• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.41-53
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• 2022

Background: Due to the rapidly changing climatic conditions, South Korea faces the grand challenge of exotic species. With the increasing human movement, the influx of alien species to novel regions is prevalent across the globe. The latest research suggests that it is easy to prevent the introduction and establishment of alien species rather than controlling their spread and eradication. Like other countries, the Korean Ministry of Environment released a list (in 2018) of 45 potential risky exotic fish species considered likely to be invasive candidate fish species if they ever succeed in entering the Korean aquatic ecosystems. Results: The investigation into the invasion suitability traits showed that potential risky fish species could utilize those features in becoming invasive once they arrive in the Korean aquatic ecosystems. If the novel species establish viable populations, they are likely to incur higher economic costs, damage the native aquatic fauna and flora, and jeopardize the already perilled species. Furthermore, they can damage the installed infrastructure, decline overall abundance and biodiversity, and disturb the ecosystem services. Here we reviewed the list of fish species concerning their family, native origin, preferred aquatic biomes, main food items, current status in Korea, and potential threats to humans and the ecosystems. Data shows that most species are either already designated as invasive in the neighboring counties, including Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, and China, or originate from these countries. Such species have a higher climate match with the Korean territories. Conclusions: Therefore, it is exceptionally essential to study their most critical features and take regulatory measures to restrict their entry. The incoming fish species must be screened before letting them in the country in the future. The regulatory authorities must highlight the threatening traits of such species and strictly monitor their entrance. Detailed research is required to explore the other species, especially targeting the neighboring countries fish biodiversity, having demonstrated invasive features and matching the Korean climate.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.94-98
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• 2024

Field surveys for reports on suspected invasive termite species were received at the National Institute of Ecology's Invasive Species Reporting Center. We collected 10 termites and performed DNA sequence analysis for species identification. Specimens were confirmed as Coptotermes formosanus. This is the reconfirmation of C. formosanus in South Korea, highlighting the importance of early detection and rapid response and reaffirming the possibility of C. formosanus invading South Korea.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.386-390
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• 2021

Petrorhagia nanteuilii (Burnat) P. W. Ball & Heywood (Caryophyllaceae), native to western Europe and western North Africa and an introduced or alien plant in South America, Australia, and Japan, was newly found in Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea. Petrorhagia is clearly distinguished from other genera by a bract at the base of calyx, which differs from Gypsophila L., and commissures at the sepals, which is different from Dianthus L. Petrorhagia nanteuilii grows on slopes and roadsides, suggesting that it is likely to have been introduced through the installation of green sites and road construction. A precise description, illustration, photographs, and a key to related genera and species is provided.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.196-200
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• 2022

Verbena bracteata Cav. ex Lag. & Rodr. (Verbenaceae), native to North America and an alien plant in China and Japan, was newly found in central and southern areas of Korea. This species can be distinguished from other Verbena taxa in Korea by having larger floral bracts and stems that are prostrate or procumbent to decumbent-ascending. Verbena bracteata grows in dry and sunny grasslands or along roadsides. A precise description, illustration, photographs, and a key to related taxa are provided.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.25-46
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• 2023

The purpose of this study was to present the ecologically important data for conservation and management of river ecosystem. Namcheon Stream, the study site, is a local river flowing from the east to the west of Gyeongju. The results are as follows. The numbers of vascular plants were summarized as 518 taxa including 98 families, 321 genera, 467 species, 9 subspecies, 32 varieties, 4 forms, 4 hybrids and 2 cultivars. The rare plants were 4 taxa including Aristolochia contorta, Koelreuteria paniculata, Hydrocharis dubia and Sparganium stoloniferum. The Korean endemic plants were Populus × tomentiglandulosa, Salix koriyanagi, Lespedeza maritima, Weigela subsessilis and Hemerocallis hakuunensis. The floristic target species were 27 taxa including 2 taxa of grade IV, 4 taxa of grade III, 7 taxa of grade II and 14 taxa of grade I. The invasive alien plants were 92 taxa including Pterocarya stenoptera, Conyza canadensis, Vulpia myuros and so on. The ecosystem disturbing species were 6 taxa including Rumex acetosella, Sicyos angulatus, Solanum carolinense, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Lactuca seriola and Symphyotrichum pilosum.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 2022

Tordylium maximum L. (Apiaceae), native to south, south-central Europe and southwest Asia and a rare alien plant in northern Europe, was newly found in Jeollabuk-do in Korea. Tordylium is clearly distinguished from other genera by having radiating petals, filiform bracts, linear bractlets, stalked mericarps with minutely vesicular dorsal face or strigose hairs, and an annual habit. Tordylium maximum is different from other species of the genus by its mericarps with smooth margins and 10-16 rays not contracted in fruit. T. maximum grows on dry and sunny grasslands. Here, we report the first occurrence of the genus Tordylium represented by T. maximum in Korea and provide a precise description, illustration, photographs of the species, and a taxonomic key to allied taxa in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.144-154
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• 2019

The flora of naturalized plants in historic sites, urban parks and stream of Gyeongju-si, South Korea were summarized as 84 taxa including 21 families, 59 genera, 78 species, 1 subspecies, and 5 varieties. Direct investigation was conducted in a historic site with 68 taxa, a neighborhood park with 43 taxa, a stream with 59 taxa and a small park with 42 taxa at 86 sites. Among them, 31.0% (Naturalized Degree (ND) 3) was common but not abundant, 29.8% (ND 5) was common and an abundant plant, 20.2% (ND 2) was local and not an abundant plant. 7 taxa such as Lactuca scariola, Symphyotrichum pilosum, Rumex acetosella were invasive alien species. Lactuca scariola was the most abundant with 41.9%, Symphyotrichum pilosum was more abundant around stream with 34.9%, and Rumex acetosella was abundant on historic sites or small park with 25.6% in all the surveyed sites. To prevent spread of invasive alien species, monitoring may be required, especially, in early settlement stage. A proper management plan needs to be incorporated through physical removal of those plants, substitution of soil and so on.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.100-108
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• 2022

We found Urtica dioica L., an unrecorded alien plant, in the Han River basin of Korea. U. dioica is considered to be native to Europe, much of temperate Asia and western North Africa. This plant has been introduced to many other parts of the world. In Particularly, it reported as an invasive species from East Asia (Japan), Oceania and South America. This species is distinguished from related Korean taxa of the genus by its unisexual flower and dioecious plant species. In the Neighbor-Joining tree, U. dioica samples from the Han River Park (Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul) and Yangjaecheon Stream (Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul) clustered into a clade consisting of a U. dioica s.s. Here, we provide a precise description, illustrations, a key to the related taxa, and photographs of its habitat.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.29-41
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• 2022

Alien species cause problems in various ecosystems, reduce biodiversity, and destroy ecosystems. Due to these problems, the problem of a management plan is increasing, and it is difficult to accurately identify each individual and calculate the number of individuals, especially when researching alien turtle species such as GPS and PIT based on capture. this study intends to conduct an individual recognition study using a UAV. Recently, UAVs can take various sensor-based photos and easily obtain high-definition image data at low altitudes. Therefore, based on previous studies, this study investigated five variables to be considered in UAV flights and produced a test paper using them. OCR was used to monitor the displayed turtles using the manufactured test paper, and this confirmed the recognition rate. As a result, the use of yellow numbers showed the highest recognition rate. In addition, the minimum threat distance was confirmed to be 3 to 6m, and turtles with a shell size of 6 to 8cm were also identified during the flight. Therefore, we tried to propose an object recognition methodology for turtle display text using OCR, and it is expected to be used as a new turtle monitoring technique.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.61-80
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• 2012

This study is to offer the basic data for restoration and conservation of wetland ecosystem by surveying and analysing the flora distributed in the Binae marsh, Namhan River, Chungju-si. The flora in the Binae marsh were verified 204 taxa including 48 families, 152 genera, 179 species, 23 varieties and 2 forms. In flora, pteridophyta were 2 taxa including 1 family, 1 genus and 2 species, among angiospermae, dicotyledonae were 153 taxa including 37 families, 110 genera, 138 species, 13 varieties and 2 forms and monocotyledonae were 49 taxa including 10 families, 41 genera, 39 species and 10 varieties. In the result of classifying the life form of flora, megaphanerophytes (M), nanophanerophytes (N) and chamaiphytes (Ch) were each 9 taxa (4.4%), 37 taxa (18.1%) of hemicryptophytes (H), 19 taxa (9.3%) of geophytes (G), 97 taxa (47.6%) of therophytes (Th) and 24 taxa (11.8%) of hydrophytes (HH). The rare plant designated by Korea Forest Service was 1 taxa (Aristolochia contorta), and the endemic plant was 1 taxa (Salix koriyanagi) too. The specific plants by floristic region were 6 taxa. From among these, the species of degree I were 5 taxa including Salix chaenomeloides, Aristolochia contorta, Artemisia selengensis, Cirsium pendulum and Vallisneria natans, and degree III was 1 taxa including Alisma orientale. The naturalized plants were 45 taxa and the invasive alien plants were 3 taxa including Sicyos angulatus, Ambrosia artemisiifolia and Ambrosia trifida. The naturalized index (NI) was about 22.1%, 16.1% of urbanized index (UI) and 27.3% of disturbed index (DI). The extinct species by construction were 17 taxa including Persicaria sagittata, Typha orientalis, Zizania latifolia and so forth. The new-occured species were 14 taxa including Brassica juncea, Thlaspi arvense, Carduus crispus and so forth. The important species among the extinct species were Aristolochia contorta, Alisma orientale and Vallisneria natans.