• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.233-237
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• 2001

Changes of the oribatid mite species composition during the litter decomposition was investigated in the north-facing and south-facing slopes with different lower vegetation (annual herbaceous plants in north and perennial Sasa in south) in the altitude 1,000 m of Mt. Jumbong, a nature reserve area in Korea, from August 1994 to September 1995. Total 58 species of oribatid mites were collected. The values of O1son's negative exponential index (k) were -0.56 in the south-facing slope and -0.49 in the north-facing slope, but there was no significant difference between them. The decomposition rate of litter increased rapidly until Oct. 1994, and decreased thereafter. Intensive settlement of the forest litter by oribatid mites was recorded in the autumn periods and it decreased in the next spring and summer. Species diversity index (H'), and species evenness (J') ranged from 1.74 to 2.69, and from 0.57 to 0.93, respectively, and the values were lowest in spring. In the successive periods of growing season, there followed great changes in the structure of species dominance. Heminothrus minor was one of the most dominant species in autumn in the first year when litter were placed, but was never recovered next seasons. In contrast, Platynothrus yamasakii was also dominant in the first autumn, then decreased very low in numbers in next spring and summer, but regained its number in autumn. On the other hand, an increase of the number during these periods was observed by Epidamaeus sp.2. Ceratopia bipilis and Epidamaeus sp.1 were abundant both in the north-and south-facing slopes. Trichogalumna nipponica was only found in the south-facing slope, and Nanhermannia elegantula was only found in the north-facing slope.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.76 no.4
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• pp.418-424
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• 1987

Considering the seral stage of succession, phytosocialogical analysis was carried out to investigate the structure and property of community of Pinus densiflora, Pinus densiflora-Quercus spp.-Carpinus laxiflora, and Quercus spp.-Carpinus laxiflora. The study area included a section of 200m high at the sea level in Mt. Jokye, Seungju-gun, Chunlanam-do. The results show that density of forest trees tended to be decreased, Shannon species diversity index increased, and dominance decreased as seral stage progressed. Patterns of DBH class distribution showed nearly S types. In the study area succession of forest community might progressed toward climax, leading from Pinus densiflora community to Quercus spp.-Carpinus laxiflora community with intermediary Pinus densiflora-Quercus spp.-Carpinus laxiflora community. The fact that there was no pure community of Quercus spp. might be due to the rapid development of forest community investigated.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.804-819
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• 2019

Ezine cheese is a non-starter and long-ripened cheese produced in the Mount of Ida region of Canakkale, Turkey, with a protected designation of origin status. Non-starter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) have a substantial effect on the quality and final sensorial characteristics of long-ripened cheeses. The dominance of NSLAB can be attributed to their high tolerance to the hostile environment in cheese during ripening relative to many other microbial groups and to its ability to inhibit undesired microorganisms. These qualities promote the microbiological stability of long-ripened cheeses. In this study, 144 samples were collected from three dairies during the ripening period of Ezine cheese. Physicochemical composition and NSLAB identification analyses were performed using both conventional and molecular methods. According to the results of a 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, 13 different species belonging to seven genera were identified. Enterococcus faecium (38.42%) and E. faecalis (18.94%) were dominant species during the cheese manufacturing process, surviving 12 months of ripening together with Lactobacillus paracasei (13.68%) and Lb. plantarum (11.05%). The results indicate that NSLAB contributes to the microbiological stability of Ezine cheese over 12 months of ripening. The isolation of NSLAB with antimicrobial activity, potential bacteriocin producers, yielded defined collections of natural NSLAB isolates from Ezine cheese that can be used to generate specific starter cultures for the production of Ezine cheese (PDO).

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.190-203
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• 2021

Water quality, benthic macroinvertebrate communities, and other factors were investigated to explore the effects of the effluent discharge from a sewage treatment plant into Jwagwang stream in Busan in 2019. During the study period, the flow rate of this stream was in the range of 10,400 m³/day to 52,200 m³/day except for the discharge of about 24,000 m³/day of the effluent. After discharge, the flow velocity increased by about 65% and the water depth increased by about 40%. At sites downstream of the discharge point, BOD, COD, TOC, T-N, T-P, and other water quality values were worse than those of the upstream sites. The periphytic algal chlorophyll-a concentrations in the natural substrata were higher than those of the upstream sites, especially in May and August. However, at sites downstream of the discharge point, the individual numbers of Annelida were decreased and individual numbers of the insecta of arthropoda were increased. Also, species numbers and the diversity and dominance indexes were improved in the sites downstream of the discharge point. The functional feeding groups (FFGs) of collector-filterers were increased and the habitat orientation groups (HOGs) of sprawlers, burrowers, and clingers were especially increased at the sites with additional reclaimed wastewater effluent flow. Regardless of the effluent discharge, BMI, an indicator of ecological stream health using benthic macroinvertebrate species, did not show large gaps between the study points. Although the water quality of the sites downstream of the discharge point was much worse than those upstream, their ecosystem soundness was better than those of the upstream sites from an ecological perspective.

• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.47-59
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• 2023

Purpose: The development and study of hepatitis C virus (HCV) vaccine candidates' individualized responses are of great importance. Here we report on an HCV DNA vaccine candidate based on selected envelope (E1/E2) epitopes. Besides, we assessed its expression and processing in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and in vivo cellular response in mice. Materials and Methods: HCV E1/E2 DNA construct (EC) was designed. The antigen expression of EC was assayed in PBMCs of five HCV-uninfected donors via a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Serum samples from 20 HCV antibody-positive patients were used to detect each individual PBMCs expressed antigens via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Two groups, five Swiss albino mice each, were immunized with the EC or a control construct. The absolute count of lymph nodes' CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes was assessed. Results: Donors' PBMCs showed different levels of EC expression, ranging between 0.83-2.61-fold in four donors, while donor-3 showed 34.53-fold expression. The antigens expressed in PBMCs were significantly reactive to the 20 HCV antibody repertoire (all p=0.0001). All showed comparable reactivity except for donor-3 showing the lowest reactivity level. The absolute count % of the CD4⁺ T-cell significantly increased in four of the five EC-immunized mice compared to the control group (p=0.03). No significant difference in CD8⁺ T-cells % was observed (p=0.89). Conclusion: The inter-individual variation in antigen expression and processing dominance was evident, showing independence in individuals' antigen expression and reactivity levels to antibodies. The described vaccine candidate might result in a promising natural immune response with a possibility of CD4⁺ T-cell early priming.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2024

Coastal dunes must be conserved. Their native halophytes support coastal geography while their symbiotic microorganisms help vegetation thrive. The Goraebul coast has the largest, well-conserved dune system on the East Sea of the Korean Peninsula due to a climax mixed halophyte (C. soldanella, C. kobomugi, and E. mollis) vegetation support. This study identified rhizobacteria and their diversity in mixed halophyte communities unique to Goraebul. Five phyla, 12 genera, and 21 species were identified based on 16S rDNA sequences from 65 isolates. The phylum Bacillota, class Bacillota, order Bacillales, and family Bacillaceae were identified, with Bacillus as the dominant genus (46.15%). The richness and Shannon's diversity were higher at the species than at the genus level due to the dominance of Bacillus; however, various Bacillus species (7) were identified. Therefore, the climax mixed vegetation adapted to the Goraebul coast may exert natural selection pressure in favor of the common characteristics of Bacillus. However, despite this advantage, the Shannon equitability (0.86), Simpson (0.08), and Shannon diversity (2.79) indexes indicate a stable rhizosphere cluster and the climax mixed vegetation is affected by symbiotic relationships between healthy rhizosphere microbiota.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.147-156
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• 2006

This study was conducted to investigate natural distribution of aquatic plane and to find out natural aquatic plants which highly absorb nutrient N and P. We surveyed vegetation within ${\pm}2m$ from streamside in 12 tributaries of the West Nakdong river watershed during May to October in 2003. Hydrophytes surveyed in tributaries of the West Nakdong river watershed were 27 families, 61 genera, 76 species, 3 varieties. Major dominance species of aquatic plants were Z. latifolia, P. communis, P. thunbergii, P. arundinacea, P. japonica, and P. distichum var. indutum. Aquatic plants having high production ability of biomass were Z. latifolia, P. communis, P. arundinacea, P. japonica, and E. crus-galli var. echinata. In the vertical distribution of hydrophytes within streams, dominant species were P. thunbergii and P. japonica in the upper stream, but dominant species in the downstream were P. communis and Z. latifolia. Species diversity or aquatic, plants was reduced, but their biomass and nutrient (T-N and T-P) content per the natural area unit $(m^2)$ were increased in the downsteaam. Nutrient N and P content of aquatic plants per the natural area unit were high at Joman river, Pyeonggangcheon, Bulam drainage canal, and Hogyecheon. Fifty-seven species of aquatic plants having high biomass were grounped into 4 categories $(I{\sim}IV)$ according to their nutrient content per dry weight unit. I group $(T-N,\;\geqq20gkg^{-1}\;&\;P_2O_5,\;\geqq7gkg^{-1})$ was comprised of 3 submerged plants (H. verticillata, P. crispus, and C. demersum), e emergent plants (O. javanica, P. distichum var. indutum, and R. sceleratus), 1 suspended plant (T. japonica), and 1 riparian plant (A. lobatum). Otherwise, in classification of natural hydrophytes according to their nutrient content per natural area unit, Z. latifolia, P. communis, P. longiseta, P. arundinacea, and P. distichum var. indutum possessing great biomass productivity as emergent plants were included in I group $(T-N,\;\geqq1gm^{-2}\;&\;P_2O_5,\;\geqq0.7gm^{-2})$.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.254-263
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• 2009

The distribution and habitat characteristics of Echinosophora koreensis (Nakai) Nakai were investigated to compile basic data for conservation and restoration. The species Echinosophora koreensis is distributed within fourteen regions of the Korean Province of Gangwon, including Yanggu-gun, Inje-gun, Cheorwon-gun, Chuncheon-si and Hongcheon-gun. Natural habitats were located at altitudes of 192-626 m, with inclinations of $1-45^{\circ}$. One hundred and fifty seven vascular plant taxa were identified from 42 quadrats in 14 habitats. Dominant species among the woody plants, based on importance value, were Pinus densiflora and Quercus dentata in the tree (T1) layer, Quercus variabilis, Pinus densiflora and Quercus mongolica in subtree (T2) layer, and Fraxinus rhynchophylla, Prunus sargentii, Zanthoxylum schinifilium, and Ulmus davidiana var. japonica in the shrub (S) layer. Importance values for members of the herb layer were: Echinosophora koreensis 28.34%; Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum 10.21%; Spodiopogon sibiricus 7.60%; Atractylodes ovata 4.77% and Carex lanceolata 4.13%. The importance values of the last four species were high, so they were at affinity with Echinosophora koreensis in their habitats. Average species diversity was 1.03, and evenness and dominance were found to be 0.82 and 0.16, respectively. The soil types were sandy loam and loam. Average field capacity was 13.28%, and the organic matter and soil pH were 6.70% and 5.77, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.64-74
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to assess the degree of vegetation recovery such as the vegetation change and the effect of artificial restoration measures according to the number of years since the restoration works at the damaged Jungbong and Nuebong area in Mudeungsan National Park. We set up a total of 21 survey areas including 11 monitoring areas to analyze the flora, relative dominance, species diversity, and similarity in the restored site after relocation of Zungbong army base in 1996 and the restored site after the demolition of Neeebong telecommunication facility in 1999 and 10 control areas in the adjacent natural forest to assess the vegetation recovery in the restored sites and the nearby natural forest. The Mean Similarity Index of seed composition was relatively low at 3.5% in the Jungbong restoration site 17 years after the restoration, and the height of shrub layer, in which azaleas and furred azaleas appeared, recovered to the level of 82.6%. We concluded that it is necessary to continue monitoring the restored sites to develop the recovery assessment method and recovery work technology for sub-alpine areas in Mudeungsan National Park and other national park areas.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.52-63
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• 2019

This study analyzed the characteristics of vegetation structure of the camphor tree (Cinnamomum japonicum) community in the area of mount Tachibana, Kasuya county, Fukuoka Prefecture designated as a special natural monument in Japan. The survey showed overwhelming dominance of canopy tree in the canopy layer (about 30 m in tree heights and 92.79 cm in average breast height diameter) but no appearance in the understory layer or the shrub layer. In the understory layer and the shrub layer, Castanopsis sieboldii, Machilus thunbergii, Neolitsea sericea, and Cinnamomum yabunikkei, which were the competing species to the canopy layer and the late-successional species in the warm temperate climate zone, were mainly distributed. Moreover, the species diversity was generally low, indicating the vegetation characteristics that was not typical of evergreen broad-leaved forests. This is presumably because camphor trees were actively planted, protected, and cultivated to produce camphor which was valuable in the past. Although this site has not been artificially managed for the past 90 years as the raw materials of camphor have not been collected, vegetation transition did not proceed, which is unique. It is probably due to the fact that camphor was overwhelmingly dominant in the canopy layer so that the inflows of species were restricted, and young tree germination did not occur due to the allelopathy effects of camphor trees.