Topographic Analysis of Abandoned Paddy Wetlands Using Time-Series Aerial Imagery and DEM - The Case of Wolyeong Wetland, Jeongeup -

This study analyzed the topographic changes of the abandoned paddy wetlands in the Jeongeup Wolyeong Wetland using time-series aerial images and DEM data. The time-series analyses of the data from 1966 to 1993 showed that the area of paddy-rice fields continuously decreased. The expansion of abandoned paddy wetlands in the region is primarily attributed to the cessation of cultivation, the encroachment of vegetation, and the structural degradation of terraced paddy field systems. GPS-assisted field surveys comparing wetland boundaries in 1964 and 2024 identified the historical maximum and minimum extents of the wetlands and revealed a general decline in area during this period. This reduction was primarily caused by sediment inflow from adjacent mountain slopes and accelerated terrestrialization driven by progressive natural succession of vegetation. In addition, DEM-based analysis of topographic relief in the paddy wetlands indicated that remnants of terraced structures from former paddy-rice cultivation still persist in certain areas, facilitating moisture retention and sediment accumulation at each terrace level. The study results hold academic significance providing a long-term anaysis of the formation and structural changes of montane paddy wetlands. These findings provide a foundational basis for the development of future conservation, management, and ecological restoration strategies for comparable wetland systems.