• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.176-181
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• 2015

Biodiversity is plummeting worldwide, and the major causes of such decline include habitat degradation and climate change. While cities do contribute to the negative impact to the environment, they can also serve as strategic centres for conservation programs. Sites qualifying as biogeographic islands within metropolitan Seoul were studied for the occurrence of two hylid species: the endangered Hyla suweonensis and the abundant H. japonica. This study demonstrates that neither habitat diversity nor surface area, but solely the occurrence of aggregated rice paddies is a requisite for H. suweonensis, hypothetically due to its strict breeding requirements. On the contrary, H. japonica occurrence was not affected by any of these factors, and all types of habitats studied were adequate for this species. The presence of an endangered species within the boundaries of one of the most populated metropolises suggests a strong natural resilience, which should be enhanced with appropriate actions. We emphasize that the management plans therein can, and should, be used as the first step in the conservation of H. suweonensis in metropolitan Seoul.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.278-281
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• 2001

Ecological measurement and biological environment of the Moak Provicial Park surveyed based on the habitat; deciduous broad leaved forest (Quercus mongolica variabilis-Pinus densiflora, Capinus tschonoskii, Quercus Mongolica, Quercus acutissima-Pinus densiflora, and Quercus variabilis), coniferous forest (Pinus densiflora), plantation forest (Pinus rigida), and the other place (pond, lake, rice field, stream, and river). Totally, 1 orders, 4 families, 8 species of amphibians were found at Mt. Moak provincial park. Biodiversity indices of studied region were as follow; richness was 1.270, diversity was 1.775, and evenness was 0.853 in amphibians. 42.1% of amphibians were found in deciduous broad leaved forest, 11.3% in coniferous forest, 1.6% in plantation forest, and 45.0% in the other region.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.1087-1095
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• 2005

Scrophularia takesimensis Nakai called 'Sum-Hyun Sam' growing about 1m in high is a perennial plant of Scrophulariaceae. Because the number of these species is very limited in the world, the Ministry of Environment has appointed S. takesimensis as a preserved plant. The Korea Forest Service also protects it strictly by the law since S. takesimensis is an out-of-the-way plant and possible to be exterminated soon in Korea. Investigation for distribution and ecological characteristics of the habitat far S. takesimensis was carried out in Ulleung-do Island. S. takesimensis has a tendency to emerged with Calystegia soldanella Roem. et Schultb. and Artemisia japonica subsp. littoricola Kitam. C. soldanella community were developed on the dry and well-lighted as east or north facing conditions. A. japonica subsp. littoricola community have tendency to developed on the properly lighted as west or north facing and well maintained soil or air humidity. C. soldanella community were developed on the sandy gravel or gravel and grew with Farfugium japonicum, (L.) Kitam., Lonicera japonica Thunb., and Peucedanum japonicum Thunb.. A japonica subsp. littoricola communities were emerged on the rock beds or pile of rocks and grew with Sedum oryzifolium Makino, Sedum takesimense Nakai, and Spergularia marina (L.) Griseb.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 2018

The long-tailed goral (Naemorhedus caudatus) has slowly recolonized habitats in South Korea. Because it is necessary to know the status of groups in recolonized areas, we determined detection frequencies and group sizes using camera trapping, a non-invasive monitoring method. In Uljin, a far southern goral habitat in South Korea, we used a Moultrie 5.0 camera and mineral block as bait during the breeding season in BaekAm Mountain (148 days, 18 May to 11 October) and Geumjong Mountain (63 days, 18 May to 18 July) in 2010. Totally, 155 images were captured in BaekAm Mountain, whereas four images were captured in Geumjong Mountain. The species was most frequently detected at sunrise (05:00-08:00) and sunset (18:00-20:00). Through population structure evaluation, we identified at least 11 individuals, including one solitary mature male, four females, four kids, and two solitary subadults in BaekAm Mountain. However, in Geumjong Mountain, we identified only two individuals (female with kid). Monitoring efficiency in the recolonized area differed depending on population density and habitat conditions. Because we could evaluate the population structure, and behavioral patterns in the study sites, monitoring using camera traps could be applied for the recolonized habitats in South Korea.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.84-88
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• 2016

To understand the effects of habitat characteristics on the genetic diversity of Persicaria thunbergii, three sites of different environmental conditions in a water system were surveyed. Site A was the closest to the source of the water system, and there was a dam between sites A and B. Site C is located on the lowest downstream in the water system. Vegetation survey of four quadrats at each site was performed, and soil samples were collected for physicochemical analysis. Random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis of ten P. thunbergii individuals at each site was conducted to calculate population genetic diversity and genetic distance among populations. Soil was sterile sand at site A, whereas loamy soil at sites B and C. A pure stand of P. thunbergii appeared at site A, while other species occurred together (such as Humulus japonicus and Phragmites australis) at sites B (Shannon-Wiener index; $H_B=0.309$) and C ($H_C=0.299$). Similar to the species diversity, genetic diversity (Nei's gene diversity; h) within population of site A ($h_A=0.2381$) was relatively lower than sites B ($h_B=0.2761$) and C ($h_C=0.2618$). However, site C was separated from sites A and B in genetic distance rather than the geographical distance (Nei's genetic distance; A~B, 0.0338; B~C, 0.0685; A~C, 0.0833).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.189-191
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• 1999

Mineral profile of serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 15 Himalayan Yak (adult female, n=8; adult male n=4 and young male,n=3) was studied in their natural habitat at an altitude of 3300 meters above mean sea level at Sangla in north western Himalayas. The macro and micro minerals estimated in serum and CSF were; Sodium, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium and Zinc, Copper and Iron respectively. The values recorded among different Yak groups did not significantly differ from each other except serum iron and haemoglobin which were significantly higher (p<0.05 ) in young male Yaks compared to the adult male and female Yaks. An observation of great significance was considerably higher potassium and lower sodium level in Yaks compared to other bovine species of plains. The serum potassium values in some adult female Yaks were recorded as high as 10.4 mEq/l and the values varied between 6.6 to 9.8 mEq/l in young male Yaks. The serum Sodium values and Na:K ratios in Yak serum ranged between 117.5 to 122.6 mEq/l and 13.7 to 15.3 respectively. The possible relationship of high serum Potassium value with hypoxic conditions and hostile mountain environment has been discussed.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.24-34
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• 2010

This study was carried out to analyze some influences on ecological health conditions, threaten by various stressors such as physical, chemical and biological parameters. We collected samples in 2008 from three zones of upstream, midstream and downstream, Gap Stream. We applied multi-metric fish assessment index (MFAI), based on biotic integrity model to the three zones along with habitat evaluations based on Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI). We also examined fish fauna and compositions, and analyzed relations with MFAI values, QHEI values, and various guild types. Chemical parameters such as oragnic matter (BOD, COD), nutrients (TP, $NH_3$-N), coli-form number (as MPN), and suspended solids (SS) were analyzed to identify the relationship among multiple stressor effects. Using the sentinel species of Zacco platypus, the population structures and condition factors were analyzed along with DNA damages related with genotoxicant effects by comet assay. This study using all these parameters showed that stream condition was degraded along the longitudinal gradient from upstream to downstream, and the downstream, especially, was impacted by nutrient enrichment and toxicant exposure from the point source, wastewater treatment plant. Overall results indicated that our approaches applying various parameters may be used as a cause-effect technique in the stream health assessments and also used as a pre-warning tool for diagnosis of ecological degradation.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.69-76
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• 2012

This study was conducted to examine how a low-head dam removal (partial removal) could affect benthic macroinvertebrate communities in a stream. Benthic macroinvertebrates and substrates were seasonally sampled before and after dam removal (March 2006-April 2007). Benthic macroinvertebrates and substrates were quantitatively sampled from immediately upstream (upper: pool) and downstream (lower: riffle) sites, the location of the dam itself (middle), and immediately above the impoundment (control: riffle). After the removal, species richness and density of benthic macroinvertebrates as well as the EPT group (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera) increased to higher levels than those before the removal, while functional feeding groups and habitat orientation groups changed more heterogeneously at the upper site. At the lower site, species richness and density decreased somewhat immediately after dam removal, which was associated with an increase of silt and sand, but recovered after monsoon floods which helped to enhance substrate diversity at the upper site. Decreased dominance index and increased diversity index in both the upper and lower sites are evidence of positive effects from the dam removal. In conclusion, we suggest that even a partial removal of a dam, resulting in increased substrate diversity in the upper site, could sufficiently help rehabilitate lost ecological integrity of streams without major habitat changes.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2020

Recent studies revealed that many animals identify individual humans. In this account, we review previous literatures on individual human recognition by wild or domestic animals and discuss the three hypotheses: "high cognitive abilities" hypothesis, "close human contact" and "pre-exposure to stimuli" hypothesis. The three hypotheses are not mutually exclusive. Close human contact hypothesis is an ultimate explanation for adaptive benefits whereas high cognitive abilities and pre-exposure to stimuli hypothesis are proximate explanations for mechanisms to perform such discriminatory behaviour. We report a case study of two bird species in a human-free habitat. Long-tailed skuas, which are known for having high cognitive abilities, exhibited the human discriminatory abilities whereas ruddy turnstones did not display such abilities toward approaching humans. This suggests that highly intelligent species may have this type of discriminatory ability so that they could learn to identify individual humans quickly by pre-exposure to stimuli, even in a human-free habitat. Here, we discuss that human recognition is more common in species with rapid learning ability and it could develop for a short period of time between an intelligent species and human.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.209-216
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• 1996

In order to identify the habitat characteristics of water shield (Brasenia schreberi), water quality and sediment characters were investigated. Water shield had peculial habitats such as old reservoir, developed basin-like reservior, a water depth within 1.5 m, constant water level, and thick sediment layer at the bottom. The species had very dense populations under the favorable growing conditions and occasionally grew together with Utricularia japonica. When water shield decreased, Nelumbo nucifera, Nuphar japonicum and Zizania latifolia increased. Natural populations of water shield need protection because it is endangered by the human activities and their harvest. The optimal conditions for the growth of water shield was near neutral pH. low conductivity and low turbidity. Therefore the input of pollutants should be controlled for its growth. The inorganic ion contents such as K, Mg, and Na were higher in the water shield growing area. Especially iron content of the sediments in the reservoirs with water shield was nearly five times as high as that in the reservoirs without water shield. thus iron might be one of the major limiting factors for the growth. It was considered that molybdenum can be another major factor because water shield is a nitrogen fixing plant.