• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.630-638
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• 2021

In this study, we investigated the effects of dissolved inorganic and organic nutrient on the growth of dinoflagellate Alexandrium affine (LIMS-PS-2345). The maximum uptake rates (ρ_max) and half saturation constants (Ks) calculated from the uptake kinetics experiment were 77.0 pmol/cell/hr, 17.6 μM for nitrate and 15.5 pmol/cell/hr, 3.88 μM for phosphate, respectively. These results suggested that this species has high inorganic nutrient demand and a low affinity for inorganic nutrients. During the utilization of organic nutrients for A. affine, growth rates of experimental groups added by organic nitrogen (urea and glycine) and phosphorus (adenosine triphosphate and glycerol phosphate) were above 70 %, compared to the experimental groups added by inorganic nutrients. Thus, A. affine may need to utilize organic nutrients to understand the dominant strategy and advantageous position in the interspecific competition within low inorganic nutrient environments.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2021

Background: Abandoned coal piles after the closure of mines have a potential negative influence on the environment, such as soil acidification and heavy metal contamination. Therefore, revegetation by efficient species is required. For this, we wanted to identify the role of Silene acaulis in the succession of coal piles as a pioneer and a nurse plant. S. acaulis is a well-studied cushion plant living in the Arctic and alpine environments in the northern hemisphere. It has a highly compact cushion-like form and hosts more plant species under its canopy by ameliorating stressful microhabitats. In this research, we surveyed vegetation cover on open plots and co-occurring species within S. acaulis cushions in coal piles with different slope aspects and a control site where no coal was found. The plant cover and the similarity of communities among sites were compared. Also, the interaction effects of S. acaulis were assessed by rarefaction curves. Results: S. acaulis was a dominant species with the highest cover (6.7%) on the coal piles and occurred with other well-known pioneer species. Plant communities on the coal piles were significantly different from the control site. We found that the pioneer species S. acaulis showed facilitation, neutral, and competition effect in the north-east facing slope, the south-east facing slope, and the flat ground, respectively. This result was consistent with the stress gradient hypothesis because the facilitation only occurred on the north-east facing slope, which was the most stressed condition, although all the interactions observed were not statistically significant. Conclusions: S. acaulis was a dominant pioneer plant in the succession of coal piles. The interaction effect of S. acaulis on other species depended on the slope and its direction on the coal piles. Overall, it plays an important role in the succession of coal piles in the High Arctic, Svalbard.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.232-249
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• 2022

As the postsecondary school-age population continues to decline, the competition among universities to attract potential students has intensified. As an alternative, we propose to introduce a collaborative marketing strategy to universities to gain the attention of precollege students and parents. This study examines perceived fit, the prestige of university and fashion brands, consumption values, and the category of fashion brands in the context of collaboration between university identity and fashion brands. Utilizing an online survey, we collected 391 responses. The results indicate that perceived fit between universities and fashion brands has a significant impact on the purchase intention of collaborative university merchandise. In addition, the prestige of fashion brands plays a key role, while the prestige of universities has no direct effect on purchase intention. However, the indirect effect of university prestige on purchase intention mediated by perceived fit is significant. Also, this study confirms that social value and emotional value have significant impacts on purchase intention. These findings present a guideline for selecting a collaborative partner, which is the most important task in a collaboration strategy. Finally, merchandising strategies reflected consumption values based on precollege students and their parents' needs are proposed.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.7-26
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• 2012

The success story of E-mart fascinated many academics and practitioners alike. Though E-mart began as a nameless discount store in Chang-dong, Seoul in 1993, it has transformed itself into a leading distribution company and one of the most powerful brands in Korea. Surprisingly, it achieved the great success against the two crises it met: the national economic crisis and the invasion of the global giant Walmart. The main objective of this case study is to formally examine how E-mart overcame the two crises. More specifically, this case study highlights the ways with which E-mart turned those difficulties into opportunities for growth. In our examination of the E-mart case, we could clearly see E-mart's competence and spirit that allowed it to turn crises into advantageous opportunities. E-mart attracted the customers who wanted value-oriented consumption by its positioning as the "Lowest price discount store", when consumer sentiment was frozen under the economic crisis. Furthermore, when a large-scale foreign discount store like Walmart entered the Korea market, E-mart built its core competencies as the 'Korean style discount store'. These ingenious positioning and efforts resulted in E-mart taking over their archrival, Walmart, and forced the global Goliath to exit the Korean market. The case of E-mart's effective crisis management teaches many important lessons and a few core lessons that apply to many companies. One such lesson is the importance of positioning which enabled E-mart to turn crises into opportunities. Granted, the strategy of positioning as the 'Korean style discount store', or 'Lowest price discount store' was possible due to overall support with cost reduction, development and management of their own system, an apprentice educate system, etc. based on an excellent selection of location of the store and efficient distribution systems. Still, the positioning strategy of E-mart was truly ground breaking in distancing itself from its competitors. The lessons from E-mart will help those companies currently in a stagnant situation or a crisis to turn their obstacles into great success.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.409-419
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• 2017

Although Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora) forests near temples are valuable as forests of the cultural landscape, they are likely to be deteriorated because of vegetation succession and climate changes. The purpose of this study is to investigate the vegetation structure, the pine vitality, and the site environmental characteristics of the pine forests near temples to identify the correlation between pine tree growth and location environment. We selected Chuneunsa, Wonhyosa, Jeungsimsa, and Taeansa Temples since these four areas still had the healthy pine forests. In all four studied area, the pine trees dominate the canopy layers while the deciduous broadleaf trees mostly inhabited appeared in the lower layers. The growth of pine trees in Jeungsimsa and Wonhyosa areas was not as good as Chuneunsa area where the pine trees tended to be older. We found higher total nitrogen content in soil in Jeungsimsa area than other areas, maybe because of increase in total nitrogen caused by the development of low vegetation in the area. This peculiarity may have led to the pine trees in the area to fall behind the deciduous broadleaf trees in competition for nitrogen nutrient and thus to show deteriorated growth. The altitude and the twig length showed a negative correlation as did the degree of slope and the mean importance percentage of the pine tree. In other words, the growth environment such as soil became poorer when the altitude and the degree of slope increased, and thus the growth amount and dominance of the pine trees were lower. The degree of slope showed a positive correlation with the twig length of the pine tree. Within boundaries of location environment where the pine tree forests were dominant, it seemed that growth of the pine trees was more favorable as the slope was steeper because the trees could avoid competition with deciduous broadleaf trees. On the other hand, the growth of pine trees deteriorated as the electrical conductivity of soil increased; increase in soil nutrients might have accelerated vegetation development of deciduous broadleaf trees and thus aggravated the growth environment of pine trees to negatively affect maintaining the health of the pine tree forests.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.580-589
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• 2015

The artificially grown forests of larch, planted in accordance with the nationwide afforestation policy in the 1970s, are located inside national parks. This study intended to induce a forestation system by which the forests develop into an ecologically healthy and broadleaved ecosystem with broad species diversity. For this, the aspects of natural regeneration of broadleaves from 2010 to 2013 after thinning by density (30%, 50%, and 70%) in 2009 were surveyed using the larch forest in the Woljeong Temple region inside Odaesan National Park. There were no trees that were larger than 2 cm in in diameter at breast height among the trees recently introduced between 2012 and 2013. A significant number of herbs have been introduced to the subsurface alongside young arboreal trees species such as Bumalda bladdernut, Acer triflorum, Cornus controversa etc and shrubs. However, many woody species did not survive the competition with herbs and repeated withering and regeneration. The number of woody species generated within the 30% cutting area was 440 species in 2013 and this figure has been increasing twofold each year. The number of woody plants within the 50% cutting area also showed an upward tendency and most plants did not survive in the competition with herbs and Sasa borealis and withered in only 1 ~ 2 years after generation. Unlike other thinning areas, the 70% cutting area showed 608 broadleaved trees, reflecting a decrease from 748 trees in 2012. This appeared to be attributed to the luxuriance of S. borealis and the sharp increase of fatsia following the inflow of total sunlight to the forest floor. Herbs were hardly generated due to the influence of S. borealis. Regarding the density for thinning at 50% or upper height, the forest treatment division shall maintain a proper density in the course of inducing artificial forestation of larch into natural broadleaved forests considering the luxuriance of sasa borealis and herbs due to the inflow of total sunlight to the forest floor.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.202-215
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• 2019

This study was conducted to investigate the spawning preference of the Acheilognathinae fishes in relation to the shell size of host mussels after identifying the species of eggs and fries in the host mussel using our recently developed RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) molecular marker at four sites [Hongcheon Naechoncheon (HN) and Deokchicheon (HD) from the North Han River basin and Jeongseon Goljicheon (JG) and Joyanggang (JJ) from the South Han River] in South Korea during May in each year between 2015 and 2018. The Acheilognathinae fish observed in the studied sites included one species (Acheilognathus signifer) in HN and JG, three species (Rhodeus uyekii, A. signifer, and Acheilognathus yamatsutae) in HD, and two species (A. signifer and Acheilognathus yamatsutae) in JJ, and we collected 982 host mussels (Unio douglasiae sinuolatus) that inhabited in all four sites. Using the RFLP molecular marker, we confirmed 46 eggs and fry of the Acheilognathinae fish (454 A. signifer, 43 Acheilognathus yamatsutae, and 149 Acheilognathus yamatsutae) in Unio douglasiae sinuolatus (N=163; 16.6%). We compare the average shell length, shell height, and shell width of mussels with [presence] eggs/fry and mussels without [absence] eggs/fry to examine the spawning preference according to the size of host mussels in each site. The results show that the shell length (1.98 mm), shell height (0.85 mm), and shell width (0.73 mm) of mussels with the eggs/fry were significantly larger (Mann-Whitney U test, P=0.002; difference=1.98 mm) than those of mussel without eggs/fry in HD where three species cohabitated. Although the shell length, shell height, and shell width of mussels with the eggs/fry were larger also in the other three sites, the difference was not statistically significant. In addition, we analyzed the mean number of spawned eggs and fry of each species and found $9.31{\pm}5.94$ R. uyekii, $2.86{\pm}2.45$ A.signifer, and $2.50{\pm}1.32$ A. yamatsutae. R. uyekii spawned 6.45-6.81 more eggs than A.signifer and A. yamatsutae on average per mussel, and it was statistically significant (Kruskal-Wallis test, P < 0.001). These findings indicate that the three species of Acheilognathinae fish tend to prefer larger mussels as their spawning hosts, and this tendency increases when the number of cohabitating bitterling fish species increases. Moreover, A.signifer and A. yamatsutae spawned a smaller number of eggs evenly in more host mussels while R. uyekii spawned many eggs on relatively fewer mussels. We found mussels (N=4) having the eggs/fry of two coexisting species, A. signifier and A. yamatsutae in HD and JJ where more than two bitterling fish species occurred. It suggests the interspecific competition taking place between the Acheilognathinae fishes for utilizing the same resource of mussels for spawning when two or more species cohabitate. This study is expected help to understand better the spawning patterns and reproductive ecology of the Acheilognathinae fishes, which will provide insightful information for advancing our understanding of their ecological relationships - mutualism or host-parasitism - with host mussels.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.274-281
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• 2020

This study aimed to investigate the autumn spawning by bitterling (A. rhombeus) inside mussel (Unio douglasiae) and the adaptation characteristics at the Bongseocheon Stream of Mankyeonggang River. The survey was carried out between August 2015 and July 2016. The spawning season was from September to November, and 17-75 (36.2 ± 16.44) eggs were found from mature females. During the survey period, 476 mussels were collected, 129 (27.1%) of spawned A. rhombeus. Mussels that spawned eggs, embryos, and larva of A. rhombeus (46.3 ± 4.55 mm, n = 129) were larger than than those that did not spawn (42.6 ± 8.51 mm, n = 347). The appearance frequency of A. rhombeus larva before and after the formation of lens was 99.8% (n = 597) vs. 0.2% (n = 1) from October 2015 to March 2016, 25.6% (n = 23) vs. 74.4% (n = 67) in April 2016, 0% (n = 0) vs. 100% (n = 40) on May 2016. The number of eggs, embryos, and larvae of A. rhombeus inside the mussels were 1-18 (5.6 ± 3.81). The number and appearance frequency of A. rhombeus eggs, embryos, and larvae inside the mussel according to mussel gill demibranchs position were 1 (0.01 ± 0.09, n = 1) and 0.78% in the left outer demibranch, 1-18 (2.33 ± 3.31, n = 63) and 48.84% in the left inner demibranch, 1-15 (2.97 ± 3.79, n = 76) and 58.91% in the right inner demibransh, and 1-12 (0.33 ± 1.71, n = 7) and 5.43% in the right outer demibransh. The highest frequency of the developmental position of eggs, embryos, and larvae occurred 71.8% (n = 445) in lower part 3 (L3) before formation lens and 94.4% (n = 102) in L3 after formation lens, indicating that L3 was dominating position for eggs, embryos, and larvae. More eggs, embryos, and larvae of A. rhombeus were found more often in the inner demibranshs than outer demibranchs. Since A. rhombeus is a species that spawn in the autumn and thus avoids the competition with interspecific and glochidia. However, they have to spend the winter in low water temperature. Consequently, we assume that A. rhombeus have evolved toward embryonic diapause under the low water temperature before the formation of lens and spawning inside the supracranchial cavity to save the transit energy from the water space to the suprabranchial cavity after the achieving movement ability with the formation of lens.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.338-349
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• 2022

This study aims to investigate whether modular community planting, which entailed planting a variety of species of seedlings at high density, was more effective in restoring natural forests than the existing mature tree planting. We also investigated whether the planting density of the modular community planting facilitates growth or improves the tree layer coverage. We conducted outdoor experiments in which the samples were divided into a mature tree planting plot (control plot), where mature trees were planted at wide intervals, and a modular community planting (MCP) plot (treatment plot), where multiple seedlings were planted in high density. The MCP plot was further divided into the plot in which 3 seedlings were planted per m² and the plot of 1 seedling per m². We measured the specimens' survival rate, growth rate (tree height, crown width, and root collar diameter), and cover rate for 26 months from May 2019 and the predicted future tree height growth using the measured tree height. The survival rate and relative growth rate of the MCP were higher than those of the mature tree planting plot. The vertical coverage rate of the tree crown in the MCP exhibited complete coverage of the ground before 23 months, while the coverage rate of the mature tree planting decreased due to transplantation stress. The seedlings in the MCP, which were planted at high density, grew well and were predicted to grow higher than the mature trees in the large tree planting plot within 5 to 6.5 years after planting. It was due to multiple species, seedlings, high-density planting, and planting foundation improvements, such as soil enhancement and mulching. In other words, the seedlings planted in the MCP had a higher survival rate as their environmental adaptation after planting was better, and their early growth was also larger than the trees in the mature planting plot. The high-density mixed planting of various native species not only mitigated the inter-complementary environmental pressures but also facilitated growth by inducing competition between species. Moreover, the planting foundation improvement effectively increased the seedlings' viability and growth rate. A reduction in follow-up management costs is expected as the tree layer coverage sharply increases due to the higher planting density. In the MCP (3 seedlings per m² and 1 seedling per m²), the tree height growth was promoted with the higher planting density, and the crown width and root collar diameter tended to be larger with the lower planting density, but these differences were not statistically significant.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.229-246
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• 2023

The bitterling (Cyprinidae, Acheilongnathinae) is a temperate freshwater fish with a unique spawning symbiosis with host mussels. Female bitterlings use their extended ovipositors to lay eggs on the gills of mussels through the mussel's exhalant siphon. In the present study, in April of 2020, we investigated spawning frequencies and patterns of three bitterling fish species in host mussel species in the Nakdong River basin (Hoecheon). During field surveys, a total of four bitterling and three mussel species were found. We observed bitterling's spawning eggs/larvae in the three mussel species: Anodonta arcaeformis(proportion spawned: 45.5%), Corbicula fluminea(12.1%), and Nodularia douglasiae (45.2%). The number of bitterlings' eggs/larvae per mussel ranged from 1 to 58. Using our developed genetic markers, we identified the eggs/larvae of each bitterling species in each mussel species (except for A. macropterus): A. arcaeformis (spawned by Acheilognathus yamatsutae), C. fluminea (A. yamatsutae and Tanakia latimarginata), and N. douglasiae (A. yamatsutae, Rhodeus uyekii, and T. latimarginata). Approximately 57.6% of N. douglasiae mussel individuals had eggs/larvae of more than one bitterling species, suggesting that interspecific competition for occupying spawning grounds is intense. This is the first report on bitterling's spawning events in the Asian clam C. fluminea from Korea; however, it should be ascertained whether bitterling's embryo undergoes successful development inside the small mussel and leaves as a free-swimming juvenile. In addition, the importance of its conservation as a new host mussel species for bitterling fishes needs to be studied further.