• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.26 no.11
• /
• pp.1330-1335
• /
• 2016

Sasa species leaves have been used in traditional medicine for their anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and diuretic properties. Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai is a small bamboo grass that grows only on Mt. Halla on Jeju Island, Republic of Korea. This small bamboo grass has recently been the focus of much attention due to its potential biomass as well as its beneficial health effects. In this study, to promote the efficient utilization of the S. quelpaertensis leaf, we established a simple preparation method for phytochemical-rich extract (PRE) by comparing phytochemical contents and biological activities according to extraction methods. high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed that the contents of two major phytochemicals such as, tricin (5.35 mg/g) and p-coumaric acid (44.10 mg/g) contained in PRE were higher than those in fresh hot water extract (SQH, p-coumaric 23.39 mg/g, tricin 0.18 mg/g) and ethanol extract (SQE, p-coumaric 10.8 mg/g, tricin 0.38 mg/g). The antioxidant activities [1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazy (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging activity, nitric oxide (NO) scavenging activity, and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity] of PRE were higher than those of SQH and SQE. PRE effectively inhibited NO production in LSP- stimulation RAW 264.7 cells, and the growth of human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells. These results suggest that PRE has a potential as a promising antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.738-744
• /
• 2018

Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai is a native Korean plant that grows only on Mt. Halla of Jeju Island. Its leaf is used for a popular bamboo tea due to its various health-promoting properties, and it has been increasingly used as food and cosmetic ingredients. To utilize the S. quelpaertensis leaf efficiently, the preparation method for phytochemical-rich extract (PRE) using the leaf's residue was previously reported, which was produced after hot water extraction. This study was undertaken to evaluate the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of PRE and its solvent fractions. The ethyl acetate fraction of PRE (EPRE) showed higher DPPH, ABTS, and superoxide radical scavenging activities, and it effectively inhibited intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. EPRE also induced the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) by increasing the level of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in a nuclear fraction. The inhibiting effect of EPRE on LPS-induced NO production was partially reversed by the HO-1 inhibitor (zinc protoporphyrin, ZPP), suggesting that HO-1 is involved in suppressing NO production. Taken together, the results suggest that EPRE has potential as a promising anti- oxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.123-135
• /
• 2007

Five episodes of the large-scale transport of air pollutants in East Asia and its inflow into the Korean Peninsula have been analyzed through satellite and ground observations. These episodes include regionally polluted continental airmass, which is created by the pollutants produced in the cities and the industrial regions in China, to land on or pass through the Korean Peninsula by way of the Yellow Sea. The analysis of the NOAA satellite observation data made it possible to create images by combining 3 channels of visible and infrared ray ranges and also to identify the distribution and the transport of the air pollution mass over the Yellow Sea. The ground observation data of the air pollutants gathered in Chongwon were found highly valuable in verifying the information in comparison with ones from the satellite. Especially, regarding the episodes of large-scale transport of the air pollutants, the difference of concentration between $PM_{10}\;and\;PM_{2.5}$ was found small with the increase of $PM_{2.5}$ value. The concentration of $PM_{10}$ in the episode of yellows and, however, was found much higher than that of $PM_{2.5}$. In the episode of 27 January 2006, the inflow of the regionally polluted continental air mass into the central and southwestern region of the Korean Peninsula was observed sequentially in the various ground observatories as well as by the satellite. The north-northwest airflow dissipated the clouds over from Mt. Halla in Jeju Island up to far downwind, reduced air pollution, and created von $K\acute{a}rm\acute{a}n$ vortex.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
• /
• v.43 no.4
• /
• pp.274-284
• /
• 2013

This study presents a survey on the bryophytes in Dongbaek-dongsan located at Seonheul Gotjawal on the north-eastern face of Mt. Halla in Jeju Island, Korea. A total of 85 taxa belonging to the Bryophyta (22 families 44 genera 62 species), Marchantiophyta (12 families 16 genera 23 species) were found. Among them, 3 moss species, Diphyscium perminutum Takaki, Racomitrium japonicum Dozy & Molk., and Isopterygium minutirameum (M$\ddot{u}$. Hal.) A. Jaeger. were new additions to the bryophyte flora of Korea. The liverwort index was 27.0%. Predominant life-form was weft. The rates for the bryophytes dominating in mesic to hygric sites were higher than for the bryophytes mainly observed in xeric habitats. We considered that the composition and distribution of species are affected by the different environmental factors according to the evergreen broad-leaved forests, wetlands and exposed spaces. Moreover, the rocks were the substrate type that play a major role in providing the micro-habitats for bryophytes in this area. Particularly, the bryophytes of swamps in this area were very unique and various for its limited space and showed plant communities with mosaic spatial pattern, along with vascular plants. We suggest more detailed and comprehensive studies on the swamps where endemic fern Mankyua chejuense B. -Y. Sun, M. H. Kim & C. H. Kim inhabits to provide valuable information for the conservation and restoration of the species and habitats.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.35 no.6
• /
• pp.504-511
• /
• 1990

Weather data acquisition and potential evapotranspiration (PET) calculation procedure were investigated to support the agricultural development efforts in the mid-altitude mountainous region of Cheju Island. Automated weather stations (AWS) were installed at two points representing the east and the west of the study area. A personal computer was employed to collect the near-real time weather data from AWS through the public telephone line. Hourly data were available for solar radiation, air and soil temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, and precipitation. Based on the data for the month of June 1989, daily climatic features were comparatively analyzed for the two areas and the Penman equation was used to calculate PET. Air temperature was higher by 1 to 2 degree C in the east due mainly to the higher solar radiation and partly to the Fohn effect caused by the daytime southwesterly blowing over Mt. Halla. Diurnal march of soil temperature lagged by 4 hours behind that of air temperature and the diurnal range for 10cm subsurface soil was 3 degree C. Wind was consistently stronger and a marked sea-land breeze circulation was detected in the west. Calculated PET values were higher in the east by 6% than in the west. Overall values from the east and the west of the mid-altitude mountainous region were higher by 30% than those of the coastal region, which were estimated from the Class A Pan evaporation measured by the Korea Meteorological Service Offices.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.241-247
• /
• 1991

Electric charge characteristics of volcanic ash soils in Cheju Island were investigated. For this study, soils of toposequence distributed along the sourthern slope of Mt. Halla, and the major soil groups such as dark brown soils, very dark brown soils, black soils, and brown forest soils were collected and analyzed for extratable acidity, KCl ext. Al, CEC, base saturation, permanent charge and variable charge, etc.. Weolpyeong and Yongheung soils developed on the lower elevations have high $NH_4OAc$ ext. bases, permanent charge and base saturation, and relatively low ext. acidity, CEC and variable charge. For other soils, whose colloidal fractions are dominated by allophane or Al-humus complexes, ext. acidity, CEC, variable charge, and variable charge ratio were very high, and $NH_4OAc$ ext. bases, permanent charge, and base saturation were very low. These trends were especially prominant in the surface. horizons of black soils and brown forest soils dominated by Al-humus complexes. Ext. acidity, CEC($NH_4OAc$), CEC(sum of cations), and variable charge strongly correlated with pyrophosphate ext. carbon. Very dark brown soils and cinder cone soils dominated by allophane showed low KCl ext. Al and relatively high pH, despite their very low base saturation.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.43-48
• /
• 2001

Chlorophyll fluorescence of needles of Korean fir (Abies koreana) plants and environmental factors of their natural habitat were investigated in order to obtain the information for environmental adaptation and conservation of Korean fir plants. The photochemical efficiency of photosystem II, Fv/Fm, of Korean fir needles was significantly low (0.19-0.36) in the winter, whereas it was high (0.8-0.86) in the summer. The Fv/Fm value of the winter was slightly higher at mid-day than at dawn, suggesting that mid-day environmental conditions of the winter were favorable on needles of Korean fir plants. In contrast, the mid-day Fv/Fm value of the summer maintained high (around 0.8). It indicates that mid-day environmental conditions of the summer did not induce photodamage, although it caused a slight decrease in the Fv/Fm values. The non-photochemical fluorescence quenching (NPQ) of Korean fir needles was very low (0-0.01) all through the day in the winter. However, it was high (0.76) at mid-day in the summer. These results suggest that Korean fir plants have a system for the protection of PS II from mid-day environmental stresses of the summer. In the winter, the Fv/Fm values were positively correlated with temperature, light intensity and relative humidity, although NPQ values showed no correlation with any of them. In the summer, the Fv/Fm values were positively correlated with relative humidity but negatively correlated with temperature and light intensity. These results indicate that increase of tempera-ture, light intensity and relative humidity lead to promotion of the photochemical efficiency in the winter and high temperature and light intensity may cause photoinhibition in the summer.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.19 no.5
• /
• pp.640-648
• /
• 2006

The distribution and status of naturalized plants in Jeju Island were investigated in this study. As results, the naturalized plants in Jeju Island were total of 254 taxa including 47 families, 161 genera, 248 species and 6 varieties. By the growth habits, annuals held the most percentage including 107 taxa (42.13%). Seventy nine taxa (31.1%) were appeared to have erect type in growth forms and 203 taxa (79.9%) are non-clonal growth form in disseminule forms by radicoid. The most of dormancy form in life form were therophytes as 150 taxa (59%), and following as 53 taxa (20.9%) for hemicryptophytes, and 26 taxa(10.2%) for geophytes. Among the naturalized plants, 115 taxa (36.7%) were originated from Europe, 69 taxa (22%) from Asia and 59 taxa (18.8%) from North America. Twenty eight percent of them were introduced as feeds or mixed seeds of imported cereals.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.33 no.11
• /
• pp.3651-3656
• /
• 2012

The size-segregated atmospheric aerosols have been collected at 1100 m site of Mt. Halla in Jeju, a background area in Korea, using 8-stage cascade impact air sampler during Asian dust and non-Asian dust storm periods. Their ionic and elemental species were analyzed, in order to examine the pollution characteristics and composition change between Asian dust and non-Asian dust periods. The major ionic species such as nss-$SO_4{^{2-}}$, $NH_4{^+}$, and $K^+$ were predominantly distributed in the fine particles (below $2.1{\mu}m$ diameter), and besides the $NO_3{^-}$ was distributed more in coarse particle fraction than fine particle. On the other hand, the typical soil and marine species i.e., nss-$Ca^{2+}$, $Na^+$, $Cl^-$, and $Mg^{2+}$, were mostly existed in the coarse particles (over $2.1{\mu}m$ diameter). As well in the elemental analysis of aerosols, the major soil-originated Al, Fe, Ca, and others showed prominently high concentrations in the coarse particle fraction, whereas the anthropogenic S and Pb were relatively high in the fine particle fraction. From the comparison of aerosol compositions between Asian dust and non-Asian dust periods, the concentrations of the soil-originated species such as nss-$Ca^{2+}$, Al, Ca, Fe, Ti, Mn, Ba, Sr have increased as 2.7-4.2 times during the Asian dust periods. Meanwhile the concentrations of nss-$SO_4{^{2-}}$ and $NO_3{^-}$ have increased as 1.4 and 2.0 times, and on the contrary $NH_4{^+}$ concentrations have a little bit decreased during the Asian dust periods. Especially the concentrations of both soil-originated ionic and elemental species increased noticeably in the coarse particle mode during the dust storm periods.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.123-131
• /
• 2012

This study analyzed on the characteristics of community structure, species composition, population conditions and annual mean radial growth of Taxus cuspidata in the subalpine zone of the Seoraksan, Deokyusan, and Hallasan National Parks. Deokyusan and Hallasan sites had three layers of stratification structure without tree layer in it and four layer in Seoraksan site. The major dominant species in the order of importance value were as follows: T. cuspidata, Acer tschonoskii var. rubripes, Quercus mongolica, Abies koreana and Sorbus commixta. The trees (> 5 cm DBH) of T. cuspidata were extremely high with 986.0 individuals/ha at the Hallasan site. Average DBH class were 42.0 cm at the Hallasan site and mainly showed large class. The populations of seedlings and saplings with 357.3 individuals/ha, and juvenile with 128.6 individuals/ha, as a succession tree, were found to be the highest at the Hallasan site. In the size frequency distribution, the populations of T. cuspidata in Mt. Halla site showed a reverse J-shaped curve and it was estimated that T. cuspidata community of this site might be maintained continuously as a stable state like present state. Annual mean radial growth of T. cuspidata populations at Seoraksan, Deokyusan, and Hallasan sites showed up as 1.27 mm/year, 0.93 mm/year and 0.89 mm/year respectively.