• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.229-236
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• 2009

A habitat model was developed to delineate potential habitat of the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) in a mountainous region of Kangwon Province, Korea. Between 1997 and 2005, 224 leopard cat presence sites were recorded in the province in the Nationwide Survey on Natural Environments. Fifty percent of the sites were used to develop a habitat model, and the remaining sites were used to test the model. Fourteen environmental variables related to topographic features, water resources, vegetation and human disturbance were quantified for 112 of the leopard cat presence sites and an equal number of randomly selected sites. Statistical analyses (e.g., t-tests, and Pearson correlation analysis) showed that elevation, ridges, plains, % water cover, distance to water source, vegetated area, deciduous forest, coniferous forest, and distance to paved road differed significantly (P < 0.01) between presence and random sites. Stepwise logistic regression was used to develop a habitat model. Landform type (e.g., ridges vs. plains) is the major topographic factor affecting leopard cat presence. The species also appears to prefer deciduous forests and areas far from paved roads. The habitat map derived from the model correctly classified 93.75% of data from an independent sample of leopard cat presence sites, and the map at a regional scale showed that the cat's habitats are highly fragmented. Protection and restoration of connectivity of critical habitats should be implemented to preserve the leopard cat in mountainous regions of Korea.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.547-553
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• 2008

In recent years, attention on the inhabitation environments of animals and plants which coexist with humans is growing more and more, and relevant research is being activated. In habitats of rivers, a lot of factors are interacting, even among them, some elements especially such hydraulic factors as water velocity and water depth, and such geological shapes as gravels, sand and mud are being considered as primary elements. In this study, various field investigations are carried out to determine the relationship between the river habitats of fishes and hydraulic primary elements using high-tech equipments. Furthermore numerical experiments to classify such habitats according to topographical spaces are carried out. In detail, hydraulic field investigations performed in this study can be summarized as topographical survey, discharge measurement, water level fluctuation monitoring and so on. In numerical experiments, the RMA2 model of the commercial program, Surface-Water Modeling System (SMS), which is widely used in conducting a two-dimensional analysis of the flow behavior of a river is utilized. In conclusion, as a result of field investigation, the relationship between water velocity and water depth is obtained. And the relationship between water velocity and water temperature is identified, too. Finally, using above obtained results, the inhabitation environment was classified into Riffle, Glide, Run, Pool, and E.D.Z according to the relationship between water velocity and water depth.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.149-156
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• 2001

Zostera caespitosa Miki has been identified to be distributed along the seacoasts of Korea and Japan. This study was intended to clarify the morphological characters and the habitat characteristics of Korean Z. caespitosa. It was confirmed that Z. caespitosa is distributed along the seacoasts of South, Yellow and East Seas of South Korea. The habitats were located in the bay and port with the depth varying from 2.5 to 5.2 m. The habitats of Z. caespitosa were rather deeper than that of mixed bed with Z. marina. The sediment in the habitats was composed of well-sorted fine sand or muddy sand. Z. caespitosa showed marked differences in several morphological characters among sites. Morphology of Z. caespitosa varied with water depths, grain size and organic contents of sediments. Flowering shoots occurred by water temperature of 6.0∼13.7℃ from January to early April.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.102-109
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• 2016

The sustainability of Iris koreana, a rare and endemic plant designated by the Korea Forest Service, is threatened due to artificial factors such as habitats loss and climate change etc. and internal factors such as changes in biological properties of the habitats etc. but conservation biology research has not been performed in South Korea. The objective of this study is to establish the species conservation strategies by analyzing the characteristics of their habitats, including: 1) Population characteristics, and 2) habitat analysis of the vegetation and abiotic environments. From April to May, 2015, population characteristics [density (stems $m^{-2}$), flowering rate (%) and leaf area size ($cm^2$)] in I. koreana habitats such as Buan1~6 (BA1~6), Jangseong1~2 (JS1~2) and vegetation characteristics (phytosociological research and ordination analysis), and abiotic environments [soil temperature ($^{\circ}C$), soil humidity (%), transmitted light ($mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$) and canopy openness (%)] were measured. I. koreana was mainly distributed at elevation 50 to 150 m and 2 to $11^{\circ}$ slope. Slope direction was shown as 90 to $193^{\circ}$. The average degree of canopy openness was 11.9%. It showed the highest at BA2 (17.5) and the lowest at JS1 (7.7). The average degree of transmitted light was $6.3mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$. It showed the highest at BA2 (10.1) and the lowest at JS1 (3.6). Population density showed average 25.8 (stems $m^{-2}$). It showed the highest at JS2 (19.7) and the lowest at JS1 (9.3). flowering stems showed average 16.9 (stems). It showed the highest at BA3 (35) and the lowest at BA5 (4). Leaf area size was average $94.1cm^2$.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.253-262
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• 2015

The sustainability of Cypripedium japonicum, a rare plant designated by the Korea Forest Service, is threatened due to artificial factors such as habitat loss and climate change etc. and internal factors such as changes in biological properties of the habitat etc. but conservation research has not been performed in South Korea. The objective of this study is to establish the species conservation strategies by analyzing the characteristics of their habitats, including: 1) Population characteristics, and 2) habitat analysis of the vegetation and abiotic environments. From April to September, 2014, population characteristics [density (stems $m^{-2}$), flowering rate (%), and leaf area ($cm^2$)] in Cypripedium japonicum habitats such as Chuncheon (CC), Hwacheon (HC), Muju (MJ), and Gwangyang (GY) and vegetation characteristics (plant sociological research and ordination analysis), and abiotic environments [temperature ($^{\circ}C$), relative humidity (%), transmitted light ($mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$) and canopy openness (%)] were measured. Cypripedium japonicum was mainly distributed at elevation 450 to 990 m and 5 to $30^{\circ}$ slope. Slope direction was shown as 0 to $110^{\circ}$. Habitats temperature (mean $18.94^{\circ}C$) was well matched to seasonal changes. Differences among sites showed greater level according to latitude difference. It showed the highest in habitat, GY located in the South. On the other hand, relative humidity (77.38%) didn't show much difference among sites. The average degree of canopy openness was 18.17%. It showed the highest at HC (22.1%) and the lowest at MJ (16.1%). The average degree of transmitted light was $9.1mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$. It showed the highest at CC ($10.6mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$) and the lowest at GY ($6.87mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$). Chlorophyll content showed average 26.12 SPAD. It showed the highest at MJ (30.64 SPAD value) and the lowest at HC (23.69 SPAD value). Leaf area was average $253.35cm^2$. It showed the highest at CC ($281.51cm^2$) and the lowest at HC ($238.23cm^2$).

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.48-54
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• 2024

This study conducted a survey from April 2021 to December 2022 to investigate habitat factors affecting bird diversity in the region between Cheonwangbong Peak and Aghwibong in Baekdudaegan protected area, South Korea. Since the region has a spatial scale of 736.4 km² and is an area where a wide variety of habitats are mixed, we selected 20 survey areas of 3 km x 3 km by analysis of habitat homogeneity. As a result of analyzing the relationship between habitat environment and bird diversity in the survey area, it was found that the diversity of bird communities was directly or indirectly related to the diversity of terrestrial insects, slope, average habitat area, mean size of patches, elevation, and forest type, and distance from agricultural land. The slope of habitat, forest type, and distance from agricultural land affect the occurrence of food sources directly and indirectly, and the average area of habitats and forest type is closely related to the structural diversity of habitats. Therefore, it is determined that the diversity of bird communities is affected by the amount of food generated within the habitat and the diversity of habitats. It is determined that the relationship between bird communities and habitat environments in this surveyed region can be basic ecological data for establishing forest management measures to promote the diversity of bird communities.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.3 no.3_4
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• pp.180-187
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• 2000

Reproductive effort and spawning frequency of the two palaemonid prawns, Exopalaemon modestus and Palaemon gravieri, were investigated. In both embryos of the two species, egg size was larger in E. modestus than in P. gravien but for a given size, number of eggs (EN) was fewer in E. modestus. The statistical results revealed that there were significant differences in egg size and EN between the two species. E. modestus living in freshwater environments had larger and fewer offspring than P. gravieri inhabiting marine environments. These findings are consistent with predictions from r- and K-selections models. Reproductive effort (RE) also was higher in E. modestus, suggesting the possibility for E. modestus to invest larger amount of energy per individual offspring. In the two prawns the ovarian dry weight of females with eyed eggs was significantly higher than those with non-eyed eggs. This indicates that the ovarian maturation occurs during the period between the two embryonic stages, suggesting females being potentially of continuous breeding within a single reproductive period. In the both species brood loss did not occur during the incubation period.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.26-35
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• 2020

BACKGROUND: Microbes that govern a unique biochemical process of oxidizing ammonia into dinitrogen gas, such as anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) have been reported to play a pivotal role in agricultural soils and in oceanic environments. However, limited information for anammox bacterial abundance and distribution in the terrestrial habitats has been known. METHODS AND RESULTS: Phylogenetic and next-generation sequencing analyses of bacterial 16S rRNA gene were performed to examine potential anammox bacteria in paddy soils. Through clone libraries constructed by using the anammox bacteria-specific primers, some clones showed sequence similarities with Planctomycetes (87% to 99%) and anammox bacteria (94% to 95%). Microbial community analysis for the paddy soils by using Illumina Miseq sequencing of 16S rRNA gene at phylum level was dominated by unclassified Bacteria at 33.2 ± 7.6%, followed by Chloroflexi at 20.4 ± 2.0% and Acidobacteria at 17.0 ± 6.5%. Planctomycetes that anammox bacteria are belonged to was 1.5% (± 0.3) on average from the two paddy soils. CONCLUSION: We suggest evidence of anammox bacteria in the paddy soil. In addition to the relatively well-known microbial processes for nitrogen-cycle, anammox can be a potential contributor on the cycle in terrestrial environments such as paddy soils.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.171-177
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• 2007

Korean rivers and their surrounding environments have been used excessively for rice production in the past and more recently for construction of urban areas to accomodate the rapidly increasing population. Affected Korean rivers experience dramatic fluctuations in their water levels and have faster currents compared with those in other countries. In order to restore more natural conditions in rivers experiencing such conditions, we employed a partial restoration method, which is designed to achieve physical and biological stability simultaneously. Concrete blocks were introduced to increase the river's physical stability during floods, and terra cottem, a soil enhancer, was used to reduce water loss due to intense heat. These interventions increased the river's ability to hold water and thereby promoted plant growth. This restoration method increased vegetation coverage and species diversity in treated areas, and changed the species composition in treated areas to more closely approximate that of the control site. These results suggest that this method is effective in restoring damaged habitats to more natural conditions.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.337-350
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• 2019

In an investigation of indigenous prokaryotic species in Korea, a total of 35 bacterial strains assigned to the phylum Firmicutes were isolated from diverse habitats including natural and artificial environments. Based on their high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (>98.7%) and formation of robust phylogenetic clades with species of validly published names, the isolates were identified as 35 species belonging to the orders Bacillales (the family Bacillaceae, Paenibacillaceae, Planococcaceae, and Staphylococcaceae) and Lactobacillales (Aerococcaceae, Enterococcaceae, Lactobacillaceae, Leuconostocaceae, and Streptococcaceae). Since these 35 species in Korean environments has not been reported in any official report, we identified them as unrecorded bacterial species and investigated them taxonomically. The newly found unrecorded species belong to 20 species in the order Bacillales and 15 species in the order Lactobacillales. The morphological, cultural, physiological, and biochemical properties of the isolates were examined and the descriptive information of the 35 previously unrecorded species is provided here.