• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.163-169
• /
• 2021

Background: Understanding the habitat characteristics of the endangered Siberian flying squirrel Pteromys volans is the first step in conserving and managing the forests it requires for nesting, gliding, and feeding. Therefore, in the present study, we characterized the habitats of P. volans using GIS analysis of 411 forest sites in South Korea where fecal droppings were found. Results: Fecal signs of P. volans were found in various regions in South Korea, including the Baekdudaegan Mountains. GIS analysis with six environmental layers (vegetation type, wood-age class, diameter at breast height [DBH], crown density, elevation, and distance from stream) revealed that fecal signs of P. volans were more frequently found in broad-leaved deciduous forests (42%) located 200-399 m above sea level (43.1%) and 0-199 m from the nearest stream (53%), with 5th class wood-age (35.3%), middle size class DBH (51.1%), and high crown density (71%). Conclusions: The present study provides information on the biotic and abiotic characteristics of P. volans habitats. In South Korea, the fecal droppings of P. volans were found predominantly old deciduous broadleaf forests. Further studies are needed to reveal whether the more frequent occurrence of P. volans dropping in broadleaf forests may be due to a particular preference of this species for the forests or to a simple reflection of the area of the broadleaf forests occupying a much larger area than other forest types in Korea.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.54-61
• /
• 2022

Background: In South Korea, African swine fever virus (ASFV) has spread among wild boars through Gangwon-do to Dangyang-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do on the southern border of Gangwon-do. To prevent the spread of ASFV to African swine fever (ASF)-free areas, it is necessary to identify areas with a high probability of finding ASFV-infected carcasses and to reduce the density of wild boars in those areas. In this study, we described the propagation trend of ASFV among wild boars, constructed the habitat suitability maps for ASFV-infected carcasses, and suggested areas with a high probability of finding ASFV-infected carcasses and an important route of ASFV transmission. Results: Despite the active quarantine policies in Korea to prevent the spread of ASFV through wild boars, there was no significant difference in the monthly average of number of ASFV-infected carcasses observed between 2020 and 2021. The ASFV-infected carcasses were found more in winter and spring (January to April). Since the first ASF outbreak in wild boars on October 2, 2019, the maximum width of ASFV-infected carcass distribution area was 222.7 km for about 26 months till November 20, 2021. The habitat suitability map, based on GPS coordinates of ASFV-infected wild boar carcasses, shows that highly detectable areas of ASFV-infected carcasses were sporadically dispersed in western and southwestern parts of Gangwon-do, and ranged from north to south of the province along the Baekdudaegan Mountains, whereas poorly detectable areas ranged along the north to the south in the middle parts of the province. Conclusions: Our suitability model, based on the GPS coordinates of ASFV-infected carcasses, identifies potential habitats where ASFV-infected carcasses are likely to be found and ponential routes where ASFV is likely to spread. Among ASF-free areas, the areas with high suitability predicted in this study should be given priority as survey areas to find ASFV-infected carcasses and hunting areas to reduce wild boar populations.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.429-440
• /
• 2023

Quantitative habitat model is established with species occurrence and spatial abundance data, which were usually acquired by professional field ecologists and citizen scientists. The importance of citizen science data is increasing, but the quality of these data needs to be evaluated. This study aims to identify and compare both expert-based data and citizen science data based on the performance power of quantitative models derived from both data sets. A Maximum Entropy (MaxENT) model was developed using eight environmental variables, including climate, topography, landcover and distance to forest edge. The AUC values derived from the MaxENT model were 0.842 and 0.809, respectively, indicating a high level of explanatory power. All environmental variables has similar values for both data sets, except for the distance to forest edge and rice paddy, which was relatively higher for expert-based survey data than that of the citizen science data as the distances increased. This result suggests that habitat model derived from expert-based survey data shows more ecological niche including wider ranges from forest edges and isolated habitat patches of rice paddy. This is presumably because citizen scientists focuses on direct observation methods, whereas professional field surveys investigate a wider variety of methods.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.47 no.3
• /
• pp.118-133
• /
• 2023

Background: Free-living amoebae (FLA) are widely distributed in freshwater, seawater, soil, and extreme environments, and play a critical role as feeders on diverse preys in the ecosystem. Also, some FLA can become opportunistic pathogens in animals including humans. The taxa Amoebozoa and Heterolobosea are important amoeboid groups associated with human pathogens. However, the identification and habitat of amoebae belonging to Amoebozoa and Heterolobosea remain poorly reported in the Republic of Korea. This study highlights the first record for identification and source of four amoebae including putative pathogens in the Republic of Korea. Results: In the present study, four previously reported FLA were isolated from freshwaters in Sangju Gonggeomji Reservoir (strain GO001), one of the largest reservoirs during the Joseon Dynasty period, and along the Nakdong River, the largest river in the Republic of Korea (strains NR5-2, NR12-1, and NR14-1) for the first time. Microscopic observations and 18S rDNA phylogenetic trees revealed the four isolated strains to be Acanthamoeba polyphaga (strains NR5-2 and NR12-1), Tetramitus waccamawensis (strain GO001), and Naegleria australiensis (strain NR14-1). Strains NR5-2 and NR12-1 might be the same species and belonged to the morphological Group 2 and the T4 genotype of Acanthamoeba. Strain GO001 formed a clade with T. waccamawensis in 18S rDNA phylogeny, and showed morphological characteristics similar to previously recorded strains, although the species' flagellate form was not observed. Strain NR14-1 had the typical morphology of Naegleria and formed a strongly supported clade with previously recorded strains of N. australiensis in phylogenetic analysis of 18S rDNA sequences. Conclusions: On the bases of morphological and molecular analyses, four strains of FLA were newly observed and classified in the Republic of Korea. Three strains belonging to the two species (A. polyphaga and N. australiensis) isolated from the Nakdong River have the potential to act as opportunistic pathogens that can cause fatal diseases (i.e. granulomatous amoebic encephalitis, Acanthamoeba Keratitis, and meningoencephalitis) in animals including humans. The Nakdong River in the Republic of Korea may provide a habitat for potentially pathogenic amoebae, but additional research is required to confirm the true pathogenicity of these FLA now known in the Republic of Korea.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.38 no.4
• /
• pp.545-562
• /
• 2015

A study on indigenous diatoms was carried out at 71 sites during the period from April 1999 to August 2014 in marine and fresh water in Korea. Forty species of diatoms are new to Korea and they are divided into three classes, six subclasses, 13 orders, 19 families, and 28 genera. The nomenclatures, references, dimensions, specimens examined, local habitat, distribution in Korea, and photograph are reported here. The 40 species found in marine and fresh water showed speciesspecific habitats.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.60-60
• /
• 2012

• Journal of Species Research
• /
• v.1 no.2
• /
• pp.249-256
• /
• 2012

Located 60 km from southern tip of Korean peninsula, Jeju is the largest Island in Korea and composed of volcanic habitat. Twenty-eight species of terrestrial mammals are listed from Jeju Island, of which 1 species and 3 subspecies are endemic. Also, 1 endangered species and 4 invasive alien species of land mammals are listed. Current status, brief history, management and conservation of the 28 species are discussed.

• Proceedings of KOSOMES biannual meeting
• /
• 2017.11a
• /
• pp.87-87
• /
• 2017

• 한국약용작물학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2008.05a
• /
• pp.140-141
• /
• 2008

• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.161-172
• /
• 2018

A mixed farming system that includes organic rice production and freshwater fish farming is being called into attention in Korean agricultural industry and rural areas in order to improve farm management and environmental conservation. This study was conducted to evaluate the environmental and ecological value of such mixed farming practices. Expert assessment and rapid assessment method (RAM) of wetland evaluation were employed for this study. Experts have responded that biodiversity conservation including amphibian and reptile habitat (2.39), aquatic insect habitat (2.36), Fishery habitat (2.34), vegetation diversity (2.13), avian habitat (2.05), and experience and education were the most important function of mixed farming. The wetland function evaluation conducted using modified RAM indicated that rice-fish mixed system showed improvements in most of the evaluated functions, compared to the conventional rice paddies. The overall wetland function of rice paddies in rice-fish mixed system was greatly improved as compared with the conventional rice paddies. Rice paddies are known to play an important role in biodiversity maintenance, and provide ecosystem services such as climate modulation and carbon reduction. Rice-fish mixed system of farming may not only improve various ecosystem services of rice paddies, but may increase farm income through value added fish farming, as well as promotion of social services such as education and maintenance of tradition. Additional research is needed for quantitative analysis of the values gained from the most improved wetland function when mixed farming system is actually put into practice, and to utilize the results in advertising of the organic rice, and in various sectors such as food, education and direct payment policy.