• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.48-54
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• 2009

We investigated the genetic diversity of an endemic rare species, Forsythia ovata Nakai by examining 93 ISSR amplicons in 84 individuals distributed among five populations. The overall percentage of polymorphic ISSR amplicons was 54.8% and mean number of amplicons per ISSR primer was 6.6. The amount of genetic diversity was relatively lower than other shrub species. The Mt. Seokbyeong and Mt. Seorak B populations had the highest level of genetic diversity. Although the Seokgae-jae population had the lowest level of genetic diversity, the population was genetically the most distinctive from the other populations. About 30.6% of the total variation was allocated between five populations, which was slightly higher than other shrub species. Such a pattern of genetic variation may have resulted from the limited distribution and small population sizes of F. ovata. The UPGMA dendrogram based on Nei's genetic distance showed some decisive geographic patterns. These results suggest that, in addition to the preservation of the natural stands, the conservation of larger number of populations with small number of individuals per population is more effective for the dynamic ex situ conservation and for maintaining the genetic diversity of F. ovata than smaller number of populations with large number of individuals.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.127-134
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• 2005

Although the bulk composition of materials is one of the major considerations in extractive metallurgy and environmental science, surface composition and topography control surface reactivity, and consequently play a major role in determining metallurgical phenomena and pollution by heavy metals and organics. An understanding of interaction mechanisms of different chemical species at the mineral surface in an aqueous media is very important in natural environment and metallurgical processing. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been used as an ex-situ analytical technique, but the material to be analyzed can be any size from $100\;{\mu}m$ up to about 1 cm. It can also measure mixed solids powders, but it is impossible to ascertain the original source of resulting x-ray signals where they were emitted from, since it radiates and scans the macro sample surface area. The study demonstrated the ability of TOF-SIMS to detect individual organic species on the surfaces of mineral particles from plant samples and showed that the TOF-SIMS techniques provides an excellent tool for establishing the surface compositions of mineral grains and relative concentrations of chemicals on mineral species.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.619-627
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• 2013

Deutzia paniculata Nakai is a Korean endemic species that has a very restricted distribution in Gyeongsang-do, South Korea. The genetic diversity and structure of five populations of D. paniculata were investigated using 31 ISSR loci from six primers. The Shannon's index (0.429) and genetic diversity (0.271) were relatively higher than those of other rare plant species in Korea. The Miryang (MY) and Yangsan (YS) populations, which have higher flowering rates than the other populations, showed greater genetic diversity than the other populations. An analysis of the molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that 16% of the total variation could be attributed to differences among the populations, and 84% to the differences within populations, indicating moderate gene flow among adjacent populations. The high genetic diversity and low genetic differentiation in the Deutzia paniculata populations, which have a restricted distribution, is considered to be affected by outcrossing of the mating system and abundant individuals in the populations. These results suggest that ex situ conservation strategies are needed to sustain the current genetic diversity of D. paniculata.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.470-478
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• 2011

Aster altaicus var. uchiyamae is on the list of endangered species in Korea. Using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers, we investigated the genetic diversity within and among four populations (Guram, Dori Island, Samhap, and Danyang) of A. altaicus var. uchiyamae. We also present the collecting strategies that most efficiently capture the genetic diversity of A. altaicus var. uchiyamae. Four AFLP primer combinations produced a total of 936 bands, of which 934 (99.8%) were polymorphic. A high level of genetic diversity (PPB = 45.3%, h = 0.104, I = 0.168, hs = 0.108) was recognized within the populations of A. altaicus var. uchiyamae. A low degree of genetic differentiation ($G_{ST}$ = 0.075, ${\theta}^B$ = 0.079) was detected among the populations. In addition, analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that genetic variation was greater within populations (91%) than among populations (9%). These results indicate that the high rate of gene flow has played an important role in forming the present populations of A. altaicus var. uchiyamae. According to maximization strategy, 17, 16, and 11 individuals captured all of the genetic variation in Dori Island, Samhap, and Guram population, respectively. The determination the minimum population size of A. altaicus var. uchiyamae in terms of the genetic information is critical and thereby gain reliable decision support for ex situ conservation of the endangered species, A. altaicus var. uchiyamae.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.61-89
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• 2006

Algific talus slopes are local cold micro-environmental habitats where cool air escapes through vents and fissures of talus layer, and ice forms in summer. To access the phytogeographical significance and to develop the conservation strategy on vegetation of the algific talus, plant species composition on seven algific talus in South Korea was investigated. As a results, phytogeographically significant northern elements such as Cystopteris fragilis (L.) Bernh., Diplazium sibiricum (Turcz. ex Kunze) Sa.Kurata, Polypodium virginianum L., Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. and Hackelia deflexa (Wahlenb.) Opiz were distributed in these algific talus slopes (below $N37^{\circ}43^{\prime}$). In addition, subalpine species such as Woodsia subcordata Turcz, Rosa suavis willd., Clematis fusca var. coreana ($H.L{\acute{e}}v.$ & Vaniot) Nakai, Calamagrostis langsdorfii (Link) Trin. and Carex vaginata var. petersii (C.A.Mey.) Akiyama were also distributed as typical relictual species of these algific talus (less than alt. 400m). The algific talus slopes in Korean peninsular can be regarded as the insular refugia that northern plant species advanced southward during the latest glacial age have been isolated and adapted in some local microhabitats. Because the algific talus slopes as paleorefugia are very important in terms of phytogeography as well as meteorology ans geology, developments of strategies for in situ and ex situ conservation on these small isolated and threatened populations associated with the algific talus urgently needed.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.253-258
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• 2015

In South Korea, Pinus pumila (Pall.) Regel (dwarf stone pine) has been designated as a critically endangered species by the Korea Forest Service. We have difficulties in obtaining the seeds of P. pumila because P. pumila grows only in the Daecheongbong area (1550–1700 m above sea level) of Mt. Seorak and almost all of its cones are damaged by birds and rodents. For establishing an ex situ conservation stand of P. pumila, this study was conducted to figure out the effects of wet cold (cold stratification, prechilling) and GA₃ treatment on the germination of P. pumila seeds. After cold stratification (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 months), prechilling (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 months) and GA₃ treatment (0, 100, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 3,000 ㎎/L), seeds were placed on petri-dishes at 25℃ under light condition. The percentage of germination, mean germination time and the germination rate were investigated. The results showed that both of the cold stratification and prechilling were effective in improving germination performances. However, there were no significant differences in performances between the two cold treatments. Within each treatment, the germination performances improved with the period of treatment. However, after three months of treatment, the performances showed no significant improvement. The gibberellin treatment was also effective in improving seed germination of P. pumila. The percentage of germination reached 79.0% in the seeds treated with 100 ㎎/L of GA₃. However, the germination performances decreased at high concentration of GA₃ treatments (over 2000 ㎎/L). In conclusion, cold stratification (over 3 months) or 100 ㎎/L of GA₃ treatment was considered to be the appropriate method for seedling production of P. pumila.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.112 no.4
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• pp.442-450
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• 2023

This study sought to determine the desiccation tolerance and storage behavior of Sarcandra glabra seeds to assist in the establishment of an ex-situ conservation strategy for the species. The basic germination characteristics of S. glabra seeds were investigated. Subsequently, the seeds were dried to various desiccation levels to allow for analysis of their germination characteristics and seed integrity. In addition, the seeds were subjected to germination tests after being stored for different durations. The initial seed moisture content following the removal of the fleshy fruit was 32.8%, and the fresh seeds maintained their seed viability even after a decrease in the seed moisture content to 4.8%, while the germination percentage was 81.0%. The germination percentage of the seeds decreased to 55.0% and 30.0% when they were desiccated to moisture contents of 2.3% and 2.2%, respectively. By contrast, when the stored seeds were desiccated, they maintained their seed viability and vigor at a moisture content of 18.6%; however, when the moisture content decreased below 5.0%, both the seed viability and vigor significantly declined and the germination percentage fell below 20.0%. Furthermore, analysis of the seed leachate revealed that the decrease in the seed viability and vigor was associated with both increased electrical conductivity and increased concentrations of inorganic compounds such as potassium and calcium. In conclusion, the findings of this study show S. glabra seeds to possess desiccation tolerance that falls somewhere between the recalcitrant and intermediate seed types, with the observed variations depending on the degree of deterioration.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.226-233
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• 1998

Microcracks in rock materials, whether natural or induced, provide useful information on the engineering performance of in situ rockmasses. A population of preferentially oriented microcracks has observable effects on the physical properties of a rockmass, but their effects may not be evident if the rock material is highly anisotropic due to other causes. An experimental program was undertaken to investigate the effect of rock fabrics on the physical properties of rock materials. In this study, anisotropy in the circumferential wave velocity and the direction of induced fractures under axial point loading were measured. Rock specimens (NX-size) of the leucocractic Pocheon granite were cored from rock blocks, retaining the relative directions of each specimen. Another set of specimens was prepared from the rock cores of the same meterial, obtained in the field. The master orientation line (MOL) was set to be the representative direction of the microcracks in the specimen. Variation of the circumferential wave velocity of each specimen was then measured along the core, keeping the MOL as reference. The direction of the minimum wave velocity was nearly perpendicular to the direction of the MOL. Coring of smaller-sized (EX-size), concentric specimens from the NX specimens were then followed, and axial point loading was applied. The direction of induced fractures due to axial point loading was closely related to the MOL direction, confirming the prior test result.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.202-206
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• 2012

$CoSi_2$ was formed through annealing of atomic layer deposition Co thin films. Co ALD was carried out using bis(N,N'-diisopropylacetamidinato) cobalt ($Co(iPr-AMD)_2$) as a precursor and $NH_3$ as a reactant; this reaction produced a highly conformal Co film with low resistivity ($50\;{\mu}{\Omega}cm$). To prevent oxygen contamination, $ex-situ$ sputtered Ti and $in-situ$ ALD Ru were used as capping layers, and the silicide formation prepared by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) was used for comparison. Ru ALD was carried out with (Dimethylcyclopendienyl)(Ethylcyclopentadienyl) Ruthenium ((DMPD)(EtCp)Ru) and $O_2$ as a precursor and reactant, respectively; the resulting material has good conformality of as much as 90% in structure of high aspect ratio. X-ray diffraction showed that $CoSi_2$ was in a poly-crystalline state and formed at over $800^{\circ}C$ of annealing temperature for both cases. To investigate the as-deposited and annealed sample with each capping layer, high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) was employed with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). After annealing, in the case of the Ti capping layer, $CoSi_2$ about 40 nm thick was formed while the $SiO_x$ interlayer, which is the native oxide, became thinner due to oxygen scavenging property of Ti. Although Si diffusion toward the outside occurred in the Ru capping layer case, and the Ru layer was not as good as the sputtered Ti layer, in terms of the lack of scavenging oxygen, the Ru layer prepared by the ALD process, with high conformality, acted as a capping layer, resulting in the prevention of oxidation and the formation of $CoSi_2$.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.111-119
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• 2018

Background: Juniperus chinensis L. populations are distributed locally on several areas including coastal cliffs which are difficult to access in the central eastern Korea. Wild populations inhabit relatively barren environments such as rocky areas and cliffs, which are very sensitive to even minor environmental disturbances including artificial interventions and natural disturbances, and thus demonstrate great fluctuations in the population size and density. This study aims to analyze the genetic diversity, differentiation, and genetic structure of each population in order to provide useful data required to establish a substantial conservation strategy of J. chinensis. Results: The genetic diversity of J. chinensis at the population level (P = 78.7%, h = 0.282, S.I. = 0.420) was somewhat higher compared with those measured in the same genus, Juniperus. The genetic differentiation degree among nine populations established naturally in central eastern Korea was 11.50% and that among sub-populations within the same area was 5.52%. On the other hand, genetic variation of individuals within the populations was 82.93%. But frequency of the main allele was different among loci. In particular, fixation of allele frequency and occurrence of rare allele in the highly isolated population suggest a likelihood that genetic drift would occur in populations of this plant. As the result of analysis on the genetic structure of nine populations, nearby populations and isolated populations tended to form separate clusters from each other as the hypothetical number of clusters (K) increase. Conclusions: This result implies that if the population size of J. chinensis is reduced due to environmental change and artificial and/or natural disturbances in the future, it could affect negatively on the genetic diversity of the plant species. In order to maintain and conserve genetic diversity of J. chinensis, ecological network, which can help genetic exchange among the local populations, should be prepared, and conservation strategies in situ as well as ex situ are also required with continuous monitoring.