• Title/Summary/Keyword: habitat environment

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Home-range of Raccoon Dog Nyctereutes procyonoides Living in the Rural Area of Korea (농촌 지역의 너구리 Nyctereutes procyonoides 행동권)

  • Choi, Tae-Young;Park, Chong-Hwa
    • Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.29 no.3
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    • pp.259-263
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    • 2006
  • The objectives of this paper are to estimate home range and core habitat area of raccoon dog living in the rural area of Korea. A radio-telemetry study was carried out on 22 raccoon dog individuals. Among these individuals, 4 raccoon dogs made 2 pairs and they were monogamous and moved together all the year round. Mean home-range size of 9 individuals which were radio-tracked more than 3 months was $0.80km^2$ (100% MCP). The mean home range size of male individuals was $0.98km^2$ (N=5, 100% MCP) and that of female individuals was $0.58km^2$ (N=4, 100% MCP). On the other hand, in case 95% MCP(Mininlum Convex Polygon) was applied, the gap of home-range size between sex distinction was closed to $0.63km^2$ (male) and $0.42km^2$ (female). The home range size of two pairs of which the male and the female were radio-tracked at the same time showed little difference. In case of one pair, the home range size(95% MCP) was $0.28km^2$ (male) and $0.26km^2$ (female) and in case of the other pair, it was $0.36km^2$ each (male and female). Consequently there seems no significant difference in the home-range size between a male and a female racoon dog except the unusual cases such as unpaired individuals or the ones with no fixed territory.

Effect of Fishing Activity on Nest Selection and Density of Waterfowls in Namyang Lake (낚시꾼의 활동이 수초 지대에 번식하는 물새류의 둥지 위치 선택과 밀도에 미치는 영향)

  • Park, Ji-Hwan;Park, Heon-Woo;Sung, Ha-Cheol;Park, Shi-Ryong
    • Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.29 no.3
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    • pp.213-217
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    • 2006
  • The increase of human activities has been extensively changed the breeding habitats of birds directly or indirectly, where the reproductive success of the birds has been seriously reduced. Leisure activities on water, such as fishing, influenced the breeding biology of waterfowls. However, few researches have been done for this in Korea. We examined the effects of fishing activity on nest selection and density of four waterfowl species at Namyang Lake: Coot (Fulica atra), Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), Little Grebe (Podiceps ruficollis), and Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus). We divided the Namyang Lake into three study areas. Except for the number of anglers, there were no significant differences among the three study areas in the kinds of avian predators, the water depth around study areas measured for possible territorial predatory mammals' passing over, and the values of Relative Importance Percentage of occupying plants. The results showed that waterfowls bred in Namyang Lake preferred the areas with few anglers for the nests. From this study, we recommend that leisure activities including fishing should be prohibited or restricted during the breeding periods of waterfowls for the stable breeding success and that further systematic researches and managements for the species are necessary.

Feasibility of seed bank for restoration of salt marsh: a case study around the Gwangyang Bay, southern Korea

  • Lee, Seon-Mi;Cho, Yong-Chan;Lee, Chang-Seok
    • Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.35 no.2
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    • pp.123-129
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    • 2012
  • Salt marsh is an important transitional zone among terrestrial, riverine, and marine ecosystems and is a productive habitat that interacts extensively with adjacent landscape elements of estuarine and coastal ecosystems. Nowadays, in addition to various human activities, a variety of natural processes induce changes in salt marshes. This study aims to provide background information to restore disturbed salt marshes and to propose their ecological restoration using seed banks. The study area is a prepared area for the Gwangyang Container Port located in the southern Korea. This area was formed by accumulating mud soils dredged from the bottom of the forward sea. This land was created in a serial process of preparing the Gwangyang container port and the salt marsh was passively restored by seeds buried in mud soil dredged from seabed. As a result of stand ordination based on vegetation data collected from the land, stands were arranged according to tolerance to salinity in the order of $Suaeda$ $maritima$, $Salicornia$ $europaea$, and $Phragmites$ $communis$ communities on the Axis 1. Landscape structure of the projected area was analyzed as well. Edges of the projected area were divided from the marginal waterway by the dike. Four types of vegetation appeared on the dike: $Alnus$ $firma$ plantation, $Robinia$ $pseudoacacia$ plantation, $Lespedeza$ $cyrtobotrya$ plantation, and grassland. In the more internal areas, two types of vegetation sequences appeared: $Aster$ $tripolium$ community-$Suaeda$ $glauca$ community-$Salicornia$ $europaea$ community sequence and $Aster$ $tripolium$ community-$Suaeda$ $maritima$ community-$S.$ $europaea$ community sequence. Mixed community showed the highest species diversity (H' = 0.86) and $S.$ $europaea$ community showed the lowest (H' = 0.0). Evenness is the highest in Mixed community (J' = 2.26) and the lowest in $S.$ $maritime-S.$ $europaea$ community (J' = 0.0). Several plant communities were successfully established on the land created by mud soil dredged from the bottom of Gwangyang Bay. Moreover, community diversity in this area approached a similar level with those from other studies involving natural salt marshes. Therefore, restoration effect based on community diversity obtained in our study can be evaluated as a successful achievement. In this respect, although most salt marshes in Korea and other places worldwide have been destroyed or disturbed by excessive land use, feasibility of seed bank as a restoration tool is greatly expected.

Dispersal Polymorphisms in Insects-its Diversity and Ecological Significance (곤충의 분산다형성-그의 다양성과 생태학적 의의)

  • 현재선
    • Korean journal of applied entomology
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    • v.42 no.4
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    • pp.367-381
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    • 2003
  • Dispersal polymorphism in insects Is a kind of adaptive strategy of the life history together with the diapause, consisting of the “long-winged or alate forms” of migratory phase and the “short-winged or apterous forms” of stationary phase. Dispersal polymorphism is a polymorphism related with the flight capability, and has three categories ; the wing polymorphisms, flight muscle polymorphisms, and flight behavior variations. Phase variation is another type of dispersal polymorphism varying in morphology, physiology and wing forms in response to the density of the population. The dispersal migration is a very adaptive trait that enables a species to keep pace with the changing mosaic of its habitat, but requires some costs. In general, wing reduction has a positive effect on the reproductive potential such as earlier reproduction and larger fecundity The dispersal polymorphism is a kind of optimization in the evolutionary strategies of the life history in insects; a trade-off between the advantages and disadvantages of migration. Wing polymorphism is a phenotypically plastic trait. Wing form changes with the environmental conditions even though the species is the same. Various environmental factors have an effect on the dispersal polymorphisms. Density dependent dispersal polymorphism plays an important role In population dynamics, but it is not a simple function of the density; the individuals of a population may be different in response to the density resulting different outcomes in the population biology, and the detailed information on the genotypic variation of the individuals in the population is the fundamental importance in the prediction of the population performances in a given environment. In conclusion, the studies on the dispersal polymorphisms are a complicated field in relation with both physiology and ecology, and studies on the ecological and quantitative genetics have indeed contributed to understanding of its important nature. But the final factors of evolution; the mechanisms of natural selections, might be revealed through the studies on the population biology.

Comparison of Nekton Assemblage Structures Between Estuary and Inshore Waters on the Mid-Western Coast of Korea (서해 하구역과 연안역 유영생물의 군집구조 비교)

  • Hwang, Sun-Do;Lee, Woo-Joo;Im, Yang-Jae
    • The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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    • v.17 no.3
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    • pp.149-159
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    • 2012
  • To elucidate the species compositions of estuarine and inshore fauna and compare productivities between them, catch were collected by bag nets in the Han River estuary off Ganghwa Island and the inshore waters off Jangbong Island for 24 hours at the spring tide from March to December 2010. Community structures of nekton assemblages were different with area, month, taxonomic groups. Although the diversity of estuarine nekton assemblage was lower than that of inshore nekton assemblage, the productivity of nekton assemblage in estuary was higher than that in the inshore waters. Nekton assemblages were distributed according to habitat environment: the estuarine species, Coilia mystus, Chelon haematocheilus, Collichthys lucidus were prominent in the Han River estuary off Ganghwa Island, and marine species, Thryssa kammalensis, Sardinella zunasi, Portunus trituberculatus were prominent in the inshore waters off Jangbong Island. Palaemon gravieri, Exopalaemon carinicauda, Synechogobius hasta were inhabited in both waters. The health assessment of estuarine ecosystem based on scientific research will be contributed to the effective management of estuary with determination of order and direction in policy.

Ecological Impact Analysis of a Stream on the Dam Construction Using Species Biotic Index (SBI) as a Tool of Ecosystem Health Assessment

  • An, Kwang-Guk;Kim, Jai-Ku
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.40 no.4
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    • pp.495-502
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    • 2007
  • Species biotic index (SBI), based on a fish assemblage, was applied to a stream assessment using long-term ecological fish data set (1996 to 2001) in Boryong dam area, which is located in the mainstream of Ungchun Stream of Chungnam province, Korea. According to the methods of Hilsenhoff (1988), the scores of tolerance guild assigned 10 classes to each species by its habitat and feeding guild, but modified current 7 criteria to 5 scoring standards due to unclear borderline among species. Relative abundance in the species number of upper stream guilds was only 7% of the total, whereas the abundance in the species number of middle to downstream upper stream guilds was 64%. Mean SBI, based on dataset in Site 1 during 1995-2001 averaged 5.10, which was judged as a "good" condition by the rank criteria of SBI. Before the dam construction, mean SBI in the Site 1 was 4.61, indicating a "good" condition, but after the dam construction, mean SBI was 5.60, indicating a "fair" condition. Trajectory analysis in the Site 1 showed significantly (One-way ANOVA, $F_{6,21}=3.26$, p=0.02) different among years, reflecting the changes of fish composition and population density by the dam construction, whereas Site 2 showed no significant changes ($F_{6,21}=1.00$, P =0.45) difference among years. Mean SBI prior to the dam construction in the Site 3 was 4.52 but after the construction, the value was 6.30, indicating a distinct difference between the pre- and post-dam construction. Trajectory analysis at the Site 3 supported this fact: Values of SBI showed significantly ($F_{6,21}$=14.37, p<0.01) different. Mean SBI was 4.67 in the Site 4, indicating a "good" condition in the health and the health rank was same as the sampling sites 1, 2, and 4. Trajectory in the Site 4 showed no significant ($F_{6,21}=2.35$, p=0.07) difference among the years. Overall, our trajectory analysis indicated that three of four sampling sites (sites 1, 3, 4) showed significant decreases (n=7, p<0.05) and that the proportions of sensitive species declined evidently in the sites 1 and 2 and the tolerant species increased in the dam sites. Our outcomes may be used as a key data for diagnosis of the long-term ecological impact in the future in the watershed.

Seasonal Dynamics of Fish Fauna and Compositions in the Gap Stream Along With Conventional Water Quality

  • Lee, Jae-Hoon;An, Kwang-Guk
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.40 no.4
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    • pp.503-510
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    • 2007
  • The purposes of the study were to analyze the seasonal effects on the fish fauna and compositions including trophic guilds and tolerance guilds. For the study, we collected fish samples twice in June as premonsoon period and early September 2007 as monsoon periods in five sampling sites of the Gap Stream, and then biological oxygen demand (BOD), nutrients (TN, TP) and suspended solids (SS) were compared with the guild data along the gradient of upstream-to-downstream. Chemical water quality, based on BOD, TP, and TN degraded gradually from the upstream to downstream reach and there were about 3 fold difference between S1 and S5. Water quality was worse in the premonsoon than the monsoon, and the heavy monsoon resulted in a dilution of the polluted river by rain water, especially, in the downstream reach. Total number of fish species, based on the catch per unit effort (CPUE), showed a distinct difference between the two seasons; 30 species were sampled in premonsoon, but 23 species were sampled in the monsoon, indicating a seasonal difference in the fish fauna. Tolerant species dominated the fish community (48.3%) in the stream, and the proportions prior to physical disturbance by the monsoon rain were evidently greater in the downstream reach than the upstream. This reflected the characteristics of urban stream polluted by nutrient enrichment as shown in the BOD and TP values. Sensitive species in the premonsoon decreased from the gradient of upstream-to-downstream reach. Such seasonal modifications in the trophic and tolerance guilds were evident. In the analysis of trophic guild and habitat guild, during the premonsoon the proportion of insectivore and riffle-benthic species were largely greater in the upstream reach than the downstream, whereas the proportions were opposite along the gradient of the stream in monsoon. Thus, the patterns of chemical water quality along the longitudinal gradients reflected the premonsoon conditions of insectivores and tolerant species, indicating that summer monsoon data of fish may not match with water quality due to large physical disturbance by flow regime. Seasonal monsoon in this region as well as the chemical pollution may act as a key role influencing the fish compositions of trophic and tolerance guilds and fauna. The data collected during the premonsoon rather than the monsoon, thus, may be better predictor for a diagnosis of stream health conditions.

Recovery of Fish Community and Water Quality in Streams Where Fish Kills have Occurred (어류폐사의 발생 이후 하천에서 수질의 변화 및 어류상 회복)

  • Lee, Jae-Yong;Lee, Kwang-Yeol;Lee, Saeromi;Choi, Jaeseok;Lee, Seok-Jong;Jung, Sungmin;Jung, Myoung-Sook;Kim, Bomchul
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.46 no.2
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    • pp.154-165
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    • 2013
  • The species composition of the fish community was studied in four streams where fish kills have previously occurred in recent years; Worun Stream, Seo Stream, Jangnam Stream, and the Anyang Stream. The number of fish species varied from 22 to 86% compared to the number of fish species pre-fish kill. The recovery of fish populations in the streams seems to be determined by water quality and the presence of artificial structures in the streams. The Jangnam Stream, where alkaline pH caused a fish kill, showed a high recovery of fish species due to improvements in water quality. Anyang Stream had a low number of species, possibly because dissolved oxygen concentrations were intermittently low. Artificial structures in streams had a negative impact the recovery of fish species, particularly for benthic fish species. It appears that fish populations can recover rapidly when water quality improves or the movement of fish community is unimpeded. However, water quality and artificial structures in many streams in Korea still present adverse conditions for fish survival, deterring the recovery of fish populations. To conserve fish populations in streams, habitat all owing unimpeded movement for fish and controls on pollutant inputs are needed.

A review of the taxonomic and ecological characteristics of Korean mistletoe types (Viscum, Korthalsella, Loranthus and Taxillus) (한국산 겨우살이류(Viscum, Korthalsella, Loranthus and Taxillus)의 분류 및 생태학적 특성 고찰)

  • Kim, Chan-Soo;Kim, Soo-Young;Sun, Byung-Yun;Yi, Jae Seon
    • Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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    • v.43 no.2
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    • pp.81-89
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    • 2013
  • In general, studies of aerial parasitic plants known collectively as mistletoe have been carried out to investigate their ecological and agricultural characteristics. However, with the recently increased level of interest in medicinal resources, research on different types of Korean mistletoe has also increased. This study was carried out to review the work on the taxonomy and ecology of Korean mistletoe in preparation for the industrial use of these plants in the future. Mistletoe types are flowering plants belonging to Santalales, which exist in the form of parasites on the branches of trees or shrubs. In Korea, five taxa of four genera in two families of mistletoe exist: Viscum coloratum (Komarov) Nakai f. coloratum, Viscum coloratum (Komarov) Nakai f. rubroaurantiacum (Makino) Kitagawa and Korthalsella japonica (Thunb.) Engl. in Santalaceae, along with Loranthus tanakae Franch. et Sav. and Taxillus yadoriki (Sieb. ex Maxim.) Danser in Loranthaceae. As taxonomic studies of these species remain insufficient and given that the distribution ranges of these species are very wide, further observations pertaining to the morphological variations in each species are necessary. The distribution of mistletoes is known to be determined by the host specificity, the interval between the hosts, the environmental condition, the habits of the host plant, the eating characteristics of mediators in the area, and their habitat selection features.

Primary Productivity of Phytoplankton at the Eutrophic down Reach of a Regulated River (the Han River, Korea) (부영양한 한강하류수역에서 식물플랑크톤의 1차생산)

  • Nam, Kung-Hyun;Hwang, Gil-Son;Kim, Kap-Soo;Kim, Bom-Chul
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.34 no.4 s.96
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    • pp.267-276
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    • 2001
  • The downstream reach of the Han River adjoining Seoul in Korea was the upper boundary of an estuary where tidal effect on the flow rate could be exerted. According to the comprehensive river regulation project, the river was channelize dand impounded by two overflow dams, which provided favorable condition for algal growth in this sewage polluted eutrophic reach. In this study primary productivity of phytoplankton was measured in the down reach and the autochthonous and allochthonous organic carbon loadings were estimated. Primary production of phytoplankton measured by C-14 uptake and P-I model method ranged from 140 to $4,890\;mgC\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$ (median value $1,865\;mgC\;m^{-2}\;d^{-1}$) showing the level of eutrophic lakes. Phytoplankton density that varied according to water flow rate was highest in spring. Allochthonous organic carbon loading was dominated by sewage input through tributaries in most of days except flood flow period. The average proportion of autochthonous carbon generation by phytoplankton was 40.9%, which is very high proportion for a lotic habitat.

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