• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.4
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• pp.519-527
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• 2014

Deutzia paniculata is an endemic species, which is geographically restricted within southern part of Korea. Four populations of D. paniculata were sampled across its natural range, from the smallest population, Mt. Dalum, which held less than 100 individuals, to the largest, Mt. Unmum, over 3,500 individuals. Artificial pollination study showed that D. paniculata had an obligate outcross breeding system. Major pollinators were two bee species, Lasioglossum exiliceps and Allograpta balteata (de Geer). The breeding system and patterns of allozyme variation of D. paniculata were investigated to understand the population biology and to explain on reserve designs and management proposals relevant to this species. D. paniculata held relatively low genetic variation at the eight allozyme loci surveyed. Measures of genetic variation in this species alleles per locus ($A_s=1.33$), proportion of polymorphic loci (P=23.85%), and expected heterozygosity ($H_{es}=0.110$) were similar to values reported for endemic species. Mt. Dalum population (DAL) was composed with one clone based on allozyme data. Individuals of D. paniculata were frequently included in root connected clusters. Population genetic structure between and within four populations was probably the result of shrinking effective population size and the extinctions of intervening populations. For the conservation of genetic diversity, maximum number of different genotype need to be protected based on genetic structure and mating system.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.353-366
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• 2016

The effect of different environmental conditions and altitudes on the growth and reproductive characteristics in 12 teak plantations at 4 different blocks (Cauvery canal bank, Topslip and Parambikulam (Tamil Nadu), Nilambur and Wayanad (Kerala) of Southern India was investigated. The annual rainfall and mean monthly temperature of the study areas varied significantly from 1390 to 3188 mm and 16 to $38^{\circ}C$ respectively. The teak plantations in Cauvery canal bank which grow in continuous moisture condition (8-10 months) retain the leaf for longer period due to moisture resulting continuous supply of photosynthates leads to fast and outstanding growth. The girth at breast height (GBH) of 34-years-old tree in canal area was similar to that of 40 to 49-years-old trees in other locations, indicating that teak plantations with regular watering and silvicultural practices may be harvested at the age of 30 years. The leaf fall, flowering and fruiting showed significant variations in different teak plantations due to environmental factors and altitudes. It was found that increase of rainfall enhances number of flowers in the inflorescence in teak. Tholpatty (block-IV) showed more flowering in a inflorescence (3,734-3,744) compared to other plantations (1,678-3,307). Flowering in Nilambur and Wayanad coincided with heavy rainfall resulting low fruitset (1.1-2.3%) probably heavy rainfall ensuing restriction of pollinators for effective pollination. On the other hand, flowering in Cauvery canal bank (Block-I) was not coincided with high rainfall exhibited high fruitset (2-3%). About 66 to 76% of the fruits in different plantations were empty, and it is one of the main reasons for poor germination in teak. The seeds of Topslip and Parambikulam (Block-II) showed higher seed weight, maximum seed filling and good germination indicating that the environmental factors and altitude play significant role in fruit setting and seed filling in teak. In addition, the teak plantations in Topslip and Parambikulam showed good growth suggesting that plantations in the altitude range of approximately 550-700 m may be suitable for converting into seed production areas for production of quality seeds.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.116-125
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• 2017

Alpine plants with a scarcity of pollinators in harsh environments have been believed to undergo selfing for reproductive assurance; however, contradictory evidence is also available. Snowmelt regimes in alpine areas function to change life history characteristics of alpine plants such as flowering time and duration; yet the effects of snowmelt regimes have never been tested in alpine plants in Korea. This study was conducted to investigate the dichogamy, mating systems, and flowering characteristics of Megaleranthis saniculifolia populations [early and late snowmelt plots (ESP and LSP, respectively)] in a subalpine area of Sobaeksan Mountain in Korea. M. saniculifolia exhibited incomplete protogyny in that despite early maturation of pistils, maturation times of pistils and stamens within flowers were partly overlapped. Control and hand-outcrossing treatments produced significantly higher number of follicles and seeds per flower than autonomous and hand-selfing treatments. Based on the aggregate fruit set, the auto-fertility index (AI) and self-compatibility index (SI) were 0.33 and 0.50, respectively. Snowmelt occurred 10 days earlier in ESP than in LSP, thereby ESP and LSP showed distinct differences with regard to flower longevity and season, but showing no difference in peak flowering dates. We concluded that M. saniculifolia is an incomplete protogynous and largely outcrossing plant requiring pollinator service. Temporal variation in snowmelt time and subsequent changes in flowering characteristics under climate change may further threaten the population persistence of M. saniculifolia which has already been designated as endangered species in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.106-113
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• 2020

BACKGROUND: Bumblebees have been shown to be very effective pollinators for most greenhouse tomatoes. Neonicotinoid insecticides are one of the most widely used pesticides in tomato crops in Korea. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study was carried out to investigate the toxicity of four neonicotinoid insecticides (clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam) to bumblebees based on the OECD guidelines (No.246, 247). The 48 hr LD₅₀ (㎍ a.i. /bumblebee) values in the acute contact toxicity tests were determined as follows: clothianidin, 0.467; dinotefuran, 3.741; imidacloprid, 3.967; and thiamethoxam, 0.747. The 48 hr LD₅₀ values in the acute oral toxicity tests were determined as follows: clothianidin, 0.005; dinotefuran, 0.056; imidacloprid, 0.325; and thiamethoxam, 0.018. The acute contact and oral toxicity of the test insecticides to bumblebees from most to least toxic was clothianidin > thiamethoxam > dinotefuran > imidacloprid. CONCLUSION: This study provided the basic toxicological data of neonicotinoid insecticides for bumblebees. In the near future, acute toxicity and mixture toxicity of other pesticides to bumblebees could be determined using this method.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.353-361
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• 2015

Spatio-temporal variation in fruit set in orchids would affect long-term population viability and will influence genetic diversity over many generations. The aim of this study was to examine the breeding system of the nectariferous terrestrial orchid Epipactis thunbergii, to specifically determine levels of fruit set in terms of time and space under natural conditions. We examined pollination under natural conditions and conducted hand pollination experiments during a 2-year survey in four populations located along 1.5 km of coastal line in Jinguiri (rual village) [Jeollanam-do (province), southern Korea]. We found that, over a 2-year period, levels of percentage of fruit set were similar within patches of the four populations. By contrast, we detected significant differences in the percentage of fruit set among patches. We also found that plants with larger inflorescence size produced significantly more fruits than plants with fewer flowers. Over a 2-year period, the percentage of fruit set for E. thunbergii was similar but low (14.1%) compared to that averaged for eighty-four rewarding species (37.1%). However, an increase in fruit set was achieved by hand-pollinations: artificial self-pollination (90.5-95.2%), artificial geitonogamy (94.7-95.0%), and cross-pollination (artificial xenogamy, 91.3-91.4%). No emasculated flowers produced fruits and no automatic pollination was found in E. thunbergii. Our findings suggest that E. thunbergii is a self-compatible terrestrial orchid that depends on pollinators (insects) to achieve fruit set in natural habitats, and that local environmental conditions were similar over a period of 2 years in the study area. Our results also highlight the cryptic variation of fruit production in time, but more pronounced variability in space.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.58-65
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• 2014

Bumblebees are important pollinators of crops and wildflowers. Bumblebees generally produce one generation per year. One of the key stages for year-round rearing of bumblebees is breaking diapause. To evaluate the effects of a combination method of $CO_2$-narcosis and cold treatment to break the diapause of B. ignitus and B. terrestris queens, we determined whether this method affected their ability to establish a colony after the diapause break. The diapause treatment regimes that were utilized were $CO_2$ ($CO_2$-narcosis), CT-1M (cold treatment at $5^{\circ}C$ for 1 mo), CT-1M-$CO_2$ ($CO_2$-narcosis after cold treatment for 1 mo), CT-2M-$CO_2$ ($CO_2$-narcosis after cold treatment for 2 mo), CT-2M (cold treatment for 2 mo), CT-2.5M-$CO_2$ ($CO_2$-narcosis after cold treatment for 2.5 mo) and CT-2.5M (cold treatment at $5^{\circ}C$ for 2.5 mo). In view of the effects on the colony developmental characteristics of B. ignitus queens, the most favorable diapause treatment was CT-1M-$CO_2$. A combination method of $CO_2$-narcosis and cold temperature treatment yielded better results than that of single $CO_2$-narcosis or cold temperature treatment on the colony development of diapause-broken B. ignitus queens. In the case of B. terrestris queens, we concluded that a combination method of $CO_2$ and cold temperature treatment yielded better results than that of a single cold-temperature (up to 2 mo) treatment. In conclusion, the findings of the present study indicated that the combined application of $CO_2$ and cold temperature was a favorable method for the colony development of diapause-broken B. ignitus and B. terrestris queens compared with only $CO_2$-narcosis or cold temperature treatments. A combination method of $CO_2$ and cold treatment reduced the side effect of $CO_2$-narcosis and shortened the duration of cold treatment by at least 1 mo.

• Journal of Apiculture
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.147-154
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• 2017

Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are common pollinators and important insects studied in agriculture, ecology and basic research. Recently, RDA (Rural Development Administration) and YIRI (Yecheon-gun Industrial Insect Research Institute) have been breeding a triple crossbred honey bee named Jangwon, which have the ability to produce superior quality honey. In this study, we identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker in the genome of Jangwon honeybee, particularly, in the paternal line (D line). Initially, we performed Sequence-Based Genotyping (SBG) using the Illumina Hiseq 2500 in 5 honeybee inbred lines; A, C, D, E, and F; and obtained 1,029 SNPs. Seventeen SNPs for each inbred line were generated and selected after further filtering of the SNP dataset. The 17 SNP markers validated by performing TaqMan probe-based real-time PCR and genotyping analysis was conducted. Genotyping analysis of the 5 honeybee inbred lines and one hybrid line, $D{\times}F$, revealed that one set of SNP marker, AmD9, precisely discriminated the inbred line D from the others. Our results suggest that the identified SNP marker, AmD9, is successful in distinguishing the inbred honeybee lines D, and can be directly used for genotyping and breeding applications.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.237-255
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• 2021

Lychnis wilfordii (Regel) Maxim. is one of the wetland specialists mainly distributed in peatlands at high latitudes. In Korea, it is isolated in two regions. This study investigated habitats, growth traits, and self-compatibility of L. wilfordii and assessed the internal dynamics of its population persistence. Its population has remained stable in the Yongneup Wetland Protected Area (YWPA). There was a clear difference in vegetation environment between YWPA and the distribution area in Daegwallyeong (DWL), Pyeongchang-gun. It has self-compatibility while pollinators facilitate its seed production. It produces a large number of hibernacles and bears the maximum number of branches and fruits in soil with rich organic contents. However, it grows and bears fruits even under the condition of low organic contents. In YWPA, L. wilfordii is not distributed in high moor but widely distributed in low moor where tussocks by Carex thunbergii var. appendiculata are developed. It is mainly distributed on the top of tussocks also. Therefore, it is judged that the formation, growth, and extinction of tussocks by C. thunbergii var. appendiculata is closely related to the establishment, growth, and extinction of plants distributed in this space. It is assessed that the current YWPA has well-developed tussocks in which L. wilfordii is widely distributed, and extinction and re-establishment progress well. Accordingly, the L. wilfordii population is expected to be sustainable in the long term given if its current ecological process is maintained well.

• Journal of Apiculture
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 2019

Honey bees are a vital part of the food chain as the most important pollinators for a broad palette of crops and wild plants. The climate change and colony collapse disorder (CCD) phenomenon make it challenging to develop ICT solutions to predict changes in beehive and alert about potential threats. In this paper, we report the test results of the bee-counting system which stands out against the previous analogues due to its comprehensive components including an improved dual infrared sensor to detect honey bees entering and leaving the hive, environmental sensors that measure ambient and interior, a wireless network with the bluetooth low energy (BLE) to transmit the sensing data in real time to the gateway, and a cloud which accumulate and analyze data. To assess the system accuracy, 3 persons manually counted the outgoing and incoming honey bees using the video record of 360-minute length. The difference between automatic and manual measurements for outgoing and incoming scores were 3.98% and 4.43% respectively. These differences are relatively lower than previous analogues, which inspires a vision that the tested system is a good candidate to use in precise apicultural industry, scientific research and education.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.10-22
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• 2022

This study investigated field data to understand the spatio-temporal distribution of pollinating insects and buckwheat flowers. We set the in-situ observation sites in different locations to get altitude and cropping system distribution data for five years (2016 to 2020) in Korea. Twenty-five different insect species, belonging to 8 orders, were recorded. Over the past five years, species from the orders Diptera and Hymenoptera were the principal visitors. Hymenoptera was mainly represented by honey bees (Apis cerana), while Diptera was represented by bean seed fly (Delia platura) and several other species. Some bees and other Hymenoptera species could, however, act as co-pollinators because of their high relative frequency and activity. Compared with open-field cultivation (conventional), the pollination mediating effect of flies and bees was superior in net house, so the yield was high, and it was also found to be slightly higher in the mixed treatment of flies and bees than in the single treatment. Based on the above results, flies and bees were found to be the most active pollinating insects in buckwheat and it is necessary to actively utilize the selected insects to improve buckwheat productivity. This relationship will be utilized in establishing the system of seed production on pollinating regulation of a primary plant.