• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.228-231
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• 2020

Pseudohelice subquadrata (Dana, 1851) is endangered due to its restricted habitat; hence, it has been designated as a marine protected species and endangered species by law in Korea. It has been recorded only Jeju-do and Geomun-do, Republic of Korea. The present study, is the first report on a cytochrome c oxidase subunit I DNA barcode for P. subquadrata. The maximum intra-specific genetic distance among all P. subquadrata individuals was found to be 0.5%, whereas inter-genetic distance within the same genus was 17.2-21.5% compared with Helice tientsinensis (Rathbun, 1931), H. tridens (De Haan, 1835), H. epicure (Ng et al., 2018), and Helicana wuana (Rathbun, 1931). Our barcoding data can thus be used as reference for restoration and conservation studies on P. subquadrata, which are designated as marine protected species.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.159-163
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• 2020

Parasesarma bidens(De Haan, 1835) has been designated as a marine protected species by the Act on conservation and management of marine ecosystems. This crab has been recorded only from Jeju-do and Geomun-do, Republic of Korea. In this study, we describe for the first time the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I(COI) sequences of P. bidens. The intra-specific genetic distance among the Korean populations and between the Korean and Chinese populations ranged from 0% to 0.9% and 1.9% to 2.7%, respectively. The inter-specific genetic distances among the four Parasesarma species ranged from 10.9% to 12.8%. The finding of this study will be helpful to better describe P. bidens using COI DNA barcodes and can be used as basic data for their restoration and conservation research.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.158-172
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• 2022

The distribution of seabirds was investigated in 24-34 major coastal wetlands in Korea from 2015 to 2019. During the study period, seven orders, 16 families, and 111 species were observed, and the largest number of species (51-89 species) was recorded in 2018. 92,821-265,783 individuals per year were observed with the largest number in 2018. The largest number of species (55-72 species) was observed in the southern sites of Jeollado, and the largest number of individuals (annual average of 62,542 individuals) was found in Chungcheong regions. The largest number of seabird species (68 species) was observed at the Suncheon Bay site in 2016, and the largest number of individuals (95,399 individuals) was observed at Biin and Jangan sites in 2018. In terms of the habitat type of seabirds, at the family level, shorebirds appeared most frequently with an average of 38%, followed by waterfowl, wading birds, seabirds, and raptors. With regard to legally protected species, eight protected marine species, 19 endangered wildlife species (Level I: six species, Level II: 13 species), and twelve natural monument species were observed. Overall, there was a significant difference in the number of species and individuals of seabirds in the Korean coastal wetlands during the research period. This suggests the importance of conducting systematic and continuous seabird surveys and developing a conservation policy considering habitat characteristics.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.957-970
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• 2016

This study diagnosed the status of marine environmental impact assessment(MEIA) for project near the habitat of marine protected seagrass species such as Zostera caespitosa, Zostera asiatica, Phyllospadix iwatensis. For the preparation of a marine environmental impact statement, different monitoring parameters are used without any specific guideline for the assessment of current status. And also, both tools and techniques for MEIA are needed to improve for implementing. The monitoring plans and parameters are not considered well with the accuracy of the environmental predictions and effectiveness of any applicable mitigation measures. This study suggested the reasonable standard of the MEIA for the conservation of the marine protected seagrass species which have the habitat located near affected area. The inshore seagrasses need to be monitored including shoot count based on the "No Net Loss of Seagrass" as part of the monitoring parameters to assess the status of marine environment of environmental impact statement. In a process of effect prediction, we suggested a concentration of 10 mg/L suspended solids which added by the new developmental project near seagrasses habitat, referring to study of overseas case. But a further study for an appropriate standard is necessary effectively. In a mitigating process, priority needs to be considered in order of avoidance, minimization, reduction, compensation. In a post-monitoring process, it is necessary to monitor the seagrass species abundance to identify the variation of b/a (before and after) project. And in a case of implementing transplantation, survival rate need to be included to determine a success of project.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.231-239
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• 2021

There are six species of pinnipeds in Korean waters. Because of the lack of research on pinnipeds, it has been difficult to obtain ecological information on each species. All six species have been designated as endangered species, marine protected species, or national monuments by the government, depending on historical records. In this study, the current status of pinnipeds in Korea was investigated through reviewing the literature, and sighting and bycatch records, with the intention of providing new information for the review of the six species. Spotted seals and northern fur seals are well known inhabitants of Korea. The southern part of the East Sea is thought to be the margin of the distribution of Steller sea lions. Sightings of ribbon seals and ringed seals were not confirmed in Korean waters. Sea lions have not been seen since their last sighting on Dokdo in 1951 and are thought to have become extinct after that. It is necessary to delist undistributed or extinct species in Korea from the marine protected species list.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.802-811
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• 2023

Marine spatial planning (MSP) is a crucial element for rational allocation and sustainable use of marine areas. Particularly, Fishing Activity Protected Areas constitute essential zones accounting for 45.6% designated for sustainable fishing activities. However, the current assessment of these zones does not adequately consider future demands and potential values, necessitating appropriate evaluation methods and predictive tools for long-term planning. In this study, we selected key fish species (Scomber japonicus, Trichiurus lepturus, Engraulis japonicus, and Larimichthys polyactis) within the Fishing Activity Protected Area to predict their distribution and compare it with the current designated zones for evaluating the ability of the prediction tool. Employing the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 6th Assessment Report scenarios (SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5), we used species distribution models (such as MaxEnt) to assess the movement and distribution changes of these species owing to future variations. The results indicated a 30-50% increase in the distribution area of S. japonicus, T. lepturus, and L. polyactis, whereas the distribution area of E. japonicus decreased by approximately 6-11%. Based on these results, a species richness map for the four key species was created. Within the marine spatial planning boundaries, the overlap between areas rated "high" in species richness and the Fishing Activity Protected Area was approximately 15%, increasing to 21% under the RCP 2.6 scenario and 34% under the RCP 8.5 scenario. These findings can serve as scientific evidence for future evaluations of use zones or changes in reserve areas. The current and predicted distributions of species owing to climate change can address the limitations of current use zone evaluations and contribute to the development of plans for sustainable and beneficial use of marine resources.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.165-171
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• 2022

The Chinese crested tern (Thalasseus bersteini) is one of the most globally endangered species, listed as "Critically Endangered (CE)" on the IUCN Red List, with only approximately 30-49 individuals surviving in the wild. Chinese crested terns were discovered to breed in South Korea for the first time in 2016 while conducting a census on uninhabited islands. The Ministry of Environment has declared the breeding habitat of the Chinese crested terns as "Specified Island" to protect this CE species. However, brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) inhabiting the breeding grounds of the Chinese crested terns and Black-tailed gulls may potentially pose a threat to the breeding of these avian species. Therefore, we conducted a study on the feeding behavior of brown rats involving stable isotope analysis to determine their food sources. Fecal analysis showed that brown rats mainly fed on plants, whereas they scarcely fed on animals, such as insects. In addition, the stable isotope analysis showed that the δ¹³C values of brown rats, insects, and Indian goosegrasses were approximately -16 to -11‰, whereas the δ¹³C value of Chinese crested terns that obtained their food from the marine ecosystem was approximately -22 to -18‰. Hence, we conclude that the source of carbon for brown rats on this island is the terrestrial ecosystem. We ruled out the possibility of any direct prey-predator interaction between the brown rat and the Chinese crested tern or Black-tailed gull.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.42-52
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• 2021

In order to secure basic data on biodiversity for wetland conservation and management used the data from Wetland Protected Area surveys conducted in South Korea (2015-2019) to analyze the distribution of fish from a total of 15 orders, 45 families, 134 species, and 12,972 individuals. The predominant species identified were Zacco platypus (Temminck and Schlegel) (19.47%) and Zacco koreanus (Kim, Oh and Hosoya) (8.16%). Of all emergent species, 52.9% (n=71 species) were freshwater species, 26.9% (n=36) were brackish species, 3.0% (n=4) were migratory species, 27% (n=36) were marine species, and 9.0% (n=12) were riffle benthic species. Overall, 5.2% (n=7 species) were endangered species, 3.0% (n=4) were exotic species, and 23.1% (n=31) were Korean endemic species. The eight identified Wetland Protected Areas (WPA) were classified based on their habitat characteristics and on the analysis of their emergent fish communities, as estuarine (n=2), coastal dune (n=1), marsh (n=2), stream (n=2), and stream-marsh (n=1) types. The environmental factors revealed to have the greatest influence on the species diversity of emergent fish were maintenance and repair, installation of reservoirs, and construction of artificial wetlands around them. The present study offers basic information on the diversity of fish species in different Wetland Protected Area types that can be used to inform conservation and management decisions for WPA.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.681-691
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• 2022

Zostera marina (ZM), a type of seagrass registered as a marine protected species in South Korea, provides valuable ecosystem services to humans, such as improving marine water quality, providing food, spawning grounds and habitats for marine life, and absorbing carbon dioxide. Therefore, the government is seeking to preserve ZM by designating ZM-protected areas. This study examined the public willingness to pay (WTP) for the preservation of ZM using contingent valuation. The one-and-one-half-bounded model was adopted for WTP elicitation, and the single-bounded model was also applied for comparison. The spike model was employed to deal with many zero WTP responses. The household average WTP was estimated as KRW 4,087 per year, securing statistical significance. The national value was KRW 84.1 billion per year. The preservation value of ZM estimated in this study can be used as important data for economic analysis of various projects or policy implementation for its preservation.

• Proceedings of KOSOMES biannual meeting
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• 2017.11a
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• pp.192-192
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• 2017