• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.68-77
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• 2023

The effect of soil damage on the physicochemical characteristics and activity of the soil microbial community is not well known. This study investigates this relationship by analyzing 11 soil samples collected from various points of soil damage across Gyeonggi-do. Soil damage resulted from forest fires, landslides, and development areas, with their impacts most severe on the topsoil layer (0-30 cm). Dehydrogenase and β-glucosidase activities were notably higher at locations damaged by forest fires compared to other sites. While enzyme activities in soils influenced by landslides and development areas were relatively low, sites with a pollution history exhibited elevated dehydrogenase activity, likely due to past microbial response to the pollution. Additionally, an assessment of carbon substrate usability by soil microorganisms indicated higher substrate availability in areas impacted by forest fires, contrasting with lower availability in landslide and development sites. Statistical analysis revealed a positive correlation between organic content of sand and clay and microbial activity. These findings provide valuable insights into soil damage and associated restoration research, as well as management strategies.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.333-341
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• 2010

The objective of our study was to investigate the major reasons for the different growth and visible injury on the needles of black pine growing in Ulsan and Yeocheon industrial complex areas, South Korea. After 12 years of growth, we collected climatic and air pollutant data, and analyzed soil properties and the physiological characteristics of black pine needles. Annual and minimum temperatures in Ulsan were higher than those in Yeocheon from 1996 to 2008. Ozone ($O_3$) was the pollutant in greatest concentration in Yeocheon, and whereas the $SO_2$ concentration in most areas decreased gradually during the whole period of growth, $SO_2$ concentration in Yeocheon has increased continuously since 1999, where it was the highest out of four areas since 2005. Total nitrogen and cation exchange capacity in Yeocheon soil were significantly lower than those of Ulsan. The average growth of black pine in Yeocheon was significantly smaller than that in Ulsan, and the growth of damaged trees represented a significant difference between the two sites. Photosynthetic pigment and malondialdehyde content and antioxidative enzyme activity in the current needles of black pine in Yeocheon were not significantly different between damaged and healthy trees, but in 1-year-old needles, there were significant differences between damaged and healthy trees. In conclusion, needle damage in Yeocheon black pine can be considered the result of long-term exposure to oxidative stress by such as $O_3$ or $SO_2$, rather than a difference in climatic condition or soil properties, and the additional expense of photosynthate needed to overcome damage or alleviate oxidative stress may cause growth retardation.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 2009

This study carried out development of a natural antimicrobial agent from Schima wallichii ssp. liukiuensis. Compound I exhibiting potent antimicrobial activity against Candida spp. was isolated from the methanol extracts of Schima wallichii ssp. liukiuensis. The structure of I identified as a sterol glycoside consisted of a trisaccharide and ${\alpha}_1$-sitosterol. Trisaccharide composed of L-rhamnose, D-galactose and D-glucose residues. The antimicrobial activity of I was selective on yeast rather than bacteria or other fungi. Compound I was demonstrated to be ineffective against toxicity to mouse liver cells where as protective to human dermal fibroblast cells at low concentrations. Thus, it is reasonable to expect a sterol glycoside (I) as a valuable alternative for synthetic antifungal.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.2486-2494
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• 2015

This study is intended to look into the effects of forest experience activities for developing a moral sense on moral development of children. To achieve this, forest experience activities were performed to 40 5-year-old children from H kindergarten in Chungnam area through April 7 to July 25, 2014. They were classified into an experimental group(9 male children and 11 female children) and a control group(9 male children and 11 female children). Forest experience activities and Nuri curriculum-related forest experience activities were performed to the experimental group and the control group 10 times, respectively. The results were as follows. First, forest activity education had an effect on improving children's moral judgment. Second, moral behaviors showed that the experimental group improved in order, courtesy and moderation, which forest experience activities had a significant effect on improvement in their moral behaviors. As stated above, children's forest activities will valuable education to enhance moral development that identifies the preciousness of life through communion and interaction with nature along with peers, and order, manners and self-control by joint cooperative activities between peers.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.217-224
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to clarify the effects of the conversion of the forest management type from a natural deciduous broad-leaved forest to an artificial evergreen coniferous forest based on organic matter dynamics. We investigated the amounts and carbon contents of the forest floor and the litterfall, soil chemical characteristics and cellulose decomposition rates in the natural deciduous broad-leaved forest and adjacent artificial evergreen coniferous forest. In the artificial evergreen coniferous forest were planted Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) on the upper slope and Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) on the lower slope. The soil carbon and nitrogen contents, CEC and microbial activity had decreased due to the conversion of the forest management type from a natural deciduous broad-leaved forest to an artificial Japanese cypress forest, and were almost the same for the conversion to a Japanese cedar forest. Under the same conditions, it is considered that the soil fertility was different by planting specific tree species because the organic matter dynamics were changed by them.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.527-547
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• 2020

Fish pathogens cause not only economic damages to fish farming but also infectious pathogens known as a zoonotic agent. Since the continued use of antibiotics to control fish pathogens entails side effects, materials of natural origin need to be developed. The purpose of this study is to discover coniferous essential oils with excellent antibacterial effects in order to develop antibiotic alternatives. We have extracted essential oils using hydro-distillation from the leaves of Abies holophylla, Pinus thunbergii, Pinus parviflora, Tsuga sieboldii, and Pinus rigitaeda, which are all Pinaceae family. And, we have evaluated antibacterial activity with the extracted essential oils against Edwardsiella tarda, Photobacterium damselae, Streptococcus parauberis, and Lactococcus garvieae, which are fish pathogens. As a result, the essential oils from A. holophylla and P. thunbergii showed the selectively strong antibacterial activity against E. tarda and P. damselae, which are gram-negative bacteria. From GC-MS analysis, it was identified that main component of A. holophylla essential oils are (-)-bornyl acetate (29.45%), D-limonene (20.47%), and camphene (11.73%), and that of P. thunbergii essential oils is α-pinene (59.81%). In addition, we found three compounds: neryl acetate, (-)-borneol, and (-)-carveol, which are oxygenated monoterpenes. These exist in a very small amount but exhibit the same efficacy as essential oil. Therefore, we expect that A. holophylla and P. thunbergii essential oils having excellent growth inhibitory effect against gram-negative fish pathogens can be used as biological products such as feed additives and fishery products.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.173-182
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate ozone sensitivity of physiological indicators and the difference in ozone tolerance of 8 families of Sophora japonica seedlings on the basis of the standardized physiological indicators. After ozone treatment, photosynthetic parameters, photosynthetic pigments and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and antioxidative enzyme activities were analyzed from the leaves of S. japonica seedlings. Ozone tolerance indices among 8 families were calculated with the standardized physiological parameters. In addition, the reduction of carboxylation efficiency and apparent quantum yield were observed in the leaves of seven families, except for family No. 6 and 7, respectively. The apparent quantum yield varied from -27% to -61% of the control seedlings. Photosynthetic pigment content differed significantly among 8 families, but was not affected significantly by ozone treatment. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity increased from 7% to 64% after ozone exposure, and significant difference existed among 8 families. Ascorbate-peroxidase (APX) activity of 8 families increased by ozone treatment, and the activity of family No. 7 showed the highest increase (218%) in comparison to their respective control plants. On the basis of the standardized indices, family No. 6 showed the lowest tolerance by indicating higher reduction of both photosynthetic parameters and pigment content and lower increase of antioxidative enzyme activities. On the contrary, family No. 7 showed the highest tolerance as indicated by lower reduction of photosynthetic parameters, higher amounts of photosynthetic pigments, and higher enzyme activity.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.110-119
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• 2024

This study was conducted to provide information on the possibility of using Rhododendron micranthum as resource plant. Through polyphenol profiling of R. micranthum shoot extract, useful components were selected and the content of useful components and antioxidant activity by extraction solvent were compared. As a result, 37 polyphenol compounds were identified in R. micranthum shoot extract through LC-ESI-MS analysis. Contents by extraction solvent were compared of chlorogenic acid, astragalin, myricetin, and afzelin. Chlorogenic acid was highest at 6.57±0.12 mg/g in the ethanol extract, astragalin was 2.29±0.02 mg/g in the ethanol extract, myricetin was 4.77±0.06 and 4.52±0.27 mg/g in the methanol, ethanol extracts, and afzelin was highest at 0.10±0.01 mg/g in the methanol extract. Total polyphenol content of the R. micranthum shoot extract according to the extraction solvent was highest in the ethanol extract at 80.01±2.36 mg/g, and total flavonoid content was also highest in the ethanol extract at 78.08±3.44 mg/g. The IC₅₀ value of DPPH radical scavenging activity according to the extraction solvent of R. micranthum shoot was lowest in methanol extract at 943.57±10.68 mg/L, and the IC₅₀ value of ABTS radical scavenging activity was also lowest in methanol extract at 641.60±7.58 mg/L.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.427-433
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• 2008

This study was performed to investigate antioxidant activities and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity according to parts of the Acer mono and A. okamotoanum. Most extracts showed high scavenging activities on DPPH. Especially, the bark of A. okamotoanum showed higher activity as 98.4% than the control, BHA as 96.5%. A. mono and A. okamotoanum showed high ability on nitrite scavenging, but decreasing tendency according to decreasing of pH. On SOD-like test, the wood of A. okamotoanum showed highest activity as 35.4% at 1.0mg/ml concentration. Also, the extracts obtained high activity on GST test. Therefore, the water extracts from the bark of A. mono and A. okamotoanum have relatively good antioxidant activity and GST activity. Especially, the bark of A. okamotoanum showed the highest activity on all of extracts, could be the use of functional foods and biomaterials.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.113 no.1
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• pp.73-87
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• 2024

Wolfiporia hoelen (Fr.) Y.C.Dai & V. Papp, commonly known as Poria cocos, is a significant traditional herb used for medicinal and culinary purposes Asian and European countries. Many studies have confirmed that the main components of W. hoelen have pharmacological activities and thatits extract has been shown to affect bone metabolism. This study aimed to the potential of a 50% ethanol extract of the sclerotium of W. hoelen for preventing and treating bone diseases. The ethanol extract was systematically fractionated using n-hexane, dichloromethane, and ethyl acetate. The dichloromethane fraction caused an approximately 29% increase in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) differentiation activity in C2C12 cells compared to the control. Four compounds isolated from this active dichloromethane fraction were identified through instrumental analysis and literature references as 3α-dehydrotrametenolic acid, ergosterol, pachymic acid, and dehydrotumulosic acid. All four compounds were evaluated at increasing concentrations (1, 3, 10, 30, and 100 μM) to determine their effects on ALP differentiation activity in C2C12 cells and RANKL-induced inhibition activity in bone marrow macrophages (BMMs), with a concurrent assessment of cytotoxicity at these concentrations. At a concentration of 3 μM, dehydrotumulosic acid caused a 160% increase in ALP activity, 24% higher than in the BMP-2 control. BMMs treated with dehydrotumulosic acid at concentrations between 10 and 100 μM showed a substantial 15-86% decrease in RANKL-induced inhibition activity compared to the control, with distinct patterns of RANKL inhibition and cytotoxicity observed at 10 μM. These findings suggest that the ethanol extract from the sclerotium of W. hoelen has potential to modulate bone-cell differentiation, while highlighting the possible benefits of dehydrotumulosic acid isolated from the dichloromethane fraction of W. hoelen for preventing and treating osteoporosis.