• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.102 no.1
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• pp.38-58
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• 2013

The existence of endemism in many parts of the world is an important factor for conservationists. Conservation can only be carried out under national legislation, and national endemics, which have very limited ranges, fully depend on the effort and success of conservation. A total of 523 vascular plant taxa were listed in the latest national checklist by Ministry of Environment in 2005, while the 'Creation and Furtherance of Arboretums Act' including a national endemic list (appendix 4-1) was established by Korea Forest Service and was legislated as a law in late 2011. This legislation by Korea Forest Service on endemism of Korean vascular plants have required much attention because of discrepancies of nomenclature, taxonomic bias and inflation. Examining data for both lists proposed by Ministry of Environment and Korea Forest Service, of the total of 360 legislated taxa, around 286 taxa are shared with the list of Ministry of Environment, of which about 80% have been found as common taxa. Around 67(18.7%) are typographic errors, and 14 taxa (3.9%) are recorded as illegitimate and invalidly published names. Through this analysis 12 taxa (3.4%) were found in China as well as in Korea and these are thought to be non Korean endemic taxa. Taken together, the legislated list displayed 1/4 (24.9%) errors out of the total list. Only 59 taxa (16.5%) are identified as national endemic species. The remainder are either unresolved candidates (73 taxa, 20.4%) or synonyms (196 taxa, 54.7%) status. It must be noted, that the concept of endemism very much depends on the knowledge of the species concept, taxonomic bias and geographical range of a species. Also, the most major nomenclatural problem tend to be more stable if the information on database about Korea Plant Name, which is managed by Korea National Arboretum are well updated year to year. These exaggerated numbers underscore the urgency for regional conservation planning and implementing effective strategies to preserve these real endemic taxa into the future.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.942-948
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• 2003

Soil samples were obtained from 5 sites contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These soil samples were cultured in using phenanthrene as a sole carbon and energy source, and 36 strains of phenanthrene-degrading bacteria were isolated from 3 sites. Most of them degraded 500 ppm of phenanthrene within 8 to 10 days, and these isolates could degrade a few other PAHs other than phenanthrene. Their genotypes were determined by restriction digests of the l6S rRNA genes [amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA)]. It was found that all the phenanthrene degrading isolates were included in 4 ARDRA types, and they showed a strict site endemism. l6S rDNAs of 12 strains selected from different sites were sequenced, and they were all confirmed as Sphingomonas strains. Their l6S rDNA sequences were compared for phylogenetic analysis; their sequence showed a similar result to ARDRA typing, thus indicating that these heterotrophic soil bacteria are not regionally mixed. In addition, it was found that the microbial diversity among sampling sites could be monitored by l6S rDNA PCR-RFLP pattern alone, which is simpler and easier to perform, without l6S rDNA sequence analysis.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.363-386
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• 2007

Endemic element of the Russian Far East (RFE) flora includes 497 species of 150 genera and 46 families. The level of endemism in structure of regional natural flora reaches 11.1% as a whole, and in structure of its native fraction - 13.1%. As a result of chorologic and ecocenotic analysis of RFE flora endemic element it is revealed that it consists of 8 main geographical groups and 7 main floristic complexes. The largest number of endemic species is concentrated in Arctic - Alpine & Montane (140, 28.2%), Forest (107, 21.5%) and Maritime (88, 17.7%) floristic complexes as well as in Russian Far East - West-Pacific (136, 27.4%), Japan Sea (88, 17.7%) and North-East-Asian - Beringian (69, 13.9%) geographical groups. It's possible to distinguish three main areas with similar eco-geographical differentiation of endemics on RFE as follows: (1) North-East Asia sector of RFE which North-East-Asian - Beringian and Maritime Okhotia - Beringian geographical groups approximately correspond to, (2) Continental part of East Asia sector of RFE (West - Okhotian, Amur - Okhotian, Amur - Ussirian, Okhotsk Sea and Japan Sea groups) and (3) Oceanic part of East Asia sector (Russian Far East - West Pacific group). Taxonomical variety of RFE endemics on these territories makes up accordingly (1) - 99 species (19.9%), (2) - 259 (52.8%) and (3) - 136 (27.4%).

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.44-48
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• 2016

The Korean peninsula has diverse habitats and so would be expected to have a rich millipede fauna because of its location between the Paleoarctic and Oriental regions. To facilitate studies on millipedes, this work provides an updated list and discussion of Korean millipedes. A total of 69 species had been recorded up to 2010, but since then no new species have been reported. Among 69 species, 49 are endemic to the Korean peninsula. From 1950 to the present, an average of only seven new species from the Korean peninsula has been described per decade. This number does not reflect the biodiversity of millipedes in Korea, especially when compared to Taiwan, which has only one-third the area of the Korean peninsula, but from which a greater number of millipede species have been recorded (75 vs. 69 species). Japan has twofold the land area of the Korean peninsula, and an almost threefold higher number of millipede species. Further, more-intensive surveys will likely result in identification of more millipede species in the Korean peninsula.

• ALGAE
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.91-103
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• 2016

A goal of phylogeography is to relate phylogenetic patterns to potential historic and contemporary geographic isolating events. Genetic breaks found in phylogeographic studies may denote boundaries between more generally applicable biogeographic regions. We investigated the distribution of Lessonia variegata, an important habitat forming alga, found on most rocky shores around New Zealand’s main islands, plus related species from surrounding waters. L. variegata has been shown to consist of four distinct cryptic species. Our aim was to compare the distribution of L. variegata with proposed bioregions; and to develop phylogeographic hypotheses to explain its present day distribution. Both a mitochondrial (atp8-sp) and plastid (RuBisCo spacer) marker, with different mutation rates, were used to gain information of the phylogenetic history of Lessonia. The data revealed high phylogeographic structuring and reciprocal endemism for all L. variegata cryptic species. One species (L. variegata / N) is confined to the northern part of the North Island of New Zealand; L. variegata / W is found at the southeast of the North Island and the northern South Island; L. variegata / K is endemic to the northeast South Island; and L. variegata / S is restricted to the southern part of the South Island. No overlapping areas of L. variegata species distribution were found. The data showed that genetic breaks in Lessonia do mostly correlate to bioregions, and highlight the importance of Cape Campbell at the northeast of the South Island and East Cape in the North Island, well known phylogeographic breaks, as a barrier between adjacent species.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.136-139
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• 2017

The genus Iksookimia (Actinopterygii: Cypriniformes: Cobitidae) is a bottom-dwelling freshwater loaches, which are well-known as their endemism and high geographic variation. However, population genetic relationships among Iksookimia spp. have remained unclear due to a shortage of genetic markers that can be applied generally in the genus. Here, we developed high-resolving microsatellite markers using I. koreensis and I. longicorpa as representatives of Iksookimia species because of their wide distribution range and phylogenetic position. Ten of polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated from Iksookimia koreensis and were successfully cross-amplified in I. longicorpa. The mean number of observed alleles per locus was about 10.4 (range, 2-17) for I. koreensis and about 13.2 (range, 2-24) for I. longicorpa. The loci, IK03 and IK08, deviated from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in I. koreensis, after applying the Bonferroni correction. The microsatellite markers obtained in the present study will be useful to evaluate population genetic structure and to establish conservation strategies for I. koreensis and related Iksookimia species.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.268-282
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• 2019

Recent integrative taxonomic research demonstrated a high endemism of Korean copepods, with closest relatives usually in neighboring countries. Although Korean fauna could be considered well-studied, some marginal habitats still provide unexpected discoveries of copepods described from distant parts of the world. Here I report three such examples. Two belong to the family Tetragonicipitidae: Phyllopodopsyllus thiebaudi santacruzensis Mielke, 1989 and Laophontella horrida dentata Mielke, 1992; one to the family Ancorabolidae: Laophontodes norvegicus George, 2018. Scanning electron microscope photographs are provided for the first time for all three species, revealing unknown details of complex three-dimensional structures and ornamentation of somites. Phyllopodopsyllus thiebaudi santacruzensis was described from the Galapagos Islands, while Laophontella horrida dentata was described from the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica; for both this is the second record, which extends their range into the Western Pacific. Laophontodes norvegicus was described from Norway; this Korean record is its first in the Pacific. The first species is represented in my samples by numerous males, females, and juveniles. However, the second one is represented by one adult male and one juvenile female, while the third is represented by a single adult male, which might suggest that the marine interstitial is not their preferred habitat in Korea.

• ALGAE
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.13-24
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• 2021

The present-day genetic structure of macroalgal species reflects both geographical history and oceanic circulation patterns as well as anthropogenic introduction across native ranges. To precisely understand the genetic diversity and how the factors shape the current population structure of Gloiopeltis furcata sensu lato, we determined the mitochondrial 5' end of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI-5P) sequences for 677 individuals sampled from 67 sites spanning almost the entire distribution range in Korea and Japan. Results from the phylogenetic analysis and haplotype distribution revealed eleven distinct lineages within G. furcata s.l. along the Korea-Japan coastal areas and displayed divergent phylogeographic patterns among lineages. Despite the closely related lineages distributed in same habitats as high rocky intertidal zone, they display different phylogeographic patterns among lineages. The populations from the south of Korea-Japan harbored the highest genetic diversity and unique endemism in comparison with other populations in the distribution range. This could be the evidence of southern refugia for G. furcata s.l. in the Northwest (NW) Pacific and the recent migration from native to introduced region. The reason is that an exceptional distribution pattern was found high genetic diversity in Hakodate of Japan where is the northern location in the NW Pacific. Our results imply the contemporary influence on the distribution due to current circulation pattern and anthropogenic effects. These phylogeographic findings provide the important insight into cryptic species diversity and the detailed distribution pattern of Gloiopeltis in the NW Pacific.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.202-211
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• 2019

Oceanic islands are biologically important for their unique assemblages of species and high levels of endemism and are sensitive to environmental change because of their isolation and small species source pools. Habitat destruction caused by human landscape development is generally accepted as the main cause of extinction on islands, with exotic species invasion a secondary cause of extinction, especially on tropical islands. However, secondary impacts of human development (e.g., general degradation through resource use and exotic species introduction) are understudied on temperate islands. To determine secondary impacts of human development on the understory vegetation community, 90 field sites on Ulleung Island, South Korea, were sampled during the summer of 2016. Understory vegetation was chosen as it is a proxy for ecosystem health. Diversity and percent cover of introduced, native, and endemic species were tested against proximity to developed areas and trail usage using a model selection approach. Diversity was also tested against percent cover of three naturalized species commonly found in survey plots. The main finding was that distance to development, distance to town, and trail usage have limited negative impacts on the understory vegetation community within best-supported models predicting native and introduced cover and diversity. However, endemic species cover was significantly lower on high usage trails. While there are no apparent locally invasive plant species on the island at the time of this study, percent cover of Robinia pseudoacacia, a naturalized tree species, negatively correlated with plot diversity. These findings indicate that forests on Ulleung Island are not experiencing a noticeable invasion of understory vegetation, and conservation efforts can be best spent preventing future invasions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.66 no.5
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• pp.82-98
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• 2016

Korea and Japan have a cultural homogeneity because they were affected by China. However, each country has developed its own original culture due to their own national characteristic and endemism, In traditional clothing, though Korea and Japan share the same origin, they have developed their own form, Hanbok and Kimono, which have completely different looks. The differences in the traditional clothing is the result of the differences in each country's aesthetic sense, which is reflects in the artwork of those days. Ink-and-wash painting was the typical painting form in East Asia, so Korean and Japanese ink-and-wash painting from that period can be used to observe the differences in the aesthetic sense. This study aims to search for commonly shared aesthetic sense in the design process of Hanbok and Kimono by analyzing the styles of a representative Korean painting, "Sehando(Wintry Days)" and a representative Japanese painting, "Pine Trees Screen". H. Wolfflin's methodology influenced not only painting, but also architecture and sculpture. Therefore, this theory can be applied to clothing, which can be considered a type of sculpture. Modernization of traditional clothing has to start by analyzing the aesthetic sense of artisans that have affected the design of traditional clothing. To spread Hanbok globally and differentiate it from Japanese clothing, we have to acknowledge the differences between Korean and Japanese aesthetic sense, and based on this, we have to develop the design of Hanbok.