• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-4
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• 2010

Orchid mycorrhizal fungi(OMF) were examined in roots of the two threatened orchid species, Cypripedium japonicum and C. macranthum. The morphological characteristics of mycorrhizal colonization in the roots of two orchid species were observed. OMF colonized in the roots of two species were identified using molecular analysis. DNA from the root was extracted and amplified internal transcribed spacer(ITS) region using basidiomycete ITS primers, ITS1-OF and ITS4-OF. Four species belonging to Tulasnellaceae in roots of C. japonicum and two species of Tulasnellaceae and one basidiomycetous species was found in roots of C. macranthum.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.415-427
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• 2021

Wetland ecosystems act as natural freshwater purification systems, but their rich biodiversity is being threatened with the introduction of the non-native freshwater snail, Pomacea canaliculata. This study was conducted to measure the herbivory effects and growth rate of P. canaliculata on common macrophytes: Ipomoea aquatica, Ipomoea batatas, Pandanus amaryllifolius and Cucurma longa. In separate experiments, the macrophyte species were served as the snails' food as individual species and simultaneously. In the individual treatment, the growth pattern and rate were based on the snails' weight (mg/snail/day; n = 9) while the individual feeding consumption (mg/snail/day) was calculated from the leftover food. In the simultaneous treatment, the herbivory effects were evaluated as the feeding preference (%) from observations every two hours, while the total feeding consumption (mg) was calculated based on the food remaining after a 12-hour experiment (3 replicates: total n = 27). The results indicated that the growth pattern was significant for snails grazing on I. aquatica but not when other macrophyte species were eaten. The individual feeding consumption was higher when using I. aquatica than P. amaryllifolius but the growth rate for snails grazing on I. aquatica and P. amaryllifolius did not differ significantly. Meanwhile, the consumption of C. longa deterred the snails' growth rate. Although the snails consumed all the macrophytes in the individual experiment, when given the species simultaneously, the feeding preference and total feeding consumption were directed significantly more toward I. aquatica than P. amaryfollius and C. longa. We conclude that P. canaliculata is a generalist feeder given a limited choice of food but tends to show a strong feeding preference after being introduced to more food choices. These findings indicate that the introduction of P. canaliculata into wetland ecosystems may increase the herbivory effects on macrophytes, making these ecosystems vulnerable to the impact of eutrophication and biodiversity reduction.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.74-83
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• 2021

Distribution status, habitat characteristics, and extinction threat evaluation of the endangered species, Brachymystax lenok tsinlingensis were investigated in 2015 and 2019. Historical distribution reports of B. l. tsinlingensis were divided into before 1990, 1997~2006, 2000~2011, and 2010~2019. Among the 150 sampling sites investigated during the study period, number of individuals of B. l. tsinlingensis were collected 542 individuals from 67 sites. The streams inhabited of B. l. tsinlingensis were Naerincheon (11 stations), Odaecheon (11 stations), Bukcheon (10 stations), Bangtaecheon (8 stations), Songjeongricheon (4 stations), Suipcheon (3 stations), Inbukcheon (3 stations), Hyeondongcheon (3 stations) etc. The main habitat of B. l. tsinlingensis was upstream of the river with a high altitude of more than 400 m, 4~20 m water flow width, 1~2 m water depth, and high ratio (70~80%) boulder bottoms. The main reasons for the decline in population size were assumed as river works, construction of reservoirs and bridges, discharge of contaminated water into the river, the inflow of summer vacationers, and weir. Compared to our results there exists evidence that states a 20.7% reduction in occupancy within 10 years, in a small appearance range (7,732 km²) and occupancy area (268 km²), number of disconnected locations (15 locations), and a decline in habitat quality. Therefore, B. l. tsinlingensis is now considered as Near Threatened (NT) based on the results (Near meets VU A2acd, B1b(i,ii,iii)+B2b(i,ii,iii)) of IUCN Red List categories and criteria.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.111 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2022

In this study, the vascular plants of the Mt. Deokhangsan protected area were surveyed for the purpose of forest genetic resources conservation in Gangwon-do, South Korea. The flora on Mt. Deokhangsan were classified as follows 537 taxa, 90 families, 302 genera, 479 species, 4 subspecies, 51 varieties, and 3 forms. Among the taxa, 19 were Korean endemic plants and 17 were rare and endangered plants. Plants as indicators of limestone areas were found in 33 taxa. Naturalized plants were found in 27 taxa and species threatened by climate change were found in 33 taxa, including 11 endemic plant taxa and 22 northern plant taxa. Plants endemic to Korea and northern plants were mainly found at the study site, whereas southern plants were not found. Thus, Mt. Deokhangsan apparently has an environment suitable for the growth of northern plants.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.116-126
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• 2009

This study was carried out focused an ecological characteristics and habitat management of Abeliophyllum distichum subpopulations in the Byeonsanbando National Park, Korea. Among three subpopulations of the target species in the studied area, Gamaso region are known as translocation site due to the dam construction while the wild populations which is located at both the lower terrain of the Buandaem bank and Chongnim-ni, which is designated as Natural Monument No 370, is threat due to an intensive site management likes clearance of scrub amongst the Abeliophyllum plants. Vascular plant taxa in the studied sites were summarized as 182 taxa; 65 families, 143 genera, 164 species, 17 varieties and 1 form, and Gamaso area, the lower terrain of the Buandaem and Cheongnim-ni areas are summarized as 75, 102 and 89 taxa, respectively. The plant species likes persimmon tree, paulownia tree and wild mulberry tree are dominant species in the Gamaso subpopulation, while Quercus variabilis is dominant at the lower terrain of the Buandaem. The intensive site management was applied to the Cheongnim-ni subpopulation, one of the original wild habitats of the species. The population dymanics was varied; the one or two sprouting number of stems was over 87% both at Gamaso area and the lower terrain of the Buandam, while the Cheongnim-ni subpopulation recorded as 74.8%. Also three sprouting number recorded as 16% and as 9.2% for sprouting on numbers of four to eleven. The invaded species likes Chenopodium album, Rumex obtusifolius, Phytolacca americana, Pharbitis nil, Solanum lyratum, Erigeron canadensis and Erigeron annuus, were found at the wild habitat of the species, and those invaded species grow faster than Abeliophyllum plants. Among three habitats of the target species in the studied area, the habitat which in located at the lower terrain of the Buandam and Gamaso region are known as translocated due to the dam construction, and wild subpopulation at Chongnim-ni, which is designated as Natural Monument No 370, is under threatened due to an intensive site management likes clearance of scrub amongst the Abeliophyllumplants. It is one of the evidence that Cuscuta japonica at the population indicated an intensive site management likes clearance of scrub is not proper habitat management protocol. Thus, further researches should be followed to determine the effect of canopy removal and other disturbance factors as management techniques.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.107 no.4
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• pp.361-377
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• 2018

The aim of this study was to examine whether the guideline by the Ministry of Environment (ME) successfully and appropriately applied the IUCN Red List criteria at regional level and the rare and endangered national list considered eligible. A certain number of vascular plants, which are widely distributed in the world or in east Asia, deemed to be ineligible for assessment at a regional level as Not Applicable category (NA), because it occurs at very low numbers in South Korea. Among 377 vascular plant taxa evaluated by the ME, NA included 238 species, which represented 63.1%. The number of synonymized species or illegitimate name species were 13 species, which accounted for 3.4%. 21 species (9.3%) were threatened at global level and 103 species were possibly candidates species list for Red List assessments at regional level in the near future. The proportion of NA or waiting list was 66.6% among the list assessed by the ME. The most common errors involved incorrectly application of species extinction in case of population extinction in South Korea to the assessment and provided incorrect interpretation of the Red List criteria at regional level. The most assessments proposed by ME were not backed up without quantitative data quality, justifications, and sources. It is suggested that the risk of extinction should be reassessed at least in the Korean peninsula within the light of their overall distribution including far eastern Russia and North eastern China in north and for Japan and Taiwan in south for regional assessment. The results obtained here using the IUCN criteria at regional level showed that the list proposed by the ME produced an overestimation of the number of threatened vascular plants. Also, the misapplication of the term 'species extinction' for regional assessment was open to some degree of subjectivity and misinterpretation.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.199-208
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• 2019

In this study, the community structures of the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi in the roots of Abies koreana and Taxus cuspidata were investigated at different altitudes of Mt. Halla. We identified the collected ECM root tips based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis through sequencing of the rDNA ITS regions. From the roots of A. koreana and T. cuspidata, 11 species and 12 species were identified, respectively. The Shannon's index and species evenness and abundance of the ECM fungi were higher in the higher than lower regions, regardless of host plant species, however, the number of ECM root tips showed the opposite pattern. The community similarity among the ECM fungi in A. koreana was significantly higher than that among the ECM fungi in T. cuspidata or than that between A. koreana and T. cuspidata (p < 0.05). These results could be useful for the conservation and management of the habitat of A. koreana, which is threatened with extinction due to increasing ambient air temperature.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.453-465
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• 2014

Hotspots are top sites in terms of species diversity as the most threatened and most diverse sites which have been used to select priority areas for reserves. The purpose of this paper is to identify biodiversity hotspots through analyzing nationwide spatial patterns of species richness and rarity of Korean mammals. Four endangered mammals and eleven common mammals were selected as target species. Environmental variables as model input data were consisted of topography, distance, and vegetation structure etc. and Maxent was used to develop species distribution models for target species. Species richness and rarity were used as index of biodiversity. The results of this study were as follows. Firstly, hotspots of species richness for endangered mammals were in high elevation and steep mountain areas. However, species richness for whole mammals were high in low elevation of mountains. Secondly, distribution pattern of species rarity for endangered mammals were similar as richness. However, hotspots of species rarity for whole mammals were a little different from species richness. Species rarity was high in both low and high elevation of mountain areas. This study will provide the useful information for a biodiversity assessment, a habitat conservation, a national ecological network plan, and the management of protected areas.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.19-39
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• 2016

This study was carried out to investigated the flora of Naknam-Jeongmaek, Korea. The survey sites were Gilmajae, Mt. Muryang, Mt. Yeohang, Mt. Muhak, Mt. Cheonju and Mt. Sineo. The flora were summarized, numbering 666 taxa including 112 families, 357 genera, 574 species, 4 subspecies, 73 varieties and 15 forms. The threatened species was Aconitum austrokoreense. The rare plants were 12 taxa including Asarum maculatum, Wikstroemia ganpi, Viola albida, Tricyrtis macropoda and so forth. The Korean endemic plants were 19 taxa including Salix koriyanagi, Thalictrum actaefolium var. brevistylum, Weigela subsessilis, Hosta minor and so forth. The specific plants by floristic region were 81 taxa including 38 taxa of grade I, 19 taxa of grade II, 16 taxa of grade III, 7 taxa of grade IV and 1 taxa of grade V. The naturalized plants were 32 taxa including Rumex crispus, Physalis angulata, Erechtites hieracifolia, Taraxacum officinale and so forth. The invasive alien plants were Ambrosia artemisiifolia and Aster pilosus.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.32 no.6 s.107
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• pp.23-35
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• 2005

Korean goral (Nemorhaedus caudatus raddeanus) is an endangered species in Korea, and the rugged terrain of the Sorksan National Park $(373km^2)$ is a critical habitat for the species. Since the goral population is threatened by habitat fragmentation, it is essential to establish a reserve for the isolated goral population. The objective of this study was to propose a reserve for Korean goral in the national Park We employed habitat suitability model, habitat capability model, and the concept of minimum viable population. The results of the study were as follows. First, the carrying capacity and optimal density of gorals in the national park were projected to be 449 gorals, and 251 gorals, respectively Second, since only one patch was projected to satisfy the criteria of minimum viable population (50 individuals/during 50 years), the long term extinction possibility of gorals in the site would be very high. Finally, the patch that satisfy the minimum viable population of goral was proposed as the core zone of the goral reserve and adjacent patches were included as buffer zones.