• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.104-116
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• 2019

Background: The composition of wild bird populations in temperate zones greatly varies depending on phenological changes rather than other environmental factors. Particularly, wild birds appearing in wetlands fluctuate greatly due to the crossover of species arriving for breeding during the summer and for wintering. Therefore, to understand the changes to species composition related to phenology, we conducted this basic analysis of populations to further the cause of the protection of wetland-dependent wild birds. Methods: It is wrong to simply divide a wild bird population investigation into seasons. This study identifies species composition and indicator species that change along with seasons. Wetlands to be surveyed are protected by natural monuments and wetland inventory and are in a state close to nature. In order to identify as many species as possible in wetlands, a survey was conducted in both shallow and deep wetlands. The water depth varied in these areas, ranging from 0.2 to 2.0 m, allowing for both dabbling and diving ducks to inhabit the area. Surveys were conducted using line-transect and distance sampling methods and were conducted at intervals of 2 weeks. The survey was conducted under the following three categories: the eco-tone and emergent zone, the submergent zone, and the water surface. The survey was conducted along a wetland boundary by observing wild birds. A PC-ord program was used for clustering, and the SAS program was used to analyze the changes in species composition. The data strongly indicates that day length is the main factor for seasonal migration periods, despite the fact that climate change and increasing temperatures are often discussed. Results and conclusions: The indicator species for determining seasons include migrant birds such as Ardea cinerea, Alcedo atthis, Anas penelope, and Poiceps ruficollis, as well as resident birds such as Streptopelia orientalis and Emberiza elegans. Importantly, increases in local individual counts of these species may also serve as indicators. The survey results of seasonal fluctuations in temperate zones shows that spring (April to June), summer (July to September), autumn (October), and winter (November to March) are clearly distinguishable, even though spring and summer seasons tend to overlap, leading to the conclusion that additional research could more clearly identify fluctuation patterns in species composition and abundance in the study area.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.46-56
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• 2021

Diatoms have been used in examining water quality and environmental change in freshwater systems. Here, we analyzed molecular profiling of seasonal diatoms in the Han River, Korea, using the hypervariable region of 18S V1-V3 rRNA and pyrosequencing. Physicochemical data, such as temperature, DO, pH, and nutrients showed the typical seasonal pattern in a temperate region. In addition, cell counts and chlorophyll-a, were recorded at high levels in spring compared to other seasons, due to the diatom bloom. Metagenomic analysis showed a seasonal variation in the phytoplankton community composition, with diatoms as the most frequently detected in spring (83.8%) and winter (69.7%). Overall, diatom genera such as Stephanodiscus, Navicula, Cyclotella, and Discostella were the most frequent in the samples. However, a large number of unknown Thalassiosirales diatoms were found in spring (35.5%) and winter (36.3%). Our molecular profiling revealed a high number of diatom taxa compared to morphological observation. This is the first study of diatoms in the Han River using molecular approaches, providing a valuable reference for future study on diatoms-basis environmental molecular monitoring and ecology.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.109 no.4
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• pp.361-370
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• 2020

Long-term observation of the life cycle of plants allows the identification of critical signals of the effects of climate change on plants. Indeed, plant phenology is the simplest approach to detect climate change. Observation of seasonal changes in plants using digital repeat imaging helps in overcoming the limitations of both traditional methods and satellite remote sensing. In this study, we demonstrate the utility of camera-based repeat digital imaging in this context. We observed the biological events of plants and quantified their phenophases in the northern temperate type deciduous broadleaf forest of Jeombong Mountain. This study aimed to identify trends in seasonal characteristics of Quercus mongolica (deciduous broadleaf forest) and Pinus densiflora (evergreen coniferous forest). The vegetation index, green chromatic coordinate (GCC), was calculated from the RGB channel image data. The magnitude of the GCC amplitude was smaller in the evergreen coniferous forest than in the deciduous forest. The slope of the GCC (increased in spring and decreased in autumn) was moderate in the evergreen coniferous forest compared with that in the deciduous forest. In the pine forest, the beginning of growth occurred earlier than that in the red oak forest, whereas the end of growth was later. Verification of the accuracy of the phenophases showed high accuracy with root-mean-square error (RMSE) values of 0.008 (region of interest [ROI]1) and 0.006 (ROI3). These results reflect the tendency of the GCC trajectory in a northern temperate type deciduous broadleaf forest. Based on the results, we propose that repeat imaging using digital cameras will be useful for the observation of phenophases.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.259-272
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• 2022

Background: The Korean Peninsula exhibits a characteristic graded floral distribution, with northern (Manchurian flora) and southern (China-Japan-Korea flora) lineage species coexisting according to climatic and topographical characteristics. However, this distribution has been altered by climate change. To identify ecosystem changes caused by climate change and develop appropriate measures, the current ecological status of the entire Korean Peninsula should first be determined; however, analysis of the current floral distribution in North Korea has been hampered for political reasons. To overcome these limitations, this study constructed a database of floral distributions in both South and North Korea by integrating spatial information from the previously established National Ecological Survey in South Korea and geocoding data from the literature on biological distributions published in North Korea. It was then applied to analyze the current status and distribution characteristics of Manchurian and China-Japan-Korea plant species on the Korean Peninsula. Results: In total, 45,877 cases were included in the Manchurian and China-Japan-Korea floral distribution database. China-Japan-Korea species were densely distributed on Jeju-do and along the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula. The distribution density decreased as the latitude increased, and the distributions reached higher-latitude regions in the coastal areas compared with the inland regions. Manchurian species were distributed throughout North Korea, while they were densely distributed in the refugia formed in the high-elevation mountain regions and the Baekdudaegan in South Korea. In the current distribution of biomes classified according to the Whittaker method, subtropical and endemic species were densely distributed in temperate seasonal forest and woodland/shrubland biomes, whereas boreal species were densely distributed in the boreal forest biome Korean Peninsula, with a characteristic gradation of certain species distributed in the temperate seasonal forest biome. Factor analysis showed that temperature and latitude were the main factors influencing the distribution of flora on the Korean Peninsula. Conclusions: The findings reported herein on the current floral distribution trends across the entire Korean Peninsula will prove valuable got mitigating the ecological disturbances caused by ongoing climate change. Additionally, the gathered flora data will serve as a basis for various follow-up studies on climate change.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.402-412
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• 2022

This study investigated each forest's stand characteristics and the NVOCs emission characteristics for Quercus acuta, Castanopsis sieboldii, Dendropanax trifidus, Camellia Japonica which are major warm temperate evergreen broad-leaved species, and Pinus thunbergii. Data were collected from May 2019 to January 2020. The seasonal temperature and humidity of each research site indicated the typical climatic characteristics of Korea, which are hot and humid in summer and cold and dry in winter. Also, the atmospheric pressure was generally high in winter and higher in autumn and winter than in spring and summer. Overall, the total volume of NVOCs (Natural Volatile Organic Compounds) from the five research sites was the highest in the summer. The concentration of TNVOCs was relatively high in the Dendropanax trifidus forest in spring and winter, the Castanopsis sieboldii forest in the autumn, and the Quercus acuta forest in the summer. According to the results of this study, it was confirmed that the concentrations of NVOCs emission of warm temperate evergreen broad-leaved species such as Quercus acuta, Castanopsis sieboldii, Dendropanax trifidus and Camellia Japonica were not lower but rather higher than Pinus thunbergii. The correlation was positive (+) between NVOCs emission and temperature (r=0.590, P=0.000) or humidity (r=0.655, P=0.000), whereas it was negative (-) between NVOCs emission and atmospheric pressure (r=-0.384, P=0.000) or wind speed (r=-0.263, P=0.018). Among the micrometeological factors, humidity (β=0.507, P=0.000) was found to have the greatest effect on NVOC emission, followed by temperature, atmospheric pressure, and wind speed.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.20-29
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• 2018

Background: For various reasons such as agricultural and economical purposes, land-use changes are rapidly increasing not only in Korea but also in the world, leading to shifts in the characteristics of local carbon cycle. Therefore, in order to understand the large-scale ecosystem carbon cycle, it is necessary first to understand vegetation on this local scale. As a result, it is essential to comprehend change of the carbon balance attributed by the land-use changes. In this study, we attempt to understand accumulated soil carbon (ASC) and soil respiration (Rs) related to carbon cycle in two ecosystems, artificially turned forest into pastureland from forest and a native deciduous temperate forest, resulted from different land-use in the same area. Results: Rs were shown typical seasonal changes in the alpine pastureland (AP) and temperate deciduous forest (TDF). The annual average Rs was $160.5mg\;CO_2\;m^{-2}h^{-1}$ in the AP, but it was $405.1mg\;CO_2\;m^{-2}h^{-1}$ in the TDF, indicating that the Rs in the AP was lower about 54% than that in the TDF. Also, ASC in the AP was $124.49Mg\;C\;ha^{-1}$ from litter layer to 30-cm soil depth. The ASC was about $88.9Mg\;C\;ha^{-1}$, and it was 71.5% of that of the AP. The temperature factors in the AP was high about $4^{\circ}C$ on average compared to the TDF. In AP, it was observed high amount of sunlight entering near the soil surface which is related to high soil temperature is due to low canopy structure. This tendency is due to the smaller emission of organic carbon that is accumulated in the soil, which means a higher ASC in the AP compared to the TDF. Conclusions: The artificial transformation of natural ecosystems into different ecosystems is proceeding widely in the world as well as Korea. The change in land-use type is caused to make the different characteristics of carbon cycle and storage in same region. For evaluating and predicting the carbon cycle in the vegetation modified by the human activity, it is necessary to understand the carbon cycle and storage characteristics of natural ecosystems and converted ecosystems. In this study, we studied the characteristics of ecosystem carbon cycle using different forms in the same region. The land-use changes from a TDF to AP leads to changes in dominant vegetation. Removal of canopy increased light and temperature conditions and slightly decreased SMC during the growing season. Also, land-use change led to an increase of ASC and decrease of Rs in AP. In terms of ecosystem carbon sequestration, AP showed a greater amount of carbon stored in the soil due to sustained supply of above-ground liters and lower degradation rate (soil respiration) than TDF in the high mountains. This shows that TDF and AP do not have much difference in terms of storage and circulation of carbon because the amount of carbon in the forest biomass is stored in the soil in the AP.

• Plant Resources
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.217-224
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• 2005

We tested the hypothesis that alpine plants have special physiological and biochemical mechanisms in addition to their structural adaptation in order to survive under extreme conditions. The photosynthetic organs of Pinus pumila were used to examine the seasonal changes in sugar concentration, antioxidative enzyme, and lipid peroxidation. The concentrations of sucrose, glucose, fructose and reducing sugar were the highest in the leaves in April. But sugar contents in buds and inner barks did not respond sensitively on temperature change. Meanwhile superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity responded sensitively on the change of temperature and SOD in all tissues maintained high activity in April. Meanwhile anthocyanin content increased rapidly in June but the increase of anthocyanin content was not enough to prevent their tissues from the damage by the exposure of high temperature or other stress. In conclusion, under low temperature condition, P. pumila increased the concentration of soluble sugars and SOD activity in their tissues in order to overcome extreme environmental condition. But in summer, these stress defense system against high temperature might be disturbed slightly. This results in the increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in three tissues by lipid peroxidation.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.24-31
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• 2014

This study was conducted to clarify the seasonal and elevational pattern of herbivore's feeding pattern in a temperate deciduous forest. We investigated the herbivore's feeding activity for three years (2011~2013) at three survey sites in Mt. Jirisan National Park (Piagol, Siamjae, Nogodan). We selected target tree species based on the dominance across the sites (Quercus, Acer, Rhododendron and Carpinus) and scored herbivore's feeding activity every one or two weeks from April to June using leaf damage index. We found that the herbivory started early at the low elevation site (Piagol, ${\approx}300m$), and the highest feeding activity occurred at the mid elevation site (Siamjae, ${\approx}900m$). At the highest elevation site (Nogodan, ${\approx}1300m$), the herbivory started late, but the total feeding activity accumulated quickly. Compared to the breeding time of Varied tit, an insectivore bird, it was overlapped with the feeding activity period of herbivores, suggesting close interaction among plants, insects and birds in this deciduous forest. We suggested a need of long-term monitoring of this tri-trophic interaction since duration of herbivore activity can be changed followed by climate change.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.267-275
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• 2001

This study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of bird community and to suggest a proper way how to manage and protect bird community in Mt. Paldal, Suwon City. The survey was carried out by line transect method from March 1992 to February 1993, and from October 1998 to August 1999. Twenty-seven birds were recorded, and these birds were also classified into 14 species for residents, 8 species fur summer visitors, 4 species for winter visitors and 1 species fur passage migrant in 1992. Twenty-one birds were recorded, and these birds were also belonged to 16 species fur residents, 2 species fur summer visitors, 2 species for winter visitors and 1 species for passage migrant in 1999. In 1992, seasonal change of number of species and individuals showed a typical pattern of temperate deciduous forests, however, seasonal pattern in 1999 was somewhat differed from that of temperate deciduous forest. According to data of migration habits of bird community in same months, percentage of residents were higher in 1999 and that of summer visitors were higher in 1992. In guild analysis of breeding bird community, bush-nesting and foraging guild that utilize the bush layer as nest and food resources showed the decreasing number of species and individuals, also summer visitors did the same decreasing trends from 1983. Therefore, it should be suggest that protection of bush layer for inhabitation of bush-nesting and foraging guild and summer visitors, and it will be considered that construction of green net-work among urban forests such as Mt. Kwanggyo, Mt. Chilbo, Mt. Paldal, Mt. Sukgi and Mt Yeogi in Suwon City.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.159-168
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• 1993

The seasonal changes of symbiotic nitrogen-fixation activity and environmental factors of autumn olive plant (Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb.), which is an important constituent species of temperate vegetation and a non-leguminous root nodule plant interacting with Frankia sp., were quantitatively analyzed inthe natural vegetations during hegrowing period. The acetylene redution April and showed two peaks of 133 and $145{\mu}M\;C_2H_4\;{\cdot}\;gfw^{-1}\;{\cdot}\;hr^{-1}$ in early June and mid September. The nitrogenase activity decreased to 10~30% during hot dry summer frommid June to the end of August, and disappeared during the dormant period of winter. The optimum rhizoshere. diurnal change showed the maximum activity in the mid-day and the minimum in the mid-night. The average contents of total nitrogen in each organ changed in the ranges of 42.5~40.1, 40.2~36.3, 30.3~28.6 and 18.4~16.2mgN $gdw^{-1}$ for nodule, leaf, root, and stem, respectively. The soil conditions of rhizosphere were weak acidic, ad seasonal variations of $NO_3^--N,\;NH_4^+-N,\;PO_4^{3-}-P$ and water contents were in the ranges of 48.3~79.5ppm,5.1~13.9ppm, 4.4~$9.9{\mu}M$ and 14.5~39.4%, respectively.