• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.51 no.1
• /
• pp.7-24
• /
• 2023

More than five hundreds of yeast species (including 9 variants) encompassing 142 genera and 48 classes of 2 phyla exist in Korea. However, only 173 species have been cataloged in the National Species List of Korea (NSLK), the backbone reference to claim sovereign rights over biological resources, as of December 2021, due to the lack of taxonomic descriptions, although some of these species are extensively used in industry. The present pilot study investigated the taxonomy of strains belonging to the six most widely used or frequently isolated yeast species (Meyeromyma guilliermondii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomycopsis fibuligera, Wickerhamomyces anomalus, Candida tropicalis, and Papiliotrema flavescens) to include these species in the NSLK. Strains with diverse habitats and geographic origins were retrieved from the National Institute of Biological Resources culture collection. These strains clustered in the same clade as the type strains of the designated species according to phylogenetic analysis of the D1/D2 sequences. Moreover, we described the cell morphology and physiological characteristics of representative strains of each species. This study suggests that these six species are indigenous to Korea and can be accordingly listed in the NSLK.

• Journal of Species Research
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.377-412
• /
• 2020

Cardot(1904) first reported 98 Korean mosses, which were collected from Busan, Gangwon Province, Mokpo, Seoul, Wonsan and Pyongyang by Father Faurie in 1901. Thirty-four of these species were new species to the world. However, eight of these species have been not listed to the moss checklist of Korea before this study. Thus, this study complies the literature including Korean mosses, and lists all the species there. As the result, the moss list of Korea is updated as including 775 taxa (728 species, 7 subspecies, 38 varieties, 2 forma) arranged into 56 families and 250 genera. This list include species that have been newly recorded since 1980. Brachythecium is the largest genus in Korea, and Fissidens, Sphagnum, Dicranum and Entodon are relatively large. Additionally, this study cites specimens collected from Jeju Island, Samcheok, Gangwon Province, and Socheong Island, and it is possible to confirm the distribution of 338 species in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2009

Total 222 lichen specimens of North Korea including 23 family, 54 genera and 119 species were newly obtained from the Hungarian Natural History Museum for the last 3 years. Among them, 12 species were added to Korean lichen checklist as new. All the species were deposited at the herbarium of Korea National Arboretum. In addition, unpublished list of lichen species distributed in Mt. Myohang was kindly donated from the Hungarian Natural History Museum. The list was originally prepared by North Korean lichenologists and kept in the museum from 1988. In the list, 26 family, 57 genera and 179 species of lichens were described and 17 species were included as new reports. This list provided 29 lichen species as new to the Korean Peninsula. This information will make significant contribution to lichenological study in the Korean Peninsula.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.51 no.4
• /
• pp.287-306
• /
• 2023

According to our previous study, 500 species of yeast exist in Korea, including nine variants comprising 142 genera and 48 classes in two phyla. Additionally, 4,483 fungal species have been documented at the National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR). However, despite the industrial use of several yeasts, only 173 species formed part of the National Species List of Korea (NSLK) as of December 2021, mainly due to the lack of taxonomic descriptions. This study aimed to investigate the taxonomy of seven newly isolated yeast species (Hyphopichia burtonii, Starmerella sorbosivorans, Cyberlindnera mycetangii, Cutaneotrichosporon oleaginosum, Nakazawaea ernobii, Pichia kudriavzevii, and Schizosaccharomyces japonicus) for inclusion in the NSLK. The strains were clustered for the phylogenetic analysis of fungal rDNA (D1/D2-26S) sequences. This study provides descriptions of their cell morphology and physiological characteristics, the results of which confirm the indigenous origin of these seven species in Korea and recommend their inclusion in the NSLK.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.106 no.2
• /
• pp.111-120
• /
• 2017

The best source of information on the conservation status of species at a global scale is the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Until now, 236 vascular plants from Korean peninsula have been evaluated using the IUCN red list categories and criteria. It indicated that five taxa were considered as critically endangered, 20 as endangered and nine as vulnerable species as a threatened status. On the other hand, the rest (189 taxa) were assessed as a least concern, which did not qualify for threatened species categories. Korea Ministry of Environment published a revised version of 57 species list by re-classifying endangered species with idiosyncratic qualitative criteria for two levels (I and II) followed by status reviews in 2011. However, two thirds species proposed by Ministry of Environment do not qualify as threatened. The major difficulties found in applying IUCN Red List criteria at the global scale was a lack of knowledge on the status of species at broader geographic scales and the perceived difficulty the causes. The lack of consistency between two lists constrains the prioritization of species-based conservation work at the national level. Due to a lack of centralized monitoring data for most species, this status is largely qualitatively and so it carries a high level of uncertainty. This is reflected in the high number of species with an unknown population trend. The current list of endangered species of flora and fauna by the Ministry of Environment should be recognized as the national list (local and population extinction), which is different from the IUCN Red list due to the different geographical contexts. Also, it is necessary to improve the quality of evaluation and conservation management system rather than presenting massive number of endangered species list.

• Journal of Species Research
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.1-96
• /
• 2019

The suborder Symphyta comprises more than 8,000 described species worldwide, of which about 4,400 extant species are recorded from the Eastern Palaearctic. Symphyta can be easily distinguished from the suborder Apocrita by the abdomen, which is broadly joined to the thorax. The larvae of most species feed on herbaceous to woody. A list of the 418 described species of Symphyta in Korea is presented. The list is in taxonomic sequence by superfamily, family, subfamily and genus and includes 116 genera in 22 subfamilies, 12 families, and seven superfamilies. We provide the page reference of the original description of every species and genus listed, Korean name, host records, and all Korean records. The list also provides the distribution of all the species by country.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.49 no.2
• /
• pp.211-242
• /
• 2021

Indigenous yeasts in Korea have been actively studied since 1910 in light of various fields, including environment, food fermentation, brewing, and medicine. However, a complete list of indigenous yeast species has not been addressed or reported. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of the literature including yeast isolation from Korean materials and the strains preserved at culture collections was performed. The results of this study indicate the following: i) there are 128 genera and 681 species (including 26 variants) of yeast reported in Korea, ii) the reported species were trimmed into 142 genera and 500 species (including 9 variants), iii) among which only 166 species were registered in the National Species List of Korea (2020). Therefore, follow-up studies are required to register more indigenous yeast species in the National Species List of Korea.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.101 no.1
• /
• pp.7-19
• /
• 2012

After having announced legislation for threatened or endangered species on the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants in 2005, the Korea Ministry of Environment proposed (in June 2011) amending the list, thereby delisting or reclassifying endangered species using new quantitative criteria for two levels (I and II), as well as status reviews. The new legislation included 40 species remained in their original endangered status, but 19 species were delisted, 5 species were proposed as candidates for delisting, 29 species were given a new endangered listing, and 3 species were proposed for an endangered listing in Korea. We assessed the threatened status of 98 plants using the IUCN Red List Criteria (version 3.1) at the global level, and compared the Ministry's revised criteria with the IUCN Red List Criteria and ESA criteria used in the USA. Most species proposed by the Ministry do not qualify as threatened and one of the major difficulties found in applying IUCN Red List Criteria at the global scale was a lack of knowledge on the status of species at broader geographic scales and the perceived difficulty this causes. Under the current classification process, many endangered species, such as Abeliophyllum distichum, Leontice microrhyncha, Echinosophora koreensis, Leontopodium coreanum, Iris odaesanensis, and Corylopsis coreana at global level were excluded here. Knowledge gaps and uncertainties mean that the number of taxa at high risk of extinction may be substantially greater than is currently understood. Due to a lack of information on its taxonomic status, currently there is controversy over the Red List status of Physocarpus insularis. Also, Caragana koreana, which was an invalidly published name, should be excluded here. Although the Korea Ministry of Environment insisted this procedure was conducted by applying the modified IUCN threat categories and definitions, this evaluation has been carried out based only on subjective views and misapplication of the IUCN Red List Criteria. The current listings by the Korea Ministry of Environment should be challenged. We suggest that broad species concepts on endemic species are applied and also criteria that adequately address the proper quantitative knowledge should be used. It is suggested that the highest priorities for the Red List should be given to endemic species at least in the Korean peninsula first at global scale.

• Journal of Species Research
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.233-246
• /
• 2020

A scientific name is one of changeable terms in biology whenever additional research results of specific taxa is accumulated. The Database of the National Species List of Korea (DBNKo) was developed to manage taxonomic information of Korean species, designed to describe the changeable and complex taxonomical structure and information. A Korean Taxonomical Serial Number (KTSN) was assigned to each taxon, different from the normally used systems that the scientific name was considered as primary key to manage higher rank of taxa systematically. Common names were also treated with the KTSN, reflecting that common name is considered as one type of taxon. Additional taxonomic information (e.g., synonyms, original names, and references) was also added to the database. A web interface with an intuitive dashboard presenting taxonomic hierarchical structure is provided to experts and/or managers of the DBNKo. Currently, several biological databases are available in the National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR) such as a specimen database, a digital library, a genetic information system, and the shared species data based on the DBNKo. The DBNKo started sharing species information with other institutions such as the Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources. It is an ideal centralized species database to manage standardized information of Korean species.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.44 no.4
• /
• pp.207-219
• /
• 2016

Aspergillus, Penicillium, and their teleomorphic genera have a worldwide distribution and large economic impacts on human life. The names of species in the genera that have been reported in Korea are listed in this study. Fourteen species of Aspergillus, 4 of Eurotium, 8 of Neosartorya, 47 of Penicillium, and 5 of Talaromyces were included in the National List of Species of Korea, Ascomycota in 2015. Based on the taxonomic system of single name nomenclature on ICN (International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants), Aspergillus and its teleomorphic genera such as Neosartorya, Eurotium, and Emericella were named as Aspergillus and Penicillium, and its teleomorphic genera such as Eupenicillium and Talaromyces were named as Penicillium (subgenera Aspergilloides, Furcatum, and Penicillium) and Talaromyces (subgenus Biverticillium) in this study. In total, 77 species were added and the revised list contains 55 spp. of Aspergillus, 82 of Penicillium, and 18 of Talaromyces.