• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.202-211
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• 2019

Oceanic islands are biologically important for their unique assemblages of species and high levels of endemism and are sensitive to environmental change because of their isolation and small species source pools. Habitat destruction caused by human landscape development is generally accepted as the main cause of extinction on islands, with exotic species invasion a secondary cause of extinction, especially on tropical islands. However, secondary impacts of human development (e.g., general degradation through resource use and exotic species introduction) are understudied on temperate islands. To determine secondary impacts of human development on the understory vegetation community, 90 field sites on Ulleung Island, South Korea, were sampled during the summer of 2016. Understory vegetation was chosen as it is a proxy for ecosystem health. Diversity and percent cover of introduced, native, and endemic species were tested against proximity to developed areas and trail usage using a model selection approach. Diversity was also tested against percent cover of three naturalized species commonly found in survey plots. The main finding was that distance to development, distance to town, and trail usage have limited negative impacts on the understory vegetation community within best-supported models predicting native and introduced cover and diversity. However, endemic species cover was significantly lower on high usage trails. While there are no apparent locally invasive plant species on the island at the time of this study, percent cover of Robinia pseudoacacia, a naturalized tree species, negatively correlated with plot diversity. These findings indicate that forests on Ulleung Island are not experiencing a noticeable invasion of understory vegetation, and conservation efforts can be best spent preventing future invasions.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.185-192
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• 2012

We investigated butterfly species diversity on nineteen uninhabited islands around Imja-myeon, Shinan-gun, Jeonnam, Korea. A total of 14 species belong to 5 families were identified. Species of Papilionidae were the most abundant with 5 species, followed by Lycaenidae (4 species). A Lycaenid butterfly, Pseudozizeeria maha (Kollar), was the most dominant species on the surveyed islands. The total number of species was the highest at island Daenorokdo (6 species). To investigate the factors that determine butterfly diversity, we analyzed the relationships between number of species and island area, distance from the largest island nearby, and maximum elevation. We found that island area ($R^2$=0.413, p=0.003) was significantly correlated with butterfly diversity, but other variables such as distance from the largest island nearby and maximum elevation were not correlated.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.497-506
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• 2020

This study surveyed the altitudinal diversity and distribution of butterflies inhabiting Mt. Jirisan. Field surveys were conducted thrice (May, June, and July) using a line transect method along four routes in 2015. During the survey, a total of five families, 58 species, and 769 individuals were collected. Of the species collected, the majority belonged to the family Nymphalidae (28 species), followed by Hesperiidae (nine species), Pieridae (eight species), Lycaenidae (seven species), and Papilionidae (six species). As for the individuals, Pieridae accounted for the largest number (333 individuals), followed by Nymphalidae (309 individuals), Lycaenidae (63 individuals), Hesperiidae (33 individuals), and Papilionidae (31 individuals). A cluster analysis performed on the butterfly species distinguished three altitude zones. The butterflies showed different ecological traits in each of the altitude zones. Analysis of the altitudes of the habitats of eight dominant species revealed that each species inhabited a particular altitude. This study confirmed the hypothesis that continuous monitoring will identify changes in the altitudinal distribution and diversity of butterflies on Mt. Jirisan in response to climate change.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.35-51
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• 2014

A phytosociological vegetation survey was conducted in July to September 2011 in order to examine the vegetation community structure in Mt. Ohseo area. It was aimed to provide basic data for the effective vegetation conservation by analyzing the importance, species diversity and community similarity of the forest community in Mt. Ohseo for each layer, followed by the classification of the actual forest vegetation. According to the cluster analysis, the community type of Mt. Ohseo was classified into a total of 4 vegetation communities: Pinus densiflora community, Cornus controversa-Quercus serrata community, Miscanthus sinensis community, and Quercus mongolica community; the vegetation type 4 showed the lowest species diversity index of 0.5236, and vegetation type-2 showed the highest species diversity index of 0.6606. The community similarity between Quercus mongolica community and Pinus densiflora community showed the highest 0.679, and the community similarity between Quercus serrata community and Pinus densiflora community and between Quercus serrata community and Quercus mongolica community showed the levels of 0.5, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.69-74
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• 2005

Kalopanax pictus is a long-lived woody species mostly distributed in East Asia. K. pictus has been regarded as medically and ecologically important species in Korea. Thornless castor aralia variant, local name 'Cheongsong' is an endemic to Cheongsong province in Korea. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) was used to investigate the genetic variation and structure of Korean populations of two species. A high level of genetic variation was found in six K. pictus populations. Twelve primers revealed 49 loci, of which 29 were polymorphic (59.2%). Nei's gene diversity for K.pictus and K. pictus variant were 0.119 and 0.098, respectively. Mean of genetic diversity in K. pictus was higher than average values for species with similar life history traits. The asexual and sexual reproduction, perennial habitat, and longevity are proposed as possible factors contributing to high genetic diversity. An indirect estimate of the number of migrants per generation (Nm=0.857) indicated that gene flow was not extensive among Korean populations of K.pictus. It is suggested that the isolation of geographical distance and reproductive isolation between K.pictus and K.pictus variant populations may have played roles in shaping the population structure of this species.

• Mycobiology
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.326-344
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• 2022

The fungal-like family Saprolegniaceae (Oomycota), also called "water mold," includes mostly aquatic saprophytes as well as notorious aquatic animal pathogens. Most studies on Saprolegniaceae have been biased toward pathogenic species that are important to aquaculture rather than saprotrophic species, despite the latter's crucial roles in carbon cycling of freshwater ecosystems. Few attempts have been made to study the diversity and ecology of Saprolegniaceae; thus, their ecological role is not well-known. During a survey of oomycetes between 2016 and 2021, we investigated the diversity and distribution of culturable Saprolegniaceae species in freshwater ecosystems of Korea. In the present study, members of Saprolegniaceae were isolated and identified at species level based on their cultural, morphological, and molecular phylogenetic analyses. Furthermore, substrate preference and seasonal dynamics for each were examined. Most of the species were previously reported as animal pathogens; however, in the present study, they were often isolated from other freshwater substrates, such as plant debris, algae, water, and soil sediment. The relative abundance of Saprolegniaceae was higher in the cold to cool season than that in the warm to hot season of Korea. This study enhances our understanding of the diversity and ecological attributes of Saprolegniaceae in freshwater ecosystems.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.551-563
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• 2008

This study analyzed the actual vegetation and vegetation structure around the trails with the aim of restoring vegetation and continuous monitoring of the section between the National Astronomy Observatory and Birobong in Sobaeksan National Park. The actual vegetation was classified into 18 types, of which the largest were Quercus mongolica communities occupying the dimension of $225,337m^2$, Rhododendron schlippcubachii communities distributed around the trails on the ridge were covering 14.59%, and deciduous broadleaf forests were covering 11.06%. of the surveyed areas, respectively. In consideration of the actual vegetation, a total of 23 belt-transects were set up; 9 in Quercus mongolica communities, 3 in broadleaf deciduous forests, 2 in Taxus cuspidata communities, and 9 in damage restoration areas to take a closer look at the species diversity, species number, and individual number by community. The survey results are as follows: 9 belt-transects in Quercus mongolica communities showed their species diversity was $0.4290{\sim}1.0496$ with $7{\sim}22$ species and $115{\sim}481$ individuals. 3 belt-transects in broadleaf deciduous communities showed that species diversity was $0.6712{\sim}1.0096$ with $14{\sim}17$ species and $158{\sim}453$ individuals. 2 belt-transects in Taxus cuspidata communities showed that species diversity was $0.5413{\sim}0.9923$ with $14{\sim}15$ species and $223{\sim}406$ individuals. 8 belt-transects showed that species diversity was $0.1899{\sim}0.9217$ with $3{\sim}23$ species and $105{\sim}485$ individuals.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.333-342
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• 2016

Based on the taxonomic survey to uncover the ciliate diversity in the eastern Kangwon-province, twenty-six species were identified from moss-covered soils and assigned to 5 classes, 9 orders, 12 families, and 15 genera. Of these, fifteen species are first records from Korea, and brief remarks with photographs were provided.

• ALGAE
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.219-230
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• 2016

The Euglena deses group are common freshwater species composed of E. adhaerens, E. carterae, E. deses, E. mutabilis, and E. satelles. These species are characterized by elongated cylindrical worm-like cell bodies and numerous discoid chloroplasts with a naked pyrenoid. To understand the cryptic diversity, species delimitation and phylogenetic relationships among members of the group, we analyzed morphological data (light and scanning electron microscopy) and molecular data (nuclear small subunit [SSU] and large subunit [LSU] rDNAs and plastid SSU and LSU rDNAs). Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses based on the combined four-gene dataset resulted in a tree consisting of two major clades within the group. The first clade was composed of two subclades: the E. mutabilis subclade, and the E. satelles, E. carterae, and E. adhaerens subclade. The E. mutabilis subclade was characterized by a lateral canal opening at the anterior end and a single pellicular stria, whereas the E. satelles, E. carterae, and E. adhaerens subclade was characterized by an apical canal opening at the anterior end of the cell and double pellicular striae. The second clade consisted of 20 strains of E. deses, characterizing by a subapical canal opening at the anterior end and double pellicular striae, but they showed cell size variation and high genetic diversity. Species boundaries were tested using a Bayesian multi-locus species delimitation method, resulting in the recognition of five cryptic species within E. deses clade.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.125-129
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• 2009

The genetic diversity plays a significant role in determining a species' survival and perseverance. Endangered species often lack genetic variation, which makes them vulnerable to numerous dangers of extinction including selection, genetic drifts and human interference. Knowing an endangered species' genetic background greatly enhances conservation efforts since it reveals why, what and how to conserve that species. Cotoneaster wilsonii is an endangered plant species endemic to Ulleung island, but not enough genetic research has been done on this taxon for its effective conservation plans. In this study, three populations of C. wilsonii in Ulleung island underwent allozyme analysis through starch gel electrophoresis. 10 loci were analyzed and F-statistics was calculated. Overall data indicated that C. wilsonii possessed low genetic diversity with intense inbreeding, heterozygote deficiency and low differentiation among populations. These results implied that C. wilsonii was recently introduced to the Ulleung island from ancestor species, and did not have much time to differentiate. Current status of C. wilsonii habitats is very fragile and vulnerable, with increasing tourism constantly threatening the species' survival. It is very likely that C. wilsonii will become extinct in near future unless organized conservation protects its populations and genetic diversity.