• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.681-692
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• 2015

It is well documented that physiological and nutritional condition of wintering birds is strongly related to migration success to breeding sites, and also breeding success. However, how abiotic factors during winter affect the migration and breeding successes still remains unclear. Thus, this study developed a dynamic-state-dependent model for wintering life-history to identify the potential impact on the life-history, success to breeding site and breeding success of wintering birds, which are related to temperature fluctuation, interspecific competition and human disturbance at the wintering sites. To find the best-fit-model, we referred to the existing research data on wintering ecology of Red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis) in Cheolwon, Korea, which is well documented as a long-term wintering study. Our model predicted that the higher temperature fluctuation and a higher rate of human disturbance are negatively related to migration success to breeding sites and their fitness, ultimately breeding success via changing of proportion in resource allocation (for e. g., lower energy compensation or higher level of stress accumulation). Particularly, the rate of body mass compensation after arrival at wintering sites may be accelerated when there are less temperature fluctuations and a lower rate of human disturbance. In addition, the rate of interspecific competition sharing the wintering foraging sites is negatively related to the rate of body mass compensation. Consequently, we discussed the conservation strategies of wintering birds based on the outcomes of the model.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.266-274
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• 2017

We surveyed the habitat use and food materials of the endangered Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides) during the wintering period at the Seocheon tidal flat. The bird wintered about six months from October 2014 to early April 2015 at the flat. They showed a remarkable change in choosing their feeding habitat and prey. They stayed entirely at sedge grass patches on Songrim tidal flat during the early wintering period (October), while after November they gradually moved to Janggu bay and used rice paddy fields as well as sedge patches on the tidal flats as their feeding site. The dietary analysis showed the sedge grass (Bolboschoenus sp., Cyperaceae) was the main dietary source during the entire wintering period. Interestingly, the proportion of Cyperaceae on feces decreased slightly over wintering time, while the proportion of Fabaceae increased relatively since November. These results suggest that the Swan Geese switched their habitat and food sources in response to the change of food availability. The Seocheon tidal flat area is the important wintering site for Swan Geese and sedge grass patches in the area need to be managed as the main feeding area for the wintering Swan Geese.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.176-187
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• 2015

In this study, we hypothesized that the size of wintering crane population would change due to the climate factors. We assumed that wintering population size would differ by climate values in January, which is the coldest period in year. Especially, White-naped cranes were able to choose wintering site between Cheorwon and other alternative place where snow coverage had low influence, differing from Red crowned cranes. For this reason, we predicted the population size of White-naped cranes would fluctuate according to the extent of snow coverage in Cheorwon. Therefore we used snow coverage data based on MODIS and climate data from KMA (Korea Meteorological Administration) that are generally used. We analyzed the crane's population size in Cheorwon in January from 2002 to 2014. The temperature in the Cheorwon increased from 2002 to wintering period in 2007~ 2008 and went down, showing the lowest temperature in 2011~ 2012. With this phenomenon, warmth index showed the similar pattern with temperature. Amount of newly accumulated snow (the amount of snow that fallen from 0:01 am to 11:29 pm in a day) was low after 2002, but rapidly increased in 2010~ 2011 and 2011~ 2012. The area of snow coverage rapidly declined from 2002 to 2005~ 2006 but suddenly expanded in wintering period in 2009~ 2010 and 2010~ 2011. Wintering population size of the White-naped cranes decreased as snow coverage area increased in January and the highest correlation was found between them, compared to the other climatic factors. However, the number of individuals of Red crowned cranes had little relationship with general climate factors including snow cover range. Therefore it seems that population size of the Red crowned crane varied by factors related with habitat selection such as secure roosting site and area of foraging place, not by climatic factors. In multiple regression analysis, wintering population of White-naped cranes showed significant relationship with logarithmic value of snow cover range and its period. Therefore, it suggests that the population size of the White-naped crane was affected by snow cover range n wintering period and this was because it was hard for them to find out rice grains which are their main food items, buried in snow cover. The population size variation in White-naped cranes was caused by some individuals which left Cheorwon for Izumi where snow cover had little influence on them. The wintering population in Izumi and Cheorwon had negative correlation, implying they were mutually related.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.191-197
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• 2020

The purpose of this was to examine the differences of large whopper swan (Cygnus cygnus) in wintering habitat preference among bridge sections of the lower Nakdong River of the Nakdong River Estuary, the largest whopper swan's wintering habitat in Korea. This species is designated and protected as Natural Monument in Korea. The survey was conducted in six time-series during the 2018~2019 wintering season, and it found up to 500 whopper swans were wintering in the lower Nakdong River. For the survey, a seven sections were set up based on the bridges across the river. Whopper swans were rarely observed in five narrow sections where the distance between bridges was less than 2 km. The stable population of the whopper swan was observed only in two broader sections where the distance between bridges was is over 4 km. As these sections were relatively little affected by artificial interference, the distance from the mouth of the Nakdong River was not a factor. Securing a stable space is considered as one of the most important factors for wintering of whopper swans, which are an endangered species. The survey results indicate that the distance between bridges should be at least 4 km to secure the whopper swan's stable habitat. These results are expected to be a reference to the development or restoration of the river ecosystems, especially bridge construction.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.250-257
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate the habitat use of White-naped Cranes Grus vipio in Han river estuary during the wintering period from 2006 to 2008 (October$\sim$March). The average numbers of wintering White-naped Cranes were 106.6$\pm$21.7 (Mean$\pm$SD) individuals, and the highest number of 140 individuals were recorded in the early January, 2008. The wintering habitat use of White-naped Cranes between rice field and mudflat was not significantly different (Mann-Whitney test. p=0.40) during the wintering period. However, White-naped Cranes spent more time on the rice field in the early winter (p<0.01), and on the mudflat in the late winter(p<0.01). There was not a difference of the habitat use rate on middle winter. White-naped cranes used four different sites of rice field: Hongdopyoung, Pyoungdong, Ihwadong and Janghang rice fields. Among them, Hongdopyoung was the main foraging site. There was significant differences of habitat use ratio in the early and mid winter ((Kruskal-wallis test. p<0.01). White-naped Cranes used mudflat area from Gimpo Daegyo to Nusanri of Han river estuary. Especially, they preferred four sites from Gimpo Daegyo to Ilsan Daegyo more than the other sites. Habitat use rate of mud flats were significantly different among each site during the wintering period (Kruskal-wallis test. p<0.01)

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.642-649
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• 2014

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is the abundant winter visitor in South Korea. Mallard migrates long distances between Russian Siberia and Korea. This species prefers a rice paddy area as their winter habitat. We captured birds using cannon-net, and attached the GPS-Mobile phone based Telemetry(WT-200) on Seven Mallards in the winter of 2011~2013. We were monitored wintering home-range and movement distance. We analyzed the tracking location data using ArcGIS 9.0 and calculated Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) and Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP). The average home-range in the wintering ground by MCP was $118.8km^2$(SD=70.1, n=7)and the maximum home-rang was $221.8km^2$ and the minimum was $27.7km^2$. Extents of home-range by KDE were $60.0km^2$(KDE 90%), $23.0km^2$(KDE 70%) and $11.6km^2$(KDE 50%). Mallard moved an average of 19.4 km from start site(attach to WT-200 site), maximum moved was 33.2 km and minimum moved was 9.4 km. The average distance of 0.8 km between GPS fixed point(range 0.2~1.6 km), maximum moved was 19.7 km. Mallard moved a very short distance in wintering season and showed a very high water-dependent trends in wintering site.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.478-485
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• 2018

With the total population of 3,356 worldwide as of 2016, the black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor) is designated as "endangered (EN)" species by IUCN. About 70% of population breeds on the uninhabited islands near the west coast of Korea and wintering area is Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, etc. However, there is few detail research in Korea and East Asia on black-faced spoonbill's long range migration and its habitat when migrating southward. We studied black-faced spoonbill's migration route, distribution, stopover, wintering sites, and timing of migration movements using a wild-tracker (WT-200, GPS-Mobile phone based telemetry, KoEco). We caught the black-faced spoonbills in the breeding sites (Gugi island, Bi island, Sangyeobawi, Chilsan island) in Korea in late June 2014. We attached the wild-tracker to 10 juvenile black-faced spoonbills. The tracking showed that the black-faced spoonbills started southward migration between late October and early November. The traveling distance to wintering site was maximum at 1,820 km, minimum at 746 km, the average at 1,201km. The maximum daily traveling distance was 1,479 km with an average of 782 km. The average days it took from breeding site to wintering site was 10 days (SD=10.7). The shortest duration was 2 days, and the longest duration was 34 days. Most individuals used 2-3 stopover sites between the breeding sites to the wintering sites and stayed almost 1-2 days (maximum 31 days). Stopover sites were wetlands such as rivers, streams, reservoir, and mud flat. The wintering sites were coastal areas (five individuals) in China, inland (one individual) in China, Taiwan (three individuals), and Japan (one individual). In conclusion, it is necessary to preserve the stopover sites and wintering site of the black-faced spoonbills through consultation and protection policy between countries and establish the systematic preservation measures and activity plans through continued moniting and additional studies.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.375-383
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• 2009

The aims of this study were wintering individuals, usage of foraging sites, potential food availability, daily activity and disturbance factors of White-naped Cranes Grus vipio on the wintering site, Han-river estuary, Goyang and Gimpo city, Korea. We want to provide basic data to conserve the cranes. Maxium population was identified 162 individuals at the middle of February in the river side and mud flat of this study area. Spring migration for breeding was started at the first week of March and finished for two weeks later. White-naped Cranes were used four feeding sites in winter; agricultural area in Hongdopyong, Yihwa-dong, Pyong-dong and Songpo-dong. Expected carrying capacity (ECC) was 334 days (121~909 days). White-naped Cranes departed from roosting site to feeding site at every morning for foraging. If they were disturbed by some factors at feeding sites, they moved to mud flat in the Han river to forage and take a rest. Daily activity was consisted of six category; feeding, alert, locomotion, preening, comfort, social and other behaviors. Feeding was the highest portion among behaviors in the wintering area. Feeding, alert, locomotion and preening in daily activities significantly differed among feeding sites. We watched total 348 times of disturbances in the wintering sites. Artificial disturbances were vehicles, humans, bicycles and motorcycles. Natural disturbances were noises, animals and others. Disturbances in all wintering sites were highest in Yihwa-dong (134 times) and followed by Hongdopyong (109 times), Songpo-dong (64 times) and then Pyong-dong (44 times). And artificial disturbances (228 times) were more than natural disturbances (120 times). Especially, vehicle was one of the most checked factor in the wintering area.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.415-423
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• 2018

Aphid is a typical vector that transfers various kinds of viruses to potatoes. Therefore, it is very important to control aphids moving into potato fields. We investigated the seasonal movement pattern of aphids and its virus transmission rates mainly in the three seed potato production regions at highland in Gangwon-do, Korea. In addition, we identified the aphid species with over-wintering eggs collected from barks or twigs of total 57 tree species around potato fields in winter season. The peak time of summer and winter migration of aphid was at the mid-June and the early October, respectively. A 2.8% of total aphid trapped in yellow water-pan trap was turned out PLRV-borne, and the virus transmission rate was 15.4% by Myzus persicae and 9.1% by Macrosiphum euphorbiae. PLRV-borne aphids started to flow in from the late May, and virus transmission rate of aphid trapped in mid-June was the highest with 10.4%. Totally 14 species of aphid eggs wintered in the 17 species of trees including Acer pictum subsp. mono and Acer pseudosieboldianum at the 11 sites. In particular, because it is not certain that Betula platyphylla var. japonica and Yamatocallis hirayamae do transmit potato virus, but they over-wintered in host plants distributed over a wide area, further research on transmission ability is necessary.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.351-357
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• 2015

The two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch, overwinters in apple culture areas of apple orchards. The mite overwinters in various places on the apple trees, usually in groups of 5-15 females. Overwintering females were mostly found in bark crevices with the hibernation cocoons of the oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta Busck. They were also found in small crevices of the bark, and in pedicels left after fruit harvesting. Furthermore, overwintering females were found on rough bark at the bases of buds and spurs, on small limbs and twigs, and in limb crevices and forks. Empty scales of dead diaspidids and coccids, as well as cocoons of lacewings and mummies of parasitized aphids sporadically found on trees, were found to be less common overwintering sites for females of the two-spotted spider mite. In two successive years, the mortality of overwintering females was very high, reaching approximately 72 and 80%. This could be due to the low temperature of winter season in Korea and the low cold tolerance of the mite.