• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2001

Total upland area for cultivating the vegetable crops in the Alpine soils of Northeastern South Korea has been extending its limit to meet the increasing demand of vegetable food in recent decades. About 70% of these alpine soils are located in over 7% of the slope and most of vegetable crops have been cultivated intensively without practicing the best management systems. Thus, soil erosion and continuous cropping system have degenerated the soil fertility and shown detrimental effects on water quality. We initiated an intensive and extensive investigation to characterize the fertility problems encountered in these uplands. Objectives of this paper were to characterize the fertility status in the Alpine soils cultivated with vegetable crops for many years and to provide the recommendations for adequate soil management measures including fertilization and erosion control. Soils in general have good drainage with textural classes of loam or sandy loam. Their topographical characteristics tended to lead them to shallow plow layers, and the steepness of the terrain created erosion hazard. Of the soils examined, about 11% of uplands over 30% gradient was found in need of an urgent reforestation. A high content of gravel and firm hardness of soil attributed to inhibit the utilization of farm machinery and plant-root development. The average soil pH 5.6 was slightly low relative to pH 5.70 of the national average. Organic matter content was high compared with 2.0% of national average, but decreased with the prolonged cultivation periods. Available $P_2O_5$ concentration was unusually high due to the consequence of over dose application with chemical and organic fertilizers. Exchangeable cations as Ca, Mg, and K were appeared to be decreased in these regions with prolonging the cultivation periods. There were no significant differences in cation exchange capacity (CEC) and electrical conductivity (EC) among locations. Heavy metal contents were mostly lower than the threshold of danger level designated by Soil Environment Conservation Law of South Korea. Results indicated that a proper countermeasure and the best management practice should be immediately implemented to conserve the top soil and fertility in the Alpine regions.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.828-836
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• 2010

This study was conducted to evaluate soil erosion risk with a standard unit watershed in the upper Han river basin using the spatial soil erosion map according to the change of landuse. The study area is 14,577 $km^2$, which consists of 10 subbasins, 107 standard unit watersheds. Total annual soil loss and soil loss per area estimated were $895{\times}10^4\;Mg\;yr^{-1}$ and 6.1 Mg $ha^{-1}\;yr^{-1}$, respectively. A result of analysis with a subbasin as a unit showed that annual soil losses and soil loss per area in Namhan river basins was more than in Bukhan river ones. Predicted annual soil loss according to the landuse ranked as Forest & Grassland > Upland ${\gg}$ Urban & Fallow area > Paddy field > Orchard. Upland area covered 6.2% of the study area, but the contribution of total annul soil loss was 40.6% and that of Forest & Grassland was 44.2%. As a evaluation of soil erosion risk using the spatial soil erosion map, we could precisely conformed the potential hazardous region of soil erosion in each unit watersheds. The ratio of regions, graded as higher "Moderate" for annual soil loss, were respectively 8.7%, 7.9% and 7.8% in 1001, 1002 and 1003 subbasins in Namhan river basin. Most landuse of these area was upland, and these area is necessary to establish soil conservation practices to reduce soil erosion based on the field observation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.107 no.4
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• pp.361-377
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• 2018

The aim of this study was to examine whether the guideline by the Ministry of Environment (ME) successfully and appropriately applied the IUCN Red List criteria at regional level and the rare and endangered national list considered eligible. A certain number of vascular plants, which are widely distributed in the world or in east Asia, deemed to be ineligible for assessment at a regional level as Not Applicable category (NA), because it occurs at very low numbers in South Korea. Among 377 vascular plant taxa evaluated by the ME, NA included 238 species, which represented 63.1%. The number of synonymized species or illegitimate name species were 13 species, which accounted for 3.4%. 21 species (9.3%) were threatened at global level and 103 species were possibly candidates species list for Red List assessments at regional level in the near future. The proportion of NA or waiting list was 66.6% among the list assessed by the ME. The most common errors involved incorrectly application of species extinction in case of population extinction in South Korea to the assessment and provided incorrect interpretation of the Red List criteria at regional level. The most assessments proposed by ME were not backed up without quantitative data quality, justifications, and sources. It is suggested that the risk of extinction should be reassessed at least in the Korean peninsula within the light of their overall distribution including far eastern Russia and North eastern China in north and for Japan and Taiwan in south for regional assessment. The results obtained here using the IUCN criteria at regional level showed that the list proposed by the ME produced an overestimation of the number of threatened vascular plants. Also, the misapplication of the term 'species extinction' for regional assessment was open to some degree of subjectivity and misinterpretation.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.266-279
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• 2019

We investigated the characteristics of fish communities and habitat status of endangered species Rhodeus pseudosericeus in Heuk Stream, a tributary of the Han River, from April to October 2018. During this period, we collected 47 species of 14 families from 10 survey stations using kick nets, cast nets, and long bag set nets. The dominant and subdominant species were Zacco platypus (37.6%) and Z. koreanus (13.8%), respectively. The next most abundant species were Squalidus gracilis majimae (11.1%), Pungtungia herzi (7.7%), Rhodeus pseudosericeus (5.0%), Microphysogobio yaluensis (4.3%), and Hemibarbus longirostris (3.0%). Among the fish collected, 19 species (40.4%) were Korean endemic species. Endangered species were R. pseudosericeus and Acheilognathus signifer while exotic species were Micropterus salmoides and Oncorhynchus mykiss, and land-locked species were Plecoglossus altivelis and Rhinogobius brunneus. The community analysis showed that the dominance and evenness indexes were mostly low and that the diversity and richness indexes were high. Moreover, the river health (index of biological integrity) was mostly excllent (1 site is good, 9 sites are very good). R. pseudosericeus inhabited widely from St. 3 to St. 9 in Heuk Stream, and its population size was large. Age groups for R. pseudosericeus estimated by the frequency distribution of total length in spawning season (April) indicated the 32~45 mm group as 1-year old, the 46~59 mm group as 2-years old, 60~69 mm group as 3-years old, and the 70~89 mm group as 4-years or older. Total length range of male and female was similar, and the sex ratio of female (426) to male (394) was 1 : 0.95. A. signifer, which had been released in Heuk Stream, inhabited from St. 4 to St. 5, but its population size was small. Lastly, this paper discusses a conservation plan for fish in Heuk Stream.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.298-304
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• 2021

The anti-aging and anti-inflammatory activities of hot-water (Ca-HW) and 70% ethanol (Ca-E70) whole-plant Calamagrostis arundinacea extracts, as well as their bioactive potentials, were investigated using cell-free and cell-mediated experimental systems. Use of the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical decolorization assay to evaluate the antioxidant activity of the Ca-HW and Ca-E70 extracts revealed DPPH radical scavenging activities of 27% and 48%, respectively. Neither extract caused significant cytotoxicity, and both showed cell proliferation and promotion effects using RAW 264.7, B16F10, and CCD986sk cells. B16F10 melanoma cells showed higher melanin synthesis when treated with 100 mg/ml Ca-HW or Ca-E70 than with arbutin, indicating a stronger inhibitory effect of arbutin on melanin synthesis. Ca-HW and Ca-E70 increased pro-collagen biosynthesis in the human fibroblast CCD986-SK cell line by 24.69% and 12.55%, respectively. Analysis of the anti-inflammatory effects of different concentrations of Ca-HW and Ca-E70 in RAW264.7 cells revealed that Ca-E70 appeared to inhibit the lipopolysaccharide-induced production of nitric oxide and IL-6, a proinflammatory cytokine; therefore, Ca-E70 showed an anti-inflammatory effect. These results suggested that C. arundinacea extracts could have skin anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.100 no.3
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• pp.483-493
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• 2011

Erosion control dams play a primary role in preventing or controlling natural disasters (landslide and debris flow etc.) and also conserve ecosystem in forested watersheds. This study examines structural characteristics of the dams such as the height of ecosystem control and the ecosystem permeability of the erosion control dams under standard drawings and the existing construction works. The objective of this study was to characterize the type classification of erosion control dams as ecosystem. Average permeability was highest on eco-piller dam (63.0%), followed in increasing order by wire rope (13.9%), silt dam (10.9%), multifunctional dam (7.2%), and gravity dam (0.4%). The height of ecosystem control was highest on gravity dam (3.2 m), followed in increasing order by multifunctional dam (1.7 m), wire rope dam (1.2 m), silt dam (0.6 m), and eco-piller dam (0.0 m). Criteria for defining the height of ecosystem control was indefinite. We grouped erosion control dams into three functional types (eco-connection, eco-semi connection, and eco-disconnection) by considering physical and structural characteristics such as the ecosystem permeability and the height of ecosystem control. The type of eco-connection (permeability > 20%) had connection areas from streambed to adjacent riparian areas, and these connection areas serve as ecosystem corridors for fauna and flora. Typical wildlife species includes mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes. The type of eco-semi connection (5% < permeability < 20%) had < 2 m in the eco-barrier height from streambed, however, this type of dams partially serve as wildlife corridors and often provide fish ways. The type of eco-disconnection (permeability < 5%) had > 2 m in the eco-barrier height from streambed, thereby preventing wildlife movement.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.100 no.4
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• pp.577-584
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• 2011

To estimate level of genetic variation and genetic differentiation among populations of 3 populations in Abies koreana and 5 populations in Abies nephrolepis, 5 nSSR markers were analyzed. Except 1 locus where too many alleles were observed excessively, population genetic parameters were recalculated with 4 loci. Mean expected heterozygosities ($H_e$) were 0.292 in A. koreana and 0.220 in A. nephrolepis, respectively. In both species, positive fixation coefficient was estimated (F=0.065 for A. koreana and F=0.095 for A. nephrolepis), which suggests that there is an excess of homozygotes relative to Hardy-Weinberg expectations within populations. Relatively high degree of population differentiation was observed in A. koreana ($F_{ST}=0.063$). compared to that of A. nephrolepis ($F_{ST}=0.039$). From 3-level Hierarchical estimation of F-staticstics, only 4.9% of the genetic variation was allocated between species ($F_{PT}$), which suggested that most of genetic variation was shared between two species. On the basis of results from analysis of genetic relationships among populations, 2 populations of A. koreana (Mt. Halla and Mt. Deogyu) were genetically distinct from the populations of A. nephrolepis but a population of Mt. Jiri was allocated within a group of populations of A. nephrolepis. Populations of both species seemed to have undergone genetic drift due to gradual decrease in population size induced by global warming after the last glacier, which resulted in increase of homozygotes by inbreeding. It could be also postulated that these species might be diverged recently and It is likely that the two species have not fully speciated yet.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.110 no.1
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• pp.53-63
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• 2021

Sophora koreensis Nakai is an indigenous plant in Koreawith a restricted natural range, part of which is in Gangwon province. The species is known to contain phytochemicals that have beneficial effects on human health, and it is economically important in bioindustry. Because of the limited number of plants in a small range of habitats, the mass-propagation method should be developed for use and conservation. In vitro tissue culture is a reliable method in terms of mass propagation from selected clones of the species. We investigated the optimal conditions of the medium in this process, especially focusing on the concentrations of plant growth regulators(PGRs) in the culture of stem-containing axillary buds. Three statistical methods, i.e., ANOVA, response surface method(RSM), and fuzzy clustering were used to analyze the plant growth, number of shoots induced, and shoot length with various combinations of PGRs. Results from the RSM differed from those of the other two methods; thus, the method was not suitable. ANOVA and fuzzy clustering showed similar results. However, more accurate results were obtained using fuzzy clustering because it provided a probability for each treatment. On the basis of the fuzzy clustering analysis, stem tissue produced the greatest number of shoots(11.03 per explant; 63.33%) on a medium supplemented with 5-��M 6-benzylaminopurine and 2.5-��M thidiazuron(TDZ). Proliferation of shoots(2.18 ± 0.21 cm, 63.33%) was attained on a medium supplemented with 2.5-��M BA, 2.5-��M TDZ, and 2.5-��M gibberellic acid.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.68-80
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• 2021

This study aimed to provide basic data such as the structure of the Carpinus turczaninowii community and characteristics of the habitat environment for ex situ conservation by analyzing the plant community structure of Carpinus turczaninowii, an island plant resource. For the community structure analysis, this study established 29 plots, sized 100㎡ each, in Seokmo, Yeongjong, Yeongheung, and Daebu islands. TWINSPAN was used for the classification of communities. The classification identified six communities. Group I was the C. turczaninowii-Quercus serrata community, group II was the C. turczaninowii-Pinus densiflora community, group III was the C. turczaninowii-Quercus mongolica community, group IV was the C. turczaninowii-Sorbus alnifolia community, group V was the C. turczaninowii typical community, and group VI was the C. turczaninowii-Quercus variabilis community. The species diversity was 0.90008~1.12868, the dominance was 0.17536~0.25665, and the similarity index was 17.1429~38.2979%. The result of correlation analysis of 7 environmental factors for 6 communities by RDA ordination showed a positive correlation between the crown density and litter layer and a negative correlation between the bare rock, soil hardness, and altitude on the 1st axis. On the 2nd axis, the bare rock and crown density showed a positive correlation, and the slope showed a negative correlation. In the C. turczaninowii-Quercus serrata community (I), the crown density and the litter layer were the environmental factors affecting the vegetation distribution. In the C. turczaninowii-Pinus densiflora (II) and C. turczaninowii-Quercus mongolica (III) communities, the slope was the factor affecting vegetation distribution. In the C. turczaninowii-Sorbus alnifolia (IV), C. turczaninowii typical (V), and C. turczaninowii-Quercus variabilis (VI) communities, the bare rock, altitude, and soil hardness were the factors affecting vegetation distribution.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.543-549
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• 2021

Approximately 10% of all angiosperms belong to the Asteraceae family. Plant species belonging to this family have traditionally been used as medicinal plants in the Korean Peninsula. We investigated the antioxidant activity of seed extracts from 14 species belonging to the Asteraceae family. Seeds with ≥ 90% percentage of filled seed and ≥ 50% final germination were used. The total phenolic content was the highest in Dendranthema zawadskii var. tenuisectum (13.5 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAEs)/g seeds), followed by Dendranthema zawadskii var. latilobum (11.8 mg of GAEs/g seeds), and Callistephus chinensis (11.0 mg of GAEs/g seeds). The total flavonoid content was highest in C. chinensis (9.8 mg of quercetin equivalents (QEs)/g seeds), followed by D. zawadskii var. tenuisectum (7.2 mg of QEs/g seeds) and Taraxacum officinale (6.3 mg of QEs/g seeds). Our results showed that 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging activity was highest in D. zawadskii var. tenuisectum (57.4 ㎍/ml), followed by T. officinale (59.1 ㎍/ml) and D. zawadskii var. latilobum (65.0 ㎍/ml), with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of DPPH scavenging activity. Furthermore, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity was highest in C. chinensis (26.2 ㎍/ml), followed by D. zawadskii var. tenuisectum (38.4 ㎍/ml), T. officinale (40.2 ㎍/ml), with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of ABTS scavenging activity. Based on a cluster analysis according to the antioxidant activity, the 14 species were classified into five groups, with group 4 having the highest antioxidant activity and group 0 having the lowest antioxidant activity. D. zawadskii var. latilobum, D. zawadskii var. tenuisectum, T. officinale, and C. chinensis belonging to groups 3 and 4, exhibited high phenolic content and antioxidant activity and can be considered potent plant-derived natural antioxidants.