• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.225-232
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• 2008

To find out the status and characteristics of exotic plants in the Gwangreung Forest, a representative forest ecosystem in central Korea, we surveyed the species composition, coverage, and habitat illuminance of exotic plant species in a set of quadrats established along roads and trails in and around the Gwangreung Forest and buffer zone areas, In 1932, only five species of exotic plants were found along paths and roads in the Gwangreung Forest. However, the number of species in the forest has dramatically increased since 2000, when Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. and A. trifida L. were first recorded, and in 2007, 38 species of exotic plants were recorded. Among the 11 families, 23 genera and 25 species of exotic plants recorded in the quadrats, Compositae was the most common family (11 species), and perennial herbs, 42%, were the most frequently occurring life type, followed by annual herbs (31%) and biennial herbs (19%). Plants of North American origin comprised 48% of exotic species identified in our surveys. Exotics were found most frequently in quadrats along roads in the forest, followed by the buffer zones and hiking trails. The number of species and individuals of exotic plants decreased as we moved deeper into the forest, but Aster pilosus Willd. and Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers. were identified along hiking trails in the interior, and appeared to be capable of spreading further and more rapidly into the forest than other species.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.289-296
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• 2019

We investigated the mortality and the oxidative damages of Deschampsia antarctica in response to waterlogging stress. In field, we compared the changes in the density of D. antarctica tuft at the two different sites over 3 years. The soil water content at site 2 was 6-fold higher than that of site 1, and the density of D. antarctica tuft decreased significantly by 55.4% at site 2 for 3 years, but there was no significant change at site 1. Experimental results in growth chamber showed that the $H_2O_2$ and malondialdehyde content increased under root-flooding treatment (hypoxic conditions-deficiency of $O_2$), but any significant change was not perceptible under the shoot-flooding treatment (anoxic condition-absence of $O_2$). However, total chlorophyll, soluble sugar, protein content, and phenolic compound decreased under the shoot-flooding treatment. In addition, the catalase activity increased significantly on the 1st day of flooding. These results indicate that hypoxic conditions may lead to the overproduction of reactive oxygen species, and anoxic conditions can deplete primary metabolites such as sugars and protein in the leaf tissues of D. antarctica. Under present warming trend in Antarctic Peninsula, D. antarctica tuft growing near the shoreline might more frequently experience flooding due to glacier melting and inundation of seawater, which can enhance the risk of this plant mortality.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.189-196
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• 2023

We monitored the hitchhiker insect pests from the international vessels entering into Korea in 2021. As a result, total of 581 individuals were detected by the survey based on visual inspection with naked eye. Among them, 500 individuals were identified as 244 species of 65 families under 11 orders through the integrative taxonomic method with DNA barcoding and morphological reexamination, but the remaining 81 individuals were classified as only to the family level. Of the 244 species identified, 26 species were determined to be not-distributed species in Korea (two Orthoptera, two Hemiptera, one Megaloptera, five Coleoptera, three Hymenoptera, and 13 Lepidoptera). Among them, two species, Sagra femorata (Chrysomelidae, Coleoptera) and Dendrolimus punctatus (Lasiocampidae, Lepidoptera), were discovered as 'Regulated species' listed by Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, South Korea. Therefore, we reported on the 26 not-distributed species in Korea and provided inanimate pathway information such as navigation routes on the vessels hitchhiking the species, state of the samples at the time of detection, identification results and original distribution for the detailed monitoring and the risk analysis on the species.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.8-17
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• 2022

Background: Parthenium hysterophorus L. (Asteraceae; hereafter Parthenium) is an invasive alien species of global significance because of its' negative ecological and socioeconomic impacts. This species is spreading rapidly from lowland Tarai to Middle Mountain regions in Nepal. In the present study, we analyzed the impacts of Parthenium on plant community composition including their soil seedbank in subtropical grasslands located in central Nepal. Data was collected in a 10 m long transects passing through areas of high (> 90% cover), medium (40%-60%) and low (< 10%) levels of Parthenium cover using a plot of 1 m². Altogether, we sampled 90 plots in 30 transects. Seedling emergence method was used to estimate soil seedbank density in the soil samples (0-10 cm depth) collected from the plots with high Parthenium cover. Results: There was no significant difference in the plant species richness at different levels of Parthenium invasion whereas there was a significant change in the species composition of above ground flora due to Parthenium invasion. There was also a significant difference in species composition between soil seedbank and aboveground flora in the highly invaded plots. Parthenium was the most dominant in soil seedbank, contributing 65% to the total soil seedbank. Conclusions: Our study suggests that Parthenium has considerable negative impact on the native grassland flora, and the dominance of Parthenium in the soil seedbank means there is a challenge for its management. It also suggests the need of monitoring the soil seedbank dynamics while managing Parthenium weed.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.509-523
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• 2012

This basic study is to present the methods and raw data for carrying out to objectively assess an ecosystem by developing the plant ecological indices. The results are as follows. The plant ecological indices were 7 units including RI (Rare Index), EI (Endemic Index), SI (Specific Index), NI (Naturalized Index), UI (Urbanized Index), Pte-Q (Pteridophyta Index) and HI (Halophytes Index). The vascular plants in Mt. Waryong, Mt. Bongmyeong and Bito island were summarized as 471 taxa including 104 families, 294 genera, 419 species, 3 subspecies, 41 varieties and 8 forms. We surveyed 5 taxa of rare plants, 7 taxa of endemic plants, 38 taxa of specific plants by floristic region, 40 taxa of naturalized plants, 1 taxa of invasive alien plant, 19 taxa of pteridophyta and 14 taxa of halophytes. Bito island had the highest RI was 1.2%. Mt. Bongmyeong was 1.4% higher than other sites. If the SI of 2.9% was the highest in Bito island. Bito island was the highest NI, and the UI was the hightest in Mt. Waryong. Mt. Bongmyeong was the lowest NI and UI. In Mt. Waryong and Bito island, the highest DI was 9.1%. The Pte-Q of Mt. Waryong was 1.3 higher than the other sites. Bito island, the highest HI was 8.1%. Overall, 1.5% of RI, 1.9% of EI, 2.3% of SI, 8.5% of NI, 14.3% of UI, 9.1% of DI, 1.0 of Pte-Q and 3.0% were analyzed with HI.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.30-42
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• 2018

Background: The southern and eastern parts of the Gobi Desert area are a unique dry ecosystem with a diverse regional desert, semi-desert, and mountain dry steppe flora. This area habitat is located at the overlap of different floristic regions; on its northeast side, Central Asian desert flora is dominating, and on the eastern side, East Asian flora is observed. The comprehensive survey was carried out to find the floral diversity of the medicinal plants on the region. Methods: All recorded species in this study were based on the collected voucher specimens between June and August in the year 2017. Results: We recorded 23 families, 57 genera, and 78 species of vascular plants. The families Asteraceae (15 species), Fabaceae (10 species), and Amaranthaceae (10 species) were represented most in the study area, while Caragana (5 species), Salsola (4 species), and Arnebia (3 species) were the most common genera found. Conclusion: Conservation status for remarkable species was also reviewed based on the literature. Around the study area, 24 species as "sub-endemic," 10 species as "very rare," 4 species as "rare," 1 species as "alien," 13 species as "relict," 10 species as "Red Book," 2 species as "endangered (EN)," 3 species as "vulnerable (VU)," 3 species as "near threatened (NT)," and 2 species as "least concern (LC)" plants are growing.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.31-54
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to present the basic data for establishing the management plan of forest ecosystem in Honam-Jeongmeak and Geumnamhonam-Jeongmaek by surveying and analysing the vascular plants distributed in Jangansan(A-site), Palgongsan(B-site), Mandeoksan(C-site), Chuwolsan (D-site), Cheonunsan(E-site) and Jeamsan(F-site). The numbers of flora were 813 taxa including 115 families, 406 genera, 700 species, 4 subspecies, 94 varieties and 15 forms. There were 500 taxa in A-site, 427 taxa in B-site, 402 taxa in C-site, 449 taxa in D-site, 345 taxa in E-site and 524 taxa in F-site. The rare plants were 12 taxa including Paeonia japonica, Iris minutoaurea, Chloranthus fortunei and so forth. In IUCN Red List categories, there were 1 taxon of EN, 2 taxa of VU, 8 taxa of LC and 1 taxon of DD. The Korean endemic plants were 20 taxa including Salix koriyanagi, Thalictrum actaefolium var. brevistylum, Saussurea pseudogracilis and so forth. The specific plants by floristic region were 108 taxa including 58 taxa of grade I, 30 taxa of grade II, 16 taxa of grade III, 2 taxa of grade IV and grade V, respectively. The plants adaptable to climate change were 18 taxa including 11 taxa of southern plant and 7 taxa of northern plants. The naturalized plants were 49 taxa including Rumex nipponicus, Brassica juncea, Trifolium repens and so forth. The invasive alien plants were 4 taxa including Rumex acetocella, Solanum carolinense, Ambrosia artemisiifolia and Aster pilosus.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.543-558
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• 2019

This study was carried out to apply the taxonomic characters to identify and to provide the habitat circumstances for forty one un-introduced environmentally harmful plants in the Korea which have been designated by Ministry of Environment in 2016. We investigated the dried plant specimen from several herbaria and performed field habitat survey in western coast area of United States including California, Oregon and Washington. We suggest the first result for ecological risk discussion, weed risk assessment, taxonomic characters and classification keys for 8 species with the related species - Carduus acanthoides L. (Asteraceae), Carduus tenuiflorus W. Curtis (Asteraceae), Onopordum acanthium L. (Asteraceae), Chromolaena odorata (L.) R.M. King & H. Rob. (Asteraceae), Hydrocotyle ranunculoides L.f. (Apiaceae), Oenanthe pimpinelloides L. (Apiaceae), Ehrharta erecta Lam. (Poaceae), and Paspalum conjugatum P.J. Bergius (Poaceae).

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.565-588
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• 2019

This study aimed to understand current flora of Western Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) in Korea. Some areas that located at Paju-si and Yeoncheon-gun were selected as representative survey area (Jangdan-myeon, Deokjin mountain fortress, Ilwol peak of Mt. Seokbyeong, Imjinriver, Sunaecheon stream, Sewolcheon stream in Paju and Banjeong-ri in Yeoncheon). Through this survey, 461 vascular plant specimens were collected from April 2012 to September 2014, twice a month and from October 2014 to October 2018, once a month. These were finally classified into 96 families 305 genera 413 species 4 subspecies 41 varieties 6 forms totally 464 taxa. There are remarkable plants such as 6 taxa of Korean endemic species, 44 taxa of specified species on a floristics aspect, and 35 taxa of alien and naturalized plants (7.5%). Meanwhile, it has not been observed any endangered plant species during the activities in this area.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.165-177
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• 2023

Field surveys were conducted at a total of 50 locations targeting naturalized plants on Ulleung-do. A total of 109 taxa were identified, including the list of naturalized plants in the preceding literature. The naturalized plants of Ulleung-do had a high proportion of Asteraceae, which appeared frequently in the habitat of the ruderal type. There were no naturalized plants that settled only on Ulleung-do, and all naturalized plants found on Ulleung-do first settled on the Korean Peninsula. This was proved by the high rates of epecophyten (90.8%) and the introduction period 2nd (70.6%). On the other hand, among ecosystem-disturbing species that have a great influence in the inland of the Korean Peninsula, Hypochaeris radicata and Rumex acetosella appeared in a limited area in Ulleung-do. On the other hand, Lapsana communis appeared in high density along the forest edge, requiring management of naturalized plants different from those in the Korean Peninsula. Naturalized plants on Ulleung-do showed a rapid increase in the 1990s after increased academic research, coastal road development, and other development projects. This highlights the necessity for continuous research on the pattern of naturalized plant occurrence after the completion of the Ulleung Airport, which is currently under construction.