This study systematically investigated the vascular plants of Mt. Munhaksan (217 m a.s.l) in Incheon, Korea, aiming to provide essential baseline data for the conservation and management of its plant resources. Prompted by surrounding urban development and the recent public opening of the summit area, a comprehensive re-evaluation of the entire mountain was conducted, building upon a previous survey. Based on 20 field surveys carried out from March to October 2025, the study identified a total of 269 taxa. These comprised 80 families, 191 genera, 239 species, four subspecies, 23 varieties, and three forms. The documented flora included four Korean endemic taxa (e.g., Viola seoulensis and Hemerocallis hakuunensis) and 15 floristic target species. Additionally, 251 taxa (93.3%) were classified as useful resource plants. The survey also recorded 41 invasive alien taxa, leading to a Naturalization Index of 15.2% and an Urbanization Index of 10.5%. Among these were seven ecosystem-disturbing plants, such as Sicyos angulatus and Ageratina altissima. A significant shift in the plant community was observed when comparing these findings to a 2000 survey: 147 taxa were newly recorded, and the Naturalization Index increased from 11.5% to 15.2%. These results highlight accelerating edge effects in this isolated urban ecological island, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted biodiversity conservation policies and proactive management strategies for invasive alien plants.

Arthropods are important ecological indicators in sustainable agriculture, yet the impact of greenhouse structures on their assemblage dynamics is not well understood. This study examined how structural openness affects arthropod diversity and assemblage composition by comparing open-field orchards with enclosed greenhouse orchards under eco-friendly management. We collected a total of 1,961 individuals representing 141 species. The results showed that open-field orchards had significantly higher species richness and overall diversity compared to greenhouse orchards. Rarefaction and extrapolation analyses confirmed that estimated richness was markedly higher in open-field systems. Additionally, assemblage ordination indicated strong differentiation among open-field sites, while greenhouse orchards displayed significant assemblage homogenization, likely due to limited dispersal and reduced connectivity caused by physical enclosure. These findings highlight that structural openness is a key factor influencing arthropod assemblage structure in orchard environments. They also suggest a potential trade-off between production stability and biodiversity conservation in protected cultivation systems. Broader surveys of various orchard types and structural configurations, along with long-term monitoring, are needed to better understand the ecological impacts of protected cultivation on arthropod communities in managed landscapes.

Biodiversity in paddy ecosystems not only enhances crop production but also regulates ecosystem functions, providing various ecosystem services. Benthic macroinvertebrates are crucial organisms that play vital roles in these ecological processes; however, research on their community dynamics in paddy ecosystems is still limited. This study aimed to examine how the community characteristics and ecological functions of benthic macroinvertebrates differ across various types of organic floury rice cultivation. The findings indicated that Rice Field 2 (RF2) hosted a greater diversity of species compared to the other paddy fields. Over time, both the diversity and richness indices in RF2 and RF3 were significantly higher than those in RF1. Similar trends were observed in the functional feeding groups (FFGs) and habitat orientation groups (HOGs). These results suggest that organic floury rice cultivation practices and proximity to the Doombeong (traditional farm pond) jointly influence the community composition and ecological functions of benthic macroinvertebrates. Consequently, differences in cultivation practices can alter vegetation structure, while the complex habitat provided by Doombeong serves as an important refuge for benthic macroinvertebrate communities, aiding in biodiversity conservation and the maintenance of ecological functions in paddy ecosystems.

2019년 기준 국내 인체 항생제 사용량(DDD/1,000명/일)은 26.1로 OECD 29개국 중 세 번째로 높으며, 2024년에는 가축 및 반려동물에 약 850톤의 항생제가 판매되는 등 다량으로 사용되고 있다. 특히 낙동강 인근 하수 및 축산폐수 처리장 방류수에서는 sulfonamide 계열 항생제가 높은 빈도와 농도로 검출되며, 기존의 생물학적 처리공정만으로는 완전히 제거되지 않아 수계로 유출된다. 항생제는 주로 복합 혼합물 형태로 환경에 유입되며, 물질 간 상호작용 (가산효과, 상승작용, 길항작용 등)에 따라 독성이 달라질 수 있다. 이에 본 연구에서는 sulfonamide 계열 항생제 3종(sulfamethoxazole, sulfamethazine, sulfathiazole)을 대상으로, 이들의 혼합물이 물벼룩(Daphnia magna)에 미치는 급성독성을 평가하였다. 급성독성 시험 결과, 단일 물질의 48hr-EC₅₀은 sulfamethoxazole(SMX) 50.17 mg/L, sulfamethazine(SMZ) 45.83 mg/L, sulfathiazole(STZ) 26.73 mg/L로 나타났으며, 혼합물은 M1(SMX+SMZ) 45.94mg/L, M2(SMZ+STZ) 31.65 mg/L, M3(SMX+STZ) 42.52 mg/L, M4(SMX+SMZ+STZ) 52.16 mg/L로 확인되었다. 또한, 비시험 독성 예측방법인 UN-GHS 모델과 Similar Mode of Action(MOA) 기반 분석을 통해 혼합 독성을 예측하였다. UN-GHS 모델을 이용한 예측은 실험값과 유사한 경향을 보였으나, 최대 21%의 상대오차가 발생하여 단순 가산으로 환경 내 독성영향을 평가하는 데 한계가 있음을 검증하였다. Similar MOA 분석 결과, M1은 단순 가산효과, M2는 상승작용, M3⋅M4는 길항작용을 보였다. 이는 항생제 혼합물이 항상 상승효과를 보이지 않음을 시사한다. 길항작용은 동일 표적 또는 수용체 경쟁, 연관 경로 내 영향, 혹은 한 물질의 독성 억제 등으로 발생할 수 있다. 본 연구 결과, 혼합물질의 독성은 단일물질 기반 비시험 예측법으로 정확히 평가하기 어렵고, 혼합물질의 조성과 종류에 따라 오차가 발생함을 규명하였다. 따라서 향후 연구에서는 다양한 조건에서의 실험적 데이터를 축적하고 보정인자를 도출하여 모델 신뢰도를 향상시킬 필요가 있으며, 다양한 작용 기작과 성분을 가진 혼합물을 대상으로 실험적 검증을 수행함으로써 혼합물의 실제 독성을 보다 정확하게 평가해야 한다.

본 연구는 불규칙한 파도 환경에서 선박의 횡동요 운동 특성을 토대로 내항성능 및 횡동요 주기 변화를 분석하여 실해역 운항 안전성을 평가하였다. 총톤수 3,000톤급과 9,000톤급 실습선을 대상으로 다양한 전진 속도, 파랑과의 만남각 및 유의파고 조건에서 선체 운동응답을 수치계산하였다. 불규칙파 중 선수사파 또는 선미사파 방향으로 운항하면 횡동요 운동진폭을 감소시킬수 있으며, 선미사파 (30도) 방향에서의 고속 운항은 횡동요 평균주기가 길어지기 때문에 속도를 10노트 이하로 감속하거나 선수사파 방향으로 침로를 변경하 여 운항하는 것이 안전성을 높이는 방법인 것으로 검토되었다. 본 연구는 실해역 조건에서의 내항성능을 종합적으로 평가하였으며, 안전 한 선박 운항 계획 및 실행에 활용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

This paper aims to introduce a case of improving the performance of aged naval ships' Identification Friend or Foe(IFF) equipment from Mode 4 to Mode 5, thereby enhancing operational capabilities and overcoming integration limitations. Since 2019, South Korea has been conducting a project to replace IFF equipment across the entire military, categorized into naval ship, air force aircraft, surveillance and reconnaissance, and protection. Among these, three naval classes without combat systems required not only an upgrade of their IFF equipment from Mode 4 to Mode 5 but also an integration capability that would allow them to maintain the same fire control procedures by linking with existing naval gun fire control systems. To implement this integration function, the signal processing methods of the existing IFF equipment were analyzed, and based on this, the integration function was implemented in a signal converter module. This paper is expected to serve as an important resource for future performance upgrades of internal equipment in aged naval ships.

The primary focus in the nuclear power market revolves around the advancement of small modular reactors (SMRs) featuring fourth-generation nuclear technology. Microreactors, a subset of SMRs, are characterized by their portability due to their very small size. Despite the accelerated development of microreactors, there are currently no regulations concerning their transportation. To pave the way for future regulatory requirements, existing laws and standards were initially examined. This included a review of basic standards, special conditions of the Road Traffic Act, road transport regulations for nuclear material shipments, and physical protection regulations. Additionally, summaries were provided for design standards related to acceleration loads and vibration tests during road transport and land-based nuclear power plant designs. The anticipated outcome of this study is comprehensive coverage of considerations for designing a transport system for micro-nuclear reactors, providing developers the flexibility to selectively apply them to their specific needs. Furthermore, it is anticipated that this information can serve as fundamental data for establishing licensing requirements in the future.

In the summer of 2018, the Korea-Japan (KJ) region experienced an extremely severe and prolonged heatwave. This study examines the GloSea6 model's prediction performance for the 2018 KJ heatwave event and investigates how its prediction skill is related to large-scale circulation patterns identified by the k-means clustering method. Cluster 1 pattern is characterized by a KJ high-pressure anomaly, Cluster 2 pattern is distinguished by an Eastern European highpressure anomaly, and Cluster 3 pattern is associated with a Pacific-Japan pattern-like anomaly. By analyzing the spatial correlation coefficients between these three identified circulation patterns and GloSea6 predictions, we assessed the contribution of each circulation pattern to the heatwave lifecycle. Our results show that the Eastern European highpressure pattern, in particular, plays a significant role in predicting the evolution of the development and peak phases of the 2018 KJ heatwave approximately two weeks in advance. Furthermore, this study suggests that an accurate representation of large-scale atmospheric circulations in upstream regions is a key factor in seasonal forecast models for improving the predictability of extreme weather events, such as the 2018 KJ heatwave.