• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.113-125
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• 2011

Seabirds have adapted to life in marine environments. More than 25% of the bird species observed in South Korea are seabirds, using the coast area of Korean peninsula as a stop-over and wintering, and breeding site. The aims of this review are to provide information about migratory and resident Korean seabirds and to discuss the methods that are currently employed to monitor the marine environment. In Korea, it has been reported that more than 400,000 individuals of seabirds breed on Nando Islet, Chilbaldo Islet, Guguldo Islet, Sasudo Islet, Hongdo Islet and Dokdo Islet. In 2010, approximately 160,000 seabirds also visited South Korea during the winter. Two of the main treats were introduced wildlife and habitat destruction by humans. Seabirds are monitored mainly at the population and individual levels. The assessment of population sizes and biomagnifications of pollutants are performed preferably at the community and population levels. Behaviour, growth, morphological characteristics, and breeding success is analyzed at the individual level and employed to gauge the health of the marine environment. In addition, we could suggest that molecular technique of seabirds successfully adopted to investigate the effects of pollutants and toxins in the marine environment.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.55-66
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• 2007

This study was conducted to analyze the distribution patterns of wintering waterbird communities in relation to local environmental factors in the urban streams of Seoul, Korea. A field survey was conducted at 66 sites of 5 tributaries and the main channel of the Hangang River in Seoul in January 2006. The total of 65 species and 39,560 individuals were recorded in the field survey. There were 48 species and 28,989 individuals in the Hangang River, 14 species and 1,395 individuals in the Tancheon stream, 15 species and 2,306 individuals in the Jungrangcheon stream, 22 species and 5,990 individuals in the Anyangcheon, 18 species and 283 individuals in the Changrungcheon stream, and 24 species and 597 individuals in Gokrungcheon stream. The dominant species were Anas platyrhynchos (22.65%), A. poecilorhyncha (14.01%), Aythya ferina (13.26%), Aythya fuligula (8.04%), and Mergus merganser (7.03%). Among the 16 species (with 30,650 individuals) of ducks, the dabbling and diving ducks were 8 species with 18,286 individuals and 8 species with 12,364 individuals, respectively. Through the principal component analysis, the study sites were classified into four main groups according to the similarity of their waterbirds' species compositions: 3 tributaries in the urban area (Group 1), 2 tributaries in the rural area (Group 2), one in the rural area, one in the urban area, the urban area in Hangang River (Group 3) and the main channel of the Hangang River in the urban area (Group 4). Species diversity index and species evenness were the highest in Group 1, while the lowest Group 2. Analysis on their environmental factors showed that the waterbirds wintering in urban streams of Seoul prefer broad water width, low water depth and broad resting sites.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.539-543
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• 2006

We investigated Cd and Pb accumulation levels in tissues of 25 individuals of three species of loons wintering in coastal areas of Busan, Korea. Their liver, muscle, kidney and bone tissues were analyzed for Cd and Pb concentrations. Significant difference of Cd and Pb concentrations was not found among the three species (p>0.05). Individual Cd values ranged from 0.02 to $18.3{\mu}g/g$. Cd concentrations were highest in kidney and lowest in bone. Levels (3.45$\sim$6.34 ${\mu}g/g$) of all the analyzed liver Cd were similar in comparison with those (ND$\sim$7.11${\mu}g/g$) reported for the loons in different areas. All but one (Gavia arctica) of kidney Cd levels were lower than the exposed level (>30 ${\mu}g/g$). Individual Pb values ranged from 0.03 to 1.49 ${\mu}g/g$. Pb concentrations were highest in bone and lowest in muscle. Liver Pb levels in this study were similar to those of normal loons reported from different countries. Based on hepatic Pb levels, almost all of the samples were classified as background level (0.15$\sim$3.0 ${\mu}g/g$).

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.81-88
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• 2005

A total of 14,034 individual birds, 11 orders 21 families, were observed during the four year study periods from 2001 to 2004 winter season on the lower Taehwa river. In 2001 the species was the highest with 48, and then the lowest with 31 in 2004. Population was peaked with 11,991 in 2002, but the lowest number was 3,476 in 2004. The birds recorded more than 5% relative dominance were Aythya ferina (6,946), Corvus frugilegus (1,643), Larus ridibundus (1,193) and Larus crassirostris (805), and their total numbers were 10,587 individuals, 75.4% of the total individuals. For wintering birds protection on Taehwa river, it is necessary to make feeding site, shelter and buffer zone along the river. Establishment of wall or forest for absorbing sound and light should be created between road and flood plain. Besides these artificial facilities, the public awareness of citizens will be the most important thing to protect birds. Moreover, it is necessary to prepare conservation and management measures for the river bed where Taehwa river meets Dong river where the birds used bamboo forest($2{\times}0.1km^2$) for breeding and roosting.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.256-260
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• 2018

Cannibalism is a widely observed phenomenon in the animal kingdom. However, it is rarely found among birds outside nests in the wild because it occurs irregularly and it is almost impossible to monitor animal behavior constantly. On 17 January 2017, this behavior was directly observed from a group of vultures feeding on a conspecific in a paddy field near Lake Geumho in Haenam-gun ($34^{\circ}35^{\prime}58.25^{{\prime}{\prime}}N$, $126^{\circ}26^{\prime}57.64^{{\prime}{\prime}}E$). It was observed and recorded with the binoculars and a camera with a telephoto lens in a car approximately 20 m (or 60 m) away from the site. The observer approached the feeding site after the last vulture had finished feeding and flown away and found remains of a vulture, including body feathers, skull, sterna keel, and both legs. It was the first report of cannibalism in Cinereous vulture Aegypius monachus in its overwintering grounds. The remaining skeleton was very fleshy, and the surrounding grass was wet with the blood of vulture. No other traces of a mammal or bird that could have been the vultures' prey were found. This report provides a detailed account of the events related to this rare observation and the causes that might have led to it.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.164-174
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• 2021

Information on biodiversity plays an important role in conservation planning for ecosystem. As existing biodiversity indices are calculated and predicted only based on the number of individuals and species, it is difficult to explain aspects of genetic and ecological diversity. Phylogenetic diversity can indirectly evaluate ecological diversity as well as genetic diversity overlooked by existing biodiversity assessments. In this study, typical metrics of biodiversity (e.g., species diversity, species richness, etc.) and phylogenetic diversity were evaluated together using a long-term monitoring data of winter birds in Jungrang, Cheonggye and Anyang stream where are designated as Seoul migratory bird reserves. Then discussed the meaning of each assessmentresult. In Jungrang and Anyang stream, the number of individuals generally decreased overtime, whereas in Cheonggye stream, there was no significant change. In addition, species abundance increased over time slightly in Cheonggye stream, while there was no significant change in Jungrang and Anyang stream. Species diversity temporally increased in Jungrang and Cheonggye stream, excluding Anyang stream, but phylogenetic diversity showed a tendency to increase only in Cheonggye stream. These changes in the biodiversity assessment indices are thought to be due to anthropogenic disturbances such as construction that occurred within each site, and it was shown that species diversity and phylogenetic diversity do not always lead to the same assessment results. Therefore, this study suggests that biodiversity assessment needs to be considered from various contexts such as genetic and ecological perspectives.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.41-49
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• 2009

This research conducted a survey on the feeding crane's size, formation and distribution distance subsequent to road pattern and feeding flock's size during the wintering season eight times at the Cheolwon basin in Korea from December 2005 until February 2006. The survey results are as follows: First, the feeding flocks of the Red-crowned and White-naped Crane were found to mainly consist of two to four individuals. Mono-specific feeding flocks were more identified than hetero-specific feeding flocks in both Red-crowned and White-naped Cranes. There existed a significant difference in the ratio by size between the feeding Red-crowned and White-naped Cranes. The crane's average distribution distance from the paved road was much farther than from the unpaved road, paved farm road and unpaved farm road. In case of the white-naped crane, there was a difference in its distance length from between the road and farm road and there existed a significant difference only in the paved road in the distance length by road pattern between these two bird species[Red-crowned and White-naped Crane]. Such a result indicates that crane species don't prefer the road with frequent vehicular traffic to the road with low vehicular traffic. 5 or more individuals of feeding flocks of the Red-crowned Crane were located at a farther distance length from the paved road comparing to less than 5 individuals of the whole feeding flocks and less than 5 individual feeding flocks. 5 or more individuals of feeding flocks of the White-naped Crane were located at a farther distance length from the paved road, paved farm road and unpaved farm road than less than 5 individuals of feeding flocks of the White-naped Crane; however, there existed no difference in distance length subsequent to their group size. Conclusively, it was found out that the flocks with a larger size were more greatly affected by interrupting factors. Considering such results, there seems to be a more relation to the fact that larger size feeding flocks of crane species have a higher efficiency in the lookout for their surroundings.