• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 2013

To search for the aldose reductase (AR) inhibitors from Korean folk plants, the inhibition of rat lens AR in vitro using the methanol (MeOH) extracts from Korean folk plants in Chungcheong Province was investigated. Among Korean folk plants tested, the MeOH extract of Persicaria longiseta showed highest inhibition of AR ($IC_{50}$ value, $5.14{\mu}g/ml$). Consequently, P. longiseta has a possibility of new natural resources for the development of AR inhibitor for the prevention of diabetic complications.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.269-273
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• 2009

On 28 April 2008, a male Himalayan Swiftlet (Aerodramus brevirostris) was captured and examined at a night roost of swallows on Hongdo Island, Jeollanam-do, Korea. This is the first record of this species from Korea confirmed by specimen examination. We describe morphological features and some phylogenetic notes of the Himalayan Swiftlet found.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.1-9
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• 2007

Local government with abundant natural resources should consider the nature conservation oriented planning process for the sustainable development. With this regard, the aim of this study is to provide a substantial methodology to support the decision-making process to designate the conservation areas. The objectives of the proposed methodology is to conserve natural resources in the local government's territory through quantitatively assessing the values of the natural resources based on various ecological factors such as topography, flora and fauna. In order to test the usability of the method, Gangneung City in Kangwon-Do is selected considering the latest data availability. Based on the assessment process land use of the subjected city could be categorized into 4 levels of conservative area, conservative level 1 area, conservative level 2 area, and conservative level 3 area. Among them, conservative area and conservative level 1 area could be combined as natural resources conservation area and the others could be regarded as buffer and transitional area. Especially conservation area is surrounded by conservation level 2 area. Conclusively, the GIS methods adopted in this could be the efficient illustrative tool to assess the local natural resource values with the central government established nature-environmental information systems.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture Conference
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• 2007.10b
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• pp.171-179
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• 2007

Ecotourism has a concept of conservation as a basis, for economic and social values are derived from the sustainable use of natural resources. This study aims to introduce natural landscape of the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland and to describe its conservation and tourism in the Park, in order to provide the implication of landscape conservation of National Parks in Korea. Although the National Parks of Scotland were officially established long after those of England and Wales, their important features had already been internationally recognised and designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest(SSSI), National Nature Reserve(NNR), or National Scenic Area(NSA). These focus on landscape conservation and are managed by Scottish Natural Heritage(SNH). The Cairngorms National Park focuses on landscape conservation and recreation, and has been the subject of a number of initiatives attempting to assess landscape resource potential and its current and future management. This implies that a carefully preserved landscape has the effect of a tourism resource in which tourists look for novelty embedded in the typicality of the landscape of the National Park. The typical landscape which is conserved in the Cairngorms National Park is understood as both an objective representative and a subjective ideal involving the meaning of the landscape. This is implicit in the tourist booklet that promotes the sightseeing activities of tourists. It is thus important that National Parks should be focused both on managing landscape as well as promoting tourism.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2008

The Gold-spotted pond frog, Rana plancyi chosenica, designated as a vulnerable species by IUCN Red list. This species is a typical example facing local population threats and extinction due to human activities in South Korea. A strategic conservation plan for this endangered species is urgently needed. In order to provide information for future conservation planning, accurate information on the genetic diversity and taxonomic status is needed for the establishment of conservation units for this species. In this study, we used a molecular genetic approach using the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and control region sequences to find the genetic diversity of gold-spotted pond frogs within South Korea. We sequenced the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b gene and control region of 77 individuals from 11 populations in South Korea, and one from Chongqing, China. A total of 15 cytochrome b gene haplotypes and 34 control region haplotypes were identified from Korean gold-spotted pond frogs. Mean sequence diversity among Korean gold-spotted pond frogs was 0.31% (0.0-0.8%) and 0.51% (0.0-1.0%), respectively. Most Korean populations had at least one unique haplotype for each locus. The Taean, Ansan and Cheongwon populations had no haplotypes shared with other populations. There was a sequence divergence between Korean and Chinese gold-spotted pond frogs (1.3% for cyt b; 2.9% for control region). Analysis of genetic distances and phylogenetic trees based on both cytochrome b and control region sequences indicate that the Korean gold-spotted pond frog are genetically differentiated from those in China.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.314-318
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• 2008

Korean long-tailed goral (Nemorhaedus caudatus) is one of the most endangered species in South Korea. However, detailed species distribution and sex ratio data on the elusive goral are still lacking due to difficulty of identification of the species and sex in the field. The primary aim of this study was to develop an economical PCR-RFLP method to identify species using invasive or non-invasive samples from five Korean ungulates: goral (N. caudatus), roe deer (Capreolus pygargus), feral goat (Capra hircus), water deer (Hydropotes inermis) and musk deer (Moschus moschiferus). The secondary aim was to find more efficient molecular sexing techniques that may be applied to invasive or non-invasive samples of ungulate species. We successfully utilized PCR-RFLP of partial mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (376 bp) for species identification, and sex-specific amplification of ZFX/Y and AMELX/Y genes for sexing. Three species (goral, goat and water deer) showed distinctive band patterns by using three restriction enzymes (Xbal, Stul or Sspl). Three different sexing primer sets (LGL331/335 for ZFX/Y gene; SE47/48 or SE47/53 for AMELX/Y gene) produced sex-specific band patterns in goral, goat and roe deer. Our results suggest that the molecular analyses of non-invasive samples might provide us with potential tools for the further genetic and ecological study of Korean goral and related species.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.400-410
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• 2015

Juniperus chinensis (Cupressaceae) is a valuable woody plant resource, but this rare plant is only distributed in restricted regions in Korea. In this study, we surveyed the geographic distribution regions, variation of sex ratio and the dynamics of natural populations of J. chinensis. in order to establish conservation strategies for the sustainable conservation of this important resource tree. The 17 natural populations of J. chinensis are restrictively distributed in the shore cliffs of (1) Ulleungdo island, (2) Gyeongju-si to Gangneung-si of the eastern coast, the riverside cliff along (3) Donggang-river of Jungsun-gun and Pyeongchang-gun and (4) branch of Nakdonggang-river in Uiseong-gun. The populations in Ulleungdo island showed continuous population distribution of over 200 individuals, but populations in other regions had discontinuous population distribution of under 200. The population of J. chinensis surveyed in Korea was estimated in ca. 3,200 individuals. The sex ratio (male/female) among populations of J. chinensis was diverse with variation from 0.46~1.67 range, but showed no significance. The sex ratio of the total individuals by species level was 0.74, and the percentage of female tree was significantly higher than the male. The results of dynamics analysis within population among regions showed that seedlings and saplings of J. chinensis in three regions surveyed were continuously regenerating. The distribution of DBH class showed a stable population structure of inverse J shape graph, but fragmentation and decrease in populations because of invading broad-leaved shrubs and trees from the surroundings were concerned. Further studies, and in situ and ex situ conservation strategies for the sustainable conservation on natural populations of this rare resources woody plant, J. chinensis in Korea are recommended.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.323-327
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• 2006

DNA barcoding, an inventory of DNA sequences from a standardized genomic region, provides a bio-barcode for identifying and discovering species. Several recent studies suggest that the sequence diversity in a 648 bp region of the mitochondrial gene for cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) might serve as a DNA barcode for identifying animal species such as North American birds, insects and fishes. The present study tested the effectiveness of a COI barcode in discriminating Korean bird species. We determined the 5' terminus of the COI barcode for 92 species of Korean birds and found that species identification was unambiguous; the genetic differences between closely related species were, on average, 25 times higher than the differences within species. We identified only one misidentified species out of 239 specimens in a genetic resource bank, so confirming the accuracy of species identification in the banking system. We also identified two potential composite species, calling for further investigation using more samples. The finding of large COI sequence differences between species confirms the effectiveness of COI barcodes for identifying Korean bird species. To bring greater reliability to the identification of species, increased intra- and interspecies sampling, as well as supplementation of the mitochondrial barcodes with nuclear ones, is needed.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.91-101
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• 2003

The research examines individual environmental characteristics, the consciousness energy conservation and behavior level of college students that relate to the experience of taking courses on residential energy use held in college, as well as the influence of experiencing school education in the past. This is to ultimately evaluate the effect of school education on the consciousness of the energy conservation and behavior level of college students at present time, in order to assist in proposing a direction for the school education on residential energy use. The results of the research can be summarized as follows: First, there appeared a gap between the group that has attended courses on residential energy use and the group that has not in terms of their major, school year and the level of consciousness of the need for energy conservation. Second, students that have attended courses on residential energy use in college were reported to have received more training in high school through textbooks and guidance of teachers and have more experience in special education. And third, it appeared that taking courses in residential energy use by college students are influenced by personal factors such as their school year and gender, major, contents of their high school textbooks and the level of consciousness of the need for energy conservation.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1033-1054
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• 2020

Repeated use of land is depleting future resources and causing many ecological problems, prompting the need for a natural resource policy focusing on effective conservation. This study aims to identify methods based on international cases useful for introducing sustainable conservation of domestic natural resources. Currently, South Korea has developed and enforced many management and evaluation strategies for natural resources. However, due to limitations on policies and management, they show signs of strain. Therefore, this study compares and analyzes international conservation policies for nature and scenery, such as Germany's impact mitigation regulation, the USA's HEA (habitat equivalency analysis) and REA (resource equivalency analysis) policies, and Japan's three laws for landscape and greenery, to achieve the following three goals: first, find natural resources suitable for South Korea and define them. Second, plan goals for mitigation of total natural resources and build a basis for them. Third, establish effective complete plans for evaluating the total amount of natural resources.