• Title/Summary/Keyword: reproductive ecology

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Effect of Fishing Activity on Nest Selection and Density of Waterfowls in Namyang Lake (낚시꾼의 활동이 수초 지대에 번식하는 물새류의 둥지 위치 선택과 밀도에 미치는 영향)

  • Park, Ji-Hwan;Park, Heon-Woo;Sung, Ha-Cheol;Park, Shi-Ryong
    • Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.29 no.3
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    • pp.213-217
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    • 2006
  • The increase of human activities has been extensively changed the breeding habitats of birds directly or indirectly, where the reproductive success of the birds has been seriously reduced. Leisure activities on water, such as fishing, influenced the breeding biology of waterfowls. However, few researches have been done for this in Korea. We examined the effects of fishing activity on nest selection and density of four waterfowl species at Namyang Lake: Coot (Fulica atra), Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), Little Grebe (Podiceps ruficollis), and Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus). We divided the Namyang Lake into three study areas. Except for the number of anglers, there were no significant differences among the three study areas in the kinds of avian predators, the water depth around study areas measured for possible territorial predatory mammals' passing over, and the values of Relative Importance Percentage of occupying plants. The results showed that waterfowls bred in Namyang Lake preferred the areas with few anglers for the nests. From this study, we recommend that leisure activities including fishing should be prohibited or restricted during the breeding periods of waterfowls for the stable breeding success and that further systematic researches and managements for the species are necessary.

Dispersal Polymorphisms in Insects-its Diversity and Ecological Significance (곤충의 분산다형성-그의 다양성과 생태학적 의의)

  • 현재선
    • Korean journal of applied entomology
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    • v.42 no.4
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    • pp.367-381
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    • 2003
  • Dispersal polymorphism in insects Is a kind of adaptive strategy of the life history together with the diapause, consisting of the “long-winged or alate forms” of migratory phase and the “short-winged or apterous forms” of stationary phase. Dispersal polymorphism is a polymorphism related with the flight capability, and has three categories ; the wing polymorphisms, flight muscle polymorphisms, and flight behavior variations. Phase variation is another type of dispersal polymorphism varying in morphology, physiology and wing forms in response to the density of the population. The dispersal migration is a very adaptive trait that enables a species to keep pace with the changing mosaic of its habitat, but requires some costs. In general, wing reduction has a positive effect on the reproductive potential such as earlier reproduction and larger fecundity The dispersal polymorphism is a kind of optimization in the evolutionary strategies of the life history in insects; a trade-off between the advantages and disadvantages of migration. Wing polymorphism is a phenotypically plastic trait. Wing form changes with the environmental conditions even though the species is the same. Various environmental factors have an effect on the dispersal polymorphisms. Density dependent dispersal polymorphism plays an important role In population dynamics, but it is not a simple function of the density; the individuals of a population may be different in response to the density resulting different outcomes in the population biology, and the detailed information on the genotypic variation of the individuals in the population is the fundamental importance in the prediction of the population performances in a given environment. In conclusion, the studies on the dispersal polymorphisms are a complicated field in relation with both physiology and ecology, and studies on the ecological and quantitative genetics have indeed contributed to understanding of its important nature. But the final factors of evolution; the mechanisms of natural selections, might be revealed through the studies on the population biology.

Association of Polymorphism Harbored by Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Gene and Sex of Calf with Lactation Performance in Cattle

  • Yudin, N.S.;Aitnazarov, R.B.;Voevoda, M.I.;Gerlinskaya, L.A.;Moshkin, M.P.
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.26 no.10
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    • pp.1379-1387
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    • 2013
  • In a majority of mammals, male infants have heavier body mass and grow faster than female infants. Accordingly, male offspring nursing requires a much greater maternal energy contribution to lactation. It is possible that the maternal-fetal immunoendocrine dialog plays an important role in female preparation for lactation during pregnancy. Immune system genes are an integral part of gene regulatory networks in lactation and tumor necrosis factor alpha ($TNF{\alpha}$) is a proinflammatory cytokine that also plays an important role in normal mammary gland development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the sex of calf and/or the -824A/G polymorphism in the promoter region of $TNF{\alpha}$ gene on milk performance traits in Black Pied cattle over the course of lactation. We also studied the allele frequency differences of -824A/G variants across several cattle breeds, which were bred in different climatic conditions. The G allele frequency decreased gradually over the course of lactation events in the Black Pied dairy cattle because of a higher culling rate of cows with the G/G genotype (p<0.001). In contrast to the genotypes A/A and A/G, cows with G/G genotype showed significant variability of milk and milk fat yield subject to sex of delivered calf. Milk yield and milk fat yield were significantly higher in the case of birth of a bull calf than with a heifer calf (p<0.03). The G allele frequency varies from 48% to 58% in Grey Ukrainian and Black Pied cattle to 77% in aboriginal Yakut cattle. Our results suggest that the $TNF{\alpha}$-824A/G gene polymorphism may have an influence on the reproductive efforts of cows over the course of lactation events depending on the sex of progeny. Allocation of resources according to sex of the calf allows optimizing the energy cost of lactation. This may be a probable reason for high G allele frequency in Yakut cattle breeding in extreme environmental conditions. Similarly, the dramatic fall in milk production after birth of a heifer calf increases the probability of culling for the cows with the G/G genotype in animal husbandry.

Mating Systems and Flowering Characteristics of Megaleranthis saniculifolia Ohwi in a Subalpine Zone of Sobaeksan National Park (소백산국립공원 아고산지역 모데미풀 (Megaleranthis saniculifolia Ohwi, Ranunculaceae)의 교배체제와 개화특성)

  • Lee, Hakbong;Lee, Hyeseon;Kang, Hyesoon
    • 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.

Taxonomy of Korean Asarum (Aristolochiaceae) by the Morphological Characters (한국산 족도리풀속(Asarum)의 외부형태학적 형질에 의한 분류)

  • Leem, Hyosun;Oh, Byoung-Un
    • Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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    • v.32 no.4
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    • pp.344-354
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    • 2019
  • In seven species of Korean Asarum, 44 qualitative and 28 quantitative characters were reviewed taxonomically. Among 44 qualitative characters observed in vegetative and reproductive organs, the states of 27 characters were common in all the seven species. Among 28 quantitative characters, five characters have the same values in all the seven species; the number of cataphyll (2-4), leaf (2), calyx lobe (5), stamen (12) and pistil (6). White spots on adaxial surface of leaf (effectively) distinguished A. maculatum and A. versicolor from the other species. Many long soft hairs on abaxial surface of leaf distinguished A. mandshuricum from other species with short hairs. The glandular hairs on inner surface of calyx tube were divided into 2 types, reflecting the taxonomic relationships between the species: Type 1 has non-stalked glandular hairs (A. maculatum, A. sieboldii and A. sp.), and Type 2 has stalked glandular hairs (A. patens, A. versicolor, A. mandshuricum and A. misandrum). The length, shape, colour of calyx lobe and the extent to which the calyx lobe recurves, as well as the diameter and colour of calyx tube throat, were confirmed to be taxonomically valuable. In the case of glandular hair density on the surface of calyx lobe, A. patens with low density and A. sp. with high density were clearly distinct from all the other species with intermediate hair density. Meanwhile, the stylar protuberance length of A. patens (2.9-3.3 mm) was strikingly different from other species (1.4-2.5 mm). Additionally, further examination of the identities of A. yeonbyeonense and A. yeonbyeonense var. viridiluteolum is required.

Analysis of Effects of Multiple Environmental Factors on Early Life-history for Growth and Stress Accumulation Using a Dynamic-state-dependent Model (동적상태의존모델을 이용하여 복합적 환경영향이 어류의 초기 생활사에 미치는 영향 분석)

  • Lee, Who-Seung
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.28 no.1
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    • pp.49-62
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    • 2019
  • Environmental changes can affect life-history traits, such as growth rate and reproduction, and organisms adapt on a given environmental condition to maximize ecological fitness. This study shows the effects of water temperature and dissolved oxygen level on early growth and accumulated damage in fish using a dynamic-state-dependent model. I have hypothesized that the level of foraging activity is related to growth and stress and so the optimal level can maximize reproductive success - ultimately, fitness. The critical temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) is also defined as inducing the maximum growth rate at the level. So, the model predicts the highest growth rate at oxygen saturation and lower growth rate at lower or higher level of DO in water. Lower DO (i.e., hypoxia) causes slower growth rate through higher amount of accumulated stress whereas higher DO (i.e., hyperoxia) induces faster growth rate, but smaller body size. In addition, I show that there is lower impact when considering simple or independent environmental factors on environmental assessment. My findings suggest that multiple environmental factors as physiological ecology approach should be considered to improve impact assessment in environmental changes and a further study is needed to develop advanced assessment tools considering multiple environmental factors.

A Short Review for the Estimation Method of Intrinsic Rate of Natural Increase According to the Setting of Initial Age for the Study Cohort in the Lotka Life Table (로트카 생명표에서 연구 집단의 초기연령 설정에 따른 내적자연증가율 추정방법에 대한 고찰)

  • Dong-soon, Kim
    • Korean journal of applied entomology
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    • v.61 no.4
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    • pp.549-554
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    • 2022
  • Life table-related studies in insect ecology have been an interesting topic for insect researchers. Two calculation methods are commonly applied to estimate the intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm) in the life table statistics. The first method is to estimate an approximate rm by dividing the natural logarithm of the net reproductive rate (R0) by mean generation time (T) (namely mean generation time-based method). Another approach is to apply the Lotka-Euler equation derived from the population growth equation of Lotka-Volterra to estimate accurate rm using the maximum likelihood method (Lotka-Euler equation-based method). In the latter case, there is a difference in the estimated rm value when the initial age class of the target cohort was set to "0" or "1", which confused the application. In this short review, a brief history of the calculation process of the life table was reviewed. It was again confirmed in the Lotka-Euler equation-based method that the form of $\sum\limits_{x=1}^{w}e^{-rx}l_xm_x=1$ should be applied to estimate rm when the first age class was set to zero, while the form of $\sum\limits_{x=0}^{w}e^{-r(x+1)}l_xm_x=1$ when set to one.

Studies on the Propagation of the Freshwater Prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense (De Haan) Reared in the Laboratory (담수산 징거미새우, Macrobrachium nipponense (De Haan)의 증${\cdot}$양식에 관한 생물학적 기초연구 1. 생식생태에 관한 연구)

  • Kwon Chin-Soo;Lee Bok-Kyu
    • Journal of Aquaculture
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    • v.4 no.1
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    • pp.31-66
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    • 1991
  • This paper deals with the reproductive ecology e.g., number of the pre-spawning moults, morphological characteristics of the pre-spawning moult the common moult, daily ration druing a molting cycle mating behavior, structures of spermatozoa and spermatophore, structure of vas deferens, mechanisms of the oviposition and brooding into the egg-chambers, a suitable time for the artificial mating and fertilization, time sequence of the oviposition and brooding into egg-chambers from the copulation, responses to temperature and chlorinity on the egg development and hatching, effect of temperatures on duration of egg development, physical mechanism of the egg hatching, to make an attempt for the artificial spawning and brooding to establish a suitable system of the artificial seedling-production for the aquaculture. 1. Females molted commonly $8{\~}10$ times at an interval of $17{\~}18$ days at $28^{\circ}C,\;3.26\~4.35\%_{\circ}$ while the prespawning moltings were $4{\~}5$ times at an interval of $13{\~}14$ days. The suitable state for artificial copulation was within 14 hours elapsed from the prespawning moltings (most suitable state was within 8 hours). Males discharged a gelatinous spermatophore and placed it on the females sternum during copulation. Oviposition was seen $6{\~}17$ hours after copulation. External fertilization was considered to take place at oviposition. Fertilized eggs held in egg-chambers forming between pleopods were about $5000{\~}6000$ in females those sizes about 6.5 cm in body length. 2. Eggs immediately after oviposition were elliptic shape, measuring $0.58{\times}0.48$ mm up to hatching. Their sizes increased with egg development and finally reached $0.85{\times}0.54$ mm up to hatching. The relationship between the long axis of the egg(Y in U) and days elapsed(X) was expressed as Y= 5.60194 + 0.007358X. The eggs performed superficial cleavage and their cleavage furrows became visible at the 4-daughter-nucleus stage. The eggs showed normal development up to hatching at water temperature range of $22{\~}30^{\circ}C$ (optimum temperature : $26{\~}28^{\circ}C$) and at chlorinity range of $0.00\~6.64\%_{\circ}$ (optimun chlorinity : $2.21{\%}_{\circ}$). The relationship between incubation period (Y in days) and water temperature(X in $^{\circ}C$) could be expressed as Y= 50.803-1.3555X. The eggs hatched $12{\~}13$ days after oviposition at $28.0{\~}28.6^{\circ}C$ 3. The pre-spawning moltings were appreciably different in the morphologic structure from those of common moltings. Breeding setae and dresses were formed on the thoracic regions, abdominal epimerae and the bases of the first to fourth pleopods in order to prepare and support oviposition, transfering and supporting eggs in egg-chambers up to hatching. These supplementary breeding organs were observed only at reproductive seasons.

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Study on Ecological Restoration of Endangered Species in Abandoned Paddy of Korea and Management Plan for its Habitat (한국의 묵논에서 멸종위기식물의 복원생태학적 연구 및 서식지 관리방안)

  • Lee, Soo-In;Lee, Eung-Pill;Hong, Young-Sik;Kim, Eui-Joo;Lee, Seung-Yeon;Park, Jae-Hoon;Jang, Rae-Ha;You, Young-Han
    • 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.

Reproductive Ecology and Genetic Variations in the Sea Urchins Anthocidaris crassispina and Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus in the Cheju Coast (제주연안에 서식하는 보라성게 Anthocidaris crassispina와 말똥성게 Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus의 지역별 번식생태학적 특성과 유전적 변이의 비교)

  • 이정재;김범규;강상균;정상철;이기완;최광식
    • Journal of Aquaculture
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    • v.13 no.2
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    • pp.129-135
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    • 2000
  • Genetic variabilities of local populations of Anthocidaris crassispina and Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus were analysed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique with phenotypic variabilities in timing of gonadal maturation, reproductive output and size of individuals in Cheju. H, pulcherrimus, collected from 4 locations during March 1997, indicated that Daepo individuals were significantly smaller than that at Hamdok, Wimi site A and Wimi site B (ANOVA, p>0.001). Gonodal-somatic index (GSI) of the Wimi site B population was significantly higher than that of three other locations (ANOVA, P>0.0001). An ANOVA test conducted on test size of A. crassispina, harvested from six different locations of Cheju during June 1997, indicated that the size of individuals from Pophwan was significantly smaller (P>0.0001) than that from five other locations. GSIs of urchin m Wimi and Hanlim were significantly higher than that from Pohwan and Oedo (ANOVA, p>0.0001). Genetic similarity, calculated from k13 primer analysis of total DNA, among the six different populations of A. crassispina varied from 0.67 to 0.92, and the values for H. pulcherrimus from 0.60 to 0.73; thus there was no genetic variation among different populations of the same species. Therefore, the populations are genetically homologous and the observed phenotypic variabilities were possibly associated with water temperature and food.

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