• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.247-258
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• 2021

To understand restoration and conservation projects conducted in Korea for endangered freshwater fishes and amphibians/reptiles, information about Request for Protocols-related studies on restoration, breeding, and release were collected. Trends of studies were visualized via word clouds and VOSviewer program using a text mining technique. Analysis of restoration projects for endangered freshwater fishes elucidated that most research studies conducted to date were focused on genetics and release through captive breeding that could be classified into captive breeding and habitat environments. As for research projects related to amphibians/reptiles, monitoring projects had the highest number, followed by genetic, translocation, and monitoring studies. In addition, restoration projects for amphibians/reptiles included a large number of post-capture translocation projects. Thus, many projects were confirmed by public institutions rather than by the Ministry of Environment. Network analysis revealed that it was largely classified into capture, translocation, and Kaloula borealis. Based on these results, limitations, achievements, and challenges associated with projects conducted thus far are highlighted. Research directions for future restoration and conservation of endangered freshwater fishes and amphibians/reptiles in South Korea are also suggested.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1-19
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• 2017

This study set out to identify problems with amphibian habitation by the wetland types and improve their habitation environment in urban forest wetlands, thus creating a habitat for amphibians. Study site include forest swamps in Jatjul Park as well as Yeoji neighborhood Park in Guro-gu, and in Choansan neighborhood Park in Dobong-gu. The forest swamp in Jatjul Park gets its water from Mt. Maebong and it is a former escalated farmland-turned wetland. The swamp area is $2,500m^2$, a forest zone and a landscape planting site are 83.27% and 6.70% each. Target species Seoul pond frogs are inseparable from rice fields because they live in a short radius of and lay eggs in or near paddy fields, and Rana nigromaculata have similarities with Rana plancyi chosenica in choosing their habitats. There was need for paths that would lead to other paths so amphibians would spread to other parts of the forest and for measures to secure open water. Modifying a variety of routes for water, human and animals along with building a buffer to keep the core habitation zones were required. The forest swamp in Yeonji neighborhood Park used to be a water reservoir on the foot of Mt. Gunji. The swamp area is $1,980m^2$, a forest zone and farmland account for 80.61% and 4.88% each. Non-point pollutants from upstream along run into the subject forest marsh, bare ground on the around swamp and steep stone embankments obstructed amphibians. Target species was Bufo gargarizans that live in forests and edges of hills and spawn in deep water. The forest swamp in Choansan neighborhood Park gets its water from Mt. Choan and it is close to its water source that it is a mountain stream forest wetland. The basin and the swamp are $35,240m^2$ and $250m^2$ in size respectively. A forest zone accounts for 90.20%, high stone embankments laid in refurbishing the valley obstruct amphibians and there is water shortage in times of droughts. Target species were Rana coreana, Rana dybowskii and Hynobius leechii that live in mountain valleys, streams and wetlands and lay eggs in forest marshes and rocks in valleys. Looking into the three swamps of amphibian habitation, I came to conclusions that those wetlands were suitable for their amphibians but man-made facilities blocked their corridors leading to other corridors and even killed off target species in some parts of those swamps by destroying those parts. Amphibians live in water, on ground and underground at different stages of life. Hence, we should take this fact into consideration when planning their habitats and design core habitation zones, buffers zone and use zones accordingly. Buffer zones ought to be between core habitation zones and surrounding trees. Aiming at protecting core habitation zones, buffers should be in harmony with habitation zones. Use zones should be minimized in size and not in direct contact with core habitation zones.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.149-156
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• 2002

In this study, the levels of DEHA, carbaryl, and amitrole contained in the fresh water fishes and amphibians were determined. The 31 sampling sites were selected including 29 sites along the several rivers and 2 sites from the well-known wet lands. The rivers consists of the Han, Nakdong, Kum, Youngsan, and other small scaled rivers. DEHA was detected from 10 sites, but carbaryl and amitrole were not detected at any sites. The highest average concentration of DEHA was determined from the Kum River by $52.7{\mu}g/kg$. In the detected 10 sites, the average concentration of DEHA from fishes was $40.0{\mu}g/kg$, and that from amphibians was $8.90{\mu}g/kg$ which indicates that 5 times more DEHA was observed from fishes than amphibians. The detection frequency from fishes was 10/62 while that from amphibians was 2/62, and the highest concentration from fishes was $95.5{\mu}g/kg$ (crucians from Kongjoo) and that from amphibians was $12.1{\mu}g/kg$ (bullfrog from Najoo). Among the 10 detected sites, 6 sites were agricultural area and the other 4 sites were semi-urban area.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.106-114
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• 2020

The development of transportation and the expansion of the pet market has become the main causes of the increase in the cross-border migration of non-native species. Moreover, recent sales over the Internet were a factor that has promoted pet trades. While the import of non-native species has been steadily increasing in the Republic of Korea, it is not clear how these imported species are traded and how large the trade is. Considering that most of the non-native species found in the wild are the results of release by humans understanding the present situation of pet trades can identify potential non-native species that can enter the wild. This study surveyed the number of species, frequency, and prices of non-native amphibians and reptiles sold in 25 online pet shops from January 22 to February 10, 2019. The results of the survey showed that a total of 677 species of non-native amphibians and reptiles were sold, and the Squamata group accounted for the largest part of them at 65.4% (443 species). The number of non-native amphibians and reptiles sold in online pet shops in 2019 was 2.1 times larger than the 325 species officially imported in 2015. The non-native amphibians and reptiles sold in most pet shops were Litoria caerulea (21 shops) and Correlophus ciliatus (24 shops). The lowest price for non-native amphibians and reptiles was 3,000 won, and the highest price was 100 million won for Rhacodactylus leachianus of Squamata. Among the non-native amphibians and reptiles sold in online pet shops, 11 species were found in the wild and were sold at relatively low prices. We confirmed that Mauremys reevesii, an endangered species class II and natural monument no. 453, and American bullfrogs (albino), an ecosystem disturbing species, were being sold in online pet shops. Moreover, 21.6% of the 677 non-native amphibians and reptiles sold in online pet shops were species designated as CITES. The results of this study can be the important reference data for understanding the status of non-native amphibians and reptiles that are imported and sold in Korea and evaluating and predicting the potential for them to enter the wild.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.108 no.2
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• pp.241-258
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• 2019

The aim of this study was to analyze the factors that affect the habitat of fishes and amphibians in a mountain stream that is part of an experimental forest at Kongju National University, Gongju, Chungcheongnam, Korea, and examine the differences in the presence of fishes and amphibians in the stream before and after construction of an erosion control dam. The results showed that the factors that affect the presence of fishes are pH, electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen (DO), flow velocity, and step-pool number, and that the factors that affect the presence of amphibians are monthly rainfall, pH, EC, DO, and crown density. Of these factors, pH, EC, flow velocity, and monthly rainfall were significantly different before and after dam construction; however, the differences among the other three factors from dam construction, except EC, might not have been enough to affect the presence of fishes and amphibians. Our results suggest that the difference in the frequency of fishes and amphibians surveyed before and after dam construction in the upper and lower stream sections were not statistically significant. One exception to this was the presence of amphibians in the lower stream section during and after dam construction, which could have been the result of a large amount of sediment produced by excavation that led to high EC.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2011

Amphibian population declines globally. Aquatic contamination by organic pollutants including endocrine disrupters has been suspected to the one of the reason for distinction of amphibia which has obligate aquatic life style during larval period. Amphibians have been widely accepted as animal model for the study of endocrine disruption in aquatic ecosystem at molecular as well as individual levels. There are increasing need for toxicological data in amphibians at multiple endpoints for management of contamination and development of safety guideline for important EDs in aquatic media. Alkylphenols have been widely used in agricultural, industrial, and housekeeping activities, contaminating the aquatic media and evoking endocrine disruption in aquatic animals. In this review, we summarized data concerning the endocrine disruption by alkylphenol organic pollutants on amphibians according to route, concentration, terms, and developmental stage of exposure together with mechanism of endocrine disruption.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.107-112
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• 2007

This study was carried out to investigate the herpeto-fauna at Hallasan National Park. We conducted a survey at 1100 Resting places, Eoseungsaengak, Donnaeko, Eorimok, Yeongsil, Gwaneumsa and Seongpanak from April, 2006 to January, 2007. A series of four families and 5 species of amphibians and 4 families and 8 species of reptiles were observed. Amphiesma vibakari ruthveni, Takydromus wolteri, Scincella vandenburghi, Coluber spinalis and Hynobius quelpartensis which are rarely appearing inland but they were frequently observed by this survey. Also, we observed Sibynophis chinensis that only inhabits Jeju island with in Korea. Jeju island has both southern and northern boundary lines for amphibians and reptiles. Amphibians and reptiles in Jeju island have a different from those inland and valuable information for biogeograpy due to dissimilar climate and isolation from continental for a long time. It is not certain whether some amphibians and reptiles, Bufo gargarizans, Rana rugosa, R. plancyi, Elaphe rufodorsata and Takydromus amurensis, inhabit Jeju island, as recorded in previous literatures, so the research on current status of them has to be carried out immediately.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.489-495
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• 2002

In this study, we determined distribution status of organonitrogen pesticides such as trifluralin, atrazine, metribuzin, alachlor, malathion, nitrofen, permethrin, cypermethrin, fenvalerate, and parathion accumulated in the fresh water fishes and amphibians. We collected those samples at 31 sites from the basin of major rivers, and separated the muscular tissue as a final sample for analysis. In the pretreatment process, lipid was eliminated by using acetonitrile and n-hexane, and pesticides were reextracted with dichloromethane. The extract was dehydrated and concentrated, and then cleaned it up by passing the Florisil column, and pesticide content was finally determined by using a GC-MS system after introducing isotope labelled references. The accumulation level was observed in the range of $0.17{\sim}6.8{\mu}g/kg$ in amphibians and $0.26{\sim}16{\mu}g/kg$ in fishes including cypermethrin as $16{\mu}g/kg$.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.71-74
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• 2017

Urbanization is a major driver of global amphibian declines. For the study on the effect of urbanization on amphibians, we compared the growth and the health status of Hyla japonica amphibians collected in the urban areas of Incheon and in the rural area of Gapyeong, Korea. The size and weight of Hyla japonica body in the urban area were smaller than those in the rural area. However, there was no significant difference in their condition factors as a health indicator between the two areas. Our study emphasizes the need for research into the specific mechanism of effects of urbanization on amphibian heath status for the further understanding of the relationship between urbanization and amphibians.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.229-236
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• 2010

We conducted field surveys of amphibians and reptiles over a two-year period in 16 lagoons along the eastern coastline of South Korea, and determined the habitat characteristics correlated with the number of amphibian and reptilian species and individuals. We documented 11 amphibian species and 8 reptilian species. The dominant amphibian species was the black-spotted pond frog (Rana nigromaculata), and the dominant reptilian species was the red-eared turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans), an invasive species. Among the 14 habitat characteristics, connectivity to mountainous area significantly affected the number of amphibian and reptilian individuals. Other factors, including emerged plant cover, salinity, pH, the number of birds for amphibians and connectivity to agricultural land, lagoon perimeter length for reptiles also influenced the number of species or individuals of them. Our results demonstrate that these lagoons are home to more amphibians and reptiles than has been previously known. To effectively conserve herpetofauna in the lagoon ecosystem, lagoons as well as surrounding wetlands, grasslands, and mountainous areas should be protected.