• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.147-153
• /
• 2015

Various adverse effects can occur due to direct exposure from toxic substances when toxic materials are used to restore river ecosystems. Thus, this study performed analysis on the development of toxicity in terms of survival and abnormality rates using embryos of Bombina orientalis living in Korea to analyze the toxicity of materials used in the river projects. The results showed that the toxicity in cement (C group) was the strongest whereas the toxicity in plant-based polyurethane (P1 group) was the weakest. Survival rates of B. orientalis embryos were 100%, 94 - 95%, 66 - 89% and 0% in control, P1, polyurethane (P2) and C groups, respectively. Abnormalities of embryos were 10.5%, 5.3 - 10.5%, 26.3 - 27.8% and 35.7% in control, P1, P2 and C groups, respectively. Furthermore, we verified that having a sufficient curing time reduced toxic substances that were extracted. The above result suggest that cement and polyurethane hamper the early development of amphibians. In conclusion, it is highly important to review biological safety with respect to the selection of materials used to restore rivers. This study shows the importance of the selection of eco-friendly materials and processes.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.352-358
• /
• 2018

This study aimed to develop a species identification method for the egg and fry of the three Korean bitterling fishes (Pisces: Acheilognathinae), including Acheilognathus signifer, Acheilognathus yamatsutae and Rhodeus uyekii based on the PCR-based Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) markers. We conducted a field survey on the Deokchicheon River from the North Han River basin, where the three Acheilognathinae species co-occur, and also analyzed the existing sequence dataset available from the GenBank. We found coexistence of the three species at the study site. The egg and fry were obtained from the host mussels (Unio douglasiae sinuolatus) by hand from May to June 2015 and in May 2017. To develop PCR-based RFLP markers for species identification of the three Acheilognathinae fish species, restriction enzymes pinpointing species-specific single nucleotide variation (SNV) sites in mitochondrial DNA COI (cytochrome oxidase I) and cyt b (cytochrome b) genes were determined. Genomic DNA was extracted from the egg and fry and RFLP experiments were carried out using restriction enzymes Apal I, Stu I and EcoR V for A. signifer, A. yamatsutae and R. uyekii, respectively. Consequently, unambiguous discrimination of the three species was possible, as could be seen in DNA band patterns from gel electrophoresis. Our developed PCR-based RFLP markers will be useful for the determination of the three species for the young and would assist in studying the spawning patterns and reproductive ecology of Acheilognathinae fishes. Furthermore, we believe the obtained information will be of importance for future maintenance, management and conservation of these natural and endangered species.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.1-16
• /
• 2021

The phylogenetic relationships among thirty-two strains (P1~P32; including Cordyceps sp., Paecilomyces sp., Beauveria sp., Aranthomyces sp., Isaria sp. and Himenostilbe sp.) in Miryang region located in the southern part of Korea, were investigated based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences of ribosomal DNA. A fragment of ITS region was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the specific primer pairs ITS1 and ITS4. After obtained same size of PCR products from various strains, we cloned them into a pGEM-T easy vector to determine their sequences. BLAST analyses of the nucleotide sequence ITS1, 5.8S and ITS2 gene fragments revealed the identity and their phylogenetic relationship. Among 32 strains isolated from Miryang region, Cordyceps militaris was shared 100% sequences with Genbank (AY49191, EU825999, AY491992), while some species are not shared perfectly with reported sequences. For example, strain P17 (P. tenuipes in Ulju-gun Gaji Mountain) has some differences among the other strains of P. tenuipes (Miryang-si Jocheon-eup, Miryang-si Gaji Mountain) and those of gene bank. We conclude that ITS analyses with strains in the suburbs of Miryang in this study can be effectively used as a tool for classification, evaluation and collection of the natural eco-type genetic resources.