• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.377-389
• /
• 2010

Understanding the factors relevant to endangerment and the patterns of habitat locations in relation to protected areas is critically important for the conservation of rare species. Although 64 plant species have recently been listed as endangered species in Korea, this information has, until now, not been available, making appropriate management and conservation strategies impossible to devise. Thus, we collected information on potentially threatening factors, as well as information on the locations in which these species were observed. The potentially threatening factors were classified into seven categories. National parks, provincial parks, ecosystem conservation areas, and wetland conservation areas were defined as protected conservation areas. Korean digital elevation model data, along with the maps of all protected areas were combined with the maps of endangered plant species, and analyzed via Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Excluding the category of "small population", endangered plant species in Korea were associated more frequently with extrinsic factors than intrinsic factors. Considering land surface only, all conservation areas in Korea totaled 4.9% of the land, far lower than International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)'s 10% coverage target. At the species level, 69% of the endangered plant species were detected in conservation areas, mostly in national parks. However, this result demonstrates that 31% of endangered species inhabit areas outside the conservation zones. Furthermore, at the habitat level, a large proportion of endangered species were found to reside in unprotected areas, revealing "gaps" in protected land. In the face of rapid environmental changes such as population increases, urbanization, and climate changes, converting these gap areas to endangered species' habitats, or at least including them in habitat networks, will help to perpetuate the existence of endangered species.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.193-201
• /
• 2010

The Ryukyus Archipelago consists of about 200 nearly subtropical islands located between Japan proper and Taiwan. Previous studies have found the Ryukyus to be a region of high biodiversity with many endangered vascular plant taxa, but they are not comprehensive. Here, we discuss the phytogeographic features and circumstances of the endangered plant taxa, make suggestions for effective in situ conservation, and highlight endangered plants in the Ryukyus that require further study.

• Mycobiology
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.97-100
• /
• 2017

Endangered native plant habitats and populations are rapidly disappearing because of climate and environmental changes. As a representative, the abundance of the first-class endangered wild plant, Cypripedium japonicum, has been rapidly decreasing in Korea. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the distribution of rhizosphere and endophytic fungi on C. japonicum in its native habitat. A total of 440 rhizosphere and 79 endosphere fungi isolates were isolated and identified on the basis of their molecular characteristics. Sixty-five genera and 119 fungi species were identified in this study. The genus Trichoderma showed the highest abundance among both rhizosphere and endosphere fungi. Mortierella, Hypocrea, and Penicillium spp. were also relatively dominant species on C. japonicum. The community structures of rhizosphere and endosphere fungi were similar, but endosphere fungi showed greater diversity.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.201-207
• /
• 2003

Tissue culture techniques arguably are an important approach for ex situ conservation of rare and endangered plant species. However, there is utmost importance on maintaining the genetic integrity of the introduced plants especially in tree species. To examine the genetic integrity of the micropropagated plants, we randomly screened few hardened plants of Syzygium travancoricum, a critically endangered tree taxon, using Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. Twenty-three random. primers were tried and twenty-five polymorphic loci were identified. The dendrogram based on the Unweighted Pair-Group Method Arithmetic Average and Nei's similarity index depicted about 97% homology between the mother plants and micropropagated plants. Further, an attempt was made to reintroduce the micropropagated plants in the wild. Over three hundred small trees could be successfully established.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.33-37
• /
• 2014

Lychnis wilfordii (Regel) Maxim is a rare and valued ornamental plant. Germination rate reached 46.6% when seeds were treated with $100mg{\cdot}l^{-1}$ GA (Gibberellic acid). The highest callus induction was observed in the leaf explants of the seedlings on MS medium containing specific concentrations of $0.5mg{\cdot}l^{-1}$ BA ($N^6$-benzyladenine) and $3.0mg{\cdot}l^{-1}$ NAA (a-naphthalene acetic acid). The adventitious shoot was formed in 97.3% of calli on 1/2 WPM (Woody Plant Medium) medium. Shoot elongation of in vitro propagated plantlets was no difference among various medium. The plantlets grew well after transferring to the pot. This in vitro propagation protocol should be useful for conservation of this endangered plant.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.51-55
• /
• 2006

A rapid micropropagation protocol was established for Exacum travancoricum Bedd. The effect of two cytokinins viz. BA and kinetin were studied to evaluate the propagation of plants through nodal explants. MS medium supplemented with 13.32 ${\mu}M$ BA induced early bud break and subsequent production of multiple shoots. Rooting of shoots occurred when cultured on 1/2 strength MS medium supplemented with 14.7 ${\mu}M$ IBA. Rooted plants were acclimatized to greenhouse conditions. The propagated plants were transferred successfully to field with 65% success. As the plant was amenable to propagation in vitro, this can be employed as a tool for conservation of this critically endangered and endemic ornamental herb.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.112-118
• /
• 2005

Based on the specific plant species for environmental assesment by the Ministry of Environment(MoE), a total of 68 taxa were identified; 29 taxa for the floristic degree(FD) I, 12 taxa for the FD II, 11 taxa for the FD III, 9 taxa for the FD IV and 6 taxa for the FD V. The endangered plant species, in Woraksan National Park, such as Lilium cernum and Berchemia berchemiaefolia are categorized as the Conservation Degree (CD) II which is designated by the MoE. The rare and endangered species such as Crypsinus hastatus, Lilium cernum, Berchemia berchemiaefolia, Lilium callossum, Gastrodia elata, Aristolochia contorta, Koelreuteria paniculata, Rhododendron tschonoskii, Scopolia japonica, Cypripedium macranthum, Paeonia japonica and Thymus quinquecostatus including 12 plant taxa are categorized as Rare and Endangered Plant Species by the Korea Forest Service.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.195-200
• /
• 2018

Genetic assessments of rare and endangered species are among the first steps necessary to establish the proper management of natural populations. Transcriptome-derived single-sequence repeat markers were developed for the Korean endangered species Astilboides tabularis (Saxifragaceae) to assess its genetic diversity. A total of 96 candidate microsatellite loci were isolated based on transcriptome data using Illumina pair end sequencing. Of these, 26 were polymorphic, with one to five alleles per locus in 60 individuals from three populations of A. tabularis. The observed and expected heterozygosity per locus ranged from 0.000 to 0.950 and from 0.000 to 0.741, respectively. These polymorphic transcriptome-derived simple sequence repeat markers would be invaluable for future studies of population genetics and for ecological conservation of the endangered species A. tabularis.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.274-280
• /
• 2020

As the importance of biological resources increases, the conservation technology is becoming important for rarities. This study was conducted to establish an efficient cryopreservation conditions for the Deutzia paniculata, endangered plant species, by using both cryopreservation methods of vitrification and encapsulation. As a result, the sucrose pretreatment seed viability showed up to 30.7% in the treatments. The cryoprotectant treatment improved the viability of the seeds, and was found to be excellent in the vitrification method using PVS3. The vitrification method had over 10% higher germination rate than the seeds preserved by encapsulation. In addition, the germination rate showed a significant difference according to the cryopreservation treatment time, and the germination rate of seeds decreased very much as the long time became longer. Plants germinated from preserved seed in liquid nitrogen showed poor growth compared to untreated, and good growth in PVS3 120 minutes. In addition, the growth of germinated plants by liquid nitrogen treatment time was better in the vitrification method. These results are expected to be useful for long-term preservation of D. paniculata, endangered plants.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Environment and Ecology Conference
• /
• 2000.04a
• /
• pp.109-111
• /
• 2000