• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.152-162
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• 2021

Background: Recent declines in bee populations, along with increasing demand for pollination services in urban, agricultural, and natural environments, have led to strategies to attract wild bees to these areas. One of these strategies is installing artificial nests adjacent to urban gardens and agricultural farms. Bee hotels and nest boxes are among the artificial nests used by gardeners and farmers to attract pollinators. In this paper, we reviewed 50 studies that reported the efficiency of nest boxes and bee hotels in attracting bees. We considered the maximum occupation rate (percentage) as the main index to evaluate the efficiency of artificial nests. Results: The maximum occupation rate of bee hotels was higher in farms (averaged 44.1%) than in forests (averaged 30.3%) and urban (averaged 38.3%) environments. In the case of nest boxes, most studies reported efficiencies of less than 20%, with an occupation rate of 16% and 5.5% on average in forest and urban environments respectively. However, our meta-analysis results showed that there was no significant relationship between the occupation rate of the nests and their installation place. Regression analysis also showed that the structural features of bee hotels (length and diameter) and nest boxes (volume and entrance size) did not affect their efficiency in attracting bees. Conclusion: Our data showed that the strategy of installing artificial nests to attract pollinators is successful only concerning bee hotels, and the use of nest boxes has not been very successful.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.256-264
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• 2021

Rapid urbanization around the world has negatively affected wildlife habitats, including birds. Wild birds settled in the city are adapting to the changed surroundings, and are typically known to make nests using materials that are easy to find around the city. This study was conducted for the purpose of analyzing the nesting materials on the Paridae using artificial bird nests installed in cities. In this study, the researchers established a total of 33 artificial bird nests in urban parks (22) and forests (11) in Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do. Then we collected 4 artificial bird nests in urban parks (18.19%) and 5 in urban forests (45.46%) to compare the characteristics of bird nest materials by the nest, species, and urban green area types. Eight nests, excluding a nest abandoned by a pair of Paridae, were used for the material analysis. The collected nests were dried, and classified into natural materials (vegetable materials, animal materials, moss, and soil) and artificial materials (cotton, paper pieces, plastics, vinyl, and synthetic fibers), and then each nest was weighed. The classification result shows that the portion of moss (50.65%) was the highest in all nests, followed by soil (21.43%), artificial material (13.95%), vegetable material (5.78%), animal material (4.57%), and others (3.59%) in that order. Artificial materials were used in all nests in urban green areas. Moreover, although the Paridae used about 5.16% more vegetable material than the Parus varius, it was not significant (t=2.17, p=0.07). Plant materials and soil were most preferred in urban forests, and moss, animal, and artificial materials were widely used in that order in urban parks. There was a significant difference in the use of vegetable materials between urban parks and urban forests (t=3.07, p<0.05^*). In the habitats like urbanized and dry areas, where artificial materials are highly accessible, artificial materials replaced some roles of natural materials. This study is a basic study for the analysis of the types of materials used in artificial bird nests to understand the habitat system of urban ecosystems. It can be used as the basic data for ecological studies and conservation of the Paridae species.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.415-424
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• 2015

This research was conducted to reveal the characteristics of breeding ecology of oriental scops owl (Otus sunia stictonotus) inhabiting in South Korea according to the nest types during the breeding season from march to October for two years (2011 and 2012). Oriental scops owl nested in woodpecker's nest holes (46.1%), natural tree holes (38.5%), and artificial wood boxes (15.4%). These nests were located on following trees: Zelkova serrata, Paulownia coreana, Celtis sinensis, Salix chaenomeloides, Salix babylonica, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, Robinia pseudoacacia and Platanus occidentalis. The hatching success was 91.4%, fledging success was 83.0%, and breeding success was 75.9%. The factors of the breeding failure were falling (57.1%), abandonment (28.6%), hatching failure (7.1%), and others with unknown cause of death (7.1%). According to nest types, the fledging success (69.2%) of woodpecker's nest holes were low and the hatching success (79.2%) of natural tree holes were also low due to hatching failure and abandonment. However, hatching success, fledging success, breeding success were high in the artificial nests as all the eggs hatched and succeeded in fledging. Therefore, we suggested that artificial nests can cover the weaknesses of natural nests as well as increasing the breeding success. However, long-term research on installation place, height, and hole sizes of the artificial nest are required in order to clearly reveal the effects on the breeding success of oriental scops owl.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.76 no.2
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• pp.109-118
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• 1987

The purpose of this study was to investigate the inhabiting ecology of wild birds using artificial nests in Gyeongnam province. The sort of birds, the utilization of artificial nests by the materials, by the sites and by the forest type, and other inhabiting ecology of birds were investigated from 1984 to 1986. The results obtained were as follows; 1. Wild birds in surveyed areas were classified into 20 families and 35 species. Among them the birds inhabiting the artificial nests were 6 species and those using them most frequently were Parus ater (17.2%), P. major (16.7%) and P. palustris (12.2%). 2. The artificial nests installed on the top and at the toot of the mountain were chiefly utilized by P. ater and P. major, but the artificial nests in park area were mostly used by Passer montanus and Sturnus cineraceus. 3. Sixty-one percent of the artificial nests were utilized by the birds; 45.5% were used for breeding and 15.6% were inhabitation only. 4. When different nest materials and shapes were tested, mixed nests (sawdust and cement) were used most frequently, and C type. (Diamond shape) of wood nests was used more frequently compared with the A (Roof shape) and B (Box shape) types of wood nests. Meanwhile, the birds prefered the 3cm hole size (81.1% of utilization) to 4cm of hole (57.8%) and 5cm of hole (24.4%). 5. The artificial nests constructed in mixed forest were more frequently inhabited (73.3%) by the birds than coniferous forest (68.3%) and broad-leaved forest (63.3%). 6. The period of egg-laying in Parus species was from late April to early May, while Eophona migratoria, Lanius bucephalus, Motacilla alba and Passer montanus laid eggs generally in the middle of May. 7. Parus species, Passer montanus and Motacilla alba laid one egg every day for 5-10days, but Eopphona migratoria laied 4 eggs in 7 days and Lanius bucephalus laid 5 eggs in 4 days. The incubation period of Parus species was 16-18 days, while the others were about 11 to 14 days. 8. Thirteen days after the hatch of Parus major, chicks reached 13.9g of body weight, 72.0mm of wing-length and 20.9mm of tarsus length. P. montanus chicks reached 20.3g of weight, 66.2mm of wing-length and 20.2mm of tarsus length during the same period. 9. Food item of feeding chicks almost consisted of creatures (98.2%) with following composition; 55.2% of insect larvae, 37.2% adult insects, 2.8% of pupae and 2.8% of spiders. Vegetable items were 2% only. Among those creature food items, 95.2% were insect pests to forest.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.155-163
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• 2012

This study was carried out to monitor reproductive responses of great tits in 17 urban forests in Daegu metropolitan city. The reproductive perspectives of great tits were surveyed by using 106 artificial bird nests, of which five or seven nests were set up in every urban forest. A ratio of artificial nests used by great tits for their reproduction was 27.4%. It was showing that forests, where the reproductive response was higher, was located at the edge of the city, or was known as having a good vegetation structure in the urban area. The laying date of a great tit was a little earlier in forests in the middle of the city. It might be dependent on the density of artificial land uses including a residential area and an industrial complex, which are able to increase an urban micro-temperature. Otherwise, natural forests or forest patches nearby natural forests located at the edge of the city were showing that the laying date of great tits was relatively later than the oneee in the forest in the middle of the city. There was a big difference of reproduction perspectives of great tit between the 1st and 2nd reproduction. In the 1st reproduction, a clutch size was larger, while an egg volume was so low. Otherwise, the clutch size was shown so smaller in the 2nd reproduction than in the 1st reproduction, while the egg volume was larger in the 2nd reproduction. It might be due to the survival strategy of a great tit to prepare the winter season for a juvenile. Many variables, regarding to the problem of climate changes, have been linked to the environment of urban area and the bird habitats. Finally, Monitoring a bird reproduction is a valuable work for managing an urban forest as well as for conserving a natural forest.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Environment and Ecology Conference
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• autumn
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• pp.126-128
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• 2004

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.21 no.5_3
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• pp.665-673
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• 1998

This study was conducted to clarified the relationship between bird community and forest structure and present the counterplan for protection and management of bird community from February 1993 to July 1995 at deciduous and coniferous forest within Mt. Nam area, Seoul, Korea. DBH distribution has not significant differences in each study site. Deciduous forest had more foliage coverage in all layers than coniferous forest. Total 41 species of birds, which were 16 species of resident, 14 species of summer visitor, 4 species of winter visitor, and 7 species of passage migrant were recrded in two study sites. Leaf use rate of birds was increased the increase of coverage. The number of breeding species and pairs, breeding density, and diversity index were greater in deciduous forest than coniferous forest. The number of species and pairs on bush-nesting and foraging guild were greater than other guilds. And the nuber of species and pairs on hole nesting guild were the fewest in nesting guild. Use rate of artificial nests for improvement of habitat quality was greater in coniferous forest than deciduous forest. Maintenance of bush layer, increase of coverage and leaf layer diversity, supply of artificial nests, management of large trees, and control of natural enemy were necessary for protection and management of bird community in Mt. nam area.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.850-857
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• 2015

This study was aimed to identify the characteristics of nest and breeding site conditions of Chinese Egret (Egretta europhotes) that breed in the uninhabited islets of the western coast of South Korea. It is expected that the information collected through this study can contribute to providing basic information required when building and managing artificial nests in their natural breeding habitats. Chinese Egrets make their nests in the shrub layers of Long Leaf Elaeagnus (Elaeagnus macrophylla), Arrow Bamboo (Pseudosasa japonica), and Baby Brier (Rosa multiflora). A total of 50 breeding nests of Chinese Egret were investigated in June and July 2013, with area-wise distribution as follows: Seomando (11 nests), Hwangseodo (14 nests), Mokdo (10 nests), and Napdaekiseom (15 nests). Vegetation coverage (cover, %), height from the ground to the top (height, cm), thickness from top to bottom of the nest (thickness, cm), reuse period, major axis (cm), minor axis (cm), and depth (cm) of each nest were measured. According to the results of the study on the nest characteristics of 4 breeding groups, the nests in Hwangseodo had the highest coverage, the nests in Mokdo were built in the highest places, the nests in Napdaekiseom showed the longest reuse period, and the nests in Mokdo had the greatest depth. The differences in height and reuse period were significant between Mokdo and Napdaekiseom. Moreover, there were significant differences in reuse period and depth between Seomando and Hwangseodo. There were significant differences in cover, minor axis, and depth between breeding groups that built nests on Arrow Bamboo (Mokdo and Napdaekiseom) and Baby Brier (Seomando and Hwangseodo). Nest characteristics of Chinese Egret were generally similar, while some variables showed different values for different breeding groups.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.101-110
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• 2017

On June 14, 2008 (the first experiment) and July 24, 2008 (the second experiment), the shores of the Boseong River and the sandy beaches, Seokgok-myun, Moksadong-myun, Gokseong-gun in Jeollanam Province were investigated and a total of 29 soft-shelled turtle (Tryonyx sinensis) eggs in the natural spawning nest eggs were collected (13 eggs were collected in the first experiment and 16 eggs in the second experiment). The temperatures in the natural spawning nests were $25.9-36.9{\pm}0.5^{\circ}C$, the depth of the eggs was $5.2-7.5{\pm}0.5cm$ as the distance of the average $6.4{\pm}0.5cm$. 29 eggs were scattered at least 0.2 cm interval. Artificial incubation of 29 eggs was conducted in artificial nest boxes in thermo-plastic composition of the incubator, and then incubated at $26.5-35.5{\pm}0.5^{\circ}C$, and an average constant temperature was $31.2-32.1{\pm}1.0^{\circ}C$. The incubation days ranged from 53 to 55. In case of most turtles, incubation at $31^{\circ}C$ (higher temperatures) generally produces all or mostly females, while incubation at $25^{\circ}C$(cooler temperatures) produces all or mostly males. Exceptionally, in case of genus Trionyx, the sex ratio of female : male of T. sinensis of a freshwater soft-shelled turtle was approximately 1:1, which differs from other genera of turtles and makes T. sinensis Strauch only turtles presently known to lack temperature-dependent sex determination.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.702-710
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• 2017

Recently, in many reptiles (14 genera of turtles in five families), common characteristics of incubation temperatures are known to determine the sexes of hatchlings in many species of turtles, including the map turtles, painted turtles and snapping turtles, emys turtle, etc. According to many researcher's reports, in general, incubation at $25^{\circ}C$ (cooler temperatures) produces all or mostly males, however, incubation at $31^{\circ}C$ (higher temperatures) or higher produces all or mostly females. Exceptionally, even cooler temperature ($20^{\circ}C$) produce females, they produced all or mostly females. Accordingly, it is well-known that incubation temperature is the sex determining agent in these turtles. However, this paper presents study of the sex ratio and nest ecology in natural spawning nest: Observations on hatching sex ratios of eggs collected from natural nests of T. sinensis are similar to a previous report of the same genus Trionyx in the soft-shelled turtles. However, this genus (or species) showed some different phenomena to other kinds of turtles such as various kinds turtles mentioned above. After collection of naturally spawned eggs (17 eggs of T. sisnensis) on the natural nests, a laboratory experiment by the constant incubation temperatures was conducted with natural fluctuating soil temperatures in the natural nest with the soft-shelled turtle, T. sinensis. And also laboratory experiments were conducted using constant incubation temperatures of $25^{\circ}C$ (cooler temp.) and $30^{\circ}C$ (higher temp.) with the turtle, T. sinensis. Exceptionally, it was confirmed that the first and second incubation temperatures can't control sex-determination in the freshwater soft-shelled turtle, T. sinensis. The sex ratio approximated 1:1 (${\chi}^2=0.06$, P>0.05 (the Ist experiment). And the sex ratio approximated 1:1 independently of incubation temperature (${\chi}^2=0.33$, P>0.05 (the 2nd experiment). Consequently, temperature has no effect on sex determination in the genus Trionyx in a soft-shelled turtle.