• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.2
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• pp.278-286
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• 2014

Forestry management problems in South Korea have been caused by small and scattered forest lands, aging forest owners, and the increase of absentee forest owners. To solve these problems, it is a time to consider the introduction of forest land bank system for the expansion of forestry management scale, the effective management of neglected forest lands, and the stable livelihood support for aged forest owners. Therefore, this research implemented the questionnaire survey of necessity, expectation, willingness to use, and introduction plans for the forest land bank system in order to examine the feasibility and demand of the system focused on forest owners, non-forest owners, and people who return to the farm. The questionnaire survey was conducted for 262 of resident forest owners, 152 of absentee forest owners, 427 of non-forest owners, and 101 of people who return to the farm. 77.5% of forest owners and 63.8% of non-forest owners agreed with the necessity of the introduction for the forest land bank system. Both forest owners and non-forest owners would prefer to use forest land reverse mortgage and leasing among projects of the forest land bank. In addition, 75% of people who return to the farm also expected that forest land bank would be helpful to their rural and mountain life, and they would have higher preference to participate in leasing and buying forest lands than other projects. Based on the outputs of the feasibility and demand survey in this research, this study can play a key role in determining basic direction, major functions, types and range of projects as well as providing information for establishing policies of the forest land bank system.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1-10
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• 2011

This program was developed to operate and manage the massive digital forest cover type map using SDE(spatial database engine) in order to solve the problems of the analogue mapping system, mapping process and managing vast amounts of data. It was established the standardization process by performing the several functions of application related to the spatial DB search, mapping history and progress control, modification and inspection of the topology error, approval and reject of those maps. It can be possible to generate the effective mapping and distribute maps to the public service. It is expected that the results will be able to reduce time-cost.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.1197-1205
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• 2023

Osteoporosis, Greek for "porous bone," is a bone disease characterized by a decrease in bone strength, microarchitectural changes in the bone tissues, and an increased risk of fracture. An imbalance of bone resorption and bone formation may lead to chronic metabolic diseases such as osteoporosis. Wolfiporia extensa, known as "Bokryung" in Korea, is a fungus belonging to the family Polyporaceae and has been used as a therapeutic food against various diseases. Medicinal mushrooms, mycelium and fungi, possess approximately 130 medicinal functions, including antitumor, immunomodulating, antibacterial, hepatoprotective, and antidiabetic effects, and are therefore used to improve human health. In this study, we used osteoclast and osteoblast cell cultures treated with Wolfiporia extensa mycelium water extract (WEMWE) and investigated the effect of the fungus on bone homeostasis. Subsequently, we assessed its capacity to modulate both osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation by performing osteogenic and anti-osteoclastogenic activity assays. We observed that WEMWE increased BMP-2-stimulated osteogenesis by inducing Smad-Runx2 signal pathway axis. In addition, we found that WEMWE decreased RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis by blocking c-Fos/NFATc1 via the inhibition of ERK and JNK phosphorylation. Our results show that WEMWE can prevent and treat bone metabolic diseases, including osteoporosis, by a biphasic activity that sustains bone homeostasis. Therefore, we suggest that WEMWE can be used as a preventive and therapeutic drug.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.545-555
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• 2021

This study aimed quantitatively to estimate the recent level of recognition of the public value of forests in Korea, to analyze the factors that affect their value, and to present implications. The average annual payment regarding the public value of forests estimated using the contingent valuation method was 234,170 won, broken down into 12 functionalities. The Tobit model was used to analyze demographic factors affecting the degree of willingness to pay, and the analysis showed that area of residence, age, marital status, occupation, household income, and visits to forest facilities all had statistically significant impacts on the degree of willingness to pay. Among these variables, living area (living in Seoul), marriage status (married), occupation (professional and office workers), and household income (more than the median income) were found to have a positive relationship with the degree of willingness to pay, while age and the number of visits to forest facilities were found to have a negative relationship. The implications are as follows: First, it is necessary to establish and implement policies to enhance positive perceptions of the various functions of forests and the legitimacy of protecting forest resources, considering that the public's valuation of various public functions provided by forests is directly related to changes in perception. Second, public evaluations of the public value of forests remain at a low level, meaning that education and promotions regarding the public value of forests need to be implemented and strengthened in the future. Finally, in order to form a consensus among people on the public functions of forests, customized promotions and educational events need to be implemented for non-Seoul residents, non-professionals, the unmarried, and for those who regularly visit forests.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.228-240
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• 2023

Growing complexity in ecosystem structure and functions, under impacts of climate and land-use changes, requires interdisciplinary understandings of processes and the whole-system, and accurate estimates of the changing functions. In the last three decades, observation networks for biodiversity, ecosystems, and ecosystem functions under climate change, have been developed by interested scientists, research institutions and universities. In this paper we will review (1) the development and on-going activities of those observation networks, (2) some outcomes from forest carbon cycle studies at our super-site "Takayama site" in Japan, and (3) a few ideas how we connect in-situ and satellite observations as well as fill observation gaps in the Asia-Oceania region. There have been many intensive research and networking efforts to promote investigations for ecosystem change and functions (e.g., Long-Term Ecological Research Network), measurements of greenhouse gas, heat, and water fluxes (flux network), and biodiversity from genetic to ecosystem level (Biodiversity Observation Network). Combining those in-situ field research data with modeling analysis and satellite remote sensing allows the research communities to up-scale spatially from local to global, and temporally from the past to future. These observation networks oftern use different methodologies and target different scientific disciplines. However growing needs for comprehensive observations to understand the response of biodiversity and ecosystem functions to climate and societal changes at local, national, regional, and global scales are providing opportunities and expectations to network these networks. Among the challenges to produce and share integrated knowledge on climate, ecosystem functions and biodiversity, filling scale-gaps in space and time among the phenomena is crucial. To showcase such efforts, interdisciplinary research at 'Takayama super-site' was reviewed by focusing on studies on forest carbon cycle and phenology. A key approach to respond to multidisciplinary questions is to integrate in-situ field research, ecosystem modeling, and satellite remote sensing by developing cross-scale methodologies at long-term observation field sites called "super-sites". The research approach at 'Takayama site' in Japan showcases this response to the needs of multidisciplinary questions and further development of terrestrial ecosystem research to address environmental change issues from local to national, regional and global scales.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.83 no.4
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• pp.521-530
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• 1994

Voume functions, which are usually expressed by the function of dbh and height, are estimated commonly through the regression analysis with the highest statistical accuracy considered. In Korea, general volume functions for each tree species were prepared by means of the regression analysis with the exponential function ($V=aD^bH^c$) having the dbh(D) and height(H) as independent variables. In this study, regional stem curve functions for the Pinus densiflora in Kangwon-province were derived and a regional volume function model, in which the stem volume can be directly estimated through the rotational integral of the regional stem curve functions, was prepared. The regional volume estimated by the prepared model was more accurate than the volume by the general volume table for the Pinus densiflora in Kangwon-province. Additionary, the form of stem curves derived by the regional stem curve functions showed difference from each other. The stem in Youngwol and Wonju taper down more fast in upper part than that in other regions. These various stem forms also led to the regional difference in volume estimates.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Environment and Ecology Conference
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.1-16
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• 2009

Japan is one of the major forest-rich countries in the world with two thirds of its national territory covered with forests. The various functions of forests, including the prevention of global warming, conservation of national land, recharging of water resources, and maintenance of biotic diversity, play an important role in our safe, secure, and comfortable living. With the increasing national expectations on the role of forests to contribute to the prevention of global warming and "Accelerating forest carbon-sink measures to achieve Kyoto Protocol Commitment", it is necessary to make efforts toward a large-scale forest regeneration in order to secure an absorption of 13 million carbon tons through forest carbon sink for the achievement of the target of six percent reduction under the Kyoto Protocol. Most importantly, however, is to accelerate the measures for forests as absorption sources, including thinning and other forestry management activities. However, there is a situation, among others, where thinning is not implemented properly due to the decreased willingness of forest owners to manage forests, because of the long-term low demand for domestic lumber and lumber prices. In addition, forestry workers are aging and decreasing in number. Thus, the circumstances surrounding forestry are severe. It is necessary for the protection of our precious forests to make efforts to create and maintain forests with activities that involve citizens such as the "National Movement for Utsukushii Mori Zukuri(Fostering Beautiful Forests)".

• Yonsei Medical Journal
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• v.59 no.9
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• pp.1015-1025
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• 2018

Kidney diseases including acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease are among the largest health issues worldwide. Dialysis and kidney transplantation can replace a significant portion of renal function, however these treatments still have limitations. To overcome these shortcomings, a variety of innovative efforts have been introduced, including cell-based therapies. During the past decades, advances have been made in the stem cell and developmental biology, and tissue engineering. As part of such efforts, studies on renal cell therapy and artificial kidney developments have been conducted, and multiple therapeutic interventions have shown promise in the pre-clinical and clinical settings. More recently, therapeutic cell-secreting secretomes have emerged as a potential alternative to cell-based approaches. This approach involves the use of renotropic factors, such as growth factors and cytokines, that are produced by cells and these factors have shown effectiveness in facilitating kidney function recovery. This review focuses on the renotropic functions of bioactive compounds that provide protective and regenerative effects for kidney tissue repair, based on the available data in the literature.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.40-48
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• 2023

Street trees have been incorporated into urban forests to regulate the microclimate and provide shade as well as provide aesthetic and environmental functions and to evaluate their physiological characteristics. Zelkova serrata is a major tree species that has been planted on various South Korean streets. We determined the physiological characteristics of Z. serrata in street trees of Goyang and Paju in Gyeonggi Province. According to survey sites, net CO₂ assimilation rates was 13.9-16.4 µmol CO₂ m^-2s^-1, chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) was 0.80-0.82, and proline contents was showed 3.4-3.7 mg g^-1 FW. The studied trees were assumed to be physiologically stressed, but it was found that Z. serrata was planted as street trees were not significantly stressed when compared to chlorophyll fluorescence responses and proline contents. In the future, the continuous monitoring system is needed to evaluate the physiological characteristics of urban trees.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.104 no.3
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• pp.503-511
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to suggest the introduction plans of forest land bank system for effective forestry management as well as the livelihood stability support of aged forest landowners. It is expected that forest land bank system can contribute to solve forestry management problems caused by small and scattered forest lands, aging forest landowners, and the increase of absentee forest landowners. This study examined an existing related case of Farmland Bank system, and suggested basic directions, main functions, priority, and agency for forest land bank system. The goals of forest land bank system include activating private forest land management, improving forest management scale, and supporting stable forestry income. Based on the examination of this study, main projects of forest land bank involve forest land sale and lease consignment, forest land reverse mortgage, forest land scale improvement project, and forest business recovery support program. In addition, this study discussed potential problems and their solutions in introducing and operating the forest land bank system. This study can play a key role to determine a basic direction and to establish policies of the forest land management.