Articles in E-pub version are posted online ahead of regular printed publication.
Data Articles
- Analysis of Changes in Vegetation Cover Using Satellite Images of Sorok Island in Republic of Korea
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Hyungjin Cho, Seungnam Jin, Jong-Seo Won, Youngjun Park
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Received February 3, 2025 Accepted April 4, 2025 Published online June 12, 2025
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.22761/GD.2025.0002
[Epub ahead of print]
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- This study aims to compare and analyze the past and present vegetation changes on Sorok Island using satellite imagery to understand the current development patterns that damage the island's unique ecological and environmental characteristics. The findings will serve as fundamental data for establishing sustainable management and conservation plans. Sorok Island, located in Goheung-gun, South Korea, has a historical background as a Hansen's disease patient isolation site. Since 1916, limited human intervention has shaped its unique ecosystem. This study uses Sentinel-2 satellite images from 2016 and 2024 to calculate normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and analyze vegetation vitality and change rates. Results indicate that NDVI values in 2024 have generally increased compared to 2016, and vegetation vitality has also improved. However, NDVI values for forest areas and inland wetlands have decreased, attributed to forest development and expansion of cultivated land. Future research should include long-term vegetation change analysis and comprehensive studies considering various factors.
- Flood Susceptibility Map Data of Jeju Island Using Probabilistic Methods
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Saro Lee
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Received May 12, 2025 Accepted May 27, 2025 Published online June 11, 2025
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.22761/GD.2025.0012
[Epub ahead of print]
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- Floods are among the most widespread and destructive natural disasters globally, and Jeju Island in South Korea is particularly vulnerable due to its unique geological and hydrological characteristics. This study aims to produce a flood susceptibility map data for Jeju Island using a probabilistic method known as the frequency ratio (FR) model. The research integrates diverse spatial datasets including topography, geology, soil properties, land use, vegetation, and rainfall to analyze their correlation with historical flood occurrences. A flood inventory was constructed from multiple sources such as satellite images and disaster records. These data were used to train and validate the FR model. The model’s predictive performance was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic-area under curve (ROC-AUC), achieving an accuracy 82.33%, indicating high accuracy. The resulting map data offers valuable insights for disaster mitigation, urban planning, and climate adaptation, especially in geologically complex regions like Jeju Island.
- Quantitative Data Building of Terrestrial Insect over Protected Wetland Areas of Jeju Area
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Sanghun Lee, Minhyeok Won
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Received February 6, 2025 Accepted April 29, 2025 Published online June 11, 2025
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.22761/GD.2025.0006
[Epub ahead of print]
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- In this study, we quantitatively organized and analyzed data to determine the current status of terrestrial insect habitats in the Jeju protected wetland areas located in the southern part of South Korea and to examine changes in terrestrial insects due to climate change in the future. A total of 17 order, including Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, Coleoptera, and Diptera, appeared in the Jeju protected wetland areas, the dominance rate of each order showed similar characteristics to the distribution of terrestrial insects in South Korea, and in particular, approximately 46.8% of all families and 16.2% of all species were distributed, indicating that biodiversity in abundant despite the small area. In addition, when comparing each wetland, four wetlands except Sumeunmulbaengdui showed similar characteristics to the distribution of South Korea as a whole. However, the Sumeunmulbaengdui is considered to have low insect diversity due to its poor accessibility and relatively low biodiversity caused by dense forests. It is thought that terrestrial insects in the Jeju protected wetland areas are rich in biodiversity despite their small area, and that continuous management and conservation will necessary in the future. In addition, the data constructed this time will contribute to the management and conservation of protected wetland areas in response to climate change in the future.
- Species Distribution Model-based Habitat Change Projections of the Kelp Species, Ecklonia cava under SSP Scenarios
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Sun Kyeong Choi, Seonggil Go, Sang Rul Park
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Received April 8, 2025 Accepted May 8, 2025 Published online May 21, 2025
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.22761/GD.2025.0009
[Epub ahead of print]
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- The main kelp forest-forming alga Ecklonia cava (E. cava), plays an important role in coastal ecosystems of South Korea. Despite this coastal ecological importance, there is a lack of research on the prediction of macroalgal distribution. In this study, we examined the distribution of E. cava recorded since 1955 and predicted distribution changes starting from 2000, under different climate change scenarios (SSP1-1.9 and SSP5-8.5) using the species distribution model (MAXENT). It reported that E. cava has expanded its range to 38°N latitude since 2000. We found seawater temperature, primary productivity and seawater velocity were controlling factors that determine the habitat of E. cava. Under the low emissions scenario (SSP1-1.9), the habitat suitability and distribution of suitable habitats did not show significant changes. While, under the high emissions scenario (SSP5-8.5), a decline in the southern distribution and an expansion of the northern distribution was predicted. In particular, most of the current habitats of E. cava were found to have decreased habitat suitability, thus the existing population of the species in South Korea may experience a sharp decline. The results of this study can be used as a basis for developing sustainable conservation measures to maintain coastal ecosystems of rocky shore in South Korea.
- Changes in Species Composition in Restored Wetland Habitat
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Jeongseop An, Hyerin Yu, Cheol-Yeong Kim, Jieun Bak, Hae-jun Baek, Minjeong Seok, Youngho Cho, Soon Jae Eum, Youngjun Park, Dakyum Roh, Soo In Lee
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Received February 17, 2025 Accepted April 4, 2025 Published online May 13, 2025
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.22761/GD.2025.0007
[Epub ahead of print]
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- This study monitored of flora and fauna from 2022 to 2024 to investigate changes in biodiversity in relation to the wetland restoration project. A total of 220 plant species from 72 families and 141 animal species from 75 families were identified. Endangered species included five level II endangered plant species, Cicuta virosa, Epilobium hirsutum, Lychnis kiusiana, Lychnis wilfordii, and Euryale ferox, along with one endangered mammal species, Prionailurus bengalensis. Additionally, three plant species (Solanum carolinense, Hypochaeris radicata, and Humulus japonicus) and one amphibian species (Lithobates catesbeianus) were identified as ecosystem-disturbing species designated under the Act on the Conservation and Use of Biological Diversity in Korea. This study not only evaluates the effectiveness of wetland ecosystem restoration and management but also provides foundational data for future restoration projects and conservation policies, emphasizing the importance of long-term monitoring.
- Comparative Analysis of Blue Carbon Stock in Coastal Watersheds of Four Major Rivers
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Bongseok Jeong, Sunmin Lee, Moung-jin Lee
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Received February 26, 2025 Accepted March 26, 2025 Published online April 29, 2025
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.22761/GD.2025.0008
[Epub ahead of print]
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Supplementary Material
- Global attention to blue carbon, which absorbs significant amounts of carbon, has increased as an alternative solution for reducing greenhouse gases, a major concern in the international community. However, as blue carbon is threatened by land cover changes and sea-level rise, preliminary studies on assessment and restoration have been conducted for efficient management. While domestic research has focused on field surveys of carbon absorption capacity and storage, studies establishing spatial information systems have been limited. Therefore, this study developed blue carbon spatial information for the coastal watersheds of the four major rivers. Total carbon storage within watersheds was calculated based on data from field surveys of 21 domestic tidal flats and various tidal flat spatial information datasets (global distribution of tidal flat ecosystems, Subdivision land cover map, 1/25,000 coastal data and 2018 tidal flat data). Watershed health indices were calculated based on total carbon storage. The carbon storage per unit area was highest in the Han River coastal watershed, followed by Nakdong, Geum, and Yeongsan River Coastal Watersheds. Among the various tidal flat spatial information datasets applied, analysis revealed that the highest carbon storage values were found in Han (7,321,321.72 Mg C, Nakdong (197,943.19 Mg C), Geum (469,228.90 Mg C), and Yeongsan (2,849,389.2 Mg C) River Coastal Watersheds. The health index analysis comparing various tidal flat spatial information datasets indicated peak values in Han (54.12), Nakdong (82.92), Geum (75.40), and Yeongsan (59.58) River Coastal Watersheds. The blue carbon spatial information developed in this study can potentially support policy decision-making and future research utilizing spatial information, such as analyzing factors affecting blue carbon absorption rates.