• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.93-104
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• 2022

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a serious threat to the global healthcare system. Ineffective and resistance to antibiotic treatments have increased morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. New and effective antibiotics are needed to combat against bacterial resistance. Endophytic fungi are crucial reservoirs of novel bioactive metabolites. In particular, the secondary metabolites show promising therapeutic potential, notably, antibacterial. This review discussed the emerging potential of endophytic fungi as anti-MRSA agents. The ecological sources of endophytic fungi were discussed with the synthesis of bioactive metabolites. The mode of antibacterial actions was elucidated to give a better understanding of the mechanisms involved. This review may serve as an important reference for future discovery and developments of anti-MRSA agents from endophytic fungi.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• 제4권3호
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• pp.131-133
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• 2023

Polyphylla laticollis manchurica Semenov, 1900, is a critically endangered species in the Republic of Korea and is strictly protected as a Class I endangered species. Although this beetle species faces a threat of extinction, its ecological understanding is limited. Previous studies conducted on this species in the Republic of Korea have focused only on its taxonomy and mitochondrial genome sequences. Herein, we report an observation of the mating of adults of P. l. manchurica in June 2021, during an ongoing study on Korean beetles. This incidence was reported around light sources from newly constructed townhouses near Geumgang River. Larval habitats were observed along the river between April 2022 and March 2023. Particularly, two larvae were found inside the plant debris, and three were found under the roots of reeds. This study provides key information on the mating ecology of P. l. manchurica that can assist conservation efforts of this critically endangered species.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.45-64
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• 2020

Objectives: Limited information is available on the presence and associated ecological risks of pharmaceutical residues in aquatic environments near pharmaceutical manufacturing areas in Korea. In this study, we investigated the current state of pharmaceutical contamination and its associated ecological risks in streams near a pharmaceutical manufacturing complex. Methods: Seven pharmaceuticals (acetaminophen, clarithromycin, diclofenac, diphenhydramine, ibuprofen, mefenamic acid and roxithromycin) were measured in water samples collected from the streams near a pharmaceutical manufacturing complex. A predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) was derived using either the assessment factor method or species sensitivity distribution method. In addition, a hazard quotient for each pharmaceutical was calculated by dividing its measured environmental concentration by its PNEC. Results: Samples collected downstream from the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) had higher concentrations of pharmaceuticals than those collected from the reference site (upstream). Moreover, pharmaceutical concentrations were greater in ambient water than in the final effluent from the WWTP, which suggested that non-point sources were contributing to the contamination of the ambient water environment. Some of the target pharmaceuticals exhibited a hazard quotient >1, indicating that their potential ecological effects on the aquatic environment near the pharmaceutical industrial area should not be ignored. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the pharmaceutical manufacturing area was contaminated with residual drugs, and that there was a possible non-point source near the WWTP effluent discharge area. The results of this study will aid in the development of management plans for pharmaceuticals, particularly in hotspots such as pharmaceutical industrial sites and their vicinities.

• 환경생물
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.554-562
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• 2020

본 연구에서는 생태모방적 관점에서 목질을 천공하는 송곳벌과 밑드리좀벌의 산란관의 형태적 특징을 비교하였다. 벌목에 속하는 송곳벌과 밑드리좀벌은 목질부를 천공하는 유사한 특징이 있으나 실체현미경, 전계방사형주사전자현미경, 광학현미경을 이용하여 산란관의 형태적 특징을 관찰한 결과 두 종 간에 큰 차이를 보였다. 송곳벌의 산란관 말단은 등쪽과 배쪽에 모두 규칙적인 돌기가 발달하여, 회전형 드릴 비트와 흡사한 형태를 띤 반면 밑드리좀벌의 산란관 말단은 한쪽 방향에만 몇 개의 돌기가 있고 다른 부분은 매끄러워 마치 톱과 비슷한 형태를 보였다. 또한 얼룩송곳벌 산란관의 말단은 대칭적으로 4등분으로 되어있다가 14번째 돌기를 지나면서 2 : 1 : 1의 비율로 3등분이 되는 반면, 밑드리좀벌 산란관의 말단은 2 : 1 : 1의 비율로 3등분되어 있음을 확인할 수 있었다. 또한, 송곳벌의 산란관의 중간을 수평으로 자른 단면구조에서는 dovetail joint의 구조가 확인되었으며, 이를 통해 천공을 위해 수직 운동을 한다는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 이러한 두 종의 형태적 차이는 목질 부분을 먹이원으로 이용하는 송곳벌과 벌의 유충을 이용하는 밑드리좀벌의 생활방식뿐만 아니라 계통분류학적 차이에 의해 기인한 것으로 사료된다. 끝으로, 산란관 말단 부분의 성분분석결과 두 종 모두에서 높은 강도의 특성을 부여하는 아연이 검출되었다. 이는 주로 목질을 천공하는 두 종의 생태적 적응 과정에 의하여 특이적으로 진화된 것으로 사료된다.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제37권8호
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• pp.1474-1482
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• 2024

Objective: The experiment aimed to determine the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AA) in 10 brown rice samples fed to pigs, and to construct predictive models for SID of CP and AA based on the physical characteristics and chemical composition of brown rice. Methods: Twenty-two cannulated pigs (initial body weight: 42.0±1.2 kg) were assigned to a replicated 11×3 incomplete Latin square design, including an N-free diet and 10 brown rice diets. Each period included 5 d adaptation and 2 d ileal digesta collection. Chromic oxide was added at 0.3% to all the diets as an indigestible marker for calculating the ileal CP and AA digestibility. Results: The coefficients of variation of all detected indices for physical characteristics and chemical composition, except for bulk weight, dry matter (DM) and gross energy, in 10 brown rice samples were greater than 10%. The SID of CP, lysine (Lys), methionine, threonine (Thr), and tryptophan (Trp) in brown rice was 77.2% (62.6% to 85.5%), 87.5% (80.3% to 94.3%), 89.2% (78.9% to 98.9%), 55.4% (46.1% to 67.6%) and 92.5% (86.3% to 96.3%), respectively. The best prediction equations for the SID of CP, Lys, Thr, and Trp were as following, SID_CP = -664.181+8.484×DM (R² = 0.40), SID_Lys = 53.126+6.031×ether extract (EE)+0.893×thousand-kernel volume (R² = 0.66), SID_Thr = 39.916+7.843×EE (R² = 0.41), and SID_Trp = -361.588+4.891×DM+0.387×total starch (R² = 0.85). Conclusion: Overall, a great variation exists among 10 sources of brown rice, and the thousand-grain volume, DM, EE, and total starch can be used as the key predictors for SID of CP and AA.

• 생태와환경
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• 제53권1호
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• pp.1-10
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• 2020

본 연구는 훼손된 하천 수생태계의 훼손원인을 식별하고 그 전이 과정을 규명하기 위해 수생태계 훼손원인 진단체계를 구축하고 정책적 활용 가능성을 보고자 하였다. 수생태계 현황 조사 및 건강성 평가결과는 하천의 훼손에 대한 전반적인 상황을 알 수 있어 하천 복원 및 관리의 판단 근거로 사용된다. 그러나 하천이 훼손된 원인이나 훼손이 발생하게 된 전이 과정을 고려하지 못한다는 한계를 가진다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 과학적이고 체계적인 진단체계를 제안하여 훼손원인과 그 전이 과정을 규명하였다. 미국, 호주, 유럽의 사례를 분석하여 우리나라에 맞는 진단체계를 제안하였다. 총 8단계로 구성되며, 기초자료 조사, 하천 수생태계 훼손 판단, 훼손 구간 설정, 훼손 유형화 및 잠재적 훼손원인 도출, 본 조사, 주훼손원인 진단 및 최적 훼손 모델 도출, 종합분석 및 하천 복원방안으로 이루어져 있다. 이러한 진단체계는 하천 생태계의 복잡하고 다양한 특성을 고려하여 훼손원인을 파악할 수 있으며 하천 복원 및 관리 방안을 제시하여 효율적인 의사결정을 지원할 수 있다.

• 한국지하수토양환경학회지:지하수토양환경
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.57-66
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• 2013

Although the quantity of dredged soils has increased owing to recent new harbor construction, sea course management, polluted sediment dredging, and four-river project, the reuse or recycling of those dredged soils has not done properly in Korea. To develop measures to utilize them in various ways for reuse or recycling, the biophysicochemical properties of dredged soils and sediment were assessed in this study. Samples were classified according to their sources-river and sea-by location, and as dredged soil and sediment depending on storage time. The results showed that dredged materials from the sea have high clay content and can be used for making bricks, tiles, and lightweight backfill materials, while dredged materials from the river have high sand content and can be used in sand aggregates. Separation procedures, depending on the intended application, should be carried out because all dredged materials are poorly sorted. All dredged soils and sediments have high salinity, and hence, salts should be removed before use for cultivation. Since dredged materials from the sea have adequate concentrations of nutrients, except phosphate, they can be used for creating and restoring coastal habitats without carrying out any additional removal processes. The high overall microbial activities in dredged materials from the river suggested that active degradation of organic matter, circulation of nutrients, and provision of nutrients may occur if these dredged materials are used for cultivation purpose.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.1-7
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• 2002

The ecological background of a restoration project is complex and difficult to betermine without experimentation. A useful context for experiments is the well-studied process of natural succession, because the factors that drive or inhibit succession are also at work during reclamation (a form of primary succession) and restoration (which often resembles secondary succession). Using experimental studies on urban wasteland reclamation, we have tested for factors that stimulate or inhibit succession during early phases of woodland development in the Northeastern United states. The emphasis has been on mutualisms (seed dispersal, pollination, and mycorrhizae) and microsite limitations in the recruitment, growth, and reproduction of woody plants. Using plantings of seeds, seedlings, and clusters of reproductively mature plants on abandoned landfills, we have observed that (1) soil microsite deficiencies lead to very poor germination (<0.1$\%$) and seedling survival (<0.01$\%$) of most native species; (2) seed dispersal by birds is a significant and reliable source of woody plant recruitment; however (3) proximity effects are strong, with most (up to 95$\%$) of seed rain falling in the vicinity of planted clusters that are closest to putative seed sources; and (4) remnant natural woodlands are critical components of the recruitment process. To emphasize the last point, in one case, we found that the destruction of approximately 50$\%$ of nearby natural woodland vegetation led to a commensurate decline in seed rain. In another case, we found that the species richness of recruits was strictly limited by the species composition of nearby source plant communities, with no evidence of community enrichment by long distance dispersal over 5 years. We conclude from these results that the size and proximity of remnant natural populations are critical considerations when planning reclamation and restoration programs that rely on natural successional processes.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.289-298
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• 2010

A number of characteristics of the Lake H$\ddot{o}$vsg$\ddot{o}$l watershed, such as the lake's location at the edge of the Central Asian continuous permafrost zone, provide a unique opportunity to evaluate possible anthropogenic impacts in this remote area in northern Mongolia. In this study, we compared stream solute concentrations in six sub-watersheds in the Lake H$\ddot{o}$vsg$\ddot{o}$l watershed. Water samples were collected during the summer months between 2003 and 2005. Concentrations of $Cl^-$ ranged from 9.8 to $51.3\;{\mu}mol/L$; average nitrate concentrations were very low and ranged from undetectable to $1.1\;{\mu}mol/L$ and average ${SO_4}^{2-}$ concentration at sampling stations with minimal animal grazing ranged from 66 to $294\;{\mu}mol/L$. Average dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations ranged from 642 to $1,180\;{\mu}mol$ C/L. We did not find statistically significant differences in DOC concentrations among the six streams, although DOC concentrations tended to be higher in the two northernmost streams, possibly related to differences in the active layer above the permafrost. Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) concentrations were correlated with DOC concentration, and followed the same spatial pattern as those for DOC. In streams in this remote watershed, total dissolved nitrogen was made up of mostly organic N, as has been found for other regions distant from anthropogenic N sources. Overall, these results suggest that future research on the dynamics of DOC and DON in this watershed will be especially insightful in helping to understand how changes in climate and land use patterns will affect transformations, retention, and export of dissolved organic matter within these sub-watersheds in the Lake H$\ddot{o}$vsg$\ddot{o}$l region.

• 한국습지학회지
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.71-84
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• 2007

마산만은 한국의 대표적인 반 폐쇄성 내만으로 유속이 느리며, 해수의 순환이 제한되어 입자물질의 침강이 주로 일어나고 있다. 특히, 육상기원 오염물질 유입은 환경오염문제를 일으켜, 부영양화, 적조, 저층 빈산소 현상 등의 문제가 빈번히 발생하고 있다. 본 연구에서는 생태계 모델을 이용하여, 이매패류를 포함하는 생태계 시스템에서 물질순환 과정의 계산을 수행하였으며, 여과식자인 이매패류에 의한 COD와 식물플랑크톤 같은 입자유기물질의 제거 효과도 계산하였다. 또한, 이매패류 양식장의 입식위치와 입식량을 산정하여, 생물학적 수질관리에 적용하고자 하였다. 모델결과에서, 최적 입식위치는 해양 물리적 과정을 참고로 하여 식물플랑크톤의 집적이 일어나는 곳을 선정하였으며, 최적 입식밀도는 35 개체/$m^{-3}$였고, 최적 입식 면적은 약 500 ha로 나타났다. 이매패류가 최적의 성장을 보인다고 가정하면, 육상부하의 삭감에 관한 노력 없이도 수중의 COD 농도의 18%의 개선효과가 나타났다.