• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.117-129
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• 2010

The present study was undertaken in moist temperate forest of Mandal-Chopta area in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, India. The aim of the present study was to assess the physical properties of soils in relation to the forest structure and composition. Twelve forest types according to the altitude, slope aspect and species compositions were selected for the study. Physical properties of soil i.e., soil colour, soil texture (per cent of sand, silt and clay), moisture content, water holding capacity, porosity, bulk density (gm/$cm^3$) and void ratio were analyzed for three different depths viz., (i) 'upper' (0-10 cm), (ii) 'middle' (11-30 cm) and (iii) 'lower' (31-60 cm) in all the selected forest types. Phytosociological and diversity parameters viz. total basal cover ($Gha^{-1}$), stem density ($Nha^{-1}$), tree species richness, Simpson concentration of dominance and Shannon-Wiener diversity index were also calculated for each forest type. This study also provides the comparisons between the results of physical analysis of the present study with numerous other previous studies in the temperate Himalayan region of the Uttarakhand.

• Plant Resources
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.130-139
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• 2001

Four major naturally populated areas around the Jindong valley in Inje-Gun, Gangwon province for wild Pyrus ussuriensis, Malus sieboldii, and Malus baccata are mostly located on the southeast side of the mountains at 630-745m in altitude at sea level and are in very good sunny areas. The total of 77 taxa dividing into 32 families, 58 genera, 65 species, and 12 varieties has been inhabited in these areas. Most of these plants are heliophytes, which love sunshine, but some of rhizo-plants such as Sasa borealis, climbing plants such as Actinidia arguta and Celastrus orbiculatus, or naturalized plants like Bidens frondosa are also shown. These areas have been continually destroyed, so it is possibly thought that the second transition has been progressed. The index of species diversity of plant groups in these areas is 0.672∼1.465 based on the Shannon-Wiener's method, but its index for the area that rhizo-plants like Sasa borealis are growing as an under planting decreases relatively. In this study, the oldest plant of Pyrus ussuriensis in Korea, which is 120cm in diameter at breast height (DBH), 19m in tree height and 25m in width, has been found.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.233-246
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• 2024

Background: In this research work, epilithic communities of diatoms in macrophytes are listed and described to evaluate the ecological conditions of the surface waters of the Chipoco River, whose basin has been exploited for agricultural and mining purposes, degrading natural ecosystems. The diatoms studied are found in calcareous tufa deposits developed in swampy environments where little of their benthic microbiota has been studied, despite the regional relevance of these calcareous formations within the manganese mining district. To describe the diatoms and evaluate the ecological condition of the surface waters, the Chipoco River was divided into three sectors (North, Center, and South) collecting a total of 15 samples along 10 km. For the taxonomic identification of diatoms, scanning electron microscopy techniques, consultations with specialists and specialized literature were used. To evaluate the ecological conditions of the Chipoco River, the linear correlation coefficient was used, where the relationships between diatom species and environmental variables were evaluated. Likewise, species diversity was determined by applying the Shannon-Wiener index and Simpson's dominance value (D) was calculated to detect diversity impoverishment processes. Results: Ten genera of diatoms were identified in bryophytes of the species Plagiomnium cuspidatum that grow on the banks of said river. The linear correlation coefficient indicated that physicochemical characteristics such as total dissolved solids, temperature, and calcium, and hydrochemical characteristics of the water intervene in the distribution and abundance of four diatoms Rhoicosphenia abreviate, Epithemia turgida, Calloneis bacillum and Achanthidium minutissimum in the different sectors studied. The Shannon-Wiener diversity indices and Simpson's dominance show that there is greater diversity and marked dominance of diatoms in the northern sector compared to the central and southern sectors. Conclusions: Agricultural and mining activities and the poor sanitary infrastructure of human settlements have caused the Chipoco River to have poor ecological quality.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.105-109
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• 2018

Biodiversity (or biological diversity) is defined as the variability of living organisms, the "diversity of life on Earth," and the complex relationships that make up ecosystems. This study aimed to investigate the spatial and temporal patterns in animal species composition and diversity at the Deukjin River, located in Hapcheon Province, Korea. The fauna community at the Deukjin River during 2016 season was identified with a total of 55 taxa, representing the following six classes: Mammalia (mammals), Actinopterygii (bony fish), Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish), Aves (birds), Amphibia (amphibians), Reptilia (reptiles), and invertebrates. The Berger - Parker index (BPI) for mammals varied from 0.233 (Station A) to 0.333 (Station D). The Shannon - Weaver index (H') and two diversity indexes (N1 and N2) for mammals and birds in the upper region were higher than those in the lower region. The values of ${\beta}$-diversity for animals varied from 0.229 for fish to 0.339 for invertebrates. The richness indices for animal taxa also varied among the stations and seasons. Station A showed considerably high richness in mammals, birds, and reptiles/amphibians. Although the richness indices (R1 and R2) for six animal kingdoms during the seasons were different from each other, the difference was not significant (p<0.05). The evenness indices for five animal kingdoms were different from each other, but again, the difference was not significant (p<0.05).

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.162-177
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• 2020

Background: Ecologists have achieved much progress in the study of mechanisms that maintain species coexistence and diversity. In this paper, we reviewed a wide range of past research related to these topics, focusing on five theoretical bodies: (1) coexistence by niche differentiation, (2) coexistence without niche differentiation, (3) coexistence along environmental stress gradients, (4) coexistence under non-equilibrium versus equilibrium conditions, and (5) modern perspectives. Results: From the review, we identified that there are few models that can be generally and confidently applicable to different ecological systems. This problem arises mainly because most theories have not been substantiated by enough empirical research based on field data to test various coexistence hypotheses at different spatial scales. We also found that little is still known about the mechanisms of species coexistence under harsh environmental conditions. This is because most previous models treat disturbance as a key factor shaping community structure, but they do not explicitly deal with stressful systems with non-lethal conditions. We evaluated the mainstream ideas of niche differentiation and stochasticity for the coexistence of plant species across salt marsh creeks in southwestern Denmark. The results showed that diversity indices, such as Shannon-Wiener diversity, richness, and evenness, decreased with increasing surface elevation and increased with increasing niche overlap and niche breadth. The two niche parameters linearly decreased with increasing elevation. These findings imply a substantial influence of an equalizing mechanism that reduces differences in relative fitness among species in the highly stressful environments of the marsh. We propose that species evenness increases under very harsh conditions if the associated stress is not lethal. Finally, we present a conceptual model of patterns related to the level of environmental stress and niche characteristics along a microhabitat gradient (i.e., surface elevation). Conclusions: The ecology of stressful systems with non-lethal conditions will be increasingly important as ongoing global-scale climate change extends the period of chronic stresses that are not necessarily fatal to inhabiting plants. We recommend that more ecologists continue this line of research.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.91-98
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• 1999

The effect of the relative abundances of planktonic foraminifera juveniles on the climatic and oceanographic history interpretations is documented for the first time (as far as we know) by use of the year-long time-series sediment trap samples. Statistical correlation analysis suggests that many climatic and oceanographic variables such as sinking flux (total number) of planktonic foraminifera, relative abundance of some climatic indicator species G. bulloides and N. dutertrei, temperature, and salinity do not show any significant correlations with the relative abundance of planktonic foraminifera juveniles. However, planktonic foraminifera juveniles show moderate correlations with species diversity indices (species richness, Shannon-Wiener index, and Equitability). These indicate that the juveniles do not affect the relative abundances(%) of species compositions but affect the species diversity indices. Based on this one-year trap result, special care is required when we use species diversity indices for the interpretations of paleoceanography when the juveniles are excluded from total planktonic foraminiferal countings.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.166-176
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• 1997

To investigate the vegetation structure of Fraxinus mandshurica communith, twenty plots were set up and surveyed in the valley of Mt. Minjuji area that rises 700~1,100m above the sea level. Each plot has 100m$^{2}$ in size. By using the TWINSPAN of classification technique, total plots was divided into six communities. In the species composition analysis, it was expected that F. mandshurica community would derive from Quercus mongolica community. The F. mondshurica community was composed together of Carpinus laxiflora, Acer mono and Cornus controversa. It was turned out that F. mandshurica community was edaphic climax because the competition species not appeared. In the DBH distribution analysis, F. mandshurica appeared through all layers, and species diversity showed lower index(Shannon's index 0.72~0.82) because the community was stable. The number of mean individuals and species was about 111.5 and 11.0 per 100m$^{2}$ respectively.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.48-54
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• 2009

We investigated the genetic diversity of an endemic rare species, Forsythia ovata Nakai by examining 93 ISSR amplicons in 84 individuals distributed among five populations. The overall percentage of polymorphic ISSR amplicons was 54.8% and mean number of amplicons per ISSR primer was 6.6. The amount of genetic diversity was relatively lower than other shrub species. The Mt. Seokbyeong and Mt. Seorak B populations had the highest level of genetic diversity. Although the Seokgae-jae population had the lowest level of genetic diversity, the population was genetically the most distinctive from the other populations. About 30.6% of the total variation was allocated between five populations, which was slightly higher than other shrub species. Such a pattern of genetic variation may have resulted from the limited distribution and small population sizes of F. ovata. The UPGMA dendrogram based on Nei's genetic distance showed some decisive geographic patterns. These results suggest that, in addition to the preservation of the natural stands, the conservation of larger number of populations with small number of individuals per population is more effective for the dynamic ex situ conservation and for maintaining the genetic diversity of F. ovata than smaller number of populations with large number of individuals.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.105 no.4
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• pp.414-421
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• 2016

Fourteen Acer pseudosieboldianum populations in South Korea were used to estimate genetic diversity, genetic differentiation and genetic relationships using seven AFLP primer combinations. The average of effective alleles ($A_e$), the proportion of polymorphic loci (%P) and Shannon's diversity index (I) was 1.4, 82.2% and 0.358, respectively. The expected heterozygosity ($H_e$) under Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was 0.231 and the expected heterozygosity (Hj) from Bayesian inference was 0.253. The level of genetic diversity was moderate compared to those of Genus Acer and lower than those of other species having similar ecological niche and life history. The inbreeding coefficient within populations ($F_{IS}$) from Bayesian method was 0.712 and it could be influenced by selfing or biparental inbreeding to induce homozygote excess. The level of genetic differentiation was 0.107 from AMOVA (${\Phi}_{ST}$) and 0.110 from Bayesian method (${\Phi}^{II}$). The genetic differentiation was lower than those of other species having similar ecological niche and life history. Ulleungdo population had the lowest level of genetic diversity and was genetically the most distinct population from others in the study. We consider that founder effect and genetic drift might be occurred to reduce genetic diversity and then the geographical isolation might interrupt gene flow to aggravate it.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.95 no.6
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• pp.723-728
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• 2006

Since the forest succession is changing process in the structure and function of a forest for the long period of time, the objectivity of the process could be improved through the development of model or statistical methodology. This study was carried out to estimate succession index based on climax index and species composition parameters, thereupon to compare the succession index with life form and species diversity so as to grasp the information of quantitative successional process for the six community types in the natural deciduous forest of Mt. Jumbong area. The results indicated that Quercus mongolica-Tilia amurensis community had the greatest succession index of 67.5, followed by Abies holophylla-Fraxinus mandshurica community with 67.4. Juglans mandshurica-Cornus controversa community was recorded the smallest value of 60.5. The succession index of overstory tended to increase considerably at the stage of steady state for all community types except Quercus mongolica-Tilia amurensis community. However, The index of midstory hardly varied as the forest succession would progress for all community types. The succession index was negatively correlated to wind-water dispersion type of life form and positively to animal dispersion type at the 5% probability level. On the other hand, the index was not significantly correlated to the species richness and Shannon's species diversity index.