• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.143-154
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• 2020

Background: Korean wild boars (Sus scrofa coreanus Heude), because of their adaptability, are a widespread large mammal; however, they sometimes cause problems by invading farms and eating the crops, creating insufficiencies of some foods in South Korea. To understand the diet composition of Korean wild boars according to sex and body size, we collected their feces from Mt. Jeombongsan, Seoraksan National Park, South Korea. The sizes of fecal samples were measured, and genomic DNA was extracted from the samples. We amplified specific loci targeting plants (rbcL and trnL) and animals (COI) to detect the food sources of this omnivore and amplified the ZF and SRY regions to determine the sex. Results: In the wild boar feces, Rosaceae and Bryophyte were the most frequently detected plant food sources at the family level and Diptera and Haplotaxida were the most frequently detected animal food sources at the order level. As a result of sex determination, the sex ratio of wild boars collected in the Mt. Jeombongsan area was approximately 1:1. Our result suggested that there is no significant difference between the diet composition of male and female boars. Based on the average cross-sectional area of the feces, the top 25% were classified into the large body size group and the bottom 25% were classified into the small body size group. The large body size group mainly preferred Actinidiaceae, and the small body size group most frequently consumed Fagaceae. The diet of the large body size group was more diverse than the small body size group. Conclusions: Our results showed that the wild boars preferred Rosaceae, especially Sanguisorba and Filipendula, as plant food sources, and Diptera and Coleoptera of Insecta as animal food sources. Based on the results, the dietary preferences of wild boar appear to be distinguished by not their sex but their body size. Our study could help to elucidate the feeding ecology and population structure of wild boar, as well as address conservation and management issues.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.440-448
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• 2023

This study measured soil respiration in pine forests dominated by Pinus densiflora in Mt. Jeombong, Mt. Namsan, Mt. Jirisan in Republic of Korea from 2009 to 2010. The seasonal variations, along with temperature and soil moisture content, were measured to understand the characteristics at each site. Soil respiration was highest in summer and autumn, closely influenced by the increase in soil temperature. Throughout the measurement period, soil respiration ranged from 205.6 to 312.2 mg CO₂ m^-2 h^-1, with Mt. Namsan showing the highest values and Mt. Jirisan the lowest. A strong correlation was observed between soil respiration and soil temperature, with Q₁₀ values ranging from 2.5 to 3.0. Precipitation significantly affected soil moisture content, and although it appeared to influence soil respiration, no significant correlation was found.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.127-166
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• 2014

Moniligastrids are an important yet often ignored earthworm group commonly found in cultivated soils, especially paddy, in the tropical East. Seven new taxa are: Drawida koreana austri, D. koreana nanjiro, D. koreana shindo, D. odaesan, D. jeombongsan, D. companio and D. csuzdii Blakemore spp. or sub-spp. nov. from Korea. Drawida csuzdii is the first new species from North Korea since Lumbricidae Eisenia koreana (Zicsi, 1972). Historical East Asian moniligastrids are reviewed chronologically and Drawida barwelli (Beddard, 1886), D. japonica (Michaelsen, 1892) and D. siemsseni Michaelsen, 1910 are compared on their museum types. These three taxa were thought similar and related to D. nepalensis Michaelsen, 1907 and its possible synonym D. burchardi Michaelsen, 1903 (priority!) and both of these to prior D. uniqua (Bourne, 1887). Indian Drawida calebi Gates, 1945 is compared to new material of D. japonica from Japan, and D. willsi Michaelsen, 1907 to the new sub-species of D. koreana Kobayashi, 1938 from Korea. Where available, mtDNA COI gene barcodes are provided to help objective determinations and a phylogram is provided with outgroup Ocnerodrilidae Eukerria saltensis (Beddard, 1895) itself found in rice paddy/irrigation. The challenge now is comparison of all early taxa in their various homelands in order to assess the genetic variability and taxonomic boundaries acceptable, especially for unpigmented D. barwelli and also for pink/grey D. japonica and blue/grey D. koreana. A checklist of moniligastrids is appended showing 22 species from China (including Hainan and Taiwan), 21 from Korea, nine from Japan and the Drawida ghilarovi Gates, 1969 species-complex from far eastern Russian (Siberia). Recent Drawida dandongensis Zhang & Sun, 2014 from Sino-Korean border is misdescribed and cannot be meaningfully compared to any other Drawidas.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.347-372
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to provide the basic data for management of the ecosystem of Baekdudaegan Mountains by surveying and analysing the vascular plants distributed from Hyangrobong area to Guryongryeong area. The numbers of vascular plants in the whole survey areas were summarized as 633 taxa including 95 families, 321 genera, 549 species, 4 subspecies, 70 varieties, and 10 forms. There were 285 taxa in Hyangrobong area, 256 taxa in Masanbong area, 318 taxa in Mt. Seoraksan area, 281 taxa in Mt. Jeombongsan area, 173 taxa in Bukamryeong and Ohsaekcheon valley area, 197 taxa in Soenadeuri area, 203 taxa in Yeongarigol area, and 168 taxa in Guryongryeong area. The endangered species were 2 taxa including Leontice microrrhyncha and Smilacina bicolor. The rare plants were 39 taxa including Pinus pumila, Halenia corniculata, Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii, and so forth. In IUCN Red List categories, there were 2 taxa of CR, 7 taxa of EN, 10 taxa of VU, 18 taxa of LC, and 2 taxa of DD. The Korean endemic plants were 23 taxa including Salix koriyanagi, Anemone koraiensis, Lespedeza maritima, Cirsium setidens, Saussurea seoulensis, Carex okamotoi, and so forth. The plants adaptable to climate change were 48 taxa including 17 taxa of endemic plants, 1 taxon of southern plant, and 30 taxa of northern plants. The naturalized plants were 32 taxa including Fallopia dumetorum, Cerastium glomeratum, Papaverrhoeas, Bidensfrondosa, Lolium perenne, and so forth. The invasive alien plants were 3 taxa including Rumex acetocella, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, and Ambrosia trifida.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.455-463
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• 2022

To understand functional changes of forest ecosystems due to climate change, correlation between decomposition rate of leaf litter, an important function of forest ecosystems, and microclimatic factors was analyzed. After 48 months elapsed, percent remaining weight of Quercus mongolica leaf litter was 27.1% in the east aspect and 37.0% in the west aspects. Decay constant of Q. mongolica leaf litter was 0.33 in the east aspect and 0.25 in the west aspect after 48 months elapsed. Initial C/N ratio of Q. mongolica leaf litter was 38.5. After 48 months elapsed, C/N ratio of decomposing Q. mongolica leaf litter decreased to 13.43 in the east aspect and 16.72 in the west aspect. Average air temperature and soil temperature during the investigation period of the research site were 8.2±9.0 and 9.1±9.3 in the east and 8.5±7.4 and 9.3±7.3℃ in the west aspect, respectively, with the west aspect showing higher air and soil temperatures. Soil moisture showed no significant difference between east and west aspects (average soil moisture: 19.4±11.0% vs. 20.5±5.7%). However, as a result of analyzing the correlation between decomposition rate and microclimatic factors, it was found that the decomposition rate and soil moisture has a positive correlation(r=0.426) in the east aspect but not in the west aspect. Our study shows that the correlation between decomposition rate and microclimatic factors can be significantly different depending on the direction of the aspect.