바로가기메뉴

본문 바로가기 주메뉴 바로가기

logo

ISSN : 2287-8327

Article Contents

Prev Next
e-Submission

Vol.33 No.1
Citation Share

Statistical Interpretation of Climate Change in Seoul, Korea, over the Last 98 Years

Journal of Ecology and Environment / Journal of Ecology and Environment, (P)2287-8327; (E)2288-1220
2010, v.33 no.1, pp.37-45

(2010). Statistical Interpretation of Climate Change in Seoul, Korea, over the Last 98 Years. Journal of Ecology and Environment, 33(1), 37-45.
  • Downloaded
  • Viewed
PDF Download

Abstract

I conducted extensive analyses of daily weather data of precipitation and temperature monitored from the Surface Synoptic Meteorological Station in Seoul from 1 October 1907 to 31 December 2009 to understand how the climate is changing and the ecological implications for Seoul, Korea. Statistical analyses of the data, including the lengths of seasons and growing degree-days (GDD), showed a clear warming trend in the Seoul area over the study period. The mean daily temperature in Seoul increased by 2.40°C over the period of one hundred years, which was about three times faster than the global trend and it was striking to notice that mean daily temperature in Seoul in recent 30 years was increasing with the rate of 5.50°C per hundred years, which is an extremely fast rate of increase in temperature. In the last 100 years, an increase in the number of summer days was apparent, coupled with a reduction in the average number of winter days for about 27 to 28 days based on the analysis of mean daily temperature. Although the lengths of spring and autumn have not changed significantly over the century, early initiations of spring and late onsets of autumn were quite apparent. Total annual precipitation significantly increased at the rate of 2.67 mm/year over the last 100 years, a trend not apparent if the analysis is confined to periods of 30 to 40 years. The information has the potential to be used not only for better understanding of ecological processes and hydrology in the area, but also for the sustainable management of ecosystems and environment in the region.

keywords
climate change, daily precipitation, daily temperature, global warming, growing degree-days (GDD), length of seasons, Seoul, statistical implication, Surface Synoptic Station, weather data

Reference

1.

Choi KH. 2008. Review on impacts and possible adaptation strategies for climate change. Jour Korean Soc EIA 17(3): 201-211. (in Korean with an English abstract)

2.

Choi Y. 2004. Trends on temperature and precipitation extreme events in Korea. J Korean Geograph Soc 39(5): 711-721.

3.

Choi Y, Jung HS, Nam KY, Kwon WT. 2003. Adjusting urban bias in the regional mean surface temperature series of South Korea, 1968-99. Int J Climatol 23: 577-591.

4.

Ha KJ, Ha E. 2006. Climatic change and interannual fluctuations in the long-term record of monthly precipitation for Seoul. Int J Climatol 26: 607-618.

5.

Ho CH, Lee EJ, Lee I, Jeong SJ. 2006. Earlier spring in Seoul, Korea. Int J Climatol 26: 2117-2127.

6.

Kim E. 1988. Radial growth patterns of tree species in relation to environmental factors. Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation. Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.

7.

Kim ES. 1993. Dynamics of climate and soil moisture content in forests of Seoul Area. For. Humanity 5: 47-62. Institute of Forest Science, Kookmin University, Seoul, Korea.

8.

Kim ES. 2010. Simulation of daily soil moisture content and reconstruction of drought events from the early 20th century in Seoul, Korea, using a hydrological simulation model, BROOK. J Ecol Field Biol 33(1): 47-57.

9.

Kim JU, Kil BS. 1996. Estimation for changes of net primary productivity and potential natural vegetation in the Korean peninsula by the global warming. Korean J Ecol 19(1): 1-7.

10.

Kim ES, Kim YS. 2000. Possibility of climate change and simulation of soil moisture content on Mt. Hallasan National Park, Chejudo Island, Korea. Korean J Ecol 23(2): 117-123.

11.

Kim SN, Lee WK, Son YW, Cho YS, Lee MS. 2009. Applicability of climate change impact assessment models to Korean forest. J Korean For Soc 98(1): 33-48.

12.

Kim MK, Pang A. 2009. Climate change impact on rice yield and production risk. J Rural Develop 32(2): 17-29.

13.

Kim YH, Baik JJ. 2002. Maximum urban heat island intensity in Seoul. J Appl Meteor 41: 651-659.

14.

Kimmins JP. 2004. Forest Ecology (Third ed.). Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

15.

Kong WS. 1999. Global warming and alpine vegetation. Korean J Ecol 22(6): 363-369.

16.

Kwon YA, Kwon WT, Boo KO. 2008. Future projections on the spatial distribution of onset date and duration of natural seasons using SRES A1B data in South Korea. J Korean Geograph Soc 43(1): 36-51.

17.

Korea Meteorological Administration. 1996. Typhoon White Book.

18.

Korea Meteorological Administration. 2008. Annual Climatological Report.

19.

Lee BS. 1979. A study of natural seasons in Korea. J Korean Geograph Soc 20: 1-11

20.

McMaster GS, Wilhelm WW. 1997. Growing degree-days: one equation, two interpretations. Agr For Meteorol 87: 291-300.

21.

Min SK, Kwon WT, Park EH, Choi Y. 2003. Spatial and temporal comparisons of droughts over Korea with East Asia. Int J Climatol 23: 223-233.

22.

Oh SN, Kim YH, Hyun MS. 2004. Impact of urbanization on climate change in Korea, 1973-2002. J Korean Meteorol Soc 40(6): 725-740.

23.

Random House Inc. 1987. The Random House Dictionary of the English Language. (2nd ed.). New York, New York.

24.

United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (UN IPCC). 2007. Climate Change 2007: the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) of the UN IPCC.

25.

Walter H. 1979. Vegetation of the Earth and Ecological Systems of the Geo-biosphere. Springer-Verlag, New York, New York.

Journal of Ecology and Environment

e-Submission OA Policy