• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.115-129
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• 2007

Using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences and inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSRs) data, genetic diversity of a rare species, Hibiscus hamabo Siebold & Zucc. was examined for 3 populations in Jeju Island, Korea. A total of 14 nucleotide (excluding 3 ambiguous nucleotide) site variation in the ITS was observed from 18 individuals (Population 1, Hadori), which differed up to 13 bp in pair-wise comparison. On the contrary, the ITS sequences of all individuals in Populations 2 and 3 were identical. Genetic diversity estimates including Nei's gene diversity (h) generated by ISSR data were substantially high in Population 1 compared to other two populations. Low genetic variation in Populations 1 and 2 is considered due to genetic drift (bottleneck effect) and limited gene flow in these populations. Considering the differences in genetic diversity, protection of the Population 1(Hadori) is very critical for in situ conservation of Hibiscus hamabo in Korea. If ex situ conservation is required, making the full use of Population 1 will be most efficient.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.116-125
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• 2012

The distribution, vegetation characteristics and an assessment of the conservation status of the Korea endemic species Coreanomecon hylomeconoides Nakai were investigated to collect biological basic data to formulate a conservation strategy. According to the distribution map of C. hylomeconoides based on the literature, specimen information, and local field surveys, natural populations of C. hylomeconoides are intensively distributed in the Southern regions of the peninsula, around Gyeongsangnam-do and Jeollanan-do. C. hylomeconoides was distributed in the middle and low slope adjacent to a valley. The altitude ranged from 227 m to 744 m, with inclinations of $5-10^{\circ}$. As a result of a vegetation survey within natural populations, a total of 238 taxa were identified from 29 quadrates in 8 natural populations. The importance value of C. hylomeconoides is 25.34% based on the coverage and frequency of the herbaceous layer with in the populations. The species diversity of the occurrence of the species in 8 natural populations was 1.52, while the averages of species evenness and the dominance values were calculated to be 0.83 and 0.17, respectively. As a result of assessing the conservation status through IUCN Red List criteria, C. hylomeconoides was evaluated as Near Threatened (NT). Conservation strategies are also discussed for the sustainable conservation of C. hylomeconoides.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.48-54
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• 2009

We investigated the genetic diversity of an endemic rare species, Forsythia ovata Nakai by examining 93 ISSR amplicons in 84 individuals distributed among five populations. The overall percentage of polymorphic ISSR amplicons was 54.8% and mean number of amplicons per ISSR primer was 6.6. The amount of genetic diversity was relatively lower than other shrub species. The Mt. Seokbyeong and Mt. Seorak B populations had the highest level of genetic diversity. Although the Seokgae-jae population had the lowest level of genetic diversity, the population was genetically the most distinctive from the other populations. About 30.6% of the total variation was allocated between five populations, which was slightly higher than other shrub species. Such a pattern of genetic variation may have resulted from the limited distribution and small population sizes of F. ovata. The UPGMA dendrogram based on Nei's genetic distance showed some decisive geographic patterns. These results suggest that, in addition to the preservation of the natural stands, the conservation of larger number of populations with small number of individuals per population is more effective for the dynamic ex situ conservation and for maintaining the genetic diversity of F. ovata than smaller number of populations with large number of individuals.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.267-273
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• 2013

This study employed inter-simple-sequence repeat (ISSR) to assess genetic variation among 189 individuals representing 10 populations (nine in Korea and one in Japan) of Millettia japonica, which has recently been lifted from the endangered species of Korea. The calculated Shannon's information index value (I = 0.2689) of the species was appreciable and was higher than other endangered leguminous woody taxa. Gochang (I = 0.2968), Namhae (I = 0.2951), and Mt. Toham (I = 0.2823) populations showed relatively high genetic diversity, whereas the Kyushu (in Japan) population (I = 0.2487) exhibited the lowest. The results of an analysis of molecular variance indicated that 86.49% of the diversity was attributed to within populations, and 13.51% to differences among populations, suggesting that M. japonica populations do not have significant geographic differentiation and that the gene flow between populations exists to some extent (Nm = 1.8446). Continuous habitat monitoring should be conducted to conserve genetic diversity of M. japonica, particularly for those populations with relatively high genetic diversity. Selection of many individuals from the populations in Gochang, Namhae, and Mt. Toham is thought to be an appropriate strategy for ex situ conservation of M. japonica in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.227-238
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• 2004

Rhododendron micranthum is an endangered species in Korea. In order to develop the strategy of gene diversity conservation, estimation of the amount of genetic diversity, the genetic variation and relationship in the native populations of Rh. micranthum was performed on the basis of AFLP and RAPD analysis. Analysis of 56 accessions derived from 6 populations of Rh. micranthum with four AFLP primer combinations and ten RAPD primers detected a total of 33 polymorphic AFLP fragments and 15 polymorphic RAPD fragments, respectively. By UPGMA cluster analysis with molecular markers, the 56 accessions were grouped into three major clusters at 73.3% genetic similarity; group I consists of most accessions of populations I, II, IV, V and Ⅵ, group II consists of 7 accessions of population III, and group III consists of only two accessions of population IV. The geographic locations of the most accessions derived from six populations were not related to their position in the UPGMA cluster analysis, except for several accessions of populations III and IV. The genetic similarity of among six populations measured by AFLP and RAPD markers ranged from 0.66 to 0.99. Among them, population Ⅵ showed the highest GS with means of 0.87, while population I showed the lowest GS with means of 0.78. This result will be useful for designing the strategy of conservation in the native populations of Rh. micranthum.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.102 no.3
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• pp.428-436
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• 2013

To obtain biological basic data for the conservation strategies establishment of a rare mistletoe species, Loranthus tanakae(Loranthaceae) in Korea, the distribution range, habitat characteristics and an assessment of the conservation status on the natural populations of L. tanakae were investigated. As a result, the natural populations of L. tanakae were distributed in Bakdudaegan from Mt. Chiri to Mt Seorak in Korea penninsula, and 97.8% of surveyed individuals of the mistletoe species were found in Gangwon province. In natural populations, 1,385 individuals of L. tanakae were parasitic on 480 host trees, and distributed in sunshiny ridges of mountains of altitude range of 353 m to 1,250 m. The range of host trees of L. tanakae were composed of 5 families, 6 genera, 9 species, 1 subspecies, and of these, Quercus mongolica was preferred with 81.5% (389 trees among 480 host trees). As a result of assessing the conservation status through IUCN, L. tanakae was evaluated as Vulnerable (VU). It was considered that Mt. Seorak, Mt. Taegi and Mt. Odae population as habitats with the highest density of distribution of natural populations of L. tanakae should be designated as the protected areas. Thus, conservation strategies and related methods of the natural populations of L. tanakae were also discussed for the sustainable conservation.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.30-36
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• 2001

Schisandra nigra Max. has been cultivated far a medical use as well as food. It is an endemic species which has a unique habitat at the altitude of 600-1,400 m in Cheju island. In this study, three natural populations of S. nigra were investigated by using of starch-gel electrophoresis to determine the extent and distribution of genetic diversity. Except 2 monomorphic locus (Mdh-2 and Pgi-1), 4 of the 6 isozyme locus (Idh, Mdh-2, Mnr, and Pgi-2), verified from 4 isozymes, revealed polymorphism in the three populations of S. nigra. The mean number of allele per locus was 1.7 and the percentages of polymorphism loci were 38.9% at 95% level and 50% at 99% level respectively. The observed and estimated heterozygosities were 0.141 and 0.147 respectively. Although plants which were in the face of crisis and distributed in the restricted area, have been known to the very low degree of genetic variation, S. nigra showed higher genetic variation than others. Genetic variation was mostly allocated within population and individuals than that among populations. The result of Wright's F analysis estimates of $F_{IT}$ and $F_{IT}$ showed that S. nigra population revealed Hardy-Weinberg steady state.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.1 s.68
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• pp.33-37
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• 2005

Sasa borealis Makino is distributed in East Asia such as Korea, Fushun in China, and Japan. Especially the species is only found in the high altitude (above 600 m) at mountain of cold regions including The Korean Peninsula. The level of genetic diversity and population structure of this species was surveyed using starch gel electrophoresis at putative five enzyme loci from three natural populations in Korea. Results from twelve loci indicated that genetic diversity was low. In addition, analysis of fixation indices revealed a substantial heterozygosity deficiency in some populations and loci. The reasons for the deficit of heterozygosity may be partly considered inbreeding, small population sizes, and mating of demes. S. borealis can reproduce extensively by producing rhizomes and potentially by sexually produced seeds. Rhizomes are generally long, prostate stems rooting at the nodes.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.76-82
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• 2006

Genetic variation of two Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii populations in Mt. Seorak and Mt. Halla was investigated by isozyme analysis at reproducible 11 loci of 7 isozyme systems(Aat-1, Aat-2, Gdh, Idh, Lap, Mdh-1, Mdh-2, Mdh-3, 6Pgd, Pgi-1, and Pgi-2), of which 7 loci were polymorphic. The levels of genetic diversity of two populations were A=2.2, $A_e=1.61,\;P_{95}=54.5,\;H_{o}=0.179,\;H_e=0.287$(Mt. Seorak population) and A=2.1, $A_e=1.48,\;P_{95}=63.6,\;H_{o}=0.270,\;H_e=0.250$(Mt. Halla population), respectively. These values were similar to and/or somewhat higher than those observed in other Korean native conifers. Moderately low degree of genetic differentiation was observed between 2 analyzed populations ($F_{ST}=0.039$). Heterozygosity of the population in Mt. Seorak was significantly lower than expected, and much high level of inbreeding coefficient(F=0.376) was observed. Considering the limited population size and distribution range of the population, the population seemed to be influenced by inbreeding and/or random genetic drift, Consequently, Mt. Seorak population should be considered to be a more important candidate for the conservation of J. chinensis var. sargentii.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2009

The aim of this study was to examine geographic variation to support a genetic resource conservation plan of rare endemic Picea jezoensis (Siebold & Zucc.) Carriere. Three populations of P. jezoensis were analysed using multivariate analysis for 7 characteristics of needle morphology. In the morphological characters, seven characters of needle were 15.11 mm (needle length), 1.43 mm (needle width), 0.42 mm (needle thickness), 10.9 (length / width of needle), 3.6 (width / thickness of needle), 0.47 mm (Distance between resin duct and vascular), 17.4 ea. (number of stomata row), respectively. Nested analysis showed that were statistically significant differences among populations as well as among individuals within populations in 6 quantitative characters. In 5 of 7 characters, variance components among populations were higher than those among individuals within populations. Cluster analysis using complete linkage method showed two groups (Mt. Gyebang populations was genetically distinct from the other two populations) to Euclidean distance 0.4. Among principal components, primary 2 principal components appeared to be major variables because of the loading contribution of 100%.