• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.861-866
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• 2011

Using skeletochronology in the Daejung-eup, Jeju, we determined the age structure of Kaloula borealis. The study was performed during the breed season in June 2009. We measured the snout-vent length(SVL) and body weigth(BW) and analyzed the age structure of 38 male and 58 female frogs. The mean value of SVL is $43.69{\pm}3.44mm$ in males and $46.32{\pm}4.23mm$ in females. The age at first reproduction was estimated to be 2 years of age in males and 3 years in females. The oldest males and females were 8 and 10 years of age, respectively. Therefore, the longevity in this species was estimated to be more than 8 years for males and 10 years for females. So, females live longer than males. Also, this difference between the male and the female in age structure was significant. We estimated the growth curve for Kaloula borealis using von Bertalanffy growth model. The growth coefficient (K) was 0.56 in male and 0.41 in female. The asymptotic size was 46.41 mm in male and 50.22 mm in female.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.668-674
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• 2012

This study was conducted to find the sexual size dimorphism(SSD) in morphometric characters of three species, Eremias argus, Takydromus amurensis and T. wolteri in lacertid lizard from Korea. Six external traits, snout-vent length, tail length, head length, head width, forelimb length and hind-limb length were focused to compare two sexes among the each three lizards. Student's t-test was used to compare the adult SVL between the sexes for each species. For the other parts of the body, a one-way analysis of covariance(ANCOVA) with SVL as the covariate was used. In all these species, males have longer tail and head than females like general lacertid lizard. In addition, male E. arugus have broader head and longer forelimbs and hind-limbs than conspecific females. Likewise, male T. wolteri have broader head than females. In the three lacertid lizards from Korea, snout-vent length did not significantly differ between the sexes. To understand the causes for SSD in SVL, ecological information, such as the presence/absence of male-male combat and the correlation between the SVL of female and litter size, is required. Therefore, further ecological study on the three species of lacertid lizard from Korea will make it possible to explain the reason SSD is not found in SVL.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.25-28
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• 2002

The advertisement call of anurans functions to attract potential mates. The dominant frequency of an advertisement call is generally getting lower with increased snout-vent length (SVL) of the caller Rana rugosa has an advertisement call tilth a particularly high frequency modulation. We conducted a playback experiment to verify the function of frequency modulation, and investigated the territorial behavior of the frog. The frog has five types of territory defense strategy. Strategy choice depended on the caller's SVL. Small males became satellites or lowered the dominant frequency of their advertisement call, whereas large males actively defended their territory with encounter calls. In response to high frequency (1107 Hz) playback, the frogs lowered their advertisement call frequency, and towered them further in response to the low frequency (1028 Hz) playback. In addition, the number of pulses in a call was increased in response to the playback. These results indicate that the frog avoids physical conflict with competitors by selecting a territory defense strategy suitable for the caller's size, and by lowering its call frequency to disguise its SVL.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.325-331
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• 2010

In this study, we have evaluated the physical characteristics of neonate, female, and male Mongolian racerunners (Eremias argus) and determined the age structure of a population of the species in a field located in Taean-gun, Chungnam, South Korea. The physical parameters of females and males, including snout-vent length (SVL), head length, head width, and body mass were found to be significantly interrelated. Male Mongolian racerunners exhibited significantly longer heads than the females, but other physical parameters, such as SVL, head width, and body mass did not differ between the female and male specimens. In the study population, the females ranged in age from two to eleven years old and the males ranged between two to eight years of age. The number of females and males, when separated into different age classes, did not differ within each age class. Male Mongolian racerunners evidenced greater SVL growth coefficients than the females, but asymptotic SVL did not differ between the females and males.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.281-286
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• 2014

This study was conducted to investigate the individual size and age of Kaloula borealis, a pair in amplexus. In June 2013, the total 23 pairs of Kaloula borealis were captured in the wetland located in Seongsan-eup and Daejeong-eup, Jeju Island. Size and age of each individual have been examined and as a result of analyzing SVL (snout-vent length), weight, length of forelimb and hindlimb of the collected 23 pairs, the females were shown to have the heavier weight and the longer SVL and hindlimb compared to males. No significant difference in the length of forelimb has been found between the female and the male. The average age of the male of the pair in amplexus was shown to be $5.17{\pm}0.26$, whereas the female was shown to be $6.22{\pm}0.28$, which indicates the higher average age in female compared to the male. The age range of Kaloula borealis was distributed from at least 3 years to 10 years at the maximum. A positive correlation was shown between age of the male and SVL; however, no significant difference was found in female. This study result expected to be utilized as an important base data in establishing the preservation and restoration strategy of endangered species, Kaloula borealis.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2020

This study was carried out to compare the Snout-vent length (SVL) and the biomass for the endangered species II, narrow-mouthed toad (Kaloula borealis), at the three different latitude sites (Seoul, Nonsan, Busan) in Korea. For the narrow-mouthed toad study, pitfall traps and inducement traps were used to catch the species, and environmental factors (temperature, precipitation, humidity) were compared by region. As a result of this study, each of the male narrow-mouthed toads' SVL and biomass in Busan was 41.6±0.39mm, and 11.3±0.17g, which showed that it was the biggest and heaviest among the three regions. For Seoul and Nonsan, each of the SVL of the female narrow-mouthed toad was 36.6±2.03mm, 36.6±1.76mm, and the biomass was 8.1±0.55g, 8.2±0.91g, which showed that there was no significant difference between Seoul and Nonsan. Each of the female narrow-mouthed frogs' SVL and biomass in Busan was 44.7±0.35mm, 13.1±0.18g, which was also biggest but showed no significant difference in biomass by region. Concluding, this showed that the female narrow-mouthed toad in Busan is larger and heavier than those of other regions. We hope this study will be a standard for the future amphibian research with comparing the SVL and biomass for the endangered species II, narrow-mouthed toad. It is expected that if this kind of study keeps for long, it will be a basis for understanding changes in biomass of amphibian species due to climate change.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.183-191
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• 2008

To determine the age structure of a Hynobius leechii breeding population and analyze relationships between the order of entrance to breeding ponds and physical parameters and age, we studied a wild population of the species in the Research Forests of Kangwon National University in Chuncheon, Kangwon, South Korea from March 16 to April 13, 2005. The age of breeding males ranged one to nine years old and that of females ranged from three to nine years old. The asymptotic sizes of males and females were 6.36 and 6.51 cm, respectively, and the growth coefficients of males and females were 0.71 and 0.81, respectively. The snout-vent length (SVL), head length, and body mass of males were all positively correlated with their age, but female age did not show a significant relationship with any physical parameter. The tail depth, body mass, and condition factors (SVL/body mass $\times$ 100) of both males and females were negatively related with the order of entrance to the breeding pond. The head width and SVL of males were also negatively correlated with the order of entrance, but the SVL of females was positively related with the order of entrance. These results suggest that physical parameters are more important determinants of breeding migration patterns than age. We discuss which of two hypotheses, the mate opportunity hypothesis and the susceptibility hypothesis, is better able to explain the order of entrance to breeding ponds for male and female H. leechii.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.357-361
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• 2007

To determine the feeding sites preferred by adult gold-spotted pond frogs, Rana plancyi chosenica, and the foods that induce favorable growth of the frogs in the laboratory, we conducted two separate experiments between 27 May and 12 July 2007 in a vivarium. In the first experiment, we counted the number of crickets eaten by four gold-spotted pond frogs in a 60 min period at four different feeding sites within the experimental arenas: on the water surface, at the edge of a pond, and at two terrestrial sites. Adult gold-spotted pond frogs ate more crickets on the water surface and at the edge of the pond than the terrestrial sites. In the second experiment, we measured the growth of SVL (snout-vent length) and body mass of adult gold-spotted pond frogs fed crickets, mealworms, maggots, or earthworms in individual experimental boxes over a one month period. The SVL and body mass of the adult gold-spotted pond frogs fed crickets, mealworms, or maggots were greater than those of the frogs that were fed earthworms. These results indicate that providing crickets, mealworms, or maggots on the water or at the edge of a pond should induce favorable growth of captive-reared adult gold-spotted pond frogs.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.485-491
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• 2013

This study examined the cannibalistic polyphenism of larval salamander Hynobius leechii by the level of predation risk. Salamander eggs were collected from three regions (Mountain Inwang, Mountain Surak and Gwangju). Eggs were treated by three different risk conditions: (1) high risk, predation risk three times a day; (2) medium risk, predation risk once a day; and (3) low risk, no predation risk. Predation risk was conducted using a chemical cue from Chinese minnows. The chemical cue treatment started from the day of collection and ended one week after hatching. Post-treatment measurements were head width at the level of the eyes (HWE), largest head width (LHW), and Snout-vent length of the each larva. To compare the morphological change according to the predation risk, we modified the two head size, HWE and LHW, to HWE/LHW. A significant difference in HWE/LHW and snout-vent length was evident according to the level of predation risk. And larval mortality was increase by the predation risk. The results indicate that predation risk can cause cannibalistic polyphenism of larval salamander and this morphological change could influence larval mortality.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.57-62
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• 2007

To obtain demographic information on threatened gold-spotted pond frog (Rana chosenica Okada, 1931) populations, we determined the ages of 45 male and 13 female frogs (20 males and 9 females from Cheongwon and 25 males and 4 females from Tae-an) and compared the age structures and growth patterns of the two populations in 2006. The snout-vent length (SVL) and body weight of female frogs were greater than those of male frogs in both populations. Male frogs' ages ranged 2 to 7 years old and females' ages ranged 3 to 6 years old. In both populations, 4 years old male frogs were the most abundant age-sex class. The age structures of the two populations were significantly different and the growth coefficients of male frogs from the Cheongwon population were greater than those from the Tae-an population. The mean age of males from the Tae-an population was higher than that from the Cheongwon population. However, the SVL and body weights of male frogs were not different between two populations and there was no difference between the two populations in the mean male SVL at any age. The results could increase our understanding of the life-history of this threatened frog and may be useful in conservation planning.