As the global population continues to grow, sandy beaches, one of the most valuable ecosystems, have been widely impacted by human activities. Therefore, to develop policies for the conservation and management of sandy beaches, the impact of human activities on sandy beaches must be accurately assessed. We used seven benthic indices to evaluate the ecological quality of sandy beaches in Anmyeon Island, Korea. However, these seven indices were found to either over- or underestimate their ecological quality. Moreover, despite incorporating beach morphodynamics into our study, these indices did not respond to the pressure of urbanisation on beaches. Given the suboptimal performance of benthic indices in reflecting the actual state of Korean beaches, our study indicates that beaches without human interference but with the same morphodynamics must be selected as control groups to further explore the effectiveness of these indices. This is critical for advancing our conservation efforts and managing sandy beach ecosystems under increasing human influence.

Anthropogenic activities, particularly land reclamation and industrialization, have severely damaged South Korea’s intertidal zones, resulting in a decline in biodiversity. In our study, we assessed the macrobenthic community in the intertidal zone of Anmyeon Island, South Korea, and used remote sensing to evaluate the impact of anthropogenic activities on the adjacent land areas. Spearman and Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) indicated that the remote-sensing ecological index (RSEI) is a viable indicator for assessing the dissimilarity of macrobenthic communities in these zones. Moreover, biota–environment matching (BIO–ENV) and distance-based redundancy analysis (dbRDA) demonstrated that land cover types significantly influence the macrobenthic communities in nearby intertidal zones. Our study suggested that urbanization and agricultural activities have affected the terrestrial ecological environment and the adjacent intertidal communities. Consequently, the protection of these zones should extend beyond their borders to include the management of anthropogenic activities on adjacent lands. Our research contributes valuable insights to help inform conservation strategies and the policy-making necessary to safeguard South Korea’s intertidal zones.

Dietary supplements are commonly employed to provide additional nutritional support for athletes. In taekwondo, there is a need for evidence-based analyses to evaluate the effects of dietary supplements on training outcomes, competitive performance, and injury recovery. Taekwondo primarily relies on oxidative metabolism, yet decisive lower-limb attacks depend on non-oxidative pathways. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases in November 2024, utilizing keywords including ‘Dietary Supplements’, ‘Supplements’, ‘Food Supplementations’, and ‘Taekwondo’. Of the 203 articles identified, 26 met the inclusion criteria, collectively assessing the impact of 14 different dietary supplements. Among these studies, eight provided strong evidence that acute ingestion of 3–5 mg/kg of caffeine significantly enhanced athletes’ physical performance and psychological well-being. However, the ergogenic effects of the compound Fufang Ejiaojiang, creatine, sodium bicarbonate, beetroot, vitamins, and long beans require further investigation to validate their efficacy. Additionally, dietary supplements, such as amino acids, turmeric powder, ginger, spirulina, octacosanol, nucleotides, and yogurt, can reduce fatigue, supporting injury recovery, and boosting immune function, although current evidence remains insufficient. Future research should pay closer attention to reporting adverse reactions linked to dietary supplements. Doing so would provide coaches and athletes with more reliable safety information, supporting safer choices and reducing potential health risks.

Soccer, as a high-intensity sport, places significant physical demands on athletes and is associated with a high risk of injury. Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS), a training and rehabilitation technology, has gained attention for its potential benefits in sports settings. This systematic review, conducted under the PRISMA guidelines, rigorously assessed the effectiveness of EMS in improving muscle strength, promoting post-exercise recovery, and facilitating injury rehabilitation among soccer players. A comprehensive search of the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases identified 10 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Among these, six studies demonstrated a significant improvement in athletic performance following local or whole-body EMS application. Four studies provided evidence supporting EMS’s efficacy in enhancing post-exercise recovery and reducing recovery time after injuries, with observed reductions in recovery time. However, the majority of the included studies were not double-blind, which limits the strength of the evidence. None of the included studies reported EMS-related adverse effects. Overall, the current results suggest that EMS may be a useful adjunct to improve athletic performance and facilitate recovery in soccer players. This review offers actionable insights for coaches and athletes regarding the safe and effective application of EMS in soccer training and rehabilitation programs.