• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.469-477
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• 2018

Hanabusaya asiatica is an endemic species whose distribution is limited in the mid-eastern part of the Korean peninsula. Due to its narrow range and small population, it is necessary to protect its habitats by identifying it as Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) adopted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In this paper, we estimated potential natural habitats for H. asiatica using maximum entropy model (MaxEnt) and identified candidate sites for KBA based on the model results. MaxEnt is a machine learning algorithm that can predict habitats for species of interest unbiasedly with presence-only data. This property is particularly useful for the study area where data collection via a field survey is unavailable. We trained MaxEnt using 38 locations of H. asiatica and 11 environmental variables that measured climate, topography, and vegetation status of the study area which encompassed all locations of the border region between South and North Korea. Results showed that the potential habitats where the occurrence probabilities of H. asiatica exceeded 0.5 were $778km^2$, and the KBA candidate area identified by taking into account existing protected areas was $1,321km^2$. Of 11 environmental variables, elevation, annual average precipitation, average precipitation in growing seasons, and the average temperature in the coldest month had impacts on habitat selection, indicating that H. asiatica prefers cool regions at a relatively high elevation. These results can be used not only for identifying KBAs but also for the reference to a protection plan for H. asiatica in preparation of Korean reunification and climate change.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.116-186
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• 1983

An epidemiological study on Clonorchis sinensis infection along the Nam-river (total length ; 186km) flowing in Gyeongsang-nam-do, southern part of Korea, was carried out. Formalin-ether concentration technique and Stoll's egg counting method were employed to figure out the prevalence of C. sinensis infection. For the detection of cercariae from Parafossarulus sp., the snail host of C. sinensis, each snail was placed in aerated tap water, and examined for expelled cercariae. For observing the metacercariae the fresh water fish favorably eaten in raw conditions wore prepared by means of pressing the muscles between two slide glasses and/or by digesting them with artificial gastric juice. The fresh water fish were fed to the rabbits to get the worms and to identify the morphology of adult C. sinensis. The results are summarized as follows: 1. Overall Prevalence of C. sinensis infection was 38.75 from 5,291 examinees; 44.15 (1,408 out of 3,196) in male and 30.4% (637 out of 2,095) in female. 2. The prevalence rates were 42.0% at the upper stream, 41.2% around the vicinity of Jinyanglake, 34.2% at Jinju city, 34.2% at middle stream and 40.3% at down stream regions, respectively. 3. By age, the highest positive rate (53.4∼54.3%) was observed in 30 to 59 years of age. In this age group, the rate in males was 59.7∼62.2%, and in females 42.2∼44.4%, In the age group of less than 19 years it was 7.5∼20.9%. 4. By social strata, the positive rate was 16.5% in the primary school children, 22.6% in school students, 46.2% in teachers and local officers and 49.6% in the general inhabitants. 5. The quantitative examinations with the stool collected from clonorchiasis cases revealed that the light infection (less than 4,000/EPG) was 53.6%, moderate infection (4,001∼10,000 /EPG) 30.3% and heavy infection (more than 10,001/EPG) 16.1%, respectively. More than half of total cases examined were light infection, and 73.2% of female examinees were lightly infected with this cuke. 6. The average value of EPG was 4,963 (male, 6,057; female, 2,557 and the highest value was obtained from the age group of 30 to 59 years (5,240∼6,454). 7. The prevalence of Metagonimus yokogawai infection in humans was 5.5%, and 89.8% of metagonimiasis cases wore double-infected arith C. sinensis. The highest prevalence rate was observed in Jinju city (11.2%). 8. Total of 5,005 Parafossarulus sp., the snail intermediate host of C. sinensis, were examined for the detection of cercariae. The cercarial expulsion rate was 0.34%, and the snails collected in Jin-yang-lake side and in the down stream expelled mainly the cercariae of C, sinensis. 9. About 788 cercariaejday (range: 127∼1,503) were expelled daily from a snail naturally infected with C. sinensis. The snails which released more than 1,000 cercariae/day were 30.8% out of total collected. A snail uniquely released 5,840 cercariae/day in this study. 10. The other trematode cercariae besides C. sinensis were also detected, and the rates out of total snails were the cercariae of Losogenes liberum 6.71%, Cyathocotyle orientalis 0.26%, Notocotylus attenuatus 2.52% and Mucobucaris 0.54%, 11. Ten out of 18 species of fresh water fish caught along the river harbored the metacercariae of C, sinensis. The highest rate of metacercarial infection in fish was detected in Pseudorasbora larva (85.9%). The fish mainly eaten by the inhabitants along the Nam-river, and the metacercarial infection rates were: Zacco platypus 8.0%, Hemibarbus sp. 18.2∼26.7%, Gnathepcgcn sp. 37.5%, Ischikauia steenackeri 42.9% and Pseudogobio esocinus 16.7%. 12. Out of 36 P. larva, the number of metacercariae were about 109 (ranEe; 18∼446) per fish and 27 per gram of flesh. The fish caught in spring harbored the highest number of metacercariae. As indicated above, the prevalence of C. sinensis infection in the inhabitants residing around the Nam-river was relatively high. The farther toward the upper stream areas, the higher was the positive rate of C. sinensis infection, and most of clonorchiasis cases were lightly infected. The snail hosts of C. sinensis distributed all around the Nam-river. Several species of freshwater fish were infected with the metacercariae of C. sinensis and the infection rates were relatively high. To prevent C. sinensis infection in the endemic areas, the effective health education system is suggested as a control measure, although mass treatment is also expected to be useful, using chemotherapeutic agents such as "praziquantel", a recently developed anthelminthic for C. sinensis inftraction.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.335-340
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• 2010

The paper describes the objectives of Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecosystem (YSLME) project, focusing on procedural and practical aspects. YSLME is a highly productive sea yet possibly one of the most impacted large marine ecosystems, in terms of anthropogenic stressors, due the enormous coastal population. The aim of the YSLME project is the reduction of ecosystem stress through identification of the environmental problems in the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) that are then addressed in the Strategic Action Programme (SAP). One of the major problems found to be affecting biological diversity is habitat modification through wetland reclamation, conversion and degradation. Since the early 1900's more than 40% of intertidal wetlands have been reclaimed in Korea, and 60% of Chinese coastal wetlands have been converted or reclaimed. Damaging fishing practices, pollution and coastal eutrophication have further degraded the coastal environment reducing the biological diversity. To combat this loss, the YSLME project has mounted a public awareness campaign to raise environmental consciousness targeted at all different levels of society, from politicians at parliamentary workshops, local government officer training events, scientific conferences and involvement of scientists in the project research and reporting, to university and high school students in our visiting internship programmes and environmental camps. We have also built networks through the Yellow Sea Partnership and by liaising and working with other environmental organizations and NGOs. NGO's are recognised as important partners in the environmental conservation as they already have extensive local networks that can be lacking in international organisations. Effective links have been built with many of these NGOs through the small grants programme. Working with WWF's YSESP project and other academic and research institutions we have conducted our own biodiversity assessments that have contributed to the science-based development of the SAP for the YSLME. Our regional targets for biodiversity outlined in the SAP include: Improvements in the densities, distributions and genetic diversity of current populations of all living organisms including endangered and endemic species; Maintenance of habitats according to standards and regulations of 2007; and a reduction in the risk of introduced species. Endorsement of the SAP and its successful implementation, during the proposed second phase of the YSLEM project, will ensure that biological diversity is here to benefit future generations.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.76-88
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• 2011

The flora of vascular plants in the mountains located in the Uiryeong-gun area, in the South province of the Korean Peninsula, such as Jagul-san(897.1 m), 676 Highland(676 m), Byeokhwa-san(522 m), and the Bangeo-san(530.4 m), was investigated between April 2008 and August 2009. These investigations found 580 taxa consisting of 496 species, 1 subspecies, 77 varieties, and 6 forms, found within 319 genera under 103 families. The count totaled at 744 taxa(16.2% of all vascular plant taxa in Korea), which was made up of 648 species, 3 subspecies, 81 varieties, and 12 forms, found within of 362 genera under 109 families, when voucher specimens from the previous research studies were added. Forests of the investigated areas were generally composed of mixed Pinus densiflora and Quercus sp. The areas with comparatively excellent vegetation were the valley neighboring Baekun-sa(temple) (in the eastern slope of Mt. Jagul-san), the southwest slope of Mt. 676 Highland, the eastern slope of Mt. Byeokhwa-san, and the northern slope of Mt. Bangeo-san. 10 families were collected in abundance: Compositae, Graminae, Leguminosae, Liliaceae, Rosaceae, Cyperaceae, Labiatae, Polygonaceae, Ranunculaceae, and Violaceae these families made up 50% of all collected taxa. 19 taxa were endemic to the area, including Salix hallaisanensis H.Lev, S. koriyanagi Kimura, Aconitum austrokoreense Koidz, A. pseudolaeve Nakai, Clematis trichotoma Nakai, Thalictrum uchiyamai Nakai, Stewartia pseudocamellia Maxim, Philadelphus schrenkii Rupr., Lespedeza ${\times}$ robusta Nakai, Vicia chosenensis Ohwi, Euonymus trapococca Nakai, and Angelica cartilagino-marginata var. distans(Nakai) Kitag. Eight of the taxa were rare and endangered plants, as designated by the Korea Forest Service, including Jeffersonia dubia(Maxim.) Baker & S. Moore and Viola diamantiaca Nakai. 38 taxa of alien plants were found. Vegetation of the surveyed areas falls in the South province of the Korean Peninsula. Of all the taxa collected, 463 taxa(10.06% of all vascular plants in Korea) are considered useful plants, 231 taxa are edible, 193 taxa have medicinal uses, 65 taxa are used ornamentally, 234 taxa are important forage, 3 taxa are used as an industrial raw material, 17 taxa are used for timber, 18 taxa contain useful dyes, and 7 taxa are used for fiber.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.49-70
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• 2009

Floral study on the vegetation of 8 mountains including Taehwa-san, Mugab-san, Haehyeob-san, Guksa-bong, Gwanggyo-san, Samseong-san, Suri-san, and 200m peak neighboring to Mulwang lake was carried out from April to October, 2007. They belong to the middle part of Gyeonggi Province, and located between Lat. $37^{\circ}$13' 31.19" ${\sim}37^{\circ}$33' 3.48", Long. $26^{\circ}$43' 04.1" ${\sim}127^{\circ}$26' 28.38". Vascular plants collected in these areas were total 447 taxa composed of 386 species, 5 subspecies, 46 varieties and 10 forms of 262 genera under 92 families. The area from which the most plentiful plants were found was Mt. Gwanggyo-san. The areas with comparatively excellent vegetation are easy slopes nearby valleys in Mt. Gwanggyo-san, Mt. Suri-san and Mt. Haehyeob-san. Forests of the examined areas are generally mixed of Pinus densiflora and Quercus plants, but herbaceous plants covering soil are becoming nearly extinct by air and soil pollutions except some sites. Families with abundant species are Compositae, Rosaceae, Liliaceae and Graminae, etc. Endemic plants found in these areas are 8 taxa of Clematis brachyura, Euonymus trapococcus, Viola seoulensis, Ajuga spectabilis, Scutellaria insignis, Weigela subsessilis, Aster koraiensis, Aconitum chiisanense and rare and endangered plants are 7 taxa of Arisaema heterophyllum, Iris odaesanensis, Eranthis stellata., Aconitum chiisanense, Prunus yedoensis (cultivar), Viola albida, and Syringa wolfi. As to useful plants, 192 taxa for the edible, 132 taxa for the medicinal, 130 taxa for the ornamental and 11 taxa for the staining were classified respectively. Among 17 taxa of specially designated plants, 5th degree plants are 2 taxa of Iris odaesanensis and Prunus yedoensis (cultivar), 4th degree plants are 2 taxa of Symplocarpus renifolius and Syringa wolfi, 3rd degree plants are 13 taxa of Dryopteris gymnophylla, Juniperus chinensis, Betula chinensis, Betula davurica, Diarrhena fauriei, Aconitum longecassidatum, Eranthis stellata, Spiraea salicifolia, Acer palmatum, Vaccinium koreanum, Scutellaria insignis, Weigela florida and Adoxa moschatellina.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.85-116
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• 2005

Gyeryongsan(845m) is located at $36^{\circ}\;18'\;02'\;-36^{\circ}\;23'\;38'$ in latitude, at $127^{\circ}\;11'\;60'-127^{\circ}\;17'\;86'$ in longitude and on Nonsan City and Gongju City in Chungnam Province. Gyeryongsan shows the typical vegetation patterns including the middle area of temperate region represented by the secondary forests of Quercus mongotica and Q. serrata. And we tried to discuss on the distribution and availability of vascular plants including economical plants. The results of plant collection and their investigation from April in 1998 to October in 2002 are as follows : The vascular plants consist of total 684 taxa; 3 hybrids, 12 forms, 84 varieties, 1 subspecies, 584 species, 357 genera, 100 families, 34 orders, 4 classes, 3 subphyla. In this area useful resources plants were 277 taxa$(40.5\%)$ forage source, 261 taxa$(38.2\%)$ edible source, 204 taxa$(29.8\%)$ medicinal source, 80 taxa$(11.7\%)$ ornamental source, 20 taxa$(2.9\%)$ timber source, 3 taxa$(0.4\%)$ industrial raw material source respectively. Also, the Korean endemic plants are 29 taxa($4.2\%$ among total 684 taxa); 5 varieties, 24 species, 27 genera, 20 families. And rare and endangered plants are 2 taxa; Paeonia obovate, Gastrodia elata. Also, the naturalized plants are 31 taxa($4.5\%$ among total 684 taxa and $13.7\%$ among the total naturalized plants in Korea).

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.4-25
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• 2011

This study was performed in 2010 to examine the flora and vegetation structure and chemical characteristics of soil in the growing community of Abeliophyllum distichum, located in the Byeonsanbando National Park. This Abeliophyllum distichum community has more individual numbers in Cheongrim-ni and Jungkye-ri, Byeonsan-myeon, and Buan-gun area, which is designated as a Natural Monument (No. 370), and also where the habitat conditions for Abeliophyllum distichum is more favorable. The authors recorded 100 taxa with 45 families, 82 genus, 93 species, 4 varieties, and 3 forms. Among them, species such as Abeliophyllum distichum (critically endangered), Asarum maculatum (near threatened) and Chionanthus retusa (near threatened), which are categorized as rare plants, were recorded. According to the list of Korean endemic plants, 4 taxa, particularly Philadelphus schrenckii, Abeliophyllum distichum, Weigela subsessilis, and Lonicera subsessili, were recorded. The community of Abeliophyllum distichum is located in the northwest slope of Baekcheon watershed and the community is comprised of healthy soil. The community structure was classified into three: the Castanea crenata community, Zelkova serrata community, and Quercus serrata community. The Castanea crenata community is composed of the Cornus walteri, Platycarya strobilacea, Zelkova serrata, Rhamnella frangulioides, arranged in terms of importance percentage. The Zelkova serrata community is composed of Celtis sinensis, Quercus aliena, Styrax japonica, and Acer pseudo-sieboldianum, also according to importance percentage. As for the Quercus serrata community, it is composed of Quercus variabilis, Castanea crenata, and Prunus sargentii, also arranged in terms of importance percentage. The importance percentage of Abeliophyllum distichum is 6.6% in the Castanea crenata community, 5.6% in the Zelkova serrata community and 5.1% in the Quercus serrata community. Moreover, in order of chemical characteristics of soil pH, electrical conductivity, available phosphoric, organic matter, and exchangeable cation (K, Ca, Mg) are analyzed. The No. 3 site was relatively higher than other districts of the same chemical characteristics of soil.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.224-255
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• 2022

This study was carried out to examine the changes in vascular flora in the first and second surveys targeting 32 outstanding forest wetlands in Jeonnam area including Gwangju metropolitan city, and based on this, establish a future monitoring system and effectively manage the excellent forest wetlands. The survey investigated the area seasonally every 4-5 years from 2015 to 2021. The change of flora of 32 excellent forest wetlands in Jeollanam-do increased from 103 families, 311 genera, 496 species, 16 subspecies, 38 varieties, 6 varieties, 556 taxa, to 111 families, 362 genera, 599 species, 16 subspecies, 51 varieties, 8 varieties, 674 taxa. Remarkable plants such as Red list and plants endemic to the Korean Peninsula increased also. However, Nepeta cataria and the like are exterminated locally, so an in situ and ex situ conservation strategy must be established. In the case of plants categorized according to wetland preference, the distribution ratio of such wetland plants slightly decreased and the distribution ratio of such terrestrial plants lightly increased for absolute wetland plants. It is necessary to prepare countermeasures for the terrestrialization of forest wetlands and to develop research techniques that can distinguish boundaries. In addition, the forest wetland should be systematically managed and supervised by designating it as a Forest Genetic Resources Reserve that can effectively conserve it.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.100 no.4
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• pp.609-615
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• 2011

Forsythia saxatilis is a Korean endemic plant designated as rare and endangered by the Korea Forest Service (KFS). Growth and physiological characteristics of F. saxatilis were investigated under two different light intensities in order to figure out an appropriate growth environment for conservation and restoration of the species in its natural habitat. Shoot length, leaf size and weight, photosynthetic pigment content and photosynthetic parameters were measured for F. saxatilis grown at two experimental plots under relative light intensities (RLI) of 20% and 60% of the full sun, respectively. Fresh leaf weight of plants grown under high relative light intensities (RLI-60) exceeded that of plants grown at 20% RLI. The ratio of fresh leaf weight to leaf size at RLI-60 was 1.47 times superior comparing to that recorded at RLI-20. The content of photosynthetic pigments such as chlorophyll a, b and carotenoid were higher in plants grown at RLI-60, whereas the ratio of total chlorophyll to carotenoid content was higher in the leaves at RLI-20. Photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate at RLI-60 were, respectively, 2.5, 2.65 and 1.79 times higher comparing to those recorded at RLI-20. Water use efficiency, however, was higher at RLI-20. The chlorophyll/nitrogen ratio was 1.83 times higher at RLI-20 than at RLI-60. In contrast, the ratio of net photosynthesis to chlorophyll content at RLI-60 was 2.58 times higher than that of RLI-20. In conclusion, light intensity might be the major factor affecting growth and physiological characteristics of F. saxatilis grown under canopy of tall tree species.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.482-489
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• 2012

Visual monitoring is hard to apply on fish because they are living in a water system. To overcome this problem, acoustic telemetry, which is effective for underwater monitoring, is often used for studying fish behaviors, such as movement distance, route and patterns. In this study, in order to monitor the movement pattern of Squaliobarbus curriculus (family Cyprinidae), we used acoustic telemetry and identified the home range and movement distances. A total of nine individuals were released at two different locations: one is at the estuary barrage (Sc1~3) and the other is at the lower part of Baekjae Weir (Sc4~9), located in Geum River. Approximately, a 70 km section from the estuary barrage was investigated. Fish, which were released at the estuary barrage, utilized up to 12.7 km upstream as home range from the release site. At the lower part of Baekjae Weir, most of the fish moved and stayed within a 7.2 km downstream area, except for Sc6, which moved 53.4 km (linear maximum distance from release site) downstream from the release site. Relatively small sized fish (Sc7~9) did not show any movement. Accumulated movement distance significantly correlated with the standard length of S. curriculus ($r_s$=0.715, p=0.03). Moreover, the standard length of moving fish was significantly larger than that of not moving fish (Mann-Whitney U test, p=0.024). Therefore, the movement distance of S. curriculus has been correlated with fish size; movement distance was increased with the standard fish length. Although the sample size of monitored fish was small, various meaningful data were collected by acoustic telemetry. Consequently, this technique could be a method available for effectively monitoring the behavior and ecology of native Korean and endemic species.