To get more comprehensive understandings about the microbial diversity near the seawater of Ulleung Island, East sea of Korea, the bacterial identification base on 16S rDNA and their carbon source utilization patterns were analysed through the six surface water samples collected at June 23 to 25, 2007. The results are as follows; the population densities of aerobic heterotrophic and oligotrophic bacteria were from 1.9±0.6×104~6.3±0.7 ×104 cfu ml−1 and from 1.7±0.4×103~2.5±0.4×103 cfu ml−1 during sampling periods, respectively. Among 121 isolated stains, the dominant taxa are Pseudoalteromonas spp. (30 colonies) and Alteromonas spp. (17 colonies). Thirty-senven species-level strains base on 16S rDNA sequencing data are identified, which comprised Gammaproteobacteria (14 strains), Alphaproteobacteria (6 strains), Flavobacteria (6 strains), Actinobacteridae (4 strains), Firmicutes (4 strains), Deinococci (2 strains), Betaproteobacteria (1 strains). The carbon utilization patterns by assay of Biolog-microplate, α-D-glucose are used by 88.9% of the 27 strains of Gram-negative bacteria and more than 80% of them also consumed L-arabinose, D-trehalose, L-alanine, and pyruvic acid methyl ester. On the other hand, all the 10 strains of Gram-positive bacteria used α-D-glucose, and more than 80% of them also exploited maltose, palatinose, D-trehalose, turanose, D-xylose, and pyruvic acid.

This survey was conducted on Gyodong, Seokmo, and Boleum Islands during the spring, summer, and autumn in 2009. In these three islands, observed birds were total 177 species, 71,165 individuals; 112 species, 36,242 individuals in Gyodong Is., 111 species, 22,754 individuals in Seokmo Is., and 137 species, 12,169 individuals in Boleum Is., respectively. Breeding birds in three islands were 30 species (Podiceps ruficollis, Charadrius dubius, Larus crassirostris, Larus cachinnans, Egretta alba, Egretta intermedia, Egretta garzetta, Bubulcus ibis, Ardeola bacchus, Nycticorax nycticorax, Platalea minor, Anas poecilorhyncha, Falco tinnunculus, Streptopelia orientalis, Phasianus colchicus, Dendrocopos kizuki, Dendrocopos major, Hirundo rustica, Motacilla alba, Lanius bucephalus, Phoenicurus auroreus, Monticola solitarius, Paradoxornis webbianus, Phylloscopus coronatus, Parus palustris, Parus major, Parus varius, Passer montanus, Sturnus cineraceus, Pica pica). Among observed birds, endangered species designated by Ministry of Environment in Korea were Egretta europhotes, Falco peregrinus, and Platalea minor belonging to level I, and Anas formosa, Anser cygnoides, Haematopus ostralegus, Gallicrex cinerea, Buteo buteo, Pernis ptilorhynchus, Falco amurensis, Falco subbuteo, Bubo bubo, Numenius madagascariensis, Accipiter gularis, Accipiter gentilis, Anser fabalis, Ixobrychus eurhythmus, Buteo hemilasius, Grus monacha, and Anser erythropus belonging to level II, respectively.

Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA)-treated wood has been widely used in Korea since 1980s, but the release of chromium, copper, and arsenic from the wood has been reported to cause environmental contamination. This study was aimed at investigating the environmental impact of brook water and sediment from the construction of cylindrical wood piles around a brook (partially immersed in the water) and wood bridge structures over the brook. Ten water and ten composite sediment samples (including one control for each) were collected from sites where a large number of treated wood structures were installed. Samples were analyzed for total chromium, copper, and arsenic using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Water contamination was not observed in all samples, but metal concentrations in the sediment samples were elevated at most sites, indicating the accumulation of metals in the sediment. This study suggested that the use of CCA-treated wood by continuos contact with water can lead to marked leaching of metal components and may ultimately cause health effects on aquatic organisms living on or in the sediment.

In order to monitoring the flora change of Yongneup, an alpine wetland, survey of vascular plants was conducted. It found that flora of Yongneup was consisted of 249 taxa, i.e., 205 species, two subspecies, 36 varieties, and six formae. Among them, Korean endemic species was totally 18 taxa. Also, the conservatory plants classified from fifth to first grade by Ministry of Environment were distributed 71 taxa in the Yongneup area. It is shown this area is very high biodiversity. The naturalized plants were found only five taxa. Especially, Trientalis europaea var. arctica and Menyanthes trifoliata, rare and endangered species, were re-confirmed this time. However, we could not find some plants reported previously. Therefore, it needs more correct investigation in future.

In this research were used observation meteorological data and meteorological model to understand an influence of rising ocean temperature on climate change in Korean Peninsula. In the case of meteorological data, were examined inland ocean temperatures as mean annual temperature change during 28 years period (1980-2006) on six shore sites and four inland sites. Also, it have been used MM5 meteorological model to study climate change due to rising ocean temperature and simulate increasing ocean temperature of Korean Peninsula by 2oC. Results shows that the temperature on the shore sites were increasing two times more than temperature on the inland sites. The meteorological model shows similar result and the highest temperature appears on the south shore sites.