• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.343-352
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• 2015

The landscape setting of a habitat strongly influences the distribution, abundance, and species composition of waterfowl. Thus, habitat assessment is very important to understand the habitat characteristics that sustain waterfowl assemblages. In this study, we hypothesized that the excessive use of artificial materials when new wetlands are constructed negatively influences wintering waterfowl. To test this hypothesis, we measured environmental factors, assessed habitat, and investigated waterfowl at 13 artificial wetlands in the Nakdong River Basin. There were greater numbers of waterfowl species and individuals in artificial wetlands with high habitat assessment scores. In contrast, environmental factors did not affect waterfowl distribution. In particular, features of natural habitats, such as macrophytes and sandbars, and the surrounding land-use patterns were important factors for sustaining waterfowl assemblages in each created wetland. Our results show that promoting naturalness in wetlands and surrounding areas would increase the species diversity and abundance of waterfowl. Further, complex habitats, such as wetlands and some terrestrial habitats, support both aquatic and terrestrial species because mixed habitats feature a larger array of food sources than more limited habitats do.

• 한국물환경학회지
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.311-316
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• 2010

We estimated the nitrogen and phosphorus loads of wintering waterfowl feces in Lake Paldang. The average number of individual birds that belonged to Anatidae species was 2,852.5 from 2005 to 2008 in Lake Paldang. The number of Anatidae reached 97.4% of the total number of individual birds. For evaluating the loading amounts of N and P by waterfowl to Lake Paldang, the feces dry weight (g/day) of each Anatidae species was estimated by multiplying the body weight of the each bird by 2.25% and assumed that N and P in feces contain 1.46% and 0.33%, respectively. We assigned probability 1/3 to the nutrient decomposition of the bird feces in water. The nitrogen loading by wintering waterfowl feces was 0.06 ton/year and the phosphorus loading was 0.001 ton/year. These amounts were 0.0002% of all N loadings and 0.0001% of all P loadings. Therefore the wintering waterfowl might have little impact on the water quality in terms of eutrophication in Lake Paldang.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.291-299
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• 2012

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of the addition of wintering waterfowl's feces prior to planting rice on nutrient dynamics, rice growth, and decomposition of rice straws in a controlled mesocosm. Waterfowl's feces and rice straws were placed on paddy soils in a mesocosm and the water level maintained at 5 cm. The amounts of supplied feces were 0 (control), 222, and 444 g/$m^2$. While the addition of feces showed no immediate effects, nutrients in the surface water increased in the month following treatment. Nutrients increased to a greater degree in the treatments with more feces added. Simultaneously, the decomposition of rice straws was promoted, indicating that more nutrients would be made available over time. The rice showed high productivity in the period during which nutrient level was increased, when rice needs more nutrients for the tillering stage. Therefore, the wintering waterfowl's feces could be associated with increased productivity during the growing season of rice through promoting nutrient supply and rapid decomposition of rice residue.

• 생태와환경
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• 제51권4호
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• pp.365-372
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• 2018

The Wintering Waterbird Census of Korea was started in 1999 and monitors 200 major migratory sites in South Korea. Waterfowl counts have been undertaken for more than 20 years since; however, a limited number of studies have analyzed the temporal patterns of waterfowl population. In this study, we analyzed population size changes of wintering whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) at 112 monitoring sites from 2001 to 2018. The average number of whooper swans was $4,296{\pm}42.66$ and there was a trend for an increase in population size across the survey period. We found that the population in the Nakdong River Estuary, one of the major wintering sites over 18 years (26.22% of the national population), had rapidly decreased (-0.77% per year). Conversely, the whooper swan population in the Junam Reservoir and Sihwa Lake increased (+1.64%, +0.54% per year, respectively). Estuaries showed the highest dominance of whooper swans among the five different habitat types, accounting for 32.13% of the population. Reservoir/lakes had 30.60% of the total population and reclaimed lakes(18.24%), river (13.11%), and coast (5.93%) followed. The annual distribution of the whooper swan population in South Korea has been affected by various habitat conditions resulting from human activities and urbanization. To better understand the complex factors that can cause rapid changes in wintering waterfowl populations, it is necessary to integrate the data from the bird census program with environmental conditions to conduct in-depth pattern analyses over longer time periods.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.165-169
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• 2006

As a Biodiversity Management Plan in S. Korea, barley fields are being prepared for the wintering migratory birds. However, the effectiveness of barley fields as a feeding habitat has not been evaluated. In 2003/04 wintering period, we installed exclosures in the barley fields to evaluate the waterfowl grazing effectiveness. Approximately 8,000 waterfowls used the Dongup Reservoir System and utilized the barley fields during the daytime. The white-fronted goose Anser albifrons occupied more than 90% of the all barley-feeding waterfowls. Waterfowls significantly impacted to the shoot density and biomass of barley. In the closed plot, barley shoot density gradually increased to $267{\pm}27/m^2$ in January, 2004. Shoot density in open plots (site 1) declined sharply from.15 December ($189{\pm}18/m^2$) to 5 January 2004 ($25{\pm}11/m^2$). However, barley shoot density in open plots (site 2) was stable in January 2004 because of human disturbances. The changes in barley biomass and shoot density showed similar trend in both open and closed plot. From the exclosure experiment, it was clear that barley fields were important feeding habitat for wintering waterfowls in this area. Further, human disturbances such as noise from traffic and other human activities (farming and hiking) had significant impact on waterfowls' grazing activity. Collectively, winter barley fields were effective for waterfowl feeding, but the location of barley fields should be carefully selected for the maximum utilization of the barley feeding.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제1권4호
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• pp.571-576
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• 1997

The playas of the Southern High Plains (SHP) of Texas, USA are an important habitat for over one million wintering waterfowl. However, the recent trend toward the modification of playas for agricultural use is threatening winter habitat of waterfowl in this region. Diurnal activity budgets of wintering mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) were conducted from 1 October to 31 March, 1983-1984, and 1984-1985) at three habitat types; steep-sided pits, terraced pits, and open lakes. All seven activity patterns (feeding, locomotion, resting, comfort, courtship, alert, and agonistic) were different (P<0.05) among the three habitat types for wintering mallards on the SHP of Texas. Terraced pits supported more feeding activity (27.8%) (P<0.001) than steep-sided pits (11.2%) or open lakes (2.6%) due to their abundance of natural seeds and aquatic invertebrates. Hens (17.5%) fed more than drakes (11.7%) (P<0.05). Locomotion (32.2%) and alert (2.8%) behavior across the three habitat types showed the highest level during the early morning (6:00-9:00 AM). Paired mallards rested more (37.9%) than unpaired mallards (25.8%) (P<0.05). Agonistic activity was highest (2.4%) in terraced pits throughout the season.

• 한국환경생태학회지
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.301-308
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• 2008

2006년 10월부터 2007년 3월까지 충청남도 태안 홍성군 및 서산시에 걸쳐있는 천수만의 간월호와 부남호에 서식하는 조류상과 분포 및 먹이량에 대하여 조사하였다. 총 142종 최대개체수 합계 362,797개체, 평균개체수 합계 84,818개체 조사되었다. 월동기 동안 초기와 말기를 제외한 전시기 안정적인 종수가 관찰되었으며, 개체수는 겨울 후반기로 갈수록 지속적으로 감소하였다. 주요 우점종은 큰기러기 Anser fabalis, 가창오리 Anas formosa, 쇠기러기 Anser albifrons, 청둥오리 Anas, platyhynchos, 고방오리 Anas acuta였다. 큰기러기, 가창오리, 청둥오리, 고방오리는 지속적인 감소경향, 쇠기러기는 안정적으로 유지되는 개체군 양상을 보였다. 간월호와 부남호간 종개체수, 종다양도는 유의한 차이가 없었으며, 조사시기와 종다양도, 개체수는 유의한 상관관계를 가졌다. 또한, 각 서식지 별 군집지수는 서로 밀접한 관계를 가지는 경우가 많았다. 대형추수기계와 소형추수기계간 낙곡량은 유의한 차이가 있었다(3배이상). 또한 볏짚을 수거하는 경우와 존치하는 경우 낙곡량은 유의한 차이가 있었다(3배이상). 잔존 낙곡량은 월동기 중반에 급격히 감소하였으며, 12월과 2월의 잔존 먹이량의 차이는 유의하지 않았다. 조류개체군의 수는 잔존 낙곡량과 강한 상호관계가 있었다.