• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2016

We examined whether an artificial levee constructed on prime amphibian habitat influences fragmentation. Four different sites on both sides of a levee in the Civilian Control Zone(CCZ) were probed. Sites 1 and 2 are rice paddies on one side of the levee, and Site 3 is the stream that locates in the same side. All the three sites have water conditions of seasonal variance. On the other side, Site 4 consists of rice paddies with a stable condition of water supply, irrigated through a canal. The research sites were frequented and the frog populations were closely monitored. The investigation identified five species. Pelophylax nigromaculatus was the most frequent (n=295), followed by Hyla japonica (n=220) and Glandirana rugosa (n=124). Three Bufo gargarizans and eight Rana coreana were also found. The amphibians, however, were found to relocate themselves according to water condition to rice paddies or stream only within one side of the levee. Despite having ample sources of water and foods, Site 4 lacked large populations of frogs, even when droughts came. Both the species dominance index and the richness index indicated a more favorable living condition of the one side of the levee (Sites 1 and 2) over the other.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.105-109
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• 2018

Biodiversity (or biological diversity) is defined as the variability of living organisms, the "diversity of life on Earth," and the complex relationships that make up ecosystems. This study aimed to investigate the spatial and temporal patterns in animal species composition and diversity at the Deukjin River, located in Hapcheon Province, Korea. The fauna community at the Deukjin River during 2016 season was identified with a total of 55 taxa, representing the following six classes: Mammalia (mammals), Actinopterygii (bony fish), Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish), Aves (birds), Amphibia (amphibians), Reptilia (reptiles), and invertebrates. The Berger - Parker index (BPI) for mammals varied from 0.233 (Station A) to 0.333 (Station D). The Shannon - Weaver index (H') and two diversity indexes (N1 and N2) for mammals and birds in the upper region were higher than those in the lower region. The values of ${\beta}$-diversity for animals varied from 0.229 for fish to 0.339 for invertebrates. The richness indices for animal taxa also varied among the stations and seasons. Station A showed considerably high richness in mammals, birds, and reptiles/amphibians. Although the richness indices (R1 and R2) for six animal kingdoms during the seasons were different from each other, the difference was not significant (p<0.05). The evenness indices for five animal kingdoms were different from each other, but again, the difference was not significant (p<0.05).

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.11 no.1 s.17
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• pp.15-18
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• 1975

The effect of skin extracts of Korean amphibian, poisonous snake and fresh-water fish were determined for their caerulein-like action on rabbit gall bladder strips. The isolated gall bladder strips were prepared according to the technique described by Amer and Becvar(1969). The strips were placed in a bath containing 100ml of Locke-Ringer solution maintained at $38^{\circ}C$. Oxygen was continuously bubbled through the solution. The tension of the muscle strip was initially adjusted to 0.7g. The contractile response was measured isometrically by a force-displacement transducer connected to a polygraph. In this rabbit gall bladder strip caerulein produced contraction of CCK-PZ type. The skin extract of Korean amphibian also elicited similar contraction as caerulein, which extracted from Australian amphibian, Hyla caerulea, by Erspamer et al. The calculated amount was approximately $2{\mu}g$ caerulein per gram of skin tissue in Korean amphibian and the potency was about 1/200 of that seen in Australian amphibian. The contraction of gall bladder strip by our amphibians occurs in decreasing order; Rana Nigromaculata coreana Okada, Rana nigromaculata Hallowell, Hyla arborea japonica Gunther and Bombina orientalis Boulenger. The skin extracts of poisonous snake and fresh-water fish produced no caerulein-like activity.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.214-221
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• 2024

Background: To identify and avoid predators, amphibians rely on chemical cues. Onychodactylus koreanus undergo two to three years of the larval stage in mountainous streams, where they encounter various predators. We aimed to identify the potential predators of O. koreanus larvae based on their antipredator responses to predator odors. Additionally, we examined whether the response was innate or can be strengthened by predator olfactory learning. Results: In Experiment 1, O. koreanus larvae exhibited a substantial antipredator response to Chinese minnow (Rhynchocypris oxycephalus) odor but not to Korean freshwater crayfish (Cambaroides similis) odor. In Experiment 2, O. koreanus larvae, who did not previously expose to R. oxycephalus odor, demonstrated a substantial antipredator response to it. Experiment 3 indicated that predator olfactory learning of R. oxycephalus did not enhance the antipredator response of the larvae. Conclusions: Rhynchocypris oxycephalus could prey on O. koreanus larvae, whose antipredator response to R. oxycephalus odor is innate and not enhanced by olfactory learning. Further investigation into the olfactory system of this species may provide insights into the life cycle of O. koreanus, uncovering hidden underground breeding sites and unknown breeding periods.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.300-307
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• 2004

The chloroacetanilide herbicide alachlor (2-chloro-2', 6'-diethyl-N-(methoxymethyl)-acetanilide) and organochlorine insecticide endosulfan (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10-hexachloro-l, 5, 5a, 6, 9, 9a-hexahydro-6, 9-methano-2, 3, 4-benzodioxathiepin-3-oxide)are the highly toxic agricultural chemicals. Bombina orientalis is one of the most common amphibians in the world and comprises a large proportion of their total number. B. orientalis spawns in the farming regions at Spring when the massive application of agricultural chemicals occurs. These chemicals in farmland may threaten the reproduction of this frog. Therefore, we examined the embryotoxic and survival effects of alachlor and endosulfan at various concentrations in B. orientalis embryos. The survival rates of embryos at 312h post fertilization treated with alachlor and endosulfan were decreased with concentration dependent manner. Also, developmental malformations appeared by alachlor and endosulfan in B. orientalis embryos. The malformations showed in order of frequency with bent trunk, tail dysplasia, bent tail, thick-set body and ventral blister in alachlor treated embryos. The exposure of endosulfan produced 7 types of severe external malformations with tail dysplasia, pectoral blister, bent trunk, bent tail, cephalic dysplasia, ventral blister, and thick-set body. Following exposure to alachlor and endosulfan the types of malformations were diverse, suggesting these chemicals target multiple events in embryonic and larval development in this species. These results suggested that alachlor and endosulfan were detrimental for survival and development of B. orientalis embryos.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.263-272
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• 1980

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to investigate the patterns of LDH and MDH isozymes in the embryo and adult of amphibia; Rana nigromaculata, Rana plancyi chosenica and Hynobius leechii. Rana nigromaculata is considered to be heterozygous for the gene specifying the "B" subunit of LDH, and Hynobius leechii to be heterozygous for the gene specifying the "A" subunit of LDH. The LDH isozyme paatern of embryos of the above three species is characterized by a gradual increase in the activity of LDH-5 (muscular form)during development. Two or three molecular forms of MDH is present steadily from early embryos and in adult. Of the MDH isozymes, the more cathodic one (MDH-m) appears weakly in early developing stages, but increases slowly in the activity as the embryo develops.the embryo develops.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2021

Background: Ranavirus is an emerging infectious disease which has been linked to mass mortality events in various amphibian species. In this study, we document the first mass mortality event of an adult population of Dybowski's brown frogs (Rana dybowskii), in 2017, within a mountain valley in South Korea. Results: We confirmed the presence of ranavirus from all collected frogs (n = 22) via PCR and obtained the 500 bp major capsid protein (MCP) sequence from 13 individuals. The identified MCP sequence highly resembled Frog virus 3 (FV3) and was the same haplotype of a previously identified viral sequence collected from Huanren brown frog (R. huanrenensis) tadpoles in South Korea. Human habitat alteration, by recent erosion control works, may be partially responsible for this mass mortality event. Conclusion: We document the first mass mortality event in a wild Korean population of R. dybowskii. We also suggest, to determine if ranavirus infection is a threat to amphibians, government officials and researchers should develop continuous, country-wide, ranavirus monitoring programs of Korean amphibian populations.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.133-139
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• 2008

Urban streams are degrading functional role due to development and pollution. This study chose the representative stream of Do-rim and identified flora and fauna. The ecological survey aimed at identifying indicator of urban streams for measuring urban healthiness and we discussed the possibility of wetland conservation area. From the beginning of Dorim stream to An-yang mixture we were successfully identified 113 species of plants, 9 of mammals, 23 of birds, 4 of amphibians, 2 of reptiles and 2 of fish species. Terrestrial insects were 71 species. The wetland vegetation is quite various and we suggested 4 different vegetation zones (aquatic vegetation zone, emergent zone, riparian-meadow zone, riparian-woodland zone) depending on distance from the flowing water stream and vegetation characteristics for urban stream management.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.71-82
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• 2015

Hyla suweonensis is an endemic species and is designated as the only endangered species I among amphibians in 2012 by the Ministry of Environment, however studies about its habitat are lacking. This study was carried out to analyze habitat of H. suweonensis based on the spatial information using Maxent (Maximum entropy model as a species distribution model. We detected 45 present points until 2013 and 10 environmental variables by literature review for the model. The results showed that $429km^2$ (0.95%) of the study area, which was about 7.75% of the total agricultural area, was high possible habitats of H. suweonensis. The habitat of H. suweonensis was analyzed by over $1km^2$ rice paddy fields that were lower elevations, flat slopes, and not fragmented. The distance from forests and rivers was identified as a factor that affects its habitat possibilities. In order to conserve H. suweonensis, a large area of rice paddy fields should be preserved, and especially the area around forests and rivers would be required more intensive management. In addition, to compensate for degraded habitats of H. suweonensis in urban areas like as Suwon city, considering integrated watershed management strategy could be effective in the perspective of ecological habitat network of H. suweonensis.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.591-596
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• 2012

Stream of Hongchon in Gangwon province was well known site for river otter(Lutra lutra) habitat. Because of habitat importance in this region a food analysis was conducted using 478 spraints of the species. A total food was domintnant by fish species occupying 80.5% and the dominant species was Zacco temminckii because of population abundance. Other food items were Amphibians and birds. Summer food was the highest due to its diversity. Gunup and Naechon streams were not different among diversity. Currently the highway construction was underway and we need more information regarding habitat requirement, and management implication for the species in this region.