• Atmosphere
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.6-12
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• 2001

The East Asian monsoon is generally accompanied with the quasi-stationary front along the northern and northwestern periphery of the subtropical anticyclone in the boundary zone of the polar cold air mass and the tropical warm air mass. The rainy season in Korea has been called as Changma since the middle of 1500s. In meteorology, the rainy season with the quasi-stationary front, the Changma front, during the early summer has been defined as the Changma since 1905. The difference of meaning on Changma between meteorologists and the general public sometime does give a confusion. For example, the heavy rainfall event after the retreat of Changma is recognized as Changma by the general public, but not by most of meteorologists. The decision of the onset and retreat dates of Changma among the meteorologists is also ambiguous because of different viewpoints on the definition of Changma. In this study we survey the etymology and definition of Changma.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.269-281
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• 2022

The prediction of changes regarding the distribution of vegetation and plant species according to climate changes is important for ecosystem management. In this study, we attempted to develop an assessment method to evaluate the possibility of the potential distribution of warm-temperate woody plant species of East Asia in Korea. To begin with, a list of warm-temperate woody plants distributed in China and Japan, but not in Korea, was prepared, and a database consisting their global distribution and bioclimatic variables was constructed. In addition, the warm-temperate vegetation zone in Korea was delineated using the coldness index and relevant bioclimatic data were collected. After the exclusion of multicollinearity among bioclimatic variables using correlation analysis, mean temperature of the coldest quarter, mean temperature diurnal range, and annual precipitation were selected as the major variables that influence the distribution of warm-temperate plants. A multivariate environment similarity surfaces (MESS) analysis was conducted to calculate the similarity scores between the distribution of these three bioclimatic variables in the global distribution sites of the East Asian warm-temperate woody plants and the Korean warm-temperate vegetation zone. Finally, using stepwise variable-selection regression, the mean temperature of the coldest quarter and annual precipitation were selected as the main bioclimatic variables that affect the MESS similarity index. The mean temperature of the coldest quarter accounted for 88% of the total variance. For a total of 319 East Asian warm-temperate woody plant species, the possibility of their potential distribution in Korea was evaluated by applying the constructed multivariate regression model that calculates the MESS similarity index.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.88 no.3
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• pp.379-388
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• 1999

As a first step for delineating the provenance regions of the forest trees in Korea, horizontal zones have been deduced primarily from the various climatic factors such as annual mean temperature, extremely low temperature, relative humidity, annual gum of possible growing days, duration of sunshine and dry index. The basic concept to the delineation of the provenance regions was based on the ecological regions, which was likely to be more practical than that on the basis of the typical provenance regions at the species level. Primary classification of the regions has been based on the forest zones(sub-tropical, warm-temperate, mid-temperate and cool-temperate) as a broad geographic region. Further classification has been carried out using cluster analyses among the basic regions within forest zone. On the basis of clustering, a total of 19 regions including 3 from sub-tropical, 6 from warm-temperate, 8 from mid-temperate and 2 from cool-temperate was horizontally delineated. Of the mean values of 6 climate factors at the broad geographic region level, three factors such as annual mean temperature, extremely low temperature, annual growing days showed directional tendencies from subtropical to cool-temperate, while the others didn't. The values of relative humidity, duration of sunshine and dry index varied among the provenance regions within forest zone. These three factors might he more sensitive by the micro-environment condition than by the macro-environment condition. Present study aimed to delineate the primary provenance regions for tentative application to forest practices. These will be stepwise revised through the supplement using accumulated information regard to genecological data.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.116-124
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• 2006

Remarkable winter season warming has been observed in East Asian countries during the last century. Accordingly, significant effects on dormancy and the resulting budburst of deciduous trees are expected. However phenological observations are rare and insufficient compared with the long-time climate records in the same region. A chill-day accumulation, which can be estimated from daily maximum and minimum temperature, is expected to make a reasonable proxy for dormancy depth of temperate zone fruit trees. To simulate dormancy depth during 1921-2004, a chill-day model parameterized for 'Campbell Early' grapevine, which is the major cultivar grown virtually anywhere in South Korea, was applied to daily temperature data at 8 locations in South Korea. The calculations showed that the chilling requirement for breaking endo-dormancy of this grapevine cultivar can be satisfied by mid-January to late February in South Korea, and the date was delayed going either northward or southward from the 'Daegu-Jeonju' line crossing the middle of South Korea in the east-west direction. Maximum length of the cold tolerant period (the number of days between endo-dormancy release and forced dormancy release) showed the same spatial pattern. When we divide the 83 years into 3 periods (I: 1921-1950, II: 1951-1980, and III: 1981-2004) and get the average of each period, dormancy release date of period III was accelerated by as much as 15 days compared with that of period I at all locations except Jeju (located in the southernmost island with subtropical climate) where an average15-day delay was predicted. The cold- tolerant period was also shortened at 6 out of 8 locations. As a result, budburst of 'Campbell Early' in spring was accelerated by 6 to 10 days at most locations, while inter-annual variation in budburst dates was increased at all locations. The earlier budburst after the 1970s was due to (1) warming in winter resulting in earlier dormancy release (Incheon, Mokpo, Gangneung, and Jeonju), (2) warming in early spring accelerating regrowth after breaking dormancy (Busan and Jeju), and (3) both of them (Seoul and Daegu).

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.227-237
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• 2020

Microclimatic data were measured, and the human thermal sensation was analyzed at 10 local climate zones based on the major land cover classification to investigate the thermal environment of urban areas during summer nighttime. From the results, the green infrastructure areas (GNIAs) showed an average air temperature of 1.6℃ and up to 2.4℃ lower air temperature than the gray infrastructure areas (GYIAs), and the GNIAs showed an average relative humidity of 9.0% and up to 15.0% higher relative humidity. The wind speed of the GNIAs and GYIAs had minimal difference and showed no significance at all locations, except for the forest location, which had the lowest wind speed owing to the influence of trees. The local winds and the surface roughness, which was determined based on the heights of buildings and trees, appeared to be the main factors that influenced wind speed. At the mean radiant temperature, the forest location showed the maximum value, owing to the influence of trees. Except at the forest location, the GNIAs showed an average decrease of 5.5℃ compared to GYIAs. The main factor that influenced the mean radiant temperature was the sky view factor. In the analysis of the human thermal sensation, the GNIAs showed a "neutral" thermal perception level that was neither hot nor cold, and the GYIAs showed a "slightly warm" level, which was a level higher than those of the GNIAs. The GNIAs showed a 3.2℃ decrease compared to the GYIAs, except at the highest forest location, which indicated a half-level improvement in the human thermal environment.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.100-108
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• 2016

The climatic index for tourism(CIT) has recently been advanced, which includes complete human energy balance models such as physiological equivalent temperature(PET) and universal thermal climate index(UTCI). This study investigated human thermal sensation and comfort at Woljung-ri Beach, Jeju, Republic of Korea, in spring and summer 2015 for landscape planning and design in beach areas. Microclimatic data measurements and human thermal sensation/comfort surveys from ISO 10551 were conducted together. There were 869 adults that participated. As a result, perceptual and thermal preference that consider only physiological aspects had high coefficients of determination($r^2$) with PET in linear regression analyses: 92.8% and 87.6%, respectively. However, affective evaluation, personal acceptability and personal tolerance, which consider both physiological and psychological aspects, had low $r^2s$: 60.0%, 21.1% and 46.4%, respectively. However, the correlations between them and PET were all significant at the 0.01 level. The neutral PET range in perceptual for human thermal sensation was $25{\sim}27^{\circ}C$, but a PET range less or equal to 20% dissatisfaction, which was recommended by ASHRAE Standard 55, could not be achieved in perceptual. Only PET ranges in affective evaluation and personal tolerance affected by both aspects were qualified for the recommendation as $21{\sim}32^{\circ}C$ and $17{\sim}37^{\circ}C$, respectively. Therefore, the PET range of $21{\sim}32^{\circ}C$ is recommended to be used for the human thermal comfort zone of beach areas in landscape planning and design as well as tourism and recreational planning. PET heat stress level ranges on the beach were $2{\sim}5^{\circ}C$ higher than those in inland urban areas of the Republic of Korea. Also, they were similar to high results of tropical areas such as Taiwan and Nigeria, and higher than those of western and middle Europe and Tel Aviv, Israel.

• 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.