• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2023

Sustainable habitats play a significant role in determining the survival and habitat preservation of endangered species. To conserve the endangered species Iris dichotoma Pall. and its habitat in Taeanhaean National Park, we collected seeds from a natural population and germinated and propagated them in a greenhouse. In 2019, the propagated individuals of I. dichotoma were transplanted at two study sites in Taeanhaean National Park. After conservation translocation, annual monitoring was conducted from 2020 to 2022, and factors related to the survival and growth of I. dichotoma (clonal propagation rate [%], the flowering rate [%], the population density [individual/m²], the maximum leaf bundle length [height; cm], the maximum leaf bundle width [cm], and the pedicel length [cm]) were measured. According to the results of the monitoring of the flowering and fruiting periods for three years after transplantation, 82.4% of individuals in total were found to have survived. During 2020 to 2022, the mean population density (individual/m²) increased from 0.36 to 0.42 and the size of the leaf bundle length and the width both decreased compared to the corresponding figures in 2019 (p < 0.05). According to the findings here, the transplanted population of I. dichotoma is considered to have adapted successfully to its new site in Taeanhaean National Park.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.157-162
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• 2013

The use of Korean native chicken is increasing, and the discovery of new genetic resources is very important from both economic and genetic conservation points of view. In this study, mtDNA D-loop sequences from 272 privately-owned Korean native chickens from a Hyunin farm were investigated. Seventeen nucleotide substitutions were identified from the sequence analysis and they were classified as 6 haplotypes. Previously investigated haplotypes in five Korean native chicken populations have been compared with the Hyunin chicken population. The results indicated that two haplotypes, H10 and H15, in the Hyunin chicken population were not previously identified in other Korean native chicken populations, representing 33.09% (90/272) and 1.1% (3/272) of the Hyunin population, respectively. On the other hand, four other haplotypes were identical to those of a previous study of Korean native chicken populations. This result is indicative of conservation strategies of Hyunin chicken populations for expanding the genetic diversity in the Korean native chicken population.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.154-164
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• 2022

Understanding temporal variations in wildlife populations is a prerequisite for conservation planning of wide-ranging species such as tigers (Panthera tigris). We determined the temporal variation in abundance, population growth, and sex ratios at different age and sex stages for a tiger population in Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, India from November 2007 to February 2011 using motion-sensing cameras. We identified 19 male and 21 female tigers from stripe patterns during 16,110 trap nights within an area covering 233 km². The annual abundance of the population varied from 34.9 (mean)±3.8 (SE) to 23.9±1.5, with a declining trend in the mean annual change of abundance (-12%). The density of adult females remained stable across the study duration, but the densities of adult males and non-breeding tigers fluctuated. The sex ratio was female-biased (0.58 males/female) for breeding tigers and male-biased (1.74 males/female) for non-breeding tigers. Our results reinforce the importance of long-term studies for monitoring the naturally occurring processes in populations to develop population indicators and identify reliable baseline information for conservation and management planning of populations.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.83-98
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• 2018

This study was conducted on rare plants distributed in Chungnam area from April, 2012 to November, 2017. The rare plant populations that are emerging are: Utricularia pilosa, Jeffersonia dubia, Iris ruthenica, Tipularia japonica, Calanthe discolor, Parasenecio pseudotaimingasa, Ranunculus kazusensis, Berchemia racemosa, Pogonia minor and Glehnia littoralis. According to the criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), plant resources in the rare species category were one important type (CR), three hazardous species (EN) and six vulnerable species (VU). As a result of analyzing characteristics of ecological environment and threats, five types of habitat types, two aquatic areas, two types of flatland and coastal sand dune distribution types were analyzed. The decreasing tendency of the rare plant populations in the surveyed area is judged to be artificial disturbance and habitat destruction rather than climate or environmental change. Considering the characteristics of habitat, conservation measures should be prepared for each population.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.73-81
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• 2009

Population viability analysis of a Gold-spotted pond frog (Rana chosenica) population at Cheongwon-gun, Chungbuk, in South Korea was conducted and we proposed several suggestions for effective conservation and re-introduction of the species. Simulating a developed model over 1,000 times predicted that the population will exist over 30 years with a relatively low growth rate of 0.113, but with a high probability of extinction as 81.1%. Population growth and extinction probability were the most greatly depended on the rate of successful metamorphosis. In the case of outbreak of amphibian diseases such as Chytridiomycosis and Ranavirus, the population will be easily extinct within 4 years with 100% probability. In a habitat of which carrying capacity is 200, to successfully re-introduce an extinct population, it is initially needed to put 100 individuals of which 83% is males and its age structure is normal-distributed. If we additionally conducts artificial supplementation of 10% individuals every 2 years from 4 years to 10 years after initial reintroduction, the population will become a stable with 0.297 growth rate and 0.290 extinction rate. Our results are the first case of amphibian population viability analysis in Korea and could be used to develop effective conservation and re-introduction plans for endangered Gold-spotted pond frog.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.1123-1133
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• 2021

Objective: Shandong indigenous pig breeds are important Chinese pig resources. Their progressive population decline in recent decades has attracted attention towards their conservation. Conservation genetics of these indigenous breeds are essential for developing a conservation and utilization scheme. Methods: A high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (HD-SNP) chip-based comparative analysis of genetic characteristics was performed for seven Shandong indigenous pig breeds in the context of five Western commercial breeds. Results: The results showed that Shandong indigenous pig breeds varied greatly in genetic diversity, effective population size, inbreeding level, and genetic distance with the Western commercial breeds. Specifically, Laiwu and Dapulian displayed low genetic diversity, and had a genetically distant relationship with the Western commercial breeds (average F statistics [F_ST] value of 0.3226 and 0.2666, respectively). Contrastingly, the other five breeds (Yantai, Licha, Yimeng, Wulain, and Heigai) displayed high genetic diversity within breed and had some extent of mixture pattern with the Western commercial breeds, especially Duroc and Landrace (F_ST values from 0.1043 to 0.2536). Furthermore, intensive gene flow was discovered among the seven Shandong indigenous breeds, particularly Wulian, Licha, and Heigai, as indicated by the large cluster formed in the principal component analysis scatterplot and small population differentiation (average of 0.1253) among them. Conclusion: Our study advances the understanding of genetic characteristics of Shandong indigenous breeds and provides essential information for developing an appropriate conservation and utilization scheme for these breeds.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.257-276
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• 2022

Studies on rare and endemic plant conservation should be performed nationally to conserve plant diversity. Studies targeting a specific taxon have been reported based on the necessity of conserving plant diversity. From this point of view, there is an increasing necessity to compare and evaluate the studies for conservation. Moreover, it is necessary to analyze and review the direction for study subjects and items required for effective conservation of rare and endemic plants in Korea, based on the analysis results of collected data. We analyzed trends of studies on rare and endemic plants worldwide. In particular, we collected and analyzed the study trend in Korea. Study fields of the rare and endemic plants were divided into six classifications, of which the conservation ecology classification was sub-divided into the species traits, population study, and biological interaction. We have collected conservation ecology studies showing significant differences in regions and countries. They have been actively conducted in Europe and North America by region and in Japan and the United States by country. On the contrary, studies on basic ecology accounted for the most, followed by conservation genetics and restoration ecology in Korea. It was revealed that the portion of conservation ecology conducted in Korea was lower than that of the world. Moreover, studies mainly focused on a specific taxon of rare and endemic plants, such as endangered plants designated by the Korean Ministry of Environment. Particularly in Korea, conservation genetics and restoration ecology studies accounted for high percentages. Considering the worldwide study trends, particularly those in Europe and North America that lead the study of conservation ecology, we suggest approaches to increase the percentages of conservation ecology, including securing the information on species traits, population structure and population dynamics, and interaction between animals and plants are necessary for effective conservation of rare and endemic plants in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.658-675
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• 2016

The environmental characteristics of the habitats, the population structures, ecological niche, life traits and the population demography are used as an essential informations to the effective conservation plans about the target species. We first confirmed a total of 37 populations through 12 years of investigation on the extents, and investigated the environmental factors of habitats and the population structures of the 25 cohorts in 12 regions among them. And, we investigated the population dynamics targeting at 8 cohorts in the population of Daegwanryeong-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do. Along with this, we conducted 4 years of cultivation experiments and how pollinators affect the success of reproduction. The results shows that the Paeonia obovata Maxim. was found in a relatively wide range of habitats. For the population structures of the 25 cohorts, there were considerable differences among cohorts, including a case which showed relative stable structure and an extreme case in which only adults were found. The factor that affected the population dynamics during the investigation was thought as a forest gap created in the tree layer. In the cultivation experiment, seedlings grew well in a less soil organic matter. The seed setting rate and the number of seeds generated by visiting pollinators were higher trends. In conclusion, to understand the distribution of the Paeonia obovata Maxim., there needs to be investigated on the other factors that are involved in dispersal factors other than environmental factors, and thus we suggest the necessity of the research on the dispersal vectors. The current Paeonia obovata Maxim. population was thought as a process of expansion after the rapid reduction of the extents in the past. For the effective conservation of the Paeonia obovata Maxim., an endangered plant, we recommend to understand the species through the spatio-temporal expansion, and maintain the health of the ecosystem based on it.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.91-102
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• 2008

This study was conducted to obtain the basic information about Siberia Musk Deer (Moschus moschiferus), and to establish a conservation area for the replacement of Siberia Musk Deer into Mt. Odea National Park, South Korea. We analyzed the main habitat for Siberia Musk Deer restoration in Mt. Odae National Park, Korea. We recorded Siberia Musk Deers' field signs (i.e., bedding sites, feeding areas, feces and tracks), and habitat variables such as nearest distance to the watercourse, trails, slope, aspect, forest type and land cover etc. from Dec. 2004 to Aug. 2007 in Mt. Jiri, Mt. Seorak, and Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Rocky areas, ridges, mixed coniferous forest (Red pine and Mongolian oak), southern and southeastern slope, elevation of above 800m, and distance from watercourse shorter than 300m etc. were dominant habitat types of Siberia Musk Deer. Based on the significant habitat types, a proper conservation plan should be prepared for the restoration of habitats in order to reintroduce, and to increase the population of Siberia Musk Deer in Mt. Odea National Park, South Korea. Small population size, and limited ecological data are the major constraints for the establishment of conservation areas. Furthermore, other anthropogenic factors including human activities, poaching, and residential area around the park caused the difficulties to qualify as a conservation area. For the successful establishment of conservation area in the future, it is recommended to conduct a comprehensive ecological research, and to survey human disturbances including their impacts on the habitats of Siberia Musk Deer in the Mt. Odea National Park.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.12-23
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• 2020

Objective: The objective of a conservation program is to maintain maximum genetic diversity and preserve the viability of a breed. However, the efficiency of a program is influenced by the ability to accurately measure and predict genetic diversity. Methods: To examine this question, we conducted a simulation in which common measures (i.e. heterozygosity) and novel measures (identity-by-descent probabilities and parental genomic components) were used to estimate genetic diversity within a conserved population using double-labeled single nucleotide polymorphism markers. Results: The results showed that the accuracy and sensitivity of identity-by-state probabilities and heterozygosity were close to identity by descent (IBD) probabilities, which reflect the true genetic diversity. Expected heterozygosity most closely aligned with IBD. All common measures suggested that practices used in the current Chinese pig conservation program result in a ~5% loss in genetic diversity every 10 generations. Parental genomic components were also analyzed to monitor real-time changes in genomic components for each male and female ancestor. The analysis showed that ~7.5% of male families and ~30% of female families were lost every 5 generations. After 50 generations of simulated conservation, 4 male families lost ~50% of their initial genomic components, and the genomic components for 24.8% of the female families were lost entirely. Conclusion: In summary, compared with the true genetic diversity value obtained using double-labeled markers, expected heterozygosity appears to be the optimal indicator. Parental genomic components analysis provides a more detailed picture of genetic diversity and can be used to guide conservation management practices.