• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.400-420
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• 2019

The aims of the study were to analyze (1) the effects of Prosopis juliflora (Prosopis) on the spatial distribution and soil seed banks (SSB) diversity and density, (2) the effects of environmental factors on SSB diversity and density (number of seeds in the soil per unit area), and (3) the effects of animal fecal droppings on SSB diversity, density, and dispersal. Aboveground vegetation data were collected from different Prosopis-infested habitats from quadrats (20 × 20 m) in Prosopis thickets, Prosopis + native species stand, non-invaded woodlands, and open grazing lands. In each Prosopis-infested habitats, soil samples were collected from the litter layer and three successive soil layer, i.e., 0-3 cm, 3-6 cm, and 6-9 cm. Seeds from soil samples and animal fecal matter were separated in the green house using the seedling emergence technique. Invasion of Prosopis had significant effects on the soil seed bank diversity. Results revealed that the mean value of the Shannon diversity of non-invaded woodlands was being higher by 19.2%, 18.5%, and 11.0% than Prosopis thickets; Prosopis + native species stand and open grazing lands, respectively. The seed diversity and richness, recovered from 6-9-cm-deep layer were the highest. On the other hand, the density of Prosopis seeds was the highest in the litter layer. About 156 of seeds/kg (92.9%) of seeds were germinated from cattle fecal matter. However, in a small proportion of seedlings, 12 of seeds/kg (7.1%) were germinated from shot fecal matter. Thus, as the seeds in the soil were low in the study areas, in situ and ex situ conservation of original plants and reseeding of persistent grass species such as Cynodon dactylon, Cenchrus ciliaris, Chrysopogon plumulosus, and Brachiaria ramosa are recommended.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.1-9
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• 2022

This study compared and reviewed the recognition determinants by applying the OECMs criteria, focusing on old big trees, plant of natural monument that are natural heritage under the national heritage system of the Cultural Heritage Administration, and the results are as follows. First, among the protected areas designated and managed by government agencies according to each protection purpose, it is necessary to actively introduce new conservation measures, OECMs, to fulfill the Biodiversity strategy for 2030 while the land area is already saturated. Second, the OECMs are geographically defined areas(CBD, 2018), not currently recognized as a protected areas, governed and managed in a way that achieves positived sustained and effective contribution to in situ conservation of biodiversity. Since the selection of term, the scope of application criteria, and the context of interpretation are inevitably different, it is necessary to separately legislate and establish related laws of the OECMs suitable for each country's situation. Third, as a result of reviewing the OECMs criteria for plant of natural monument, the final 58 potential resources were recognized. Important elements among the OECMs criteria are that buffer zones should be spaced apart from designated zones to secure a certain area, and that economic activities through commercial production should not occur and meet biodiversity standards. Among the potential candidates, 23 areas were analyzed to be geographically isolated and independent, such as Forest of Oriental Arborvitae in Do-dong, Daegu, and forest types such as Carstor Aralia of Gungchon-ri, Samcheok and Forest of Common Camellias in Maryang-ri, Seocheon. As a result of reviewing the application of OECMs criteria for plant of natural monument, it was confirmed that the functions as a traditional uses were specialized among the values of biodiversity, and ecosystem services and cultural and spiritual values were inherited through Korea's unique culture of old big trees and Dangsan ritual. In terms of biodiversity criteria, it can be used as an important factor in connecting human and natural ecosystem networks without the discovery of new species.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.367-382
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• 2024

Alpine and subalpine plants are isolated and distributed in mountaintop areas at high altitudes and, are among the species most vulnerable to global warming. If the rate of warming continues at its current rate, it is highly likely that this species will be unable to find new refugia and will be the last to go extinct in their current habitats. Therefore, research on the distribution and diversity of alpine and subalpine plants is urgently needed and is important from the perspective of biodiversity conservation. Therefore, this study focused on the distribution of alpine and subalpine plants native to national parks. Alpine and subalpine plants distributed across the 12 national parks accounted for approximately half (47.78%) of all alpine plants in Korea. The average relative frequency of occurrence was 0.23, plant similarity between national parks was 37.19%, and beta diversity was 0.63. The number of species was positively correlated with the latitude, elevation, and area of the national park. Thus the geographical distributions of alpine and subalpine plants haves distinct spatial specificities and physical environmental differences.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.302-314
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• 2023

This study aims to explore the direction for Korea's effective response to Target 3 (30by30), which can be said to be the core of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (K-M GBF) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), to find the direction of systematic OECM (Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures) discovery at the national level through a survey of global conceptual review and expert perception of OECM. This study examined ① the use of Korean terms related to OECM, ② derivation of determining criteria reflecting global standards, ③ deriving types of potential OECM candidates in Korea, and ④ considerations for OECM identification and reporting to explore the direction for identifying systematic, national-level OECM that complies with global standards and reflects the Korean context. First, there was consensus for using Korean terminology that reflects the concept of OECM rather than simple translations, and it was determined that "nature coexistence area" was the most preferred term (12 people) and had the same context as CBD 2050 Vision of "a world of living in harmony with nature." This study suggests utilizing four criteria (1. No protected areas, 2. Geographic boundaries, 3. Governance/management, and 4. Biodiversity value) that reflect OECM's core characteristics in the first-stage selection process, carrying out the consensus-building process (stage 2) with the relevant agencies, and adding two criteria (3-1 Effectiveness and sustainability of governance and management and 4-1 Long-term conservation) and performing the in-depth diagnosis in stage 3 (full assessment for reporting). The 28 types examined in this study were generally compatible with OECMs (4.45-6.21/7 points, mean 5.24). In particular, the "Conservation Properties (6.21 points)" and "Conservation Agreements (6.07 points)", which are controlled by National Nature Trust, are shown to be the most in line with the OECM concept. They were followed by "Buffer zone of World Natural Heritage (5.77 points)", "Temple Forest (5.73 points)", "Green-belt (Restricted development zones, 5.63 points)", "DMZ (5.60 points)", and "Buffer zone of biosphere reserve (5.50 point)" to have high potential. In the case of "Uninhabited Islands under Absolute Conservation", the response that they conformed to the protected areas (5.83/7 points) was higher than the OECM compatibility (5.52/7 points), it is determined that in the future, it would be preferable to promote the listing of absolute unprotected islands in the Korea Database on Protected Areas (KDPA) along with their surrounding waters (1 km). Based on the results of a global OECM standard review and expert perception survey, 10 items were suggested as considerations when identifying OECM in the Korean context. In the future, continuous research is needed to identify the potential OECMs through site-level assessment regarding these considerations and establish an effective in-situ conservation system at the national level by linking existing protected area systems and identified OECMs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.105 no.4
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• pp.401-413
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• 2016

Forest resources utilization and variable disturbance history have been affected the rarity and conservation value of forest relict trees, which served as habitat for forest biodiversity, important carbon stock and cultural role include human and natural history in South Korea. This study was conducted to establish the baseline data for forest resources conservation by clarifying species diversity, spatial distribution and ecological characteristics (individual and habitat) of forest relict trees (DBH > 300 cm) based on the data getting from mountain trail, high resolution aerial photos and field professionals and field survey. As results, 54 taxa (18 family 32 genus 48 species 1 subspecies 3 variety and 2 form) as about 22% of tree species in Korea was identified in the field. 837 individuals of forest relict trees were observed and the majority of the trees was in Pinaceae, deciduous Fagaceae and Rosaceae, which families are abundant in population diversity. High elevation area was important to relict trees as mean altitudinal distribution was 1,200 m a.s.l as likely affected by human activity gradients and mid-steep slope and North aspect was important environment for the trees remain. Many individuals exhibited 'damage larger branch' (55.6%) and consequent relatively lower mean canopy coverages (below 80%). Synthetically, present diversity and abundance of relict forest trees in South Korea were the result of complex process among climate variation, local weather and biological factors and the trees of big and old were estimated to important forest biodiversity elements. In the future, clarifying the role and function of relict trees in forest ecosystem, in- and ex- situ programmes for important trees and habitat, and activities for building the background of conservation policy such as "Guideline for identifying and measurement of forest relict trees".

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.23-33
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• 2007

A simple and reliable cryo technique using desiccation and slow freezing of winter dormant buds was employed for 238 core collection of mulberry germplasm collected from diverse geographical regions and maintained under tropical conditions in the ex situ field gene bank to develop long-term biodiversity conservation for ensuring sustainable utilization of these valuable resources. Desiccation and freezing tolerance of bud grafts and excised shoot apices in the axillary buds of different Morus species under in vivo and in vitro condition indicated species-specific variation and most of the wild Morus species were found sensitive. In vitro regeneration and cryopreservation($-196^{\circ}C$) protocols using differentiated bud meristem like axillary winter dormant buds were worked out for a wide range of Morus species, land races, wild and cultivated varieties. Successful cryopreservation of mulberry winter dormant buds of different accessions belonging to M. indica, M. alba, M. latifolia, M. cathayana, M. laevigata, M. nigra, M. australis, M. bombycis, M. sinensis, M multicaulis and M. rotundiloba was achieved. Among wild species Morus tiliaefolia, and M. serrata showed moderate recovery after cryopreservation. Survival rates did not alter after three years of cryopreservation of different Morus species. ISSR markers were used to ascertain the genetic stability of cryopreserved mulberry, which showed no difference detected among the plantlets regenerated from frozen apices in comparison to the non-frozen material.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.243-252
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• 2015

This study was performed to establish a production system for in situ and ex situ conservation of Elsholtzia minima Nakai, an endemic plant grown in Jeju Island. Moreover, this study aimed to identify root-growth characteristics according to the use of pre-treatment agents and seedling growth effect according to fertilizer application. The mean temperature was similar in greenhouse and vinyl-moist chamber, but air humidity was higher in vinyl-moist chamber than in greenhouse. After stem planting of Elsholtzia minima Nakai, initial root growth was observed after 10 days in greenhouse and after 7 days in vinyl-moist chamber. Root growth rate was more rapid in vinyl-moist chamber. Moreover, survival rate, root growth rate and root number was slightly higher in vinyl-moist chamber than in greenhouse, indicating that vinyl-moist chamber is more effective in plant growth. When pre-treatment agents were used to remove root growth-inhibiting substances, a higher root growth rate of more than 95% was found in pre-treatment groups, excluding the group treated with AgNO₃ at 77.5%. Thus, Elsholtzia minima Nakai is thought to have less root growth inhibitors. In the analysis of nitrogen application rate and Osmocote application by seedling container, a difference was found in survival rate and growth according to application rate and container conditions. When Osmocote, a slow release fertilizer, was applied to the soil surface around each culture container, survival rate and the growth of aerial and root parts were most favorable. Thus, Osmocote fertilizer is thought to be desirable for seedling propagation of Elsholtzia minima Nakai.

• Weed & Turfgrass Science
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.40-54
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• 2017

The mound grave of Korean traditional funeral culture is a unique habitat which is a Zoysiagrass lawn being sustainable in proper management. We phytosociologically described an unusual Zoysiagrass vegetation with Gueldenstaedtia verna by the Zürich-Montpellier School's method and analyzed eco-floristic characteristics. A new association, Gueldenstaedtio-Zoysietum japonicae ass. nov. hoc loco, was identified and subdivided into festucetosum ovinae, typicum, and trifolietosum repensae. The subassociations were distinguished by the difference in species composition resulting from site accessibility and lawn management method. The association was assigned as not only a regional but also a locally-limited vegetation type, which distributes on a particular microhabitat with strong continentality in the Daegu regional subdistrict of Bioclimatological division. The Zoysiagrass vegetation of Korea was considered as a continental type apparently different from the oceanic type of Zoysion japonicae (Miscanthetea sinensis, Caricetalia nervatae). Mound graves in Korea should be acknowledged as a meaningful habitat for the in-situ conservation of biodiversity and phytocoenosen, despite being a secondary grassland of Gueldenstaedtio-Zoysietum japonicae.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.11-46
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• 2022

This study was carried out to examine vascular plants and invasive alien plants in Gyodong Island, located at the northwestern Civilian Control Line (CCL) of Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, and to use them as basic data for systematic management of identified plants and establishing biodiversity conservation measures. The survey was conducted 13 times from April 2019 to August 2021. The vascularflora in Gyodong Island was identified as 109 families, 378 genera, 641 species, 15 subspecies, 49 variants, 8 forma, a total of 713 taxa. This was found to be about 15.36% of the total 4,641 taxa of vascular plants in Korea. The northern linage plants on the Korean Peninsula appearing in the Gyodong Island area were identified in 83 classification groups, including Red-based leaf edge (Carex erythrobasis H.Lev. & Vaniot). Korea endemic plants were identified as 16 taxa such as Seoul wild-ginger [Asarum heterotropoides var. seoulense (Nakai) Kitag.], and a total of 20 taxa of rare plants designated by IUCN were observed, including the endangered grade Beardless iris (Iris ruthenica Ker Gawl.). Floristic target species were classified with a total of 99 taxa. For V grade, Beardless iris 1 taxon was found. and also IV grade and III grade were identified in 8 taxa and 20 taxa respectively. The invasive alien plants identified as 75 taxa, such as Verbesina alternifolia (L.) Britton ex Kearney. The naturalization rate was 10.51%, and the urbanization index was calculated as 23.29%. Since large-scale construction has been currently underway on Hwagae Mt. in Gyodong Island as the target of survey area, the influx of invasive plants will be expected to promote. Therefore, it is urgent to establish in-situ protection and conservation measures for notable plants such as Beardless iris and Water smartweed [Persicaria amphibia (L.) S.F.Gray].

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.81-91
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• 2020

As part of method for ecologically utilizing abandoned paddy, potential of the abandoned paddy as a target site for ex-situ conservation of 9 endangered species of different life form was confirmed by considering the nature of rice paddy. In order to create Dum-bung, a component of traditional Korean rice paddy, a part of the abandoned paddy was modified to change the water environment. The seeds, asexual reproductive and sexually reproductive individuals of each endangerd species were transplanted into the abandoned paddy to observe the survival rate and phenological response for 1 year, and then monitored for 2 years. As a result, Hydrophyte 4 taxa (Euryale ferox, Saururus chinensis, Dysophylla yatabeana, Menyanthes trifoliata), Geophyte taxa 1 (Epilobium hirsutum), and Hemicryptophyte taxa 1 (Cicuta virosa) could be introduced into the abandoned paddy. In particular, Euryale ferox, Dysophylla yatabeana, and Menyanthes trifoliata should be introduced into Dum-bung, and Saururus chinensis, Epilobium hirsutum, and Cicuta virosa should be introduced into paddy wetland. Growth of Euryale ferox and Brasenia schreberi was inhibited by herbaceous species, and the growth of Epilobium hirsutum was inhibited by herbivores. Therefore, in order to help efficient settlement of endangered plants introduced in abandoned paddy, it is necessary to remove herbs that inhibit growth and to manage herbivores. In addition, it is necessary to prevent the collapse of paddy bank by planting on the paddy field trees or herbaceous forming vegetation mat. When using abandoned paddy ecologically, it is effective to diversify the moisture environment by creating a Dum-bung to increase biodiversity.