• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.102-110
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• 2009

This study examined the halophyte community and soil analysis according to habitat in representative 18 salt marshes of southern and western coasts of Korea from July 2006 to April 2008 and suggested basic materials for vegetational restoration of these aras. First, the survey area was classified into coastal and estuarine marshes. Then, the coastal marshes were classified into clay marsh, sand gravel marsh, and sand marsh, and the esturarine marshes, into salt swamp and estuary marsh. Major plant communities according to habitat pattern were Phragmites communis, Carex scabrifolia, and Suaeda japonica community in the clay marsh; Phragmites communis, Zoysia sinica, Carex scabrifolia, Salicornia herbacea, Artemisia fukudo, Suaeda martima community in the sand gravel marsh; Elymus mollis, Carex kobomugi, and Vitex rotundifolia community in the sand mars; Phragmites communis, Zoysia sinica, Suaeda martima, and Carex scabrifolia community in the salt swamp, and Suaeda japonica, Phragmites communis, Carex scabrifolia, and Suaeda asparagoides community in the estuary marsh. The soil environment of halophyte community area showed a difference to soil and halophyte community according to habitat characteristics of halophyte. Thus, to restore salt mashes in the coast area, it is advantageous for the stable settlement, germination, and growth of halophyte to grasp physical and physicochemical characteristics of habitat soil in the salt marshes, to select halophyte suitable to these habitat conditions, and to expand gradually in the natural vegetation area after transplantation.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.26-37
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• 2015

Halophyte distribution pattern and area in the Suncheon-bay and Beolgyo estuary coastal wetlands were analyzed using KOMPSAT-2 landsat images were taken in 2008 and 2009, and field investigations were fulfilled for confirming the precise boundaries of individual halophyte areas. The salt-marsh vegetation in those areas can be classified mainly into two dominant communities: Suaeda japonica-dominant and Phragmites communis-dominant communities. In order to identify sedimentary characteristics, tidal-flat surface leveling and sedimentary facies analysis had been conducted. The sedimentary facies of marsh area are mostly silty clayey and clay facies with a little seasonal change and its slope is very gentle (0.0007~0.002 in gradient). Phragmites communis and Suaeda japonica communities were distributed in the mud-flat zone between 0.7 m and 1.8 m higher than MSL (mean sea level): zone of 1.1~1.8 m in the former and zone of 0.7~1.3 m in the latter. In the Suncheon-bay estuarine wetland, on the basis of 2009 distribution, Phragmites communis-dominant and Suaeda japonica-dominant communities are about $0.79km^2$ and $0.22km^2$ in distribution area, respectively. On the other hand, Bulgyo estuarine marsh shows that the distribution areas of Phragmites communis-dominant and Suaeda japonica-dominant communities are about $0.31km^2$ and 0.031km2 in distribution area, respectively. Individual 105 and 60 dominant community areas and their distribution patterns can be well defined and indicated in the Suncheon-bay and Bulgyo estuarine marshes, respectively. The distribution pattern and area of hylophyte communities analyzed in this study based on 2008/2009 satellite images would be valuable as a base of future monitoring of salt-marsh related studies in the study area which is the most important salt-marsh research site in Korea.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.61-72
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• 2019

Background: Organic carbon stored in coastal wetlands, which comprises the major part of oceanic "blue carbon," is a subject of growing interest and concern. In this study, organic carbon storage in coastal wetlands and its economic value were estimated using the raw data of 25 studies related to soil carbon storage. Data were collected from three tidal flats (one protected and two developed areas) and two estuarine salt marshes (one protected and one restored area). Bulk density, soil organic matter content, and standing biomass of vegetation were all considered, with Monte Carlo simulation applied to estimate the uncertainty. Results: Mean carbon storage in two salt marshes ranged between 14.6 and $25.5kg\;C\;m^{-2}$. Mean carbon storage in tidal flats ranged from 18.2 to $28.6kg\;C\;m^{-2}$, with variability possibly related to soil texture. The economic value of stored carbon was estimated by comparison with the price of carbon in the emission trading market. The value of US $ $6600\;ha^{-1}$ is ~ 45% of previously estimated ecosystem services from fishery production and water purification functions in coastal areas. Conclusions: Although our study sites do not cover all types of large marine ecosystem, this study highlights the substantial contribution of coastal wetlands as carbon sinks and the importance of conserving these habitats to maximize their ecosystem services.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2012

Salt marsh is an important transitional zone among terrestrial, riverine, and marine ecosystems and is a productive habitat that interacts extensively with adjacent landscape elements of estuarine and coastal ecosystems. Nowadays, in addition to various human activities, a variety of natural processes induce changes in salt marshes. This study aims to provide background information to restore disturbed salt marshes and to propose their ecological restoration using seed banks. The study area is a prepared area for the Gwangyang Container Port located in the southern Korea. This area was formed by accumulating mud soils dredged from the bottom of the forward sea. This land was created in a serial process of preparing the Gwangyang container port and the salt marsh was passively restored by seeds buried in mud soil dredged from seabed. As a result of stand ordination based on vegetation data collected from the land, stands were arranged according to tolerance to salinity in the order of $Suaeda$ $maritima$, $Salicornia$ $europaea$, and $Phragmites$ $communis$ communities on the Axis 1. Landscape structure of the projected area was analyzed as well. Edges of the projected area were divided from the marginal waterway by the dike. Four types of vegetation appeared on the dike: $Alnus$ $firma$ plantation, $Robinia$ $pseudoacacia$ plantation, $Lespedeza$ $cyrtobotrya$ plantation, and grassland. In the more internal areas, two types of vegetation sequences appeared: $Aster$ $tripolium$ community-$Suaeda$ $glauca$ community-$Salicornia$ $europaea$ community sequence and $Aster$ $tripolium$ community-$Suaeda$ $maritima$ community-$S.$ $europaea$ community sequence. Mixed community showed the highest species diversity (H' = 0.86) and $S.$ $europaea$ community showed the lowest (H' = 0.0). Evenness is the highest in Mixed community (J' = 2.26) and the lowest in $S.$ $maritime-S.$ $europaea$ community (J' = 0.0). Several plant communities were successfully established on the land created by mud soil dredged from the bottom of Gwangyang Bay. Moreover, community diversity in this area approached a similar level with those from other studies involving natural salt marshes. Therefore, restoration effect based on community diversity obtained in our study can be evaluated as a successful achievement. In this respect, although most salt marshes in Korea and other places worldwide have been destroyed or disturbed by excessive land use, feasibility of seed bank as a restoration tool is greatly expected.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.321-338
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• 2014

This study aims to identify spatial distribution of estuarine wetlands in Korea, and to assess temporal variation of the wetlands in the last few decades. Widely known in environmental and coastal management, watershed-based regions which composed with Han-river(western and eastern parts), Keum-river, Yeoungsan-river, Seomjin-river, Nakdong-river, and Jeju, are analyzed to evaluate temporal change of estuarine wetlands in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, through the land-cover map. Results show that estuarine wetlands dramatically decreased in Han-river(western part), Keum-river, Yeoungsan-river that estuarine circulation have been interrupted with man-made structures such as dyke and drainage. But, estuarine wetlands surrounded by forests and grasslands has been relatively less damaged. Habitat diversity providing healthy estuary ecosystem is lower in interrupted estuaries than circulated estuaries, which are composed of tidal-flat, open water, salt marsh, rocky coasts and sandy shoreline. This study indicates that spatial distribution and temporal variation of estuarine wetlands are different with estuary type and region, so estuary type with seven regions can be applied to provides a framework for estuary management strategies and to establish estuary restoration plans.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.30-36
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• 2002

A 0.19 hectare natural-type wetland for stream water treatment demonstration was constructed and planted with cattails from April 2001 to May 2001. Part of its bottom surfaces adjacent to levees have a variety of slope of 1 : 4~1 : 15. Two small open water areas were installed, in which emergent plants could not grow. Removal of nutrients from stream waters was a major objective of the wetland. Waters of Sinyang Stream flowing into Kohung Estuarine Lake were pumped and funneled into the wetland. The lake had been formed by a salt marsh reclamation project and was located southern coastal region of Korean Peninsula. Volumes and water quality of inflow and outflow were analyzed from July 2001 through December 2001. Inflow and outflow averaged $120.4m^3/day$ and $112.1m^3/day$, respectively. Hydraulic retention time was about 3.1 days. Average total phosphorous concentration of influent and effluent was $0.19mg/{\ell}$ and $0.075mg/{\ell}$, respectively. Total phosphorous loading rate of inflow and outflow averaged $12.05mg\;m^{-2}\;day^{-1}$ and $4.44mg\;m^{-2}\;day^{-1}$, respectively. Average total phosphorous removal rate in the wetland was $7.61mg\;m^{-2}\;day^{-1}$. Seasonal changes of phosphorous retention rates were observed. The wetland acted as effective phosphorous sinks in the initial stage of the constructed wetland.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.35-50
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• 2021

In this study, we analyzed the changes in the topographical landscape and the sedimentary environment to evaluate the ecological value of the Dongcheon Estuary and protect the wetland, and presented the conservation management method of the Dongcheon Estuary. Based on the result of topographical landscape analysis, agricultural land tended to decrease continuously, and artificial structures gradually increased. Moreover, in sediment analysis, the Dongcheon Estuary showed both the characteristics of river sediments and coastal sediments, and in some areas problems such as acidification and nutritional imbalance appeared. Therefore, in order to protect and manage the Dongcheon Estuary with high ecological value, it is necessary to limit the development around micro topography and minimize the artificial damage in the Dongcheon Estuary. In addition, efforts such as securing facilities for reducing pollutants and freshwater wetlands for pollutants, that flow in from nonpoint pollutants are required.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.111-125
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• 2001

An estuary is semi-inclosed inlets, located between terrestrial and marine environment. Since many estuaries along south-western coasts of Korean peninsula were affected by human settlements and activities, significant changes in sedimentation environments have been observed. The research area is divided into three distinct morpho-stratigraphic units: fluvial dominated area(Area1), mixed area(Area 2), tide-dominated area(Area3). The landform of this area has been changed by reclamation and river channel change. Temporal variations affected by dam construction, periodic freshet was iterrupted. Sediments began to continuously accmulate on estuary banks by tide. Meanwhile, because of the continuous but reduced discharge of fresh water, the salinity of estuarine sediments was declined. That processes made vegetated area( Phregmites lonivalvis and Suaeda japonica) to be expanded. It indicates that the magnitude and frequency of geomorphic processes has been significantly changed.