the size of the house and the elements of the garden have been partially destroyed, damaged, and changed, and if there is a lack of records of the change process, there is a limit to the drawing floor plan. There were many buildings and garden components that were lost or damaged due to changes in the trend and demand of the times, and some of them without records had to rely on the memory of owners and managers. Fourth, the species in Warm Temperate Zone, which reflects the climatic characteristics of Jeolla-do, was produced, and many of the exotic species, not traditional ones, were introduced. Fifth, fine-grained tree management standards are needed to prepare for changes in spatial function and plant species considering modern convenience.