Analysis of the Correlation Between Ecological Status and Location Environment by Cultivated Land Restoration Type of Geumgang Riverine Ecobelt

Abstract

Background and objective The purpose of this study is to investigate the ecological status of six areas around Geumgang River that used to be farmlands before they were restored as a riverine ecobelt. This study aims to analyze the correlation between the location environment and ecological status of the sites to identify the environmental factors affecting them. Methods The sites are classified into four types according to restoration: terraced paddy fields, flat paddy fields, artificial wetland, and landscape forest. The survey items were divided into land use status, plant ecology, and animal ecology. Results In terms of plant ecology, terraced paddy fields showed favorable naturality with the rate of native species above 90% and the naturalization index below 10%. In terms of animal ecology, the total number of species found in these areas was biggest in terraced paddy fields, followed by flat paddy fields, artificial wetland, and landscape forest. Regarding species diversity, terraced paddy fields also showed abundant species with an average of 1.05 to 1.09. The results of the correlation analysis showed that the forest area around the sites had the most significant effect on species diversity. The grassland and open water area showed a positive correlation with the total number of animal species and the number of dragonflies, confirming that the marshy grassland had a positive effect. As the cultivated land and urbanized area around the sites increased, it had a negative effect on the distribution of native species and the number of animal species that appeared, and a positive effect on the naturalization index. Conclusion It is necessary to establish preemption and restoration plans for sites such as grasslands adjacent to the forest and terraced paddy fields in order to promote resilience of the diverse species returning to the purchased lands.