• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.336-346
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• 2013

Amaranth (Amaranthus sp. L.) is an important group of plants that includes grain, vegetable, and ornamental types. Centers of diversity for Amaranths are Central and South America, India, and South East Asia, with secondary centers of diversity in West and East Africa. The present study was performed to determine the genetic diversity and population structure of 75 amaranth accessions: 65 from South America and 10 from South Asia as controls using 14 SSR markers. Ninety-nine alleles were detected at an average of seven alleles per SSR locus. Model-based structure analysis revealed the presence of two subpopulations and 3 admixtures, which was consistent with clustering based on the genetic distance. The average major allele frequency and polymorphic information content (PIC) were 0.42 and 0.39, respectively. According to the model-based structure analysis based on genetic distance, 75 accessions (96%) were classified into two clusters, and only three accessions (4%) were admixtures. Cluster 1 had a higher allele number and PIC values than Cluster 2. Model-based structure analysis revealed the presence of two subpopulations and three admixtures in the 75 accessions. The results of this study provide effective information for future germplasm conservation and improvement programs in Amaranthus.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.404-416
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• 2020

Studies on the preservation and propagation of tropical and subtropical plants are required, but the studies are insufficient in Korea. Since 2013, the Tropical Plant Resources Research Center has been collaborating on field research and publication to preserve plant diversity in Myanmar protected areas and Sagging areas in cooperation with Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Conservation and the Myanmar Forest Research Institute. This study is to provide information on cooperative projects. As a result of the joint research between the Korea National Arboretum and Myanmar, in December 2018, the Korea National Arboretum Tropical Plant Resources Research Center is on display for conservation and education purposes with the 65 Myanmar useful materials and specimens of 326 kinds of plants and specimens that Myanmar Forest Research Institute donated. This donation is the first case of Myanmar's export of plant organisms to a foreign country, and as for the Korea National Arboretum, it is the second official case of introducing a mass plant from foreign governments. The study will also accelerate preservation biodiversity and propagation methods of tropical and subtropical plants as well as research on biodiversity conservation and industrial use.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.762-772
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to analyze the genetic diversity using SSR marker and investigate the fatty acid composition of perilla (P. frutescens var. frutescens) germplasm. Genetic diversity among 95 accessions, which consisted of 29 weedy types and 66 landrace accessions, was evaluated based on 12 SSR markers carrying 91 alleles. The mean values of observed ($H_O$) and expected heterozygosities ($H_E$) were 0.574 and 0.640, respectively, indicating a considerable amount of polymorphism within this collection. A genetic distance-based phylogeny grouped into two distinct groups, which were the landrace, moderate and weedy type, genetic distance (GD) value was 0.609. The physicochemical traits about crude oil contents and fatty acid compositions were analyzed using GC. Among tested germplasm, the total average oil contents (%) showed a range from 28.57 to 49.67 %. Five fatty acids and their contents in the crude oils are as follows: ${\alpha}$-linolenic acid (41.12%-51.81%), linoleic acid (15.38%-16.43%), oleic acid (18.93%-27.28%), stearic acid (2.56%-4.01%), and palmitic acid (7.38%-10.77%). The average oil content of wild types was lower than landrace, and the oil content of middle genotype accessions was higher than other germplasm, but no significant variation between landrace and wild types was shown. Nevertheless, IT117174, landrace of Korea, was highest in crude oil content (47.11%) and linolenic acid composition (64.58%) among the used germplasm. These traits of the selected accessions will be helped for new functional plant breeding in perilla crop.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.289-294
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• 2004

Bupleurum latissimum is a narrowly endemic and endangered plant, restricted to only two small populations on steep cliffs of a small island, Ulleung Island, in Korea. The genetic diversity and population differentiation in the two remnant populations of the species were investigated using RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) analysis. The Neis gene diversities were 0.146 in the smaller population of 45 individuals, and 0.151 in the larger population of 61 individuals. The genetic variation was not significantly different between these two populations. Genetic diversity within populations was not low considering the very small size of populations. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed higher variation within populations (65.9%) than genetic differentiation between them (34.1%). B. latissimum revealed higher population differentiation than other outbreeding species. The differentiation of the populations corresponded to low gene flow (Nem = 0.482). The cluster and principal coordination analyses provide strong support for high population differentiation, showing that all individuals of the two populations have built up population-specific clusters. Although gene flow between the two populations of B. latissimum was limited, they have preserved relatively high levels of genetic variation.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.143-155
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• 2016

Present work aims to establish the countermeasure for the better maintenance and preservation of insular floristic diversity at the South Sea of Jeollanamdo Province, ROK, where unique ecosystems are under threat due to climate change, anthropogenic disturbance and habitat destruction. Numerous flora reports from 15 inhabited islands and 60 uninhabited islands as well as field survey data are collated for the compilation of floristic data base and island biogeographical analysis. Out of the 1,940 vascular plant species from 180 families occurring in studies areas, 30.1 percentage or 584 plant species are physiognomically belonging to arboreal plants. Average number of species at individual island is numbered about 222 species, but it varies from about 591 species at the inhabited islands to 129 species at the uninhabited islands. Only 0.15 percentage of species with high proportion above 0.9 in its relative occurrence rate occurs at 68 islands and it includes three species, such as Pinus thunbergii, Eurya japonica and Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum. However, about 68 percentage of plant species occurring in study area is confined their distribution to less than seven islands. Presence of high proportion of notable plants in small islands, i.e., 10 critically endangered species compared with 5.5 species in average, 9 endangered species (average 4.2 spp.) at Sonjookdo, and 7 critically endangered species, 8 endangered species at Sokomundo may due to existence of diverse geological and topographical environmental diversity as well as lower human population density and remoteness from the mainland. Since island is small in size and geographically isolated, minor environmental and ecological burdens can cause the critical damages to the diversity of flora and vegetation, urgent island biogeographical research is needed for the scientific conservation and management of island biodiversity.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.250-260
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• 2023

Background: Crabgrass (Digitaria ciliaris, Poaceae) is a globally distributed weed, including in Afro-Eurasia, America, and Australia. As a highly gregarious plant, crabgrass is an important habitat for a diverse array of insects, and a potential habitat for agricultural pests. To compare the insect communities associated with the crabgrass community, insects were sampled using sweep sampling (100 sweeps per sample) at five sites, including Daejeon (Daejeon and Gap rivers), Anseong, Namhae, and Inje, with a focus on the Daejeon River. Results: A total of 5,888 individual insects belonging to eight orders, 42 families, and 115 species were collected from the five sites. Both the number of species and individuals of Hemiptera were the highest at all of the sites. In the present study, 73% of the insect population fed on D. ciliaris as a host plant. The dominant species in the D. ciliaris community was Laodelphax striatellus (Delphacidae), being ubiquitous at all the sites which showed a high abundance of rice pests in the communities and the suitability of D. ciliaris as an alternative host plant for them. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index was highest in Inje on 17 September (2.88), and the Chao1-bc diversity index was highest in the Gap River on 5 September (80). The sampling efficiency of 100 sweep samples (sample coverage) was calculated to be as high as 90%. The results of the samples taken from September to November in the Daejeon River showed that the number of species and individuals decreased gradually over time, and the number of dominant species decreased sharply between September and October. Similarity analysis indicated that sampling dates that were closer together yielded sampled assemblages with higher faunal similarity. In addition, in each sampling, the difference in the minimum temperature during the two-week period prior to sampling and faunal similarities were negatively correlated. Conclusions: This study provides foundational data that could enhance our understanding of insect diversity in D. ciliaris. The data can facilitate ecological conservation and management of Korean grasslands generally, as well as identification of potential pests that may disperse from D. ciliaris communities to nearby farmland.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.60-88
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• 2023

This study was conducted to investigate the vertical distribution and vascular plants in the Gakho mountain. Form the results of three field surveys from May 2022 to September 2022, a total of 478 total taxa, representing 426 species, 11 subspecies, 35 varieties, four forms, and two hybrids were identified, which were categorized in 282 genera and 94 families. We identified the elevational distribution ranges of 398 taxa of vascular plants. Among them, 19 taxa were endemic to Korea, one taxon was identified as a rare plant. The floristic target plants amounted to 72 taxa, specifically two taxa of grade V, two taxa of grade IV, 16 taxa of grade III, 27 taxa of grade II, and 25 taxa of grade I. Further, 71 taxa were identified as northern lineage plants. A total of 19 taxa of alien plants were identified, with a Naturalized Index of 4.0%, an Urbanization Index of 6.6%, and three plants that disturbed the ecosystem. The result of analyzing the pattern of species richness showed a reversed hump shape with minimum richness at mid-high elevation. A cluster analysis showed a high degree of similarity between adjacent elevation sections that are geographically adjacent with similar habitat environments. Warmth index in the Gakho mountain ranged from 57.2℃·month to 84.2℃·month. Our results provide basic data on vascular plants and valuable information on elevational distribution ranges of current plant species in the Gakho mountain, which could serve as a baseline for comparison of the shifts in elevation under future climate change.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.943-953
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• 2023

This study analyzed the ecological characteristics of the wetland protection area at tthe Nakdong River through vegetation and biota surveys, which showed that brackish water meets fresh water, a unique ecological environment has been created, biodiversity is high, and diverse habitats are distributed. Eleven plant communities, including four woody communities and seven grass communities, are distributed along the coast, and a total of 514 species, including 11 endangered wildlife species, were identified in terms of species diversity. Among them, the species diversity of the Eulsuk-do area was found to be relatively higher than that of other Barreir Islands areas. The presence of a population of Sterna albifrons on Sinja-do and a population of Eremias argus on Jinwo-do, an area outside the boundaries of the wetland protection area, confirmed the conservation value of the wetlands and the need to expand the boundaries of the wetland protection area. It is judged that this information can be used as basic information for a systematic conservation and management plan for the wetland protection area at the Nakdong River Estuary and as basic data to support the establishment of a policy.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.267-273
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• 2013

This study employed inter-simple-sequence repeat (ISSR) to assess genetic variation among 189 individuals representing 10 populations (nine in Korea and one in Japan) of Millettia japonica, which has recently been lifted from the endangered species of Korea. The calculated Shannon's information index value (I = 0.2689) of the species was appreciable and was higher than other endangered leguminous woody taxa. Gochang (I = 0.2968), Namhae (I = 0.2951), and Mt. Toham (I = 0.2823) populations showed relatively high genetic diversity, whereas the Kyushu (in Japan) population (I = 0.2487) exhibited the lowest. The results of an analysis of molecular variance indicated that 86.49% of the diversity was attributed to within populations, and 13.51% to differences among populations, suggesting that M. japonica populations do not have significant geographic differentiation and that the gene flow between populations exists to some extent (Nm = 1.8446). Continuous habitat monitoring should be conducted to conserve genetic diversity of M. japonica, particularly for those populations with relatively high genetic diversity. Selection of many individuals from the populations in Gochang, Namhae, and Mt. Toham is thought to be an appropriate strategy for ex situ conservation of M. japonica in Korea.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.104-115
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• 2021

The research attempted to analyze the medicinal plant species richness in the vertical gradient from lower to the highest elevation of Makawanpur, focusing on the relationship between species richness and elevation which is very important for conservation and management of species diversity. Inventory was carried out in the study area by taking sampling intensity of 0.5% in the effective area. Altogether, 42 sample plots were laid in the field with the help of GIS software maintaining 50 m altitude difference. High species diversity was found in the herbs species whereas shrubs have comparatively low species diversity. The maximum species richness is found in herbs and poles whereas shrubs and trees have relatively low species richness. Research showed that species richness of medicinal plants increased with altitudinal gradient. While analyzing the species richness from 350 to 2,550 m (msl), the highest species richness was received with the elevation ranges from 1,800 m to 2,300 m. There was a positive relationship between species richness and altitudinal gradient in the study area. In addition, we have recorded the high value medicinal plants after 1,800 m altitude and rarely within 1,000 m. Medicinal plants correlated both positive and negative relationships with the increased altitude. The altitudinal response has positively seen except density (n/ha) of Shrubs. Domestication and cultivation of high value medicinal plants should be promoted in community forest including private lands. Training, workshops and awareness programs should be conducted to make people aware about medicinal plants resource utilization, conservation and commercialization of available medicinal plants.