• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.377-389
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• 2010

Understanding the factors relevant to endangerment and the patterns of habitat locations in relation to protected areas is critically important for the conservation of rare species. Although 64 plant species have recently been listed as endangered species in Korea, this information has, until now, not been available, making appropriate management and conservation strategies impossible to devise. Thus, we collected information on potentially threatening factors, as well as information on the locations in which these species were observed. The potentially threatening factors were classified into seven categories. National parks, provincial parks, ecosystem conservation areas, and wetland conservation areas were defined as protected conservation areas. Korean digital elevation model data, along with the maps of all protected areas were combined with the maps of endangered plant species, and analyzed via Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Excluding the category of "small population", endangered plant species in Korea were associated more frequently with extrinsic factors than intrinsic factors. Considering land surface only, all conservation areas in Korea totaled 4.9% of the land, far lower than International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)'s 10% coverage target. At the species level, 69% of the endangered plant species were detected in conservation areas, mostly in national parks. However, this result demonstrates that 31% of endangered species inhabit areas outside the conservation zones. Furthermore, at the habitat level, a large proportion of endangered species were found to reside in unprotected areas, revealing "gaps" in protected land. In the face of rapid environmental changes such as population increases, urbanization, and climate changes, converting these gap areas to endangered species' habitats, or at least including them in habitat networks, will help to perpetuate the existence of endangered species.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.503-512
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• 2010

This study was conducted to evaluate fish fauna, species composition, and various guilds against stream orders along with analysis of fish community structure and diversity in Geum River watershed from 2005 to 2007. The total number of fish collected was 4,216 representing 12 families with 56 species. Zacco platypus was the most abundant fish species with 26% in relative abundance (RA). Korean endemic species were 24 species including Zacco koreanus, Microphysogobio yaluensis, Gobiobotia nakdongensis, and Iksookimia koreensis, etc. We also collected endangered fish species such as G. nakdongensis, Liobagrus obesus, and Pseudopungtungia nigra, etc., and their new distribution sites were found in the survey, providing some sites of the fish conservation and protection. Fish tolerance and trophic guilds analysis showed that the proportion of sensitive species, intermediate species, and tolerant species were 33.4%, 29.3%, and 37.3%, respectively and omnivores and insectivores were 48.1 % and 38.4%, respectively. Analysis of site-base study indicated that tolerant species and omnivore species were high in some polluted tributary streams (i.e., Gap and Miho stream) and sensitive and insectivore species were low. In the functional relations, expressed as simple linear regression equations, of stream order on fish metric attributes, showed that the number of species and the number of individuals increased as the stream order increases. This phenomenon was explained by greater availability of stable water volume, rich food, and higher physical habitat capacity. Such guild compositions and stream order characteristics of the river influenced the community structures, based on species diversity, dominance and evenness index in the study. This study may be used as important data in the future for comparisons of fish fauna and compositions before and after two weir (dam) constructions in the middle of Geum River by the government.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.945-959
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• 2014

This study was conducted to provide basic data for optimal fisheries management through the accurate understanding the catches, fishing level, species composition, distribution characteristics and fisheries status of trammel net in Gangwon Province. As the results of trammel net survey, Pisces were collected 77 species, 1,983.0 kg, Crustacea 9 species, 569.0 kg, Cephalopoda 5 species, 75.3 kg, Gastropoda 12 species, 16.5 kg in the coastal waters of Sokcho and Pisces 55 species, 3,681.5 kg, Crustacea 6 species, 2,229.8 kg, Gastropoda 10 species, 72.8 kg, Cephalopoda 4 species, 10.1 kg in the coastal waters of Donghae, respectively. The catches of important species with season and depths showed that the main target species is Pleuronectidae spp. at all depth and Aptocyclus ventricosus at <100 m in Sokcho, Liparis spp. and Dasycottus setiger at 200-500 m in Donghae, respectively. The mean total length (cm) of Gadus macrocephalus and Aptocyclus ventricosus didn't appear significant difference, but the mean total length of Pleuronectidae spp., Liparis spp. and D. setiger in Donghae is bigger than in Sokcho. From the cluster and MDS analysis based on Bray-Curtis similarity matrix of fourth root transformed, catches data of dominant species in the coastal waters of Sokcho and Donghae was divided into three different groups of the demersal organisms community in 12 survey of Donghae (Group A) and Jul., Oct.-Dec. survey of Sokcho (Group B) and Jan.-Jun. and Aug.-Sep. survey of Sokcho (Group C).

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.104-115
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• 2021

The research attempted to analyze the medicinal plant species richness in the vertical gradient from lower to the highest elevation of Makawanpur, focusing on the relationship between species richness and elevation which is very important for conservation and management of species diversity. Inventory was carried out in the study area by taking sampling intensity of 0.5% in the effective area. Altogether, 42 sample plots were laid in the field with the help of GIS software maintaining 50 m altitude difference. High species diversity was found in the herbs species whereas shrubs have comparatively low species diversity. The maximum species richness is found in herbs and poles whereas shrubs and trees have relatively low species richness. Research showed that species richness of medicinal plants increased with altitudinal gradient. While analyzing the species richness from 350 to 2,550 m (msl), the highest species richness was received with the elevation ranges from 1,800 m to 2,300 m. There was a positive relationship between species richness and altitudinal gradient in the study area. In addition, we have recorded the high value medicinal plants after 1,800 m altitude and rarely within 1,000 m. Medicinal plants correlated both positive and negative relationships with the increased altitude. The altitudinal response has positively seen except density (n/ha) of Shrubs. Domestication and cultivation of high value medicinal plants should be promoted in community forest including private lands. Training, workshops and awareness programs should be conducted to make people aware about medicinal plants resource utilization, conservation and commercialization of available medicinal plants.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.367-375
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• 2019

Pufferfish (Takifugu spp.) are economically important edible marine fish. Mistakes in pufferfish classification can lead to poisoning; therefore, accurate species identification is critical. In this study, we used the mtDNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI) to design specific primers for six Takifugu species among the 21 domestic or imported pufferfish species legally sold for consumption in Korea. We rapidly and simultaneously identified these pufferfish species using a highly efficient, multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system with the six species-specific primers. The results showed that species-specific multiplex PCR (multiplex species-specific polymerase chain reaction; MSS-PCR) either specifically amplified PCR products of a unique size or failed. MSS-PCR yielded amplification fragment lengths of 897 bp for Takifugu pardalis, 822 bp for T. porphyreus, 667 bp for T. niphobles, 454 bp for T. poecilonotus, 366 bp for T. rubripes, and 230 bp for T. xanthpterus using the species-specific primers and a control primer (ca. 1,200 bp). We visualized the results using agarose gel electrophoresis to obtain accurate contrasts of the six Takifugu species. MSS-PCR analysis is easily performed and provides identification results within 6 h. This technique is a powerful tool for the discrimination of Takifugu species and will help prevent falsified labeling, protect consumer rights, and reduce the risk of pufferfish poisoning..

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.138-144
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• 2008

The Specific Plant Species such as N degree (2 species) and V degree (5 species) which is categorized by the Ministry of Environment are appeared as 7 species. II degree species among Endangered species of wild flora is Abeliophyllum distichum, and the Rare and Endangered Species which is categorized by the Korea Forest Service are enlisted as the five taxa. The Bukhansan is one of the phytogeographic ally important areas among national parks of Korea because this region is located in the northern limit of Southern Plant Types, such as Carpinus laxiflora, Cornus kousa, Styrax japonica and Zanthoxylum piperitum. The flora of the area was enlisted as 638 taxa, 103 families, 362 genera, 541 species, 87 varieties, and 10 forms. Naturalized Species was identified as 58 taxa, 16 families, 52 genera, 54 species and 4 varieties. The Ratio of Naturalized and Urbanization Index was 9.09% and 20.21%, respectively.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.257-269
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• 2017

The study has piloted to find the Pattern of species distribution along environmental variables and disturbance in Raghunandan Reserve Forest. Shaltila and Shahapur beat of Raghunandan Hill Reserve Forest are situated in Chunarughat sub-district of Habiganj district between $24^{\circ}5^{\prime}-24^{\circ}10^{\prime}N$ and $91^{\circ}25^{\prime}-91^{\circ}30^{\prime}E$ under the Sylhet Forest Division. The Environmental variable and vegetation data were collected from 30 sample plots from each forest beat by using arbitrary sampling without preconceived bias. 51 species were found from Shaltila and 34 species found in Shahapur forest beat. Thus the dataset continued with total 85 species in 60 samples. To determine the relationships between tree species distribution and environmental variables, Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) ordination method were performed separately for two forest beat. In CCA ordination, tree species showed significant variation along environmental gradients in terms of soil organic matter and disturbances (p<0.05) in the case of Shaltila forest. Potassium has a significant relationship with axis 1 and axis 2 in this forest. But Shahapur forest showed no significant relationship between species and environmental variables. Phosphorus has a significantly negative relationship with axis 2 in this forest. Disturbance played as a critical role of this forest thus influencing the distribution of species. The study showed that the distributions of tree species are strongly influenced by disturbance and organic matter in Shaltila and Shahapur forest beat showed no significant relationship between species and environmental variables. Future research should be included more environmental variables with larger study area that identify the most important environmental forces which will drive by species distribution findings in this forest.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.298-310
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• 2022

Although giant and large fish species are highly important as a keystone species in the marine ecosystem, there have been no or few studies on their spatio-temporal variations around the Korean peninsula. For this, we analyzed daily reports made by observers at 57 fishery landing sites in Korea over 6 years, from 2011 to 2016. In total, 153 fish species were re-identified based on photos and descriptions recorded by Korean observers, of which five species were classified as a giant fish over 5 m in maximum total length (MTL) and 17 species as a large fish from 3 m to 5 m MTL according to the data presented by Froese & Pauly (2021). Among the giant and large fish species, Mola mola was the most abundant species, with 75 individuals landed as by-catch. The second most abundant species was Isurus oxyrinchus (31), followed by Mobula mobular (23), Lamna ditropis (17), Masturus lanceolatus (16), Sphyrna zygaena (14), and Prionace glauca (12). As a result of cluster analysis based on the number of individuals of giant and large fish species by year and sea, six years were separated into two clusters (2011-2013 vs. 2014-2016), with high contribution of M. mola, I. oxyrinchus, and M. lanceolatus; and three seas were separated into two clusters (eastern + southern seas vs. western sea), with high contribution of M. lanceolatus, L. ditropis, and I. oxyrinchus. The largest number of M. mola accounted for 64% of the total in 2014 and 2016, and 71% in summer (June-August). It is assumed to have a correlation between seawater temperature fluctuation and the occurrence of giant and large fish species. Our study highlights importance of longterm monitoring of giant and large fish species, and can help to understand the life cycle such as natal or nursery migration of giant and large fish species around the Korean peninsula.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.634-641
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• 2013

Condensing species behaviour downstream of a combustor was discussed with particle size distribution in this study. The effects of operating conditions in a biomass combustion facility, i.e. concentration of condensing species, temperature gradient, residence time and injection of adsorbents, on particle size distribution were investigated. Pyroligneous liquid which was completely vaporized at the temperature higher than $350^{\circ}C$ was used as a representative of condensing gaseous species. We found that particle size downstream of a combustor increased with increasing heating temperature (i.e. concentration of condensing species) and residence time. However, temperature gradient was not an important factor to control the particle size. The addition of $SiO_2$ precursor as an adsorbent could effectively prevent the particle formation by adsorbing condensing gaseous species on $SiO_2$ particles, and increased the particle size up to 300 nm, resulting in increasing particle removal efficiency in a conventional air pollution control device.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.70-79
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• 2000

Arbuscular mycorrhizal(AM) fungi have significant role for ecosystem structure and function. They are the major component of forest soil ecosystems and critically important for water and nutrient cycling in the system. To understand the ecology of AM fungi the fungal spores were collected, identified and counted in forest soils under various climatic and edaphic conditions. In relation to soil depth 90% of AM fungi spores and mycorrhizas distributed within 15cm soil depth. Number of spores per $100m{\ell}$ forest soil volume was 5 to 36 spores from 1 to 3 fungal species. AM fungal species diversity was higher in warmer climates, and more moist and fertile soils. The most frequently found species were Gigaspora decipiens irrespective of soil moisture and Gi. gigantea irrespective of soil fertility. In the Jeju island the soils of Cryptomeria japonica plantations and Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens meadow had more AM spores than the other soils. We suggest AM fungi be considered as keystones species when restoring a disturbed forest ecosystem.