Abstract

Fractal geometry has become one of prospective research approaches as the complex structure of natural entities is not easily characterized by traditional Euclidean geometry. With the fractal geometry, we can better decipher the complex structure and identify natural and anthropogenic agents of landscape patterns occurring at different spatial scales. The usefulness of fractal, however, has not been fully appreciated among Korean academic societies, especially in ecological and limnological fields. We attempt to address three points in this study. First, we introduce the concept and dimension of fractal and review relevant research approaches, especially with respect to ecological and limnological phenomena. Second, we explore possible applications of fractal to some aspects of geography and land use characteristics in South Korea. For the analyses of fractal dimensions, we used data published in other studies previously and collected for this study. Data were analyzed by a perimeter/area method of fractal dimension for the spatial distribution of global solar radiation and leaf area index, and the movement of wild boars in forested landscapes of mid-eastern Korea. The same approach was also applied to the water channel of a hypothetical river and the shape of reservoirs in Yongin, Kyunggi Province. Finally, we discuss the results and key issues to consider when a fractal approach is employed in ecology and limnology.

Keywords

• Ecology;
• Fractal;
• Limnology