• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.273-291
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• 2013

Dinoflagellate species composition has changed around Jeju Island as well as in Korean waters due to global warming and climate changes. An investigation was conducted to monitor changes in planktonic dinoflagellates around Jeju Island from June 2006 to September 2009. A total of 86 species belonging to 14 families and 15 genera were identified, of which 34 species were newly recorded in Korean waters. Among the newly recorded species, >20 were confirmed as tropical species. Thus, the occurrence of such tropical dinoflagellates could be an indicator to monitor of environmental changes including global warming around Jeju Island and in Korean waters.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.119-126
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• 2015

In Shinjeong-dong of Jeongeup, there are three government-supported research institutes and an RFT industrial complex which is currently being established. Increased human activities can affect flora and fauna as a man-made pressure onto the region. As a baseline study, status of exotic plants was investigated prior to a full operation of the RFT industrial complex. A total of 54 species and 1 variety of naturalized or introduced plants were found in the study area. Among them, three species (Ambrosia artemisifolia var. elatior, Rumex acetocella and Aster pilosus) belong to 'nuisance species', and four species(Phytolacca americana, Iopomoea hederacea, Ereechtites hieracifolia and Rudbeckia laciniata) to 'monitor species' designated by the ministry of Environment. Some of naturalized trees and plants were intentionally introduced in this area, while others naturally immigrated. Physalis angulata seemes to immigrate in the study area in the form of mixture with animal feeds as its distribution coincided with the transportation route of the animal feeds. Liquidambar styraciflua is amenable to the ecological investigation on the possible expansion of the species to the nearby Naejang National Park as its leave shape and autumn color are very similar to those of maple trees. The number of naturalized plants around the RFT industrial complex will increase with an increase in floating population, in human activities in association with constructions of factories and operations of the complex. The result of this study provides baseline data for assessing the ecological change of the region according to the operation of the RFT industrial complex.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.376-390
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• 2018

Cronobacter species have been associated with disease outbreaks and sporadic infections, particularly in premature and immunocompromised infants. Cronobacter species can cause foodborne infections such as neonatal meningitis, septicaemia and necrotising enterocolitis. Accordingly, there is an urgent need to control and monitor the Cronobacter species in food, especially in powdered infant formula (PIF) and other baby foods. Therefore, in this review, the isolation and prevalence of Cronobacter species in infant food including PIF and the recent advance of detection methods are discussed for the better understanding on the current research status of Cronobacter species.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.211-218
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• 2023

Background: Traditional wildlife monitoring has often relied on invasive techniques posing risks to species and demanding substantial resources. To address this, camera traps emerged as non-invasive alternatives, albeit primarily tailored for larger mammals, posing limitations for small mammal research. Thus, the Mostela, an innovative tool designed to overcome these challenges, was introduced to monitor small mammals in South Korea. Results: The Mostela was deployed at two study sites in South Korea, yielding compelling evidence of its efficiency in capturing small mammal species. By analyzing the collected data, we calculated the relative abundance of each species and elucidated their activity patterns. Conclusions: In summary, the Mostela system demonstrates substantial potential for advancing small mammal monitoring, offering valuable insights into diversity, community dynamics, activity patterns, and habitat preferences. Its application extends to the detection of endangered and rare species, further contributing to wildlife conservation efforts in South Korea. Consequently, the Mostela system stands as a valuable addition to the toolkit of conservationists and researchers, fostering ethical and non-invasive research practices while advancing our understanding of small mammal populations and ecosystems.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.22-26
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• 2020

Chrysosplenium aureobracteatum Y. I. Kim & Y. D. Kim (Saxifragaceae) is a recently described endemic species growing in the central part of the Korean peninsula. It requires constant monitoring for conservation due to its limited distributions. There is also a need for molecular markers for proper assessments of the genetic differentiation of C. aureobracteatum from species morphologically similar to it. In this study, we developed microsatellite markers that can be used to evaluate the genetic diversity of this species, representing fundamental data with which to conserve the natural populations of the species. A total of 17 expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) markers were developed by the Illumina pair-end sequencing of the transcriptomes of C. aureobracteatum. These markers were successfully applied to populations of C. aureobracteatum and to its most closely related species, C. barbatum, revealing high polymorphism in both species. The EST-SSR markers developed in this study were proven to be useful not only to monitor the population genetic structure of C. aureobracteatum for conservation purposes but also to study the genetic delimitation of the species from species closely related to it.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.147-153
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• 2014

Structural heterogeneity results in different spatial distributions of microcrustaceans. Thus, in ecosystems with excessive macrophyte development, it may be difficult to determine the microcrustacean species composition. Given the importance of microcrustaceans in the food web, the elucidation of microcrustacean diversity is essential. In vegetated habitats, bluegill sunfish can prey on microcrustaceans, and therefore have a potential role as microcrustacean monitoring agents. In the present study, we compared microcrustacean species compositions in the field with those in the guts of bluegill, in Jangcheok Lake, South Korea. Our results showed that the number of microcrustacean species was higher in bluegill guts than in the field. Further, microcrustacean species, such as Daphnia galeata, Graptoleveris testudinaria, Leydigia leydigii, Rhynchotalona sp., and Simocephalus exponisus, were found only in bluegill guts. Our findings verify the validity of the fish gut analysis to monitor microcrustacean species compositions and to clarify spatial distributions of microcrustacean species in structurally heterogeneous ecosystems with excessive macrophyte development.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.521-525
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• 2014

The Ussurian tube-nosed bat (Murina ussuriensis) is a registered endangered species that has not been observed in South Korea since 1960. We were able to capture three individuals of M. ussuriensis between 2011 and 2013 at Sobaeksan National Park. The discovery of this species was the first time within 50 years. To collect basic data on the M. ussuriensis, we analyzed the external morphology and ultrasound characteristics of the captured bats. The results indicated that M. ussuriensis weigh approximately 5.2 g, which is less than that of a typical small bat such as Pipistrellus abramus. The bat's wing-type ratio was determined to be 1.22 and classified as a broad and short wingspan type. The bat uses FM signals for ultrasound with a peak frequency of 92 kHz. The M. ussuriensis seems to be a forest-dwelling bat that preys on insects by maneuvering expertly within the complex mazelike structure of forests. In the future, further research on the hibernation and foraging sites of the bats is necessary to protect and monitor the species.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.41-53
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• 2022

Background: Due to the rapidly changing climatic conditions, South Korea faces the grand challenge of exotic species. With the increasing human movement, the influx of alien species to novel regions is prevalent across the globe. The latest research suggests that it is easy to prevent the introduction and establishment of alien species rather than controlling their spread and eradication. Like other countries, the Korean Ministry of Environment released a list (in 2018) of 45 potential risky exotic fish species considered likely to be invasive candidate fish species if they ever succeed in entering the Korean aquatic ecosystems. Results: The investigation into the invasion suitability traits showed that potential risky fish species could utilize those features in becoming invasive once they arrive in the Korean aquatic ecosystems. If the novel species establish viable populations, they are likely to incur higher economic costs, damage the native aquatic fauna and flora, and jeopardize the already perilled species. Furthermore, they can damage the installed infrastructure, decline overall abundance and biodiversity, and disturb the ecosystem services. Here we reviewed the list of fish species concerning their family, native origin, preferred aquatic biomes, main food items, current status in Korea, and potential threats to humans and the ecosystems. Data shows that most species are either already designated as invasive in the neighboring counties, including Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, and China, or originate from these countries. Such species have a higher climate match with the Korean territories. Conclusions: Therefore, it is exceptionally essential to study their most critical features and take regulatory measures to restrict their entry. The incoming fish species must be screened before letting them in the country in the future. The regulatory authorities must highlight the threatening traits of such species and strictly monitor their entrance. Detailed research is required to explore the other species, especially targeting the neighboring countries fish biodiversity, having demonstrated invasive features and matching the Korean climate.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.137-147
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• 1999

Penguins are one of the key constituent organisms in the Antarctic ecosystem. A total of 18 species of penguins occur only in the southern hemisphere from the Galapagos Archipelago to southern area off Australia and New Zealand, South Africa, South America, and the islands scattered in the Southern Ocean to the coast along the Antarctic Continent. In the Antarctic Treaty area, there are only 5 species of penguins such as Emperor (Aptenodytes forsteri), Gentoo (Pygoscelis papua ellsworthi), Adelie (P. adeliae), Chinstrap (p. antarctica), and Macaroni (Eudyptes chrysolophus) penguins. Two additional species, the King (Aptenodytes patagonicus patagonicus) and Rockhopper (Eudyptes chrysocome) penguins, however, are distributed within the Antarctic Convergence. In the vicinity of king Sejong Station located in King George Island, the South Shetland Islands off the Antarctic Peninsula, 5 species are observed, among which 2 Pygoscelis species such as the Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins hatch their eggs and raise their chicks at the rookery 2km south offing Sejong Station in summer. Adelie penguins hatch their chicks in other place in King George Island. One Emperor penguin roamed on the frozen Maxwell Bay which has been frozen every two or three years with the approximate thickness of 60cm. And one Macaroni penguin also visited the rookery in summer. We should carry out researches on the penguins occurring in the vicinity of King Sejong Station to monitor the environmental changes around King Sejong Station and the South Shetland Islands.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.441-452
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• 2013

The fish species composition of seagrass bed in Chuuk Lagoon, Micronesia, was investigated every month from August 2009 to July 2011, using a seine net for fish caught. A total of 32 fish species belonging to 18 families under 6 orders were identified during the study period. Of these fish, Atherinomrus lacunosus, and Strongylura incise were the major dominant species representing 85.0% in total number of individuals. The number of species and individuals were high from August to December 2009, 2010. The biomass was highest in September 2010 and the diversity index was higher in September 2009, April, August 2010 and July 2011. The 14 dominant species could be divided into 2 groups of 3 individuals based on appearance patterns; (1) resident species and temporal species (9 species, e.g. Atherinomrus lacunosus), juvenile and adults living in seagrass beds and juveniles living only in seagrass beds; (2) temporal species (2 species, e.g. Hemiramphus lutkei), juveniles living only in seagrass beds; (3) temporal species (3 individuals, e.g. Caranx sexfasiatus). For some species, the appearance patterns were affected by water temperature. However, the relationships between sea currents, salinity, tide, and structure of fish assemblage remain unclear. Further studies that regularly monitor sea grass habitats are necessary to clearly understand the correlation between environmental factors and sea grass habitat use patterns in fish assemblages.