• Mycobiology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.97-100
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• 2017

Endangered native plant habitats and populations are rapidly disappearing because of climate and environmental changes. As a representative, the abundance of the first-class endangered wild plant, Cypripedium japonicum, has been rapidly decreasing in Korea. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the distribution of rhizosphere and endophytic fungi on C. japonicum in its native habitat. A total of 440 rhizosphere and 79 endosphere fungi isolates were isolated and identified on the basis of their molecular characteristics. Sixty-five genera and 119 fungi species were identified in this study. The genus Trichoderma showed the highest abundance among both rhizosphere and endosphere fungi. Mortierella, Hypocrea, and Penicillium spp. were also relatively dominant species on C. japonicum. The community structures of rhizosphere and endosphere fungi were similar, but endosphere fungi showed greater diversity.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.365-381
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• 2009

The chloroplast DNA sequences of Megaleranthis saniculifolia, an endemic and monotypic endangered plant species, were completed in this study (GenBank FJ597983). The genome is 159,924 bp in length. It harbors a pair of IR regions consisting of 26,608 bp each. The lengths of the LSC and SSC regions are 88,326 bp and 18,382 bp, respectively. The structural organizations, gene and intron contents, gene orders, AT contents, codon usages, and transcription units of the Megaleranthis chloroplast genome are similar to those of typical land plant cp DNAs. However, the detailed features of Megaleranthis chloroplast genomes are substantially different from that of Ranunculus, which belongs to the same family, the Ranunculaceae. First, the Megaleranthis cp DNA was 4,797 bp longer than that of Ranunculus due to an expanded IR region into the SSC region and duplicated sequence elements in several spacer regions of the Megaleranthis cp genome. Second, the chloroplast genomes of Megaleranthis and Ranunculus evidence 5.6% sequence divergence in the coding regions, 8.9% sequence divergence in the intron regions, and 18.7% sequence divergence in the intergenic spacer regions, respectively. In both the coding and noncoding regions, average nucleotide substitution rates differed markedly, depending on the genome position. Our data strongly implicate the positional effects of the evolutionary modes of chloroplast genes. The genes evidencing higher levels of base substitutions also have higher incidences of indel mutations and low Ka/Ks ratios. A total of 54 simple sequence repeat loci were identified from the Megaleranthis cp genome. The existence of rich cp SSR loci in the Megaleranthis cp genome provides a rare opportunity to study the population genetic structures of this endangered species. Our phylogenetic trees based on the two independent markers, the nuclear ITS and chloroplast MatK sequences, strongly support the inclusion of the Megaleranthis to the Trollius. Therefore, our molecular trees support Ohwi's original treatment of Megaleranthis saniculifolia to Trollius chosenensis Ohwi.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.229-234
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• 2021

Iris dichotoma Pall. found on Daechung Island in Korea has been designated as an endangered species. To aid in conservation efforts of this species, this study investigated its germination characteristics and seed dormancy type. Four sets of seeds were incubated at different temperatures (4/1℃, 15/6℃, 20/10℃, and 25/15℃). One set of seeds was cold stratified (4 weeks at 4/1℃). The final germination rate and mean germination time showed that the optimal germination temperature was 25/15℃. Final germination rates were ~70%, showing no significant difference among temperature treatments. However, mean germination time were significantly different among all temperature treatments except for 4/1℃. Mean germination time for seeds with temperature treatments of 15/6℃, 20/10℃, and 25/15℃ were 3.2, 2.1, and 1.5 weeks, respectively. At 25/15℃, the mean germination time was half of that at 15/6℃. Seeds of I. dichotoma had fully developed embryos at the time of dispersal. No additional growth of the embryo was observed. Cold stratification did not affect the final germination rate or the mean germination time. This study shows that seeds of I. dichotoma have no physiological or morphological dormancy, unlike other members of the Iris genus known to have seed dormancy that needs a relatively high incubation temperature (≥25/15℃) for mass propagation to occur. These results will be useful for understanding ecophysiological mechanisms related to the species' habitat. They are also useful for mass propagation of I. dichotoma for the purpose of conserving this endangered species.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.228-231
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• 2020

Pseudohelice subquadrata (Dana, 1851) is endangered due to its restricted habitat; hence, it has been designated as a marine protected species and endangered species by law in Korea. It has been recorded only Jeju-do and Geomun-do, Republic of Korea. The present study, is the first report on a cytochrome c oxidase subunit I DNA barcode for P. subquadrata. The maximum intra-specific genetic distance among all P. subquadrata individuals was found to be 0.5%, whereas inter-genetic distance within the same genus was 17.2-21.5% compared with Helice tientsinensis (Rathbun, 1931), H. tridens (De Haan, 1835), H. epicure (Ng et al., 2018), and Helicana wuana (Rathbun, 1931). Our barcoding data can thus be used as reference for restoration and conservation studies on P. subquadrata, which are designated as marine protected species.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.319-329
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• 2002

The vascular plants in the region of Guryongsan and Cheongoksan. Bonghwa-gun, Kyeongsangbuk-do, were consisted of 405 taxa; 96 families, 268 genus. 349 species. 51 varieties, 5 forms. From the floristic point of view, Guryoungsan and Cheongoksan belongs to the middle province in Korea. The rare and endangered plants appeared to 6 taxa were Dryopteris crassirhizoma, Iris ensata var. spontanea, Gastrodia elata, Rodgersia podophylla, Rhododendron micranthum and Scrophularia buergeriana investigated these area.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2019.10a
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• pp.24-24
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• 2019

Iris L. is a perennial genus comprising approximately 300 species worldwide, with the greatest number of endemic species occurring in Asia. Iris is one of the largest genera in the family Iridaceae and includes ca. 15 species native to Korea. Although chromosome number change, karyotype restructuring, and genome size variation play an important role in plant genome diversification, understanding the karyotype variation in Korean Iris species has been hampered by the wide range of base chromosome number (x = 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22) reported to date. This study documents the chromosome numbers, karyotype structure and genome size variation in Iris ruthenica K. Gawl., an endangered species in Korea obtained using classic Feulgen staining and flow cytometry. The chromosome number of all investigated plants from the nine populations was 2n = 42. All individuals studied possessed metacentric and submetacentric chromosomes. The genome size of the I. ruthenica in eight wild populations ranged from 2.39 pg/1C to 2.45 pg/1C ($2.42{\pm}0.02pg/1C$: $mean{\pm}SD$). This study provides the first report of genome size variation in Iris ruthenica in Korea. This study lays foundation for cytogenetic further analyses employing by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to better understand the chromosomal evolution in this species and in the whole genus.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.164-175
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• 2009

The flora of the vascular plant in Mt. Munsu and Mt. Okseok was listed as 689 taxa; 95 families, 332 genus, 600 species, 93 varieties and 5 forms. Based on the list of rare plants by Korea Forest Service and Korea Forest Research Institute, 16 taxa were recorded. And endangered plant was recorded by 1 taxa, Iris koreana var. albiflora. Based on the list of Korean endemic plant, 44 taxa were recorded. According to the specific plant species by classes, class I has 51 taxa, class II has 33 taxa, class III has 28 taxa, class IV has 12 taxa. In class V, we found Houttuynia cordata, but the species was considered to be worthless because it was planted as an ornamental plant in the area. Naturalized plant species were listed as 27 taxa; 99 families, 22 genus, 26 species, 1 varieties. And naturalization index was 3.9%.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.387-403
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• 2003

The vascular plants in Manbokdae-Yeowonjae section of the Baekdudaegan were consisted of 502 taxa; 104 families,305 genus,439 species, 60 varieties, 3 forma. From the floristic point of view, the Baekdudaegan of Manbokdae-Yeowonjae section belongs to the southern province in Korea. The rare and endangered plants designated by Korea Forest Service were Abies koreana, Pedicularis verticillata, Patrinia saniculaefolia, Hololeion maximowiczii, Lilium callolsum, Paeonia obovate, Tricyrtis dizutata and VioEa diamantica, and Cymbidium goeringii. The Korean endemic species were Abies koreana, Patrinia saniculaefolia, Vicia unijuga, Stewartia koreana, Cornus walteri, Weigela subsessilis, Saussurea seoulensis, Tyicyrtis dilatata, Hosta capitata, Clematis trichotoma et at.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.215-222
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• 2011

Various aneuploidy and polyploidy have been reported in the genus Aconitum L. (ca. 300 species worldwide, Ranunculaceae), and there is a demonstrated association between major lineage diversification and polyploidy. This study reports chromosome counts of eight Aconitum from Korea, including the first counts for A. japonicum Thunb. subsp. napiforme ($H. L{\acute{e}}v.$ & Vaniot) Kadota (2n = 32) and A. longecassidatum Nakai (2n = 16). The study also includes chromosome numbers for two taxa on the Critically Endangered species list in Korea. Among Korean native species, chromosome numbers in Aconitum subgenus Aconitum range from 2n = 16 to 2n = 64 with diverse levels of polyploidy (2x, 4x, and 8x), whereas Aconitum subg. Lycoctonum exhibits only diploids (2n = 16). Greater chromosome number diversity in subg. Aconitum than subg. Lycoctonum might explain higher species diversity within the former subgenus (more than 250 species worldwide). Investigating chromosome number diversity of Aconitum in a phylogenetic framework will be a critical step to understand species richness of the genus.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.212-218
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• 2021

The seven unrecorded ciliates were collected from soil samples in Korea. The morphological study of these ciliates was performed based on observation of both living and stained cells: Rigidocortex quadrinucleatus Bharti, Kumar and La Terza, 2017, Rigidohymena tetracirrata (Gellért, 1942) Berger, 2011, Urosoma salmastra (Dragesco and Dragesco-Kernéis, 1986) Berger, 1999, Urosomoida agilis (Engelmann, 1862) Foissner, 1982, Rigidosticha italiensis Bharti, Kumar and La Terza, 2016, Eschaneustyla terricola Foissner, 1982 and Pseudokeronopsis similis (Stokes, 1886) Borror and Wicklow, 1983. Among the seven genera in this study, the genus Rigidosticha Bharti, Kumar and La Terza, 2016 is firstly reported in Korea. In this study, we provide brief descriptions and remarks for the ciliates with photographs.