• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.209-220
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• 2015

In this study, gut bacterial communities in xylophagous insects were analyzed using the pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes for their potential biotechnological applications in lignocelluloses degradation. The result showed that operational taxonomic units (OTUs), species richness and diversity index were higher in the hindgut than in the midgut of all insect samples analyzed. The dominant phyla or classes were Firmicutes (54.0%), Bacteroidetes (14.5%), ${\gamma}-Proteobacteria$ (12.3%) in all xylophagous insects except for Rhinotermitidae. The principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) showed that the bacterial community structure mostly clustered according to phylogeny of hosts rather than their habitats. In our study, the two carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-degrading isolates which showed the highest enzyme activity were most closely related to Bacillus toyonensis $BCT-7112^T$ and Lactococcus lactis subsp. hordniae $NCDO\;2181^T$, respectively. Cellulolytic enzyme activity analysis showed that ${\beta}-1,4-glucosidase$, ${\beta}-1,4-endoglucanase$ and ${\beta}-1,4-xylanase$ were higher in the hindgut of Cerambycidae. The results demonstrate that xylophagous insect guts harbor diverse gut bacteria, including valuable cellulolytic bacteria, which could be used for various biotechnological applications.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.30-42
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• 2011

Moths were collected to survey turfgrass pest and to compare species diversity from Jinju Country Club in Jinju, Gyeongsangnamdo, Korea, every 10 days using 200W mercury light trap from middle May to late October in 2008. As the results, only 23 individuals of Pseudaletia separata, Spodoptera depravata, Spodoptera litura, Agrotis segetum, and Agrotis ipsilon were collected as turf grass insect pests. However, 2028 individuals of 388 species in 22 families were collected in total. Dominant species was Culcula panterinaria, Fentonia ocypete, Hypsopygia regina, Culcula panterinaria, Flavocrambus striatellus, and Diarsia camescens in May, June, July, August, September and October, respectively. Species diversity was not different between two surveyed sites, but different among surveyed time. Species richness was more higher in hole 11 (Hole was surrounded by natural forest and located near pond) than hole 15 (Hole was located at the top part of mountain). Dominance index of moth was increased from October compared with diverse index and richness index were decreased from October. A large number of species and individuals were recorded in Noctuidae (502 individuals in 131 species), Geometridae (491 individuals in 84 species), Pyralidae (386 individuals in 73 species), and Notodontidae (277 individuals in 25 species). These four families were 80.9% out of all the collected species.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.147-153
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• 2018

There are few available studies for insect diversity in relation to coastal dune despite the unique landscape features and high conservation value. Therefore, this study compared ground beetle assemblages inhabiting between windbreak forests and sand dunes in the Taeanhaean National Park. It investigated five windbreak forests and three coastal dunes using pitfall traps from middle of June to middle of October in 2014. A total of 2,335 ground beetles belonging to 30 species of 15 genera were collected. Synuchus arcuarticollis (158 individuals) and Dolichus halensis halensis (153 individuals) were dominant of 25 specifies collected from sand dunes while Synuchus arcuarticollis (1,630 individuals), Synuchus nitidus (130 individuals), and Synuchus cycloderus (42 individuals) were dominant of 14 species collected from windbreak forests. The similarity of ground beetles compositions in sand dunes and windbreak forests was significantly low at 27.4%. The results of this study showed that sand dune geographical features found in the Taeanhaean National Park had different insect assemblages from windbreak forests. It will be the useful information for conservation of insects in the future.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.291-295
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• 2015

The insect community structures between a plantation of Pinus rigida and a secondary forest of Quercus monglica were compared to find out one of the ecological roles of a forest planted in 1960s in a suburban area of Seoul, Korea. We collected the insect samples biweekly from September to November in 2014 by using 5 pitfall traps in both forests. The results of analyzing the community structure index of insects in both forests of P. rigida and Q. Mongolica showed that the species richness was a little higher and species evenness was a little lower in P. rigida plantation, and species diversity and dominance were similar in the two forests. The analysis results of insect community structure at the two forests did not show any significant difference. We conclude that the plantation of P. rigida over 40-50 years could sufficiently perform an ecological function as an insect habitat.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.117-127
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• 2020

We monitored on the hitchhiker insect pests from a total of 112 foreign vessels entering into Korea during 109 days from 1. Jun. to 17. Sep. in 2018. As the results, a total of 336 samples of the hitchhiker insects were collected using simply collecting method by hands, one of interception method and identified as 159 species of 47 families under nine orders on the basis of integrative species identification. Among them, 14 species of nine families under three orders were detected as undistributed species in South Korea. We reported on the 14 undistributed species in South Korea with the data sheets for the risk assessments on invasive or invasive likelihood species. Also, we suggested and used the term 'not-distributed species' for avoiding confusion with 'unrecorded species', 'unreported species', or 'new reported species'.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.65-74
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• 2011

The Scarites aterrimus (Coleoptera: Carabidae), is one of the carabid beetles dwelling exclusively on coastal sandy dunes. Habitat deterioration and equivalent activity have greatly concerned population declines in several species dwelling on the coastal sandy dunes. As a first step to establish long-term conservation strategy, we investigated the nation-wide magnitude and nature of genetic diversity of the species. As a first step, we sequenced a portion of mitochondrial COI gene, corresponding to "DNA Barcode" region (658 bp) from a total of 24 S. aterrimus individuals collected over nine sandy dunes belonging to four Korean provinces. The sequence analysis evidenced moderate to low magnitude of sequence diversity compared with other insect species distributed in Korean peninsula (0.152% to 0.912%). The presence of closely related haplotypes and relatively high gene flow estimate collectively suggest that there had been no historical barriers that bolster genetic subdivision. Population decline was postulated on the basis of several missing haplotypes that are well found in the species with a large population size. This interpretation is consistent with field observation of small population size in the coastal sandy dune habitats. The highest genetic diversity estimates were found in the coastal sand dune population of Seogwipo, Jeju Island, justifying a prior attention to the population, in order to sustain overall genetic diversity of the species. Further scrutinized study might be required for further robust conclusion.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.10-20
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• 2024

The study investigated species diversity, relative abundance, and decline of flying insects and plants within a fragmented forest in the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Ondo State, Nigeria. It is known that habitat fragmentation can reduce biodiversity. Thus, it is important to perform comprehensive assessments to understand implications of the habitat fragmentation for flora and fauna. Species richness and abundance of flying insects and plants across fragmented forest patches were quantified using field surveys and taxonomic identification. This study revealed shifts in species diversity, with fragmented areas exhibiting reduced biodiversity compared to contiguous forest ecosystems. Flying insects crucial for ecosystem functioning and pollination services demonstrated decreased species richness and relative abundance within fragmented habitats. This decline was attributed to habitat loss, altered microclimates, and limited movement pathways known to hinder insect dispersal. Similarly, plant species richness and abundance showed decline in fragmented forest due to disrupted mutualistic interactions with pollinators, altered nutrient cycling, and increased competition among plant species. This study underscores the importance of maintaining intact forest habitats to sustain healthy ecosystems and preserve biodiversity. Effective conservation strategies should focus on habitat connectivity, reforestation efforts, and protection of essential ecological corridors to mitigate effects of fragmentation. In conclusion, this investigation provides empirical evidence for effects of habitat fragmentation on flying insects and plants in a forest ecosystem in FUTA Akure, Nigeria. Findings emphasize an urgency of adopting conservation measures to safeguard these invaluable components of biodiversity and ecosystem stability in the face of ongoing habitat loss and fragmentation.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.322-330
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• 2018

Herbivory is a major functional component of forest ecosystems, and herbivorous insects comprise about 25% of all insect species. Increasing plant diversity is related to herbivore abundance and diversity, which affects the level of leaf damage caused by insects. This study was conducted to identify plant-related variables such as plant diversity and number of leaves and density-related variables, basal area, and diameter at breast height (DBH) in a temperate forest of southern South Korea. To assess the level of leaf damage caused by leaf chewing insects, we set up two 0.1 ha plots in a temperate deciduous forest on Mt. Jirisan National Park. Plant richness differed between two sites: 16 species in 14 families(site 1) and 19 species in 15 families (site 2). Fisher's alpha index based on plant species richness and abundance resulted in 4.41 (site 1) and 6.57 (site 2). However, the sum of basal area of each site was higher in site 1 ($6.6m^2$) than site 2 ($3.7m^2$). The total surveyed leaves at two sites were 3,832 and 4,691, respectively and the damage leaves were 1,544 and 2,136, respectively. The mean leaf damage level was 11.2% (${\pm}1.76%$) in two study sites: the leaf damage level of the site 1 (11.99%) was significantly higher than site 2 (10.59%). Stepwise regression analysis showed that species diversity and evenness were the significant variables for leaf damages by chewing herbivores. NMDS ordination also identified that high tree density and low species diversity were the significant variables. This suggested that the level of damage was significantly higher in plots with low plant diversity and high tree density. In the future, we will investigate other guilds of herbivores such as sap-suckers, miners and gallers in temperate deciduous forests.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.156-164
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• 2013

Actinomycetes produce diverse secondary metabolites which have the primary importance in medicine, agriculture and food production, and key to this is their ability to interact with other organisms in natural habitats. In this study, we have investigated the taxonomical and functional diversity of actinomycetes in fecal sample of rhinoceros beetle larvae (Allomyrina dichotoma L.) by using culture-dependent and -independent approaches. For the culture-independent approach, the community DNA was extracted from the sample and 16S rRNA genes of actinomycetes were amplified using actinomycetes-specific PCR primers. Thirty-seven clones were classified into 15 genera and 24 species of actinomycetes. For the culture-dependent approach, 53 strains were isolated from larval feces, of which 27 isolates were selected based on morphological characteristics. The isolates were classified into 4 genera and 14 species, and 24 isolates (89%) were identified as the genus Streptomyces. Many of the representative isolates had antimicrobial activities against plant pathogenic fungi and Gram-positive bacteria. In addition, most of the isolates (78%) showed biochemical properties to hydrolyze cellulose and casein. The results demonstrated that diverse and valuable actinomycetes could be isolated from insect fecal samples, indicating that insect guts can be rich sources for novel bioactive compounds.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.95 no.4
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• pp.388-392
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• 2006

To investigate physiological characteristics and genetic diversity of Rhizina undulata isolates distributed in Korea, cultural characteristics and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) of 13 Rhizina undulata isolates from Pinus densiflora and P. thunbergi stands were analyzed. There were no correlations between the host species of R. undulata isolates and the mycelial growth of R. undulata isolates on culture media supplemented with water-soluble extract from the two different host species, i.e., Pinus densiflora and P. thunbergi. Genetic diversity of genomic DNA from 13 R. undulata isolates was analyzed by RAPD using 12 random primers. There was no differentiation in RAPD profiles among the isolates from Korea. But, there was some differentiation in RAPD profiles between Korean isolates and Japanese isolates, with 88% homology by phylogenetic tree analysis.