• Title/Summary/Keyword: Biosphere

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Omega Rhodopsins: A Versatile Class of Microbial Rhodopsins

  • Kwon, Soon-Kyeong;Jun, Sung-Hoon;Kim, Jihyun F.
    • Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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    • v.30 no.5
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    • pp.633-641
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    • 2020
  • Microbial rhodopsins are a superfamily of photoactive membrane proteins with the covalently bound retinal cofactor. Isomerization of the retinal chromophore upon absorption of a photon triggers conformational changes of the protein to function as ion pumps or sensors. After the discovery of proteorhodopsin in an uncultivated γ-proteobacterium, light-activated proton pumps have been widely detected among marine bacteria and, together with chlorophyll-based photosynthesis, are considered as an important axis responsible for primary production in the biosphere. Rhodopsins and related proteins show a high level of phylogenetic diversity; we focus on a specific class of bacterial rhodopsins containing the '3 omega motif.' This motif forms a stack of three non-consecutive aromatic amino acids that correlates with the B-C loop orientation and is shared among the phylogenetically close ion pumps such as the NDQ motif-containing sodium-pumping rhodopsin, the NTQ motif-containing chloride-pumping rhodopsin, and some proton-pumping rhodopsins including xanthorhodopsin. Here, we reviewed the recent research progress on these 'omega rhodopsins,' and speculated on their evolutionary origin of functional diversity.

NDVI RESPONSES TO THE FOREST CANOPY AND FLOOR IN EASTERN SIBERIA

  • Suzuki, Rikie;Kobayashi, Hideki;Delbart, Nicolas;Hiyama, Tetsuya;Asanuma, Jun
    • Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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    • 2007.10a
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    • pp.325-328
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    • 2007
  • We discuss the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) of the forest canopy and floor separately based on airborne spectral reflectance measurements and simultaneous airborne land surface images acquired around Yakutsk, Siberia in 2000. The aerial land surface images were visually classified into four forest types: no-green canopy and snow floor (Type-1), green canopy and snow floor (Type-2), no-green canopy and no-snow floor (Type-3), and green canopy and no-snow floor (Type-4). The mean NDVI was calculated for these four types. Although Type-2 had green canopy, the NDVI was rather small (0.17) because of high reflection from the snow cover on the floor. Type-3, which had no green canopy, indicated considerably large NDVI (0.45) due to the greenness of the floor. Type-4 had the largest NDVI (0.75) because of the greenness of both the canopy and floor. These results reveal that the NDVI depends considerably on forest floor greenness and snow cover in addition to canopy greenness.

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Community Structure of Free-living Marine Nematodes in the Area of Agar-Producing Alga Ahnfeltia Tobuchiensis Field (Starka Strait, Peter the Great Bay, East Sea)

  • Pavlyuk, Olga;Trebukhova, Yulia
    • Ocean Science Journal
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    • v.42 no.3
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    • pp.165-170
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    • 2007
  • The structure of the nematodes communities has been studied in the sediments on two sites located outside and under the layer of Ahnfeltia tobuchiensis (Kanno and Matsubara 1932; Makijenko 1970). Bottom sediments at the stations were represented by sands with a different degree of silting. Specific structure of nematodes at the stations was significantly different under the similar environmental conditions (water depth, dissolved oxygen saturation, salinity, temperature of the bottom layer and organic carbon content inside of the sediment). Nematodes dominated (75.7 %) in meiobenthos community under the layer of A. tobuchiensis where concentration of silt particles was 12 %. Representatives of the family Comesomatidae were dominant. Low index of species diversity and high Simpson domination index were detected in this community. Under a layer of A. tobuchiensis with the thickness of 30 cm concentration of the silt particles was 5.39 %; nematodes density was low and made 32.1 % of the general density of meiobenthos. Species of the families Xyalidae and Monoposthiidae were dominant. Outside of A. tobuchiensis, field percentage of silt particles was minimal (3.1 %) and representatives of families Cyatholaimidae and Axonolaimidae dominated. The specific structure of nematodes in this type of the ground is characterized by high index of species diversity and low level of domination.

Meiobenthos in Estuary Part of Ha Long Bay (Gulf of Tonkin, South China Sea, Vietnam)

  • Pavlyuk, Olga;Trebukhova, Yulia;Thanh, Nguyen Vu;Tu, Nguyen Dinh
    • Ocean Science Journal
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    • v.43 no.3
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    • pp.153-160
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    • 2008
  • The distribution of the taxonomical composition and the density of meiobenthos depending on some factors of environment has been studied in bottom sediments of the northern estuary part of Ha Long Bay (Cua Luc estuary). The basic factor of influence on meiobenthic community structure was the granulometric composition of sediment. The greatest taxonomic diversity is noted in the silted sands, lowest - in the silty sediments. The density of meiobenthic community was higher in the silty sediments. Slightly expressed correlation between the density of nematodes and the percentage of silty particles in the sediments is detected (Spearman rank correlation coefficient was $0.49{\pm}0.21$, p=0.035). The nematodes were dominant at all stations. In total, representatives of 66 species of nematodes belonging to 17 families and 52 genera were identified.

Assessment of Agricultural Environment Using Remote Sensing and GIS

  • Hong Suk Young
    • Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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    • 2005.08a
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    • pp.75-87
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    • 2005
  • Remote sensing(RS)- and geographic information system(GIS)-based information management to measure and assess agri-environment schemes, and to quantify and map environment indicators for nature and land use, climate change, air, water and energy balance, waste and material flow is in high demand because it is very helpful in assisting decision making activities of farmers, government, researchers, and consumers. The versatility and ability of RS and GIS containing huge soil database to assess agricultural environment spatially and temporally at various spatial scales were investigated. Spectral and microwave observations were carried out to characterize crop variables and soil properties. Multiple sources RS data from ground sensors, airborne sensors, and also satellite sensors were collected and analyzed to extract features and land cover/use for soils, crops, and vegetation for support precision agriculture, soil/land suitability, soil property estimation, crop growth estimation, runoff potential estimation, irrigated and the estimation of flooded areas in paddy rice fields. RS and GIS play essential roles in a management and monitoring information system. Biosphere-atmosphere interection should also be further studied to improve synergistic modeling for environment and sustainability in agri-environment schemes.

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Ecological Value of Tidal-flat Island in Jeonnam Province and Its Validity for Designating Provincial Park (전남 섬갯벌의 생태적 가치와 도립공원 지정의 타당성)

  • Hong, Sun-Kee;Kim, Jae-Eun;Oh, Kang-Ho;Ihm, Hyun-Shik
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.46 no.1
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    • pp.41-52
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    • 2013
  • To decide on the designation of a tidal-flat Provincial Park, a study area was defined in line with domestic and international case studies of Provincial Parks. A survey on landscape, geology, biota, and cultural resources was conducted in four tidal-flat areas including Bigeum-myeon and Docho-myeon, which are part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Shinan, Jeollanam-do. To identify areas most suitable to be designated as Provincial Park, a PSR evaluation process was adopted. This has resulted in the selection of the 'Palgupo' area surrounding Bigeum, Docho, Haui, Shinui, Jaeun, Amtae, Palgeum, Anjwa and Jangsan. Also the tidal-flat areas at Aphae-myeon, which are ecologically linked with the Jeungdo Tidal-flat Provincial Park, were included. The selected areas resulting from this study will meet various characteristics of tidal-flat ecosystems including naturalness, ecological network, rarity and eco-cultural diversity. After the tidal-flat Provincial Park has been specified, there is a need to perform a long-term sustainable management plan.

The Development of Automatic Production System of Agricultural Weather Information Using the Biosphere-Atmosphere Transfer Scheme (BATS) (지표대기모형 BATS를 이용한 농업기상정보 자동산출시스템 개발)

  • Shin Hyun-Cheol;Suh Ae-Sook;Lee Sun-Mi
    • Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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    • v.1 no.2
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    • pp.135-141
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    • 1999
  • The information on agricultural weather over the Korean Peninsula was produced, using the Bio-sphere-Atmosphere Transfer Scheme(BATS). We modified the input and output portions of BATS such that the whole processes can be excuted as a package. Based on this approach, automatic production system of agricultural meteorology information was developed. The results of this model was compared with the observed data. The differences between the model results and observed data for surface temperature, rooting zone temperature and top soil temperature were 2.0$^{\circ}$C, 2.0$^{\circ}$C and 2.6$^{\circ}$C, respectively.

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The Exchange of Reduced Sulfur Gases Across the Atmosphere-Teerrestrial Biosphere Interface

  • Kim, Ki-Hyun;Zhen Yand;Shiming Wang
    • Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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    • v.12 no.E
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    • pp.1-18
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    • 1996
  • In this review, the significance of terrestrial ecosystems in the global sulfur budget has been reviewed based on the currently available databases covering the topic. In the section 1, we describe our current understanding of natural sulfur cycle in relation to most well-known natural reservoir, oceanic environment. The sections 2 and 3 provide the fundamental pictures of the rerrestrial sulfur cycle with respect to the relative importance of its individe the fundamental pictures of the terrestrial sulfur cycle with respect to the section 3, previously reported flux values for several major sulfur gases are presented for each reservoir and are intercompared to derive representative fluxes for the respective environment. In the section 4, source mechanisms for volatile sulfur species are dealt for both microscale and macroscale processes leading to their productions. In the section 5, environmental factors controlling the exchange of biogenic sulfur gases across the air-surface have been discussed. In the section 6, environmental fate of sulfur gases released into the atmosphere has been described. Finally in tie section 7, as concluding remarksm we discuss directions and suggestions to overcome various limitations encountered from previous measurement investigations of natural sulfur cycle in diverse natural ecological systems.

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The Environmental Perceptions of Pre-service Secondary School Teachers about the Global Environment (지구 환경에 대한 예비 중등 교사의 환경 인식)

  • Cheong, Cheol
    • Journal of the Korean earth science society
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    • v.24 no.4
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    • pp.273-280
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    • 2003
  • The purpose of this study is to investigate the environmental perceptions of pre-service secondary school teachers about the global environment. The Subjects are 133 pre-service secondary school teachers. As an indicator of environmental perceptions, the modified New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) instrument was used. This modified NEP instrument consists of four dimensions: the negative results of growth and technology, relation of humankind and nature, quality of life, and limits of biosphere. The results of this study suggested that a majority of pre-service secondary teachers held ecological environmental perceptions. They also had a similar environmental perception to education major. However, there were significant differences in environmental perceptions and the variables of education experience on environment-related subjects. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that environment-related subjects. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that environmental education be a mandatory course in education programs.

A Study of Activating Urban Square's Ecological Soundness - Focusing on Gyodong Square in the City of Gangneung - (도심광장의 생태적건전성 활성화방안 - 강릉시 교동 광장을 사례로 -)

  • Kim, Ji-Youn;Kang, Seon-Hong;Cho, Tae-Dong
    • Journal of Environmental Science International
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    • v.26 no.7
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    • pp.837-846
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    • 2017
  • This study aimed to investigate the dilapidated Fine View Square located in the city of Gangneung and analyze problems for building it into a sustainable space under an effective management plan. Further to creating an ecological base for restoring the natural circulation, a restorative method for the damaged area, a spatial assignment by the UNESCO's Man and Biosphere Programme (MAB), and an urban ecological park, we not only wanted to provide an environment that is citizen friendly, but also a practical and realizable project to connect with the various methods and programs mentioned above, while utilizing the Ministry of the Environment 's ecosystem conservation fund. In conclusion, we found that it would be possible to contribute to building an urban ecological park the Ministry of Environment proposed while restoring the lost natural circulation in Gyodong Square in the city of Gangneung and ecological soundness of the city along with the reduced heat island effect and the increased biological diversity and Ecological Soundness.