• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2023

Alien species are known to threaten regional biodiversity globally, which has increased global interest regarding introduction of alien species. The Ministry of Environment of Korea designated species that have not yet been introduced into the country with potential threat as alert alien species to prevent damage to the ecosystem. In this study, potential habitats of Esox lucius and Maccullochella peelii, which are predatory and designated as alert alien fish, were predicted on a national basis. Habitat suitability was evaluated using EHSM (Ecological Habitat Suitability Model), and water temperature data were input to calculate Physiological Habitat Suitability (PHS). The prediction results have shown that PHS of the two fishes were mainly controlled by heat or cold stress, which resulted in biased habitat distribution. E. lucius was predicted to prefer the basins at high latitudes (Han and Geum River), while M. peelii preferred metropolitan areas. Through these differences, it was expected that the invasion pattern of each alien fish can be different due to thermal preference. Further studies are required to enhance the model's predictive power, and future predictions under climate change scenarios are required to aid establishing sustainable management plans.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.712-719
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• 2023

This study investigated the diversity of butterfly communities inhabiting agroecosystems and examined the effect of latitude and longitude. The ecological characteristics of butterflies inhabiting rural ecosystems, such as habitat preference and food plant range, were also examined. This study was conducted from 2019 to 2022, selecting 10 locations nationwide and conducting line transect surveys every two weeks for four years, confirming a total of 112 species and 21,901 individuals. There was no difference in the number of species and individuals by region, but there was a clear difference in community composition. The most abundant species in rural ecosystems were Pieris rapae, Polygonia c-aureum, Zizeeria maha, and Colias erate, in that order. There was no significant difference in the number of species and individuals by latitude and longitude, indicating no peninsula effect. Habitat preference showed that butterflies preferring grasslands and forest edges were much more common than those preferring the forest interior, and the food breadth was mostly oligophagous, followed by monophagous and polyphagous. Butterflies inhabiting agroecosystems had ecological characteristics that preferred open spaces such as grasslands and forest edges or relatively diverse foods, due to the similarity of the environmental characteristics of the survey points. Through this study, we believe that continuous monitoring is necessary to determine whether climate change, which is currently underway and habitat change are affecting butterflies in agroecosystems.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.201-206
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• 2008

This study was conducted to determine clutch size and habitat usage of Kentish plovers (Charadrius alexandrinus) breeding on Sinja-do lslet in the Nakdong Estuary from 22 April to 12 July in 1995 and from 21 April to 20 June in 1996. The Kentish plover preferred grasslands and damp sands to dry dunes as nesting sites. The difference in hatching success among these microhabitats was attributed to high tides, which washed away many nests on damp sands, and strong winds, which frequently shifted the sand to bury eggs on dry dunes. The main mortality factor in grasslands was predation by magpies Pica pica. Each clutch contained one to four eggs, with a mode of three eggs. Hatching success was highest in two-egg clutches and lowest in one- and four-egg clutches. The mean interval for egg laying was 1.8 days between the first and second eggs and 2.1 days between the second and third eggs. The average incubation period was about 24.2 days.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2020

Background: Pollen is an important source of protein and lipids for many animals including honey bees. In order to understand the foraging behaviour of honey bee colonies and preference among the available floral resources, pollen collections from three experimental healthy colonies of honey bees were analysed in the month of June. Results: The amount of pollen collections were related to the colony's need which was indicated by the number of larval and adult bees present in the hive. Interesting was the sequence of pollen collection from different floral sources. All honey bee colonies collected pollens from Trifolium repens first, then Erigeron annus and the third choice was Coreopsis drummondii and Oenothera biennis flowers. Total protein content of Trifolium pollen was the highest (20.0 g/100 g DM), and the others were in the range of 8.9-11.4 g/100 g DM. Conclusion: The results indicated that the first criteria for honey bee foraging preference of pollens would be the nutritional contents of protein and the resource availability of the lesser nutritious floral sources. This information can help pollinator protection programmes of habitat manipulation using flowering plants for nectar and pollen sources.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.24-36
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• 2021

Countries around the world, including the Republic of Korea, are participating in efforts to preserve biodiversity. Concerning species, in particular, studies that aim to find potential habitats and establish conservation plans by conducting habitat suitability analysis for specific species are actively ongoing. However, few studies on mid- to long-term changes in suitable habitat areas are based on accumulated information. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the time-series changes in the habitat suitable area and examine the otters' changing pattern (Lutra lutra) designated as Level 1 endangered wildlife in Gangwon-do. The time-series change analysis used the data on otter species' presence points from the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th national natural environment surveys conducted for about 20 years. Moreover, it utilized the land cover map consistent with the survey period to create environmental variables to reflect each survey period's habitat environment. The suitable habitat area analysis used the MaxEnt model that can run based only on the species presence information, and it has been proven to be reliable by previous studies. The study derived the habitat suitability map for otters in each survey period, and it showed a tendency that habitats were distributed around rivers. Comparing the response curves of the environmental variables derived from the modeling identified the characteristics of the habitat favored by otters. The examination of habitats' change by survey period showed that the habitats based on the 2nd National Natural Environment Survey had the widest distribution. The habitats of the 3rd and 4th surveys showed a tendency of decrease in area. Moreover, the study aggregated the analysis results of the three survey periods and analyzed and categorized the habitat's changing pattern. The type of change proposed different conservation plans, such as field surveys, monitoring, protected area establishment, and restoration plan. This study is significant because it produced a comprehensive analysis map that showed the time-series changes of the location and area of the otter habitat and proposed a conservation plan that is necessary according to the type of habitat change by region. We believe that the method proposed in this study and its results can be used as reference data for establishing a habitat conservation and management plan in the future.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.25 no.3 s.107
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• pp.179-187
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• 2002

This study was conducted to clarify the characteristics of attitudinal bird communities in Mt. Seoraksan National Park from May to Oct. 2004. Marsh tit Parus palustris, Arctic warbler Phylloscipus borealis, coal tit Parus ater and Eurasian nuthatch Sitta europaea evenly distributed in almost elevational ranges. Goshawk Accipiter gentilis, black grouse Tetrao tetrix, white-lumped swift Apus pacificus, Siberian rubythroat Luscinia calliope, red-flanked bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus, dusky warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus, yellow-browned warbler Phylloscopus inornatus, siskin Carduelis spinus and rook Corvus frugilegus were only observed in high altitude area. Distribution pattern of birds in Mt. Seoraksan National Park showed differences by elevation. There was difference in attitudinal distribution pattern of birds in Mt. Seoraksan National Park. It seems that habitat preference or selection is different in each species. Attitudinal habitat preference of each bird species need further studies.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.109-117
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• 2002

This study was conducted to clarify the characteristics of attitudinal bled communities in Mt. Seoraksan National Park from May to Oct. 2001. Marsh tit Parus palustris, Arctic warbler Phylloscipus borealis, coal tit Parus ater and Eurasian nuthatchh Sitta europaea evenly distributed in almost elevational ranges. Goshawk Accipiter gentilis, black grouse Tetrao tetrix, white-rumped swift Apus pacificus, Siberian rubythroat Luscinia calliope, red-flanked bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus, dusky warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus, yellow-browned warbler Phylloscopus inomatus, siskin Carduelis spinus and rook Corvus frugilegus were only observed in high altitude area. Distribution pattern of birds in Mt. Seoraksan National Park showed differences by elevation. There was difference in altitudinal distribution pattern of birds in Mt. Seoraksan National Park. It seems that habitat preference or selection is different in each species. Altitudinal habitat preference of each bird species need further studies.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.100 no.3
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• pp.441-448
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to clarify the distribution, host preference and habitat characterstics of the endangered mistletoe species, Loranthus tanakae in Korea. Seven sites were selected for sampling in Gangwon Province, located in middle of Korea. Parameters including DBH, attached height, twig death, and the number of L. tanakae and Viscum album var. coloratum per tree for all infected individuals were investigated. One thousand, two hundred and seventy L. tanakae plants were found on the 420 host trees with 665 V. album var. coloratum on 227 of the trees. The infested host trees belonged to eight species and one variety species from six genera and five families. The highest percentage (86.9%) of individuals of L. tanakae were growing on Fagaceae. The infected trees occurred between altitudes of 420 m and 1,250 m above the sea level, but most of them were between 600 m and 900 m. The mean DBH and heights of parasitism were 38.6 cm and 13.0 m, respectively. Twig death was also observed on 300 host trees (71.4%) and 1.5 twig per tree. Most of the populations and the distribution of L. tanakae were highly affected by DBH out of some individual tree characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.322-332
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• 2012

The objectives of this paper were to investigate home range, habitat selection, and threat factors of leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis) living in rural area of Korea. The results based on radio tracking of three leopard cats (two males and one female) can be summarized as follows. First, the average home range of leopard cats were $2.64{\pm}1.99km^2$ (Kernel 95) and $3.69{\pm}1.34km^2$ (MCP 100), and the average size of core areas was $0.64{\pm}0.47km^2$ (Kernel 50). The home range of a male leopard cat that radio-tracked in winter was the largest ($5.19km^2$, MCP 100). Second, the Johnson's habitat selection model based on the Jacobs index showed that leopard cats preferred meadows and paddy fields avoiding forest covers at the second level, whereas they preferred meadows adjacent to streams and avoided paddy fields at the third level. Finally, roadkill could be prime threat factor for the cat population. Therefore, habitats dominated by paddy fields, stream corridors with paved roads, and human settlements with insufficient forest patches could threaten the long-term viability of leopard cat populations. Thus the habitat managements for the leopard cat conservation should focus on the prevention of road-kill and the installation of wildlife passages in rural highways adjacent to stream corridors.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.189-196
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• 2020

Mosquitos serve as vectors for diseases, causing inconvenience as well as a threat to human life and health. Concern about mosquitos introducing and spreading new diseases has been intensifying. We observed a variety of mosquito habitats based on land cover classification from Korea's Ministry of Environment, and the mosquito species that could appear were classified according to the each habitat type. Finally, we suggested the best control methods for each type of habitat considering habitat characteristics and the ecological traits of mosquitos. Urban areas harbor various habitats for pests, contributing significantly to mosquito habitats. Control must be performed regarding larva and adults because various sources for habitats exist. Public mosquito control programs such as educational training, as well as information brochures can be effective in managing mosquito populations and public health. Agricultural areas show high densities of mosquito larva to lentic zones such as reservoirs, wetlands, paddy fields. So, biological control using natural predators may be effective in controlling mosquito populations. Forests are major habitats for Aedes albopctus, so physical controls should be deployed for residents living nearby, and excessive deforestation should be minimized. Other areas including aquatic ecosystems should be adopted regarding biological control using Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis) and chemical control for eradicating mosquitos. We classified habitats into four types of land cover patterns considering ecological traits and habitat preference, and suggest adequate control methods for each habitat type. Our suggestion can be used to positively contribute toward effective managing mosquito's density and reducing the damage to public health.