• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.103 no.1
• /
• pp.147-151
• /
• 2014

This study was conducted to clarify the characteristics of amphibian and reptile (herpetofauna) populations in a coniferous plantation and a deciduous forest from July to September 2013 in national forest, Hongcheon, Gangwon province, Korea. Coverage of understory, mid-story and overstory were more developed in a deciduous forest. We used line transect sampling method on a total of 4 transect lines, 2 lines in each forest type. Fifty two individuals of 4 amphibian species and 11 individuals of 3 reptile species were recorded. Mean observed number of herpetofauna species, individuals and species diversity index (H') were not significantly different between coniferous plantation and deciduous forest. This result related to ecological characteristics of herpetofauna. Habitats of herpetofauna were influenced on not only vertical structure of forests, but also climatic variables, thermoregulation and prey availability. The long-term monitoring and research on habitat preference and seasonal ecological traits of herpetofauna would be needed for conservation and management of herpetofauna in forest areas.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
• /
• no.nspc5
• /
• pp.71-79
• /
• 2005

Two hypotrichous ciliates inhabiting the representative terrestrial habitats of Jindo Island, Holostichides chardezi Foissner, 1987 and Rigidocortex octonucleatus (Foissner, 1988) are found from Jindo Island. These two species are newly recorded from Korea. The description was based on the observation of living specimens, protargol impregnated specimens and biometric analysis. The morphological variations among the populations of these species were investigated with morphometry. The diagnostic characteristics of these species are as follows: Holostichides chardezi : elongate body flexible and twisted, yellowish subpellicular granules scattered entire cortex, adoral zone of membranelles covering about $28\%$ of body length, left and right rows of mid-ventral cirri paired, left row ended at buccal vertex and right row extending to center of body, no transverse cirri, both marginal rows of cirri not confluent at posterior end, 28-42 macronuclei and 1-5 micronuclei scattered entire body. 3 caudal cirri and 4 dorsal kineties. Rigidocortex octonucleatues: elongate-oval body rigid and not contractile, yellowish cytoplasmic crystals and fat globules densely packed, adoral zone of membranelles covering about $40\%$ of body length, 5 transverse cirri, both marginal rows of cirri not confluent at posterior end, 8 macronuclei longitudinally arranged in median of cell, 3 caudal cirri and 7-10 fragmented dorsal kineties.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.37 no.5
• /
• pp.423-432
• /
• 2004

In coastal area of Inchon, dredging and the disposal of dredged material for sea-wall construction and reclamation have increased in recent years. These activities may impact the benthic environment and result in changes in benthic communities, but little information is available on the extent and direction of these changes. We investigated whether there have been changes in the dominant macrobenthic species and benthic community over the last decade, and explored the relationship between environmental variables and spatial patterns of macrobenthic community structure. We sampled macrobenthos and recorded environmental variables in the coastal habitats of Inchon in March and June 2004. In total, 212 macrobenthic species were recorded during this study, predominately crustaceans $(34{\%})$, mollusks $(32{\%})$ and polychaetes $(21{\%})$. The mean density of macrobenthos was $1,393\;ind./m^{2}$.The most abundant species was Amphioplus japonicus $(20.5{\%})$, followed by Heteromastus filiformis $(14.4{\%})$, Theora fragilis $(8.2{\%})$ and Ampharete sp. $(4.0{\%})$. Over the past decade the dominant macrobenthic species in this area shifted. Multivariate analysis (multidimensional scaling) revealed significant differences in community structure among three regions: the middle part of the sampling area (B), site 8 (C) and other sites (A). Mean density varied significantly among the three regions, but no differences in the number of species and diversity (H') were observed. The distribution of the macrobenthic community was affected by environmental variables such as percentage sand content and sediment kurtosis. Species that were important in different areas included A. japonicus in region A, Raeta puchella in region B and T. fragilis in region C. The important species in regions B and C were filter-feeding bivalves, and the abundance of these species may be related to the increase in percentage sand content. We suggest that the sediment composition (percentage sand content) may be an important factor in determining the dominant species and structure of the macrobenthic communities in coastal Inchon. Long-term monitoring programs are necessary to understand ongoing changes in the benthic communities of this area.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.353-361
• /
• 2015

Spatio-temporal variation in fruit set in orchids would affect long-term population viability and will influence genetic diversity over many generations. The aim of this study was to examine the breeding system of the nectariferous terrestrial orchid Epipactis thunbergii, to specifically determine levels of fruit set in terms of time and space under natural conditions. We examined pollination under natural conditions and conducted hand pollination experiments during a 2-year survey in four populations located along 1.5 km of coastal line in Jinguiri (rual village) [Jeollanam-do (province), southern Korea]. We found that, over a 2-year period, levels of percentage of fruit set were similar within patches of the four populations. By contrast, we detected significant differences in the percentage of fruit set among patches. We also found that plants with larger inflorescence size produced significantly more fruits than plants with fewer flowers. Over a 2-year period, the percentage of fruit set for E. thunbergii was similar but low (14.1%) compared to that averaged for eighty-four rewarding species (37.1%). However, an increase in fruit set was achieved by hand-pollinations: artificial self-pollination (90.5-95.2%), artificial geitonogamy (94.7-95.0%), and cross-pollination (artificial xenogamy, 91.3-91.4%). No emasculated flowers produced fruits and no automatic pollination was found in E. thunbergii. Our findings suggest that E. thunbergii is a self-compatible terrestrial orchid that depends on pollinators (insects) to achieve fruit set in natural habitats, and that local environmental conditions were similar over a period of 2 years in the study area. Our results also highlight the cryptic variation of fruit production in time, but more pronounced variability in space.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.41-52
• /
• 2014

Little is known about foraging and roosting habitat of tree-roosting bats in Korea. In the present study, we studied on characteristics of foraging and roosting habitats by Ikonnikov's whiskered bats (Myotis ikonnikovi) in the South Korea, using trapping and radiotelemetry. We captured the bats at 15 sites during nights (foraging times) using mist-nets. Based on characteristic analyses of forests within a radius 500 m from each capture site, forests of M. ikonnikovi habitat are similar characteristics to the old-growth forests. They foraged at forests dominated by boradleaf stands which are older than than 30-year-old and thicker than 20 cm in diameter at breast height (DBH). We used radio-transmitters to locate and characterize day-roosts of Myotis ikonnikovi, and totally the roost use patterns of three bats were surveyed. They roosted in trees (both live and dead) with exfoliating bark, extensive vertical cracks, or cavities, and thier roosting sites were located about 500 m from the initial capture location. The bats had a number of roost in a short-distance, some used new roost every day and the same roost sometimes were used repeatedly. To increase the diversity of the tree-dwelling bats including Myotis ikonnikovi, management practices that the higher food and roost availablility can be sustained in forests are needed.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.107-116
• /
• 2021

Two stone loaches (Nemacheilidae, Cypriniformes), Barbatula toni (Dybowski, 1869) and B. nuda (Bleeker, 1864), have been recognized in the Korean waters to date. Recently, due to indiscriminate artificial introduction as well as the change of their habitats induced by natural disasters, it seems to be concerned about the damage of species-specific geographic boundaries. We examined the genetic difference of two Korean Barbatula species by the haplotype network based on the Cytochrome b sequences of mitochondrial DNA and the phylogenetic relationships among them including Barbatula fishes occurring around the Korean peninsula. As a result, three and 29 haplotypes were obtained from B. toni and B. nuda, respectively, and totally three clades comprising "toni group", "nuda hangang group", and "nuda donghae group" were identified. The sequence variable sites among them was 10~24%, showing a difference of interspecific level. Phylogenetic relationships of the latter group, especially, forms an independent cluster discriminating with other two groups as well as the Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and European Barbatula species, suggesting the possibility of the specific level divergence.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.171-183
• /
• 2023

Estuarine wetlands, which form a distinctive brackish water zone, serve as important habitats for organisms that have adapted to and thrive in this environment. Nonetheless, excessive development and utilization result in artificial disruptions that alter the distinctive functions and attributes of estuarine wetlands. To collect the basic data for the conservation of estuarine wetlands with excellent ecosystems, we investigated the vegetation distribution characteristics and biota status of the Taehwagang River Estuarine Wetland. Data from vegetation surveys have shown that 25 plant communities of six physiognomic vegetation types, including willow vegetation, lotic and lentic herbaceous vegetation, floating/submerged vegetation. In the upper reaches, where topographical diversity was high, various types of wetland vegetation were distributed. In terms of biodiversity, a total of 696 species, including 7 endangered wildlife species, were identified. Due to good ecological connectivity, tidal rivers are formed, brackish water species including various functional groups are distributed around this section. The inhabitation of various water birds, such as diving and dabbler ducks, were confirmed according to the aquatic environment of each river section. The collection of ecological information of the Taehwagang River Estuarine Wetland can be used as a framework for establishing the basis for conservation and management of the estuarine ecosystem and support policy establishment.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.379-387
• /
• 1999

During the past several decades, electricity generating plant increased with remarkable rapidity in Korea. Recently the increase has been much more rapid as the rate of industrialization has accelerated. Construction of nuclear power plants in coastal areas inevitably caused the perturbation of critical coastal habitats and thus influenced marine algal species composition. Particularly, an increase in the building of nuclear power plants led the amounts of heat discharged to increase exponentially. As far as the effects of cooling water and thermal discharges are concerned, benthic marine algae are likely to be vulnerable to a discharge. Heated effluents from nuclear power plants, with the temperature rises of 7~12$^{\circ}C$ under normal operating and design conditions, are discharged through the discharge canal and into natural water bodies. It is clear that the characteristic marine algal community is developed in the area affected by the thermal discharges; i.e. low species richness and low species diversity. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to note that elevated temperatures exert differential effects depending on the algal populations. Benthic marine algae grown at the discharge canal can be regarded as warm tolerant species. 35 species (4 blue-green, 9 green, 8 brown and 14 red algae) of marine algae occurred more than 20eye frequency at discharge canal of three nuclear power plants in the east coast during 1992 ~ 1998 and thus can be categorized as warm tolerant species in Korea. To minimize the ecological impacts of waste heat on benthic marine algae, it is recommended that, in the future, nuclear power plants will have to employ some form of closed-cycle cooling for the condensers.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.695-707
• /
• 2019

This study was intended to suggest the appropriate vegetation management methodology by analyzing phytosociology for ecotourism resources. We carried out the classification and interpretation of the vegetation structure and the analysis of the relationship between communities and environmental conditions in Pocheon valley, Mt. Gaya. The vegetation in Pocheon valley was composed of 5 communities: Pinus densiflora-Quercus mongolica community, Quercus serrata-Quercus variabilis community, Larix kaempferi-Quercus serrata community, Pinus densiflora-Castanea crenata community, and Salix gracilistyla-Phragmites japonica community. The Quercus serrata-Quercus variabilis community was further segmented into two types according to the differences of composition species and location of habitats. The methodologies that satisfy both the use of nature for ecotourism resources and the sustentation of natural vegetation are as follows: - maintenance the present vegetation (dominance species) by strictly avoiding artificial management in the tree layer; - maintenance of the existing vegetation structure through the artificial management of the usual vigorous tree species when the species in the shrub layer grow up to the subtree layer; and - continued artificial management to maintain high balanced diversity and evenness of various species in shrub and herb layers.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.1-13
• /
• 2018

Glaux maritima var. obtusifolia is distributed in very limited areas in South Korea and thus designated and protected as an endangered species. This study aimed to identify the diversity of vegetation in the Dangsa coast wetlands, the southern limit of G. maritima var. obtusifolia and to assess determinants of the vegetation and the importance of habitats. The phytosociological method of the $Z{\ddot{u}}rich-Montpellier$ School was used for vegetation classification and mathematical and statistical analyses were also conducted to analyze environmental factors and their relationship with the vegetation. The results of this study showed that there were 4 vegetation units in the Dangsa coast wetlands: Glaux maritima var. obtusifolia-Triglochin maritimum community (included three subcommunities), Puccinellia nipponica s.l. community, Beckmannia syzigachne-Isachne globosa community and Typha laxmannii-Phragmites communis community. It was also found that major determinants of the vegetation include moisture environment, soil depth, water level disturbance, vegetation height, community structure, etc. Glaux maritima was identified to grow most dominantly in the typicum subassociation of Glaux. maritima var. obtusifolia-Triglochin maritimum community, and the species compositions and dominant situations were observed to be similar to those in the southern limit in Japan, adjacent to South Korea. The assessment results indicated that the Dangsa coastal wetlands have a significant meaning from phytogeographical and syngeographical aspects, and contribute as a shelter for diverse species. It is required to establish conservation strategies to accurately determine the value of the wetlands of the Dangsa coast from various perspectives, and to protect and manage them.