• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.165-172
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• 2020

Heavy metals are common pollutants in the freshwater environment and have toxicological effect in habitat organisms. The heavy metals highly accumulated in sediment and organism, and observed various physiological responses. In this study, we investigated the molecular response to heavy metal toxicity (Al, Aluminum; Cr, Chromium; Cu, copper; Mn, Manganese; Zn, Zinc) through expression of heat shock protein 40, 70, 90 (HSP40, 70, 90), cytochrome 450 (CYP450), Glutathione S-transferase (GST) and Serine-type endopeptidase (SP). HSPs showed up-regulation in Cu and Zn exposures. Furthermore, HSPs expression in treated groups tended to be higher than the control group. The tendency of CYP450 and GST mRNA expression was higher for Cr and Cu than for other exposure group. The expression of SP gene was low at Al exposure and other group were measured to be similar to control. These results suggest that heavy metal toxicity in freshwater ecosystem may affect physiological and molecular process. Also, the comprehensive gene expression in the aquatic midge Chironomus riparius give useful information to potential molecular biomarkers for assessing heavy metal toxicity.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.208-219
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• 2020

Forest thinning brought the large variation to forest ecosystem including environment and animal. Our study was result of long-term monitoring for ground-dwelling arthropod communities after thinning in forest ecosystem. In this study, we conducted field study on plantation forest in Chuncheon, Korea in 2018, and compared with previous study data (2006 and 2008). We found that the effect of thinning was still existent 10 years later from thinning with difference of habitat environment(depth of ground organic matter, coverage rate of ground vegetation and canopy). And ground-dwelling arthropod communities showed changes of abundance and taxa at the study area and thinning conditions. Ground-dwelling arthropod communities in 2018 were dominant in the order of Diptera, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera (Insecta), Araneae (Arachnida) and Collembola (Collembola). Among the conditions of thinning, Araneae (Arachnida), Coleoptera and Hymenoptera (Insecta) showed amount of abundance in heavy thinning. And Collembola (Collembola) and Diptera (Insecta) were most common in area of light thinning. In 2018 ground-dwelling arthropod communities, abundance of Diptera and Coleoptera (Insecta) and Isopoda (Crustacea) were decreased although Hemiptera and Orthoptera (Insecta) were increased than 2008 arthropod communities. Arthropod communities in 2018 were more similar with those in 2008 (after thinning) than with those in 2006 (before thinning).

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.295-303
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• 2020

We investigated the growth response and population regeneration of four halophyte species: Suaeda japonica, Salicornia europaea, Suaeda maritima and Suaeda glauca, when climate change proceeds caused by increased CO₂ concentration and temperature. The plants collected from habitat in 2018 were transplanted into Wagner pots, and cultivated for two years in greenhouse divided into a control (ambient condition) and a treatment (elevated CO₂+elevated temperature). The shoot length of halophytes was measured in July of each year, and the population regeneration rate was measured in October 2019. The shoot lengths of S. japonica and S. glauca had no difference between control and treatment for two years. Those of S. europaea were longer in control than treatment for two years. Those of S. maritima had no difference between control and treatment in 2018 but were longer in control than treatment in 2019. In control, the shoot lengths of S. japonica, S. europaea and S. glauca had no difference between years while those of S. maritima were longer in 2018 than in 2019. In treatment, those of S. japonica, S. europaea and S. maritima were shorter in 2019 than 2018 but S. glauca had no difference between years. The regeneration rates of S. japonica, S. europaea and S. glauca were lower treatment than control, and there was no difference in the regeneration rate of S. maritima. In conclusion, if climate change progresses caused by the increase of CO₂ concentration and temperature, the shoot lengths of S. japonica, S. europaea and S. maritima will be shortened, and the regeneration rate of population will be increased only in the S. maritima.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.240-245
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• 2016

This study was conducted to predict the changes of potential distribution for invasive alien plant, Amaranthus viridis in Korea. The habitats of A. viridis were roadside, bare ground, farm area, and pasture, where the interference by human was severe. We used maximum entropy modeling (MaxEnt) for analyzing the environmental influences on A. viridis distribution and projecting on two different representative concentration pathways (RCP) scenarios, RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5. The results of our study indicated annual mean temperature, elevation and precipitation of coldest month had higher contribution for A. viridis potential distribution. Projected potential distribution of A. viridis will be increased by 110% on RCP 4.5, 470% on RCP 8.5.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.144-155
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• 2020

This research developed an approach to identify ecologically important areas at local scales and explained how the results of this approach could contribute to extend the protected areas in the Republic of Korea (ROK). While most developed countries have considered various biotic and abiotic factors, ecological processes, migration routes, habitat connectivity, ecosystem services, and etc. to determine the protected areas, ROK has considered a few factors focusing on biodiversity, landscape, and the habitats of endangered organisms. However, for sustainable management of our nature, we need comprehensive understanding of various ecosystem factors and interactions among them at local scales in designating protected areas. Forthis, we developed a conceptual model based on the ecological engineering approach and then explained how the results of this approach could contribute to extend the protected areas. In particular, we considered future land-use and climate change in determining the priority areas for novel protected areas. Our research suggested an effective methodology 1) to include various ecosystem factors and 2) to consider future environmental changes as well as current environmental conditions in finding the ecologically important areas and prioritizing these areas. However, our approach has limitations on the real-world applications due to the lack of fundamental information and data on our ecosystems. To improve the effectiveness of our approach in the real-world applications, we need various long-term ecological research results, environmental and ecological monitoring data, and both current and future spatial environmental data.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.51-60
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• 2014

This study was carried out to analyze the home ranges of three medium-sized mammals(Nyctereutes procyonoides, Prionailurus bengalensis, and Meles leucurus) inhabiting the Sobaeksan National Park, Korea. Three individuals of each species were captured using live traps(Tomahawk live trap 210A) and radio tracking was conducted from June 2012 to May 2014 using VHF and CDMA methods. We determined that the home range of N. procyonoides was $6.53{\pm}6.66km^2$(MCP 100), $3.39{\pm}4.73km^2$(FK 95), and $0.48{\pm}0.62km^2$(FK 50), that of P. bengalensis was $7.13{\pm}5.61km^2$(MCP 100), $7.77{\pm}3.91km^2$(FK 95), and $1.88{\pm}0.96km^2$(FK 50), and that of M. leucurus was $1.77{\pm}1.82km^2$(MCP 100), $3.17{\pm}4.52km^2$(FK 95), and $0.63{\pm}0.87km^2$(FK 50). The home ranges of both N. procyonoides and P. bengalensis were greater than that of M. leucurus, and moreover, both were larger than $6km^2$(P. bengalensis>N. procyonoides). The results also showed that for each species, 1.2~4.4% of the home range overlapped with that of the other two species and that this overlap occurred in the vicinity of a water system.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2009

Since significant losses of seagrass coverage have been reported from many parts of the world, numerous restoration projects through seagrass transplantation have been attempted worldwide. Different survival rates and establishment time of transplants have been reported depending on transplanting time and methods. The staple method, which is direct seagrass planting method using staples to anchor seagrass transplants on the sediments, have been widely adopted in seagrass transplanting because this method achieves high survival rates in various sediment environments. To assess the morphological plasticity and the growth characteristics of transplants, we transplanted eelgrass, Zostera marina in December 2004 using the staple method. Shoot density, morphological characteristics and leaf productivities of the transplanted shoots and shoots of natural eelgrass beds in the vicinity of the transplanting site and environmental parameters in the planting site were monitored for about 1 year postplanting monthly. Transplant shoot density increased without initial decline, while leaf width and sheath length of transplants decreased after transplanting. Leaf productivities per shoot of transplants also considerably lower than those of natural shoots for the first 3 months post-transplanting. Shoot density, morphological characteristics and leaf productivity per area of transplants became similar to those of natural population about 1 year after transplanting. Although eelgrass transplants might have experienced some transplanting stress during the early stage of the transplantation, transplants appeared to adapt well to new environments of the transplanting site.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.160-167
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• 1992

The growth of weeds and some other plants has been considered to be inhibited by sicklepod(Cassia tora L.) sharing the habitat. The study was conducted, for the first time, to propose that this phenomenon is not only due to competition for physical and nutritional conditions but also due to allelopathy. In addition, autotoxicity of sicklepod was examined. The results are summarized as follows. 1. Rice sheath length reduced progressively from 18 % to 36 % with increasing the concentration of treating aqueous extracts of sickle pod seeds, but rice germination was not affected. In contrast, radish hypocotyl length was not reduced by the aqueous extract treatment but radish germination was significantly reduced by 66 % at 1 : 10 and 1 : 5 treatment. 2. Total chlorophyll contents in rice seedling decreased from 50 % to 65 % by treatment of seed aqueous extracts diluted from 1 : 50 to 1 : 5 ratio. 3. Aqueous extracts of sicklepod leaves significantly reduced hypocotyl length and fresh weight in radish and germination in rice, but mung bean was slightly affected by aqueous extracts only in fresh weight. 4. Volatiles from fresh, immature seeds with husk reduced the radish germination and seedling growth and radish root growth appeared to be more sensitive to the exposure to volatiles from fresh immature seeds than both germination and hypocotyl growth. 5. Volatiles from sickepod leaves inhibited germination and growth of radish, rice and mung bean, and seedling growth was more sensitive to volatiles from leaves than germination. 6. Volatiles from sicklepod leaves reduced germination and radicle length of sicklepod itself. 7. Collectively, it is concluded that there are water-soluble and volatile substances responsible for allelopathy in sicklepod.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.143-150
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• 1998

Characteristics and distribution of the natural commensal flora in the surrounding environment and tissues of clam in Hadong area were studied under varying conditions of growth media and incubation temperatures. Total numbers of bacteria present in intestinal tract, gill, body fluid and surrounding mud were found to be not influenced by the used BHIA, STA and SNA media. Although the growth rate of bacteria at the condition of $15^{\circ}C$ incubation temperature was slower than that of $25^{\circ}C$ and $35^{\circ}C$, it showed the highest number of total bacteria compared with other two different conditions of incubation temperature. Interestingly, the proportion of bacteria able to form colony on several selective media was higher in replica analysis from nutrient media to selective media than that in direct smearing from samples. The generic diversity of bacteria isolated from the tissues and analyzed by API 20E and API 20NE kit showed similar pattern with each other and distinct from that of environment. The distribution of bacteria in the surrounding mud or mantle fluid of clam indicated a high diversity comparable to that found for the gill or intestinal tract microflora, with Pseudomonas being the prevalent group. It implies that the tissues of clam may probide a selective habitat for a commensal microflora.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.142-153
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• 2007

Fertilized eggs of Plecoglossus altivelis over than 1,000,000 were introduced into Okjeong, Jeollabuk-do, Korea by K-water, 2001. Since then, this lake and the neighbouring tributaries gave sufficient habitat to maintain their life cycle which are being the land-locked. A land-locked ayu of annual life is ascending and descending from Lake Okjeong to streams for spawning and growth. Among the streams, the Churyeong stream reaching about 32 km in length is a major site for growth and spawning. But the land-locked ayu was no longer seen in the upper regions of the Churyeong stream over than about 12 km distance from Lake Okjeong. Because there were 11 weirs along with the Churyeong stream, it was difficult for them to move freely up to upper regions, and it causes irregular growth condition although they must be actively growing with feeding for spawning. During three survey years (2004 to 2006), in lowest rainfall-recorded 2005, the ayu population was not able to move up actively across the weirs and just stayed around the weirs, and finally it let them grow slowly and unstably. Also although there are 11 weirs, only 3 fish ways existed. Such environmental factors will seriously affect growth, spawning and size of ayu population in this area.