• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2001

Some phenomena in which insects can demonstrate environmental changes by xenobiotics are easily and simply evaluated. On this regard, general guidelines for environmental studies using insects as biomarkers which determine the effects of such changes are suggested. Insects include three-quaters of all living animal species. This diversity comprises many closely related species which may respond sole to environmental changes by xenobiotics. Insects have been used for assessing adverse effects of environmental changes by xenobiotics, especially pesticides. Collembolan species are widely used as physiological and behavioral biomarkers for the assessment of adverse effects caused by pesticides on soil environment. This review aims to evaluate tile possible use of Korean Collembolan species based upon their response to environmental changes in Korean soil mainly caused by pesticides for crop protection.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.411-424
• /
• 2000

In order to investigate the population structure and dynamics of halophilous springtails and ants at seashores in Korea, we made quantitative collection from three different sites having different vegetation and environment. The pH, salinity, and electric conductivity of the three sites were measured in order to find environmental factors influencing on their species composition and distribution. In view of the results so far obtained, the species composition and distribution of springtails seemed to depend not so much on pH and vegetation as on soil texture and salinity. On the other side, ant populations seemed to depend on vegetation in sand area and on inundation in both sand area and salt marshes. In all investigated sites, the species diversity in supra littoral zones was higher than in intertidal zones, and among intertidal zones of sand beach and salt marshes it was the highest at the upper zone of the sand beach.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.139-144
• /
• 2019

BACKGROUND: Epigeic arthropods participate in ecological functions as predators, decomposers and herbivores. The purpose of this study was to investigate the responses of some dominant arthropods in rice fields to different forms of agricultural land management. METHODS AND RESULTS: The abundance of microarthropods was compared between rice fields and uplands in the non-growing season. Collembola, Oribatida and Mesostigmata were more abundant in the upland fields than in the paddy fields. The community composition and diversity of epigeic arthropods were compared between fallow and rice fields. The total abundance and species richness of spiders and ground beetles were not significantly different in the two types of agricultural fields. The abundance of Arctosa kwangreungensis was greater in fallow fields than in cultivated fields. The community structure of arthropods was compared between paddy fields with and without barley. The cropping system altered the community composition of spiders but not their biodiversity. Barley cultivation increased the abundance of ground beetles but decreased that of spiders. We suggest that this contrast was partly due to the availability of plants that provided shelter and food for ground beetles. CONCLUSION: These results show that soil use intensity and cropping system alter the community composition of epigeic spiders and ground beetles. This could result in ecosystem-level alterations with respect to the control of pests and weeds. Our results also suggest that biodiversity of ground-dwelling arthropods may not increase during short fallow periods.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.749-758
• /
• 2019

The aim of this study is to provide a scientific basis for decision making regarding environmental damage in case of future chemical accidents by evaluating the ecotoxicity of 4 substances requiring preparation for accidents. For this purpose, acute and chronic toxicities of nitric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and ammonia solution, which can change the physical and chemical properties of soil to Paronychiurus kimi(Collembola) were investigated. The pH of artificial soil spiked with a series of test chemical concentrations was also measured. The pH of soil spiked with 10,000 mg kg^-1 of soil nitric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and ammonia solution were 2.86, 2.72, 7.18 and 9.69, respectively. The 28-d LC₅₀ of nitric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrogen peroxide and ammonia solution were 2,703, 5,414, 3,158 and 859 mg kg^-1 soil dry wt., respectively and 28-d EC₅₀ were 587, 2,148, 1,300 and 216 mg kg^-1 soil dry wt., respectively. These results indicated that the mortality and juvenile production of P. kimi were influenced by not only the soil pH but also by the reduced organic content and products produced by the reaction of soil with the tested chemicals. Given the fact that most substances requiring preparation for accidents can change soil characteristics, assessment and restoration methods that take into account changes in soil properties are needed for accurate decision making after chemical accidents.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.125-130
• /
• 2009

The aim of this study was to investigate whether differences in the distribution of soil invertebrates among different vegetation types (forest, reservoir, and crop land types) in rural area. A total of 18 orders and 137 species were collected by pitfall traps. Species numbers were the lowest (33 species) at the Chamaecyparis obtusa plantation (St. 6). On the forest sites, the individual number of Hymenoptera was the most abundant, and Acari and Coleoptera was the relatively more abundant than the other sites. On the reservoir sites (Salix chaenomeloides community), the individual number of Collembola was the most abundant, and Diptera was the relatively more abundant than the other sites. On the crop land sites, the individual numbers of Collembola, Hymenoptera, and Araneae were the relatively more abundant than the other orders. The density of Araneae was higher in the reservoir and crop land sites than in the forest sites. From a point of view of biodiversity, although the diversity index(H') was the highest in the mixed broad-leaved forest type (St. 2) with Quercus serrata and Q. acutissima, and the lowest in the upland levee of crop land(St. 11), there was no significant difference among the habitat or vegetation types. According to the community analysis, the soil invertebrates could be divided into 4 groups, the mixed broad-leaved forest type (A group), the plantation or pure forest type (B group), the reservoir type (C group), and the crop land type (D group).

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.287-292
• /
• 2010

We aimed to investigate the responses of soil organisms to cover plants and to provide information for the selection of proper plant species. We studied the effects of 7 cover plants, including rye, oat, rattail fescue, Chinese milk vetch, red clover, crimson clover, and hairy vetch, on soil organisms in an apple orchard. An increase in the microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) and in the number of nematodes and microarthropods in the soil under the cover plants reflects elevated activities of soil organisms. A decrease in the level of some marker PLFA, which is an indicator of environmental stress, suggests that cover plants provide favorable environments for soil organisms. The population of fungi and animals that feed on fungi increased in the soil surface under red clover. The population density of nematodes and mites increased in the soil surface under rattail fescue, and that of mites and omnivorous nematodes increased in the soil surface under Chinese milk vetch. The level of microbial PLFA in the soil surfaces under the tested cover plants was higher than that under clean culture system. These results suggest that proper selection of the cover plants can facilitate the creation of favorable environments for soil organisms.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.39-45
• /
• 2016

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the combined effects of three components (NPK) of chemical fertilizers with basal application of compost on soil organisms.METHODS AND RESULTS: The soil was treated with five treatments continuously for 15 years: control, PK, NK, NP and NPK. The application of N increased plant growth or biomass, and enhanced organic matter content in the soils. Levels of microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) in the soils did not show marked differences among the soils treated with different treatments. However, the principal component analysis showed the changes in the structure of the microbial community in the soil, depending on treatments added. Nitrogen application caused a decrease of pH and an increase of EC in the soils, and these environmental stresses appeared to offset the promoting effect of increased organic matter content on microbial abundance. The abundance of bacterivorous nematodes was the highest in the soils after treating NPK; however, the abundance of fungivorous nematodes was unaffected. There was no significant correlation between the abundances of microbial groups and their feeders. Organic matter content was significantly correlated with the abundance of nematodes in the soils.CONCLUSION: Our results showed that chemical fertilizers affect the soil food chains through both biotic and abiotic factors, and a trophic cascade in the soils may not occur in response to long-term fertilization.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.93-107
• /
• 2011

This research was carried out to investigate invertebrate fauna with organic and conventional pear orchards, which used four collected methods; soil sampling for soil microorganism, pitfall, malaise, and black light trap for over ground species. Collected species were 37 species, 1,184 individuals in organic and 28 species, 501 individuals by soil sampling in conventional pear fields. Those were 38 species, 646 individuals and 29 species, 440 individuals by pitfall trap, 55 species 650 individuals and 47 species, 508 individuals by malaise trap, and 23 species, 201 individuals and 9 species, 42 individuals by black light trap. Collembola was collected 389 individuals in organic which was 5 times than in conventional in soil sampling. In pitfall trap, that was 183 individuals which was 3 times. The diversity indices of organic pear orchards were 1.956 in May, 2.638 in August and those of conventional was 1.426 in May, 2.011 in August in soil sampling. In pitfall trap, the dominant species were spiders, collembollan, and coleopteran. Among Coleoptera, indicator insects for the evaluation of agricultural environment suggested were Eusilpha jakowelewi as organic pear orchard and Anisodactykus punctatipennis and Pheropsophus jessoensis as conventional. Malaise trap was collected dominant species as Diptera and Hymenoptera of Braconidae and Ichneumonidae. The diversity indices of organic pear orchards were 2.952, 3.120, and 2.010 in pitfall, malaise and black light trap in over ground invertebrate sampling. The highest diversity was in malaise trap. The higher diversity indices, the lower dominance indices.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 1999

The author studied the soil microarthropoda's fauna, vertical distribution, seasonal fluctuation, and the relationship between the number of soil microarthropoda and environmental factor(pH) in survey area. 3949 soil microarthropoda were collected in survey area. They included Arachnida(48.6%), Collembola(23.5%), Hymenoptera(l9.9%), and Isoptera, etc. Fresh length was the longest(1l3.6 mm) in broad-leaf forest on Mt. Chilgap which is non-industrial complex area, and the shortest(46.8 mm) in pine forest at Yochon industrial complex. The population density of soil microarthropoda was the highest in summer and the lowest in winter. The number of soil microarthropoda was higher in Mt. Keryong and Chilgap, non-industrial complex area, than Yochon and Daesan, industrial complex area. The number of soil microarthropoda increased from spring to summer and decreased from autumn to winter. Vertically, soil microarthropoda were more abundant in the second layer subsoil(0∼5 cm) in spring, in the first layer(5∼10 cm) in summer and autumn, and in the third layer(0∼15 cm) in winter. Diversity index was higher in non-industrial area(1.02) than industrial complex area(0.73). Biodiversity index was the highest in the second soil layer, in pine forest on Mt. Keryong(l.60) and the lowest in the third soil layer, in broad leaf-forest, at Daesan industrial complex(0.24).

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.100 no.4
• /
• pp.681-686
• /
• 2011

The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of soil biota across forest types and soil depths in Gwangneung Experimental Forest. We selected 5 sites, which are 3 deciduous- and 2 coniferous forests. The abundance of microflora in these areas was analyzed by the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) indicators, and the density of mesofauna was measured by the abundance of nematodes and microarthropods. The abundance of soil microflora was higher in the A layer than in the B layer based on the PLFA indicators, but there were no differences between deciduous and coniferous forests. Average density of nematodes was higher in the A horizon than in the B horizon. The density of fungivorous nematodes was higher in the deciduous forests. Mean densities of Collembola and Oribatida were 44% and 42% of microarthropods in soil samples, respectively. The results of microbial PLFA indicators were significantly correlated with the density of their consumers, which reflected that the food web in fungi- and bacteria-based soil developed in this forests. This study suggested that the distribution of soil organisms largely separated by soil depths and was slightly affected by the forest type in the Gwangneung Experimental Forest.