• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2019

Background: Hibernating bats exhibit ubiquitous winter activity in temperate zones, but there is considerable between- and within-species variety in their intensity and purpose. Bats may fly during winter for sustenance or travel to other hibernacula. This study compared inter-regional variation in the winter activity of the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum). We predicted that weather and hibernacula-environmental conditions would influence winter activity patterns. Results: Winter activity patterns differed between regions. In the Anseong area, we confirmed movement inside the hibernaculum, but in Hampyeong, we observed movement both inside and between hibernacula. The two regions differ by $4^{\circ}C$ in average winter temperatures. Anseong experiences 22 days during which average daily temperatures exceeded $5^{\circ}C$, whereas Hampyeong experienced 50 such days. During the hibernating period, bat body weight decreased by approximately 17-20% in both regions. Conclusions: Ambient temperatures and winter-roost environments appear to be behind regional differences in hibernating bat activity. As winter temperatures in Korea do not favor insect activity, feeding probability is low for bats. However, bats may need to access water. At Anseong, underground water flows inside the hibernaculum when the reservoir outside is frozen. At Hampyeong, the hibernaculum does not contain a water source, but the reservoir outside does not freeze during winter. In conclusion, water-source location is the most likely explanation for regional variation in the winter activity of hibernating bats.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.191-195
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• 2009

We monitored 38 hibernation sites of Myotis formosus in South Korea and recorded the number of bats occupying each site and assessed the micro-climate at the sites during four winters from 2005 to 2009 at. The mean rock temperature of the bat roosting sites was $13.2{\pm}1.4^{\circ}C$ and the mean body temperature of the hibernating bats was $13.3{\pm}1.3^{\circ}C$. The number of hibernating bats was negatively related to the size of the entrance and positively related to the minimum ambient temperature and humidity in the site interior. More bats hibernated in roosts with smaller entrances and higher minimum ambient temperatures, and more bats selected sites presenting a narrow temperature range. This study showed that the internal environments of hibernacula of M. formosus were highly stable despite dramatic variation in the external environment.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.258-272
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• 2014

Bats hibernating in caves and unused mines were surveyed during six hibernation periods (from December to February, 2005 and 2011) in Korea. We recorded 13,288 individuals of 11 species at 140 hibernacula (60 caves and 80 abandoned mines): Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (n=3,509), Eptesicus serotinus (n=6), Hypsugo alaschanicus (n=349), Miniopterus fuliginosus (n=5,919), Murina hilgendorfi (n=417), Myotis aurascens (n=294), Myotis bombinus (n=2), Myotis formosus (n=401), Myotis macrodactylus (M.mac, n=151), Myotis petax (n=2,131) and Plecotus ognevi (n=109). We studied the thermal preference and selection of hibernacula of seven dominant bat species. Four species (Myotis petax, Hypsugo alaschanicus, Plecotus ognevi and Murina hilgendorfi) hibernated mainly at the cold site below than $7^{\circ}C$, while three species (Myotis formosus, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum and Miniopterus fuliginosus) hibernated at warm site above than $7^{\circ}C$. Rhinolophus ferrumequinum had broad-ranged temperature zone for their hibernating site. The mean body temperature of each species was $2.64{\pm}0.98^{\circ}C$ for Murina hilgendorfi, $2.76{\pm}1.68^{\circ}C$ for Hypsugo alaschanicus, $2.78{\pm}0.98^{\circ}C$ for Plecotus ognevi, $4.52{\pm}1.02^{\circ}C$ for Myotis petax, $7.83{\pm}1.94^{\circ}C$ for Miniopterus fuliginosus, $9.19{\pm}2.35^{\circ}C$ for Rhinolophus ferrumequinum and $13.64{\pm}0.76^{\circ}C$ for Myotis formosus, respectively. The body temperatures of hibernating bats were closely related to the rock surface temperatures rather than the ambient temperatures. In conclusion, the diversity of bats community in hibernacula were closely related to the range of inner ambient temperature of hibernacula, and more species of bats were occupied at sites presenting a broad range of ambient temperatures.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.411-421
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• 2017

Understanding the need for temperature regulation, behavior, and ecology of hibernating bats provides the possibility of conservation and management for target species. Our objective in this study was to improve understanding of the population trend and ecological requirement in Myotis formosus population in South Korea. From 2007 to 2016, total of 58 hibernacula for Myotis formosus were found across the country. Of the 58 hibernating sites of Myotis formosus, 86% (n=49) were abandoned mines and 14% (n=8) were natural caves. During the survey period, 28 (5%) bats of total 570 bats were observed in natural caves (n=8) and 542 (95%) bats were observed in abandoned mines (n=49). The internal environments of hibernacula of M. formosus were highly stable despite dramatic variation in the external environment. Specifically, we examined the population trend of the endangered bat Myotis formosus in South Korea by long-term monitoring for hibernation sites. The population trend of endangered species M. formosus showed a marked stable in hibernating population. Our results indicate that a tightly collected long-term data set may help to establish the initial approximation of population trends and manage to threats for the endangered bat species.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.345-353
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• 2018

Hibernation is regarded as a physiological and behavioral adaptation that permits the survival of animals such as bats during seasonal periods of energy shortage. This study investigated the hibernation period of Plecotus ognevi in the temperate climate zone and the relationship between the thermal preference and hibernating process of bats. We hypothesized that the hibernation period of bats is closely related to the external temperature and temperature preference of bat species in the temperate region. To verify this hypothesis, we surveyed the distribution of the P. ognevi population in South Korea, and the temperature preference and the characteristics of hibernacula of P. ognevi. We predict that hibernation in the bat will begin when the external temperature drops below the thermal preference of the species and will leave from hibernation when the external temperature is higher than the thermal preference. P. ognevi hibernated in roosts maintained in low temperature ambient conditions with $-3.5{\sim}7.5^{\circ}C$). The body temperatures (averaged $3.01{\pm}1.30^{\circ}C$, ranged $0.1{\sim}7.8^{\circ}C$) of hibernating bats were closely related to the rock surface temperatures rather than the ambient temperatures. The bats began to hibernate in late November and final arousals occurred in mid-March, so that the total length of the hibernation was 115~120 days. The period of hibernation was strongly influenced by fluctuations in the external mean temperature. This study suggests that the onset and termination of P. ognevi hibernation is due to the interaction between the temperature of the hibernacula and that of the external environment and is based on the thermal preference of the bats. The study also suggests that the hibernation strategy such as thermal preference and hibernation periods of this species affect to distribution as bat species adapting to a severely climate.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.409-422
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• 2022

Two dominant thrips in hot pepper (Capsicum annuum) cultivating in greenhouses are Frankliniella occidentalis and F. intonsa in Korea. This study investigated their overwintering physiology. These two thrips were freeze-susceptible and suppressed the body freezing temperature by lowering supercooling point (SCP) down to -15~-27℃. However, these SCPs varied among species and developmental stages. SCPs of F. occidentalis were -25.7±0.5℃ for adults, -17.2±0.3℃ for pupae, and -15.0±0.4℃ for larvae. SCPs of F. intonsa were -24.0±1.0℃ for adults, -27.0±0.5℃ for pupae, -17.2±0.8℃ for larvae. Cold injuries of both species occurred at low temperature treatments above SCPs. Thrips mortality increased as the treatment temperature decreased and its exposure period increased. F. occidentalis exhibited higher cold tolerance than F. intonsa. In both species, adults were more cold-tolerant than larvae. Two thrips species exhibited a rapid cold hardening because a pre-exposure to 0℃ for 2 h significantly enhanced the cold tolerance to a lethal cold temperature treatment at -10℃ for 2 h. In addition, a sequential exposure of the thrips to decreasing temperatures made them to be acclimated to low temperatures. To investigate the overwintering sites of the two species, winter monitoring of the thrips was performed at the greenhouses. During winter season (November~February), adults of the two species were not captured in outside of the greenhouses. However, F. occidentalis adults were captured to the traps and observed in weeds within the greenhouses. F. occidentalis adults were also emerged from soil samples obtained from the greenhouses during the winter season. F. intonsa adults did not come out from the soil samples at November and December, but emerged from the soil samples obtained after January. To determine the adult emergence due to diapause development, two thrips species were reared under different photoperiods. Adult development occurred in all photoperiod treatments in F. occidentalis, but did not in F. intonsa especially under short periods. Tomato spotted wilt virus, which is transmitted by these two species, was detected in the weeds infested by the thrips during the winter season. These results suggest that F. occidentalis develops on weeds in the greenhouses while F. intonsa undergoes a diapause in the soil during winter.