• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.42 no.3
• /
• pp.90-102
• /
• 2018

Background: We sought to understand the relationship between the seed bank and vegetation in abandoned rice paddies in South Korea, in order to guide management of these sites. We investigated the floristic composition and species richness of the soil seed bank and ground vegetation in former paddies along three seral gradients (wet meadow, young forest, and mature forest) in Gwangneung Forest Biosphere Reserve. Results: Seed bank samples contained 59 species, of which the dominant families were Cyperaceae, Gramineae, and Polygonaceae. Species richness and seedling density (59 taxa and 19,121 germinants from all samples) were high. Carex spp. (11, 921 germinants) were the dominant taxa. The species composition in the seed bank changed gradually as the land transitioned from wet meadow to mature forest. Sørensen's index of similarity between above- and below-ground vegetation was 29.3% for wet meadow, 10.8% for young forest, and 2.1% for mature forest. Germinant density also declined, with 10, 256 germinants for wet meadow, 6445 germinants for young forest, and 2420 germinants for mature forest. Conclusions: Changes in aboveground environment and life history traits such as amphicarpic plants, likely affect the composition of soil seed bank species. Abandoned paddy fields may be good sites for restoration of wetland forest and conservation of wetland habitat. Some intervention may be required to promote the recovery of a natural species assemblage.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.39 no.6
• /
• pp.575-583
• /
• 2023

Fusarium root rot is an increasingly severe problem in soybean cultivation. Although several Fusarium species have been reported to infect soybean roots in Heilongjiang province, their frequency and aggressiveness have not been systematically quantified in the region. This study aimed to investigate the diversity and distribution of Fusarium species that cause soybean root rot in Heilongjiang province over two years. A total of 485 isolates belonging to nine Fusarium species were identified, with F. oxysporum and F. solani being the most prevalent. Pot experiments were conducted to examine the relative aggressiveness of different Fusarium species on soybean roots, revealing that F. oxysporum and F. solani were the most aggressive pathogens, causing the most severe root rot symptoms. The study also assessed the susceptibility of different soybean cultivars to Fusarium root rot caused by F. oxysporum and F. solani. The results indicated that the soybean cultivar DN51 exhibited the most resistance to both pathogens, indicating that it may possess genetic traits that make it less susceptible to Fusarium root rot. These findings provide valuable insights into the diversity and distribution of Fusarium species that cause soybean root rot and could facilitate the development of effective management strategies for this disease.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.121-130
• /
• 2008

In other aquaculture species, large improvements in growth have been achieved through selective breeding. Ezo abalone(Haliotis discus hannai) and disk abalone(H. discus discus) are major aquatic animals cultured in Asia, but selective breeding for the promotion of growth with these abalones has not been actively pursued. Recently significant efforts are being made to promote production of these species through selective breeding in Korea. The aims of this work were to estimate the general genetic parameters, heritabilities, and genetic and phenotypic correlations on growth-related traits at 1-year old in two Korean abalone subspecies, H. discus hannai and H. discus discus, by using multiple trait animal model. The data were collected from the records of 1,504 individuals produced from 22 sires and 26 dams in H. discus hannai and 297 individuals produced from 5 sires and 6 dams in H. discus discus, which evaluated by the Genetics and Breeding Research Center, National Fisheries Research & Development Institute(NFRDI). Genetic parameters were estimated for these abalone subspecies raised in Bukjeju branch, NFRDI, from May 20, 2004 to May 16, 2005, respectively. The heritability estimates obtained from restricted maximum likelihood(REML) were higher than expected, ranging from 0.40 to 0.43 for growth traits shell length, shell width and body weight in H. discus hannai and from 0.26 to 0.51 in H. discus discus, respectively. The heritabilities for shell shape and condition factor were lower than others of growth traits such as ranging from 0.09 to 0.19 in H. discus hannai and from 0.10 to 0.23 in H. discus discus, respectively. Genetic and phenotypic were > 0.93 between shell parameters and weight in two abalone species, respectively, indicating that breeding for weight gains could be successfully achieved by selecting for shell length.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.38 no.5
• /
• pp.936-949
• /
• 2018

Changes in microbial community and physicochemical traits of chicken summer sausage made from spent layer thigh added with different level (0%, 0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5% w/w) of ground chopi (Zanthoxylum piperitum) during manufacture were analyzed. The microbial community was profiled and analyzed by sequencing 16S rRNA gene using Illumina MiSeq. Samples were taken from raw sausage batter, after 15 h of fermentation, 8 h of cooking including cooling down, and 7 d of drying. The final pH of the sausage was reduced by the addition of ground chopi. However, no clear effect on water activity was observed. Ground chopi inhibited the development of red curing color after fermentation as it exhibited antimicrobial effect. However, the effect on species richness and microbial composition after cooking was unclear. Ground chopi delayed lipid oxidation during manufacture and the effect was dependent on the addition level. Fermentation reduced the species richness with a dominancy of lactic acid bacteria. The profile of microbiota in the raw batter was different from other stages, while the closest relationship was observed after cooking and drying. Proteobacteria was predominant, followed by Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes in raw samples. Firmicutes became dominating after fermentation and so forth, whereas other predominant phylum decreased. At genus level, unclassified Lactobacillales was the most abundant group found after fermentation and so forth. Therefore, the overall microbial composition aspects were mainly controlled during fermentation by the abundance of lactic acid bacteria, while bacterial counts and lipid oxidation were controlled by cooking and the addition of ground chopi.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.35 no.6
• /
• pp.543-552
• /
• 2019

Fusarium asiaticum of the F. graminearum species complex causes head blight in small-grain cereals. The nivalenol (NIV) chemotypes of F. asiaticum is more common than the deoxynivalenol (DON) chemotypes of F. asiaticum or F. graminearum in Korea. To understand the prevalence of F. asiaticum-NIV in Korean cereals, we characterized the biological traits of 80 cereal isolates of F. asiaticum producing NIV or 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol (3-ADON), and 54 F. graminearum with 3-ADON or 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol (15-ADON). There was no significant difference in mycelial growth between the chemotypes, but F. asiaticum isolates grew approximately 30% faster than F. graminearum isolates on potato dextrose agar. Sexual and asexual reproduction capacities differed markedly between the two species. Both chemotypes of F. graminearum (3-ADON and 15-ADON) produced significantly higher numbers of perithecia and conidia than F. asiaticum-NIV. The highest level of mycotoxins (sum of trichothecenes and zearalenone) was produced by F. graminearum-3-ADON on rice medium, followed by F. graminearum-15-ADON, F. asiaticum-3-ADON, and F. asiaticum-NIV. Zearalenone levels were correlated with DON levels in some chemotypes, but not with NIV levels. Disease assessment on barley, maize, rice, and wheat revealed that both F. asiaticum and F. graminearum isolates were virulent toward all crops tested. However, there is a tendency that virulence levels of F. asiaticum-NIV isolates on rice were higher than those of F. graminearum isolates. Taken together, the phenotypic traits found among the Korean F. asiaticum-NIV isolates suggest an association with their host adaptation to certain environments in Korea.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.20-31
• /
• 2012

Endophytic bacterial communities of tidal flat plants antagonistic to oomycete plant pathogens were studied by the isolation of 256 root colonizing endophytic bacteria from surface-disinfected root tissues of six plants ($Rosa$ $rugosa$, $Suaeda$ $maritima$, $Vitex$ $rotundifolia$, $Carex$ $scabrifolia$, $Glehnia$ $littoralis$ and $Elymus$ $mollis$) growing in a tidal flat area of Namhae Island, Korea. To understand the antagonistic potential, an $in$ $vitro$ antagonistic assay was performed to characterize and identify strains that were antagonistic to the oomycete plant pathogens $Phytophthora$ $capsici$ and $Pythium$ $ultimum$ from the total population. Nine percent of the total number of isolated bacteria exhibited in vitro inhibitory activity against target plant pathogenic oomycetes. Taxonomic and phylogenetic placement of the antagonistic bacteria was investigated by analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences. The sequence analysis classified the antagonistic strains into four major classes of the domain bacteria ($Firmicutes$, ${\alpha}-Proteobacteria$, ${\gamma}-Proteobacteria$ and $Actinomycetes$) and 10 different genera. Further production of secondary metabolites, hydrolytic enzymes and plant growth promoting traits were determined for the putative new species of antagonistic endophytic bacteria. These new strains could not be identified as known species of ${\alpha}-Proteobacteria$, and so may represent novel bacterial taxa. The unexpected high antagonistic bacterial diversity associated with the tidal flat plants may be indicative of their importance in tidal flat plants as a promising source of novel antimicrobial compounds and biocontrol agents.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.53 no.1
• /
• pp.31-45
• /
• 2020

The biological indices based on the community structure with species richness and/or abundance are commonly used to assess aquatic ecosystem health. Meanwhile, recently functional traits-based approach is considered in ecosystem health assessment to reflect ecosystem functioning. In this study, we developed a database of biological traits for 136 taxa consisting of major stream insects (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Coleoptera, and Odonata) collected at Korean streams on the nationwide scale. In addition, we obtained environmental variables in five categories (geography, climate, land use, hydrology and physicochemistry) measured at each sampling site. We evaluated the relationships between community indices based on taxonomic diversity and functional diversity estimated from biological traits. We classified sampling sites based on similarities of their environmental variables and evaluated relations between clusters of sampling sites and diversity indices and biological traits. Our results showed that functional diversity was highly correlated with Shannon diversity index and species richness. The six clusters of sampling sites defined by a hierarchical cluster analysis reflected differences of their environmental variables. Samples in cluster 1 were mostly from high altitude areas, whereas samples in cluster 6 were from lowland areas. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) displayed similar patterns with cluster analysis and presented variation of taxonomic diversity and functional diversity. Based on NMDS and community-weighted mean trait value matrix, species in clusters 1-3 displayed the resistance strategy in the life history strategy to the environmental variables whereas species in clusters 4-6 presented the resilience strategy. These results suggest that functional diversity can complement the biological monitoring assessment based on taxonomic diversity and can be used as biological monitoring assessment tool reflecting changes of ecosystem functioning responding to environmental changes.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2004

Forestry sector has witnessed some unprecedented events in the recent past both in terms of galloping biotechnological developments and heated environmental debates over risks associated with release of transgenic trees. Improvements in the in vitro propagation techniques has made it possible to develop tissue culture based plant regeneration protocols just for about any tree species. And with the inclusion of every new species within the realms of tissue culture technology, it becomes a candidate for genetic improvement through recombinant DNA technology, the so called genetic engineering. Poplars and their hybrids serve as the model tree species on which most of the genetic transformation work as been carried out. A lot of work has also gone in genetic transformation of fruit trees and trees of horticultural interests. Trees have been successfully transformed for traits ranging from reduction of length of juvenile phase to alteration of tree architecture to altering wood quality by lignin and cellulose modification. More-over trees have been genetically engineered successfully to combat various types of insect pests and pathogens causing diseases. But all these developments have ignited controversies over the possible benefits and risks associated with transgenic plantations by various environmental agencies and activists. Solutions to most of these concerns can be found out with more intensive prioritized research.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.175-179
• /
• 2008

Cornus controversa is a long-lived woody species mostly distributed in East Asia. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were used to investigate the genetic diversity and population structure of Korean populations of this species. A high level of genetic variation was found in seven populations of C. controversa. The mean genetic diversity (H) was 0.222 across populations, varying from 0.200 to 0.238. Eighty of the 93 loci (86.0%) showed detectable polymorphism in at least one population. Total genetic diversity values ($H_T$) varied between 0.192 and 0.231, giving an average overall polymorphic loci of 0.212. The interlocus variation of genetic diversity within populations ($H_S$) was high (0.167). Mean of genetic diversity in C. controversa was higher than average values for species with similar life history traits. The sexual reproduction, perennial habitat, and longevity are proposed as possible factors contributing to high genetic diversity. On a per locus basis, the proportion of total genetic variation due to differences among populations ($G_{ST}$) ranged from 0.169 to 0.278 with a mean of 0.216, indicating that about 21.6% of the total genetic variation was among populations. An indirect estimate of the number of migrants per generation (Nm=1.893) indicated that gene flow was extensive among Korean populations of C. controversa.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.165-171
• /
• 2013

The distribution patterns of estuarine copepods were investigated in the Seomjin River estuary of southern Korea after heavy rains in August 2006. Tidal influence extended 16 km from the estuary mouth. Each estuary zone (Oligohaline salinity <5, mesohaline salinity 5~18, polyhaline salinity >18) changed within a range of about 5~6 km between low and high tides. A total of ten species were recorded, of which Pseudodiaptomus koreanus, Sinocalanus tenellus, and Tortanus dextrilobatus were predominant in the oligohaline zone; Acartia ohtsukai and Acartia forticrusa in the mesohaline zone; and A. erythraea, Calanus sinicus, Centropages dorsispinatus, Labidocera rotunda and Paracalanus parvus s. l. in the polyhaline zone. Their density was fastly reduced in the other zones. In particular, the oligohaline species migrated and aggregated into deeper water during ebb tides in order to retain their populations, while the same tendency was weaker for polyhaline species, suggesting that evolutionary traits primarily control population retention behaviors in estuarine environments.