• Korean System Dynamics Review
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.53-74
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• 2015

Nutria(Myocastor coypus) is one of the most notorious invasive species in many countries. The Nutria's original range was South America like Brazil, Chile and Argentina. But it has been introduced to North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia including Korea, by fur ranchers. Like most invasive and disturbing species, nutria not only destroys habitats but also impacts many native species throughout most of its range with destructive feeding behavior. The purpose of this study is to investigate the dynamics of survival mechanism, population increase and spatial distribution, and eradication effect of Nutria on Nakdong River Area with the systems thinking. The result of this study revealed that Nutria can survive during winter with the behavior that the colder the winter was, the more deeply it burrowed. Further, the study uncovered the dynamics that nutria has survived more and more strongly during the extreme cold winter in almost every region and their population has increased dramatically as a result of the uncontrolled reproduction. Finally, the result showed that the action delay in eradicating Nutria, which was originated from the information delay of perception of nutria's survival and reproduction structure, reinforced the spread of Nutria across the nation.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.191-197
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• 2015

Invasive alien species are considered to be one of the main factors that cause biodiversity loss. Establishment of management strategies through continuous monitoring and risk assessment is a key element for invasive alien species management policy. In the present study, we introduce examples of ecological risk assessment tools developed in Japan, Germany-Austria and Belgium. Invasive alien species have been designated in Japan based on the assessment of risks to ecosystems, human health and primary industry. German-Austrian Black List Information System categorized alien species into Black List, White List and Grey List according to their risks to biodiversity. In the Harmonia Information System developed in Belgium, invasiveness, adverse impacts on native species and ecosystem functions and invasion stages were assessed and alien species were categorized into Black List, Watch List and Alert List. These international risk assessment tools may be helpful to improve our national risk assessment protocol for the prioritization of invasive alien species management.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.35-47
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• 2004

In order to study changes in vegetation pursuant to rooftop revegetation plantation methods, plantation methods for rooftop revegetation were divided into two types through an analysis of recent trends. Then, Planted plants and invasive plants on sites where the planting methods were introduced were monitored. Planting methods were divided into mono-layer meadow cover type and multi-layer planting cover type. They showed some differences in terms of the availability of wetland, the structure of vegetation layers, the planted species, and the material of mulching. According to the results of monitoring the two sample sites for different plantation methods, the number of invasive plants was higher in multi-layer planting cover type and the ratio of naturalized plants was higher by 30% in average in mono-layer meadow cover type. The main reason for such a result is that the natural soil used in the multi-layer planting cover type likely contained some seeds. Moreover, it's harder for invasive plant seeds to germinate in volcanic rocks than in natural soil. Also, it is attributable to wetlands available in multi-layer planting cover type and diverse living environments created by multi-layer planting. The reason of the ratio of naturalized plants being higher by at least 10% in mono-layer meadow cover type is the character of naturalized plants being stronger in unfavorable conditions than nature plants are. Accordingly, the germination rate in the volcanic rock mulching has likely contributed in raising the introduction and germination of naturalized plants. The results showed that multi-layer planting cover type using wetland creation and nature soil can increase the number of invasive plants and lower the ratio of naturalized plants. However, since seeds contained in the natural soil can affect the growth of planted plants, this needs to be clarified, It was judged that mono-layer meadow cover type may affect more greatly on the germination and growth of invasive plants than on those of planted plants, Its potential adoption in highly urbanized areas was examined. By complementing with the mutual benefits of each plantation method, it appeared possible to shift to a rooftop revegetation system suitable to the site.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.10-17
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• 2021

Invasive alien species management is pivotal for biodiversity conservation. Commelina caroliniana Walter, from the family Commelinaceae, is an alien plant native to the Himalayas and India, but it has been widely introduced around the world, including in the United States, Brazil, Philippines, and Japan. In Korea, the first population was found growing adjacent to agricultural land and farm roads on Jejudo Island, and field observations confirmed the presence of at least nine populations there. It is similar morphologically to C. diffusa Burm. f. but can be distinguished by involucral bracts that are ciliate at the base, hairs on the peduncle and obsolete upper cincinnus, brown spots on its 4-lobed antherode, and seed surfaces that are smooth to slightly alveolate. It was determined to have an invasiveness low score of 8 according to the Korean 'Invasive Alien Plant Risk Assessment', suggesting that it may spread to natural habitats. Although the current distribution of C. caroliniana is restricted to Jeju-si, it has spread dramatically in many other areas of the world. At present, it has had a limited impact on the local environment, but local and regulatory authorities should pay close attention to this plant and take measures to prevent its expansion in the future.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.509-513
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• 2018

Present study was performed to survey infection status of digenetic trematode metacercariae in 2 alien fish species, Micropterus salmoides (largemouth bass) and Lepomis macrochirus (bluegill), in 2 rivers draining Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea. A total of 107 largemouth bass and 244 bluegills were caught in Daecheong-ho (ho=lake) and Musim-cheon (a branch of Geum-gang), in Chungcheongbuk-do April-July 2015. Additionally, 68 native fish of 5 species, i.e., Zacco platypus, Hemibarbus longirostris, Carassius auratus, Pseudogobio esocinus and Puntungia herzi, were caught from the same water bodies. All of the fish collected were examined by artificial digestion method. The metacercariae of Centrocestus armatus, Clinostomum complanatum, Metagonimus sp. and Diplostomum spp. were detected from 4 out of 5 native fish species in Daecheong-ho. However, any metacercariae were not found from 87 M. salmoides and 177 L. macrochirus in Daecheong-ho. In Musim-cheon, metacercariae of Exorchis oviformis and Metacercaria hasegawai were detected from 78% Z. platypus and 34% L. macrochirus, but any metacercariae not found in M. salmoides. We report here that the 2 alien fish species were less infected with the metacercariae than the native ones. Surveys on the metacercariae in the alien fish species in geographically various rivers should be undertaken for better understanding on the role of alien fish species in the trematode infections in Republic of Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.396-401
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• 2020

As the world becomes more globalized, the non-native species issue has emerged as a problem that is growing internationally. In particular, the number of non-native turtles found in the wild has been increasing sharply in South Korea. At least 15 species of non-native turtles, including the red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) first imported in the 1970s, have been found in Korea. On October 15, 2019, an alligator snapping turtle (AST, Macrochelys temminckii) was found in a stream located in Gwangju city, South Korea. The discovery of AST became a big issue in South Korea as the animal is known for its large body size and aggressiveness and was featured widely in the mass media. In this study, to learn the public's perception of non-native species, we examined comments (opinions) to the online news articles about the AST. We collected 1,100 comments from the Internet news articles on the AST. Out of the 1,100 comments, 342 (31.1%) comments were related to non-native species' issues. Most of the respondents (97.7%, n=334) stated that the non-native species are a problem. Forty two comments mentioned potential threats posed by non-native species: non-native species' aggressive nature (n=11, 26.2%) and ecological disturbance (n=31, 73.8%). Lack of responsibility (n=122, 51.7%) was the major causative factor for the introduction of non-native species, and followed by indiscriminate pet trade (n=99, 42.0%), absence of relevant legislation (n=13, 5.5%), and absence of treatment (n=2, 0.8%). Animal registration (n=59, 45.7%) was the most commonly mentioned as the way to deal with the issue of the non-native species' invasion. Our results show that the public is aware of the seriousness of the invasion of non-native species, including AST. This study highlights that researchers and government officials need to consider the public's perception and opinions. We believe that our study can serve as an essential reference for the policy direction and the management of non-native species.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.185-191
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• 2020

A newly recorded species Caprella mutica Schurin, 1935 belonging to the family Caprellidae Leach, 1814 was collected from the East Sea, Korea. Caprella mutica is native to the north-east Asia but is a well-known cosmopolitan and invasive species in many areas. This species is morphologically highly similar to C. acanthogaster Mayer, 1890. However, it is distinguished from a combination of the characteristics of the head, pereonites 1-2, and gnathopod 2. In this study, the Korean C. mutica is fully illustrated based on the mature specimens and compared to C. acanthogaster.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.44-58
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• 2022

Bunhwangsa Temple, Baekryulsa Temple and Sambulsa Temple are not famous cultural heritage area, but they are visited by many tourists and are located in Gyeongju National Park and Gyeongju Historic Areas, so environmental and cultural preservations are required. The purpose of this study is to manage the unique environment and landscape of cultural assets by analysing the invasive alien plant of traditional temple of Gyeongju. The whole flora were summarized as 188 taxa including 73 families, 136 genera, 154 species, 3 subspecies, 11 varieties, 4 forms, 5 hybrids and 12 cultivars., and the landscape plants were 163 taxa and 38 taxa of the invasive alien plants. The 13 taxa of invasive alien plants were planted in three temples. The ecosystem disturbance species were 3 taxa including Rumex acetosella, Lactuca seriola and Symphyotrichum pilosum. Invasive alien plants have artificial causes such as landscape planting, but there are also those that are introduced naturally from outside. The parking lot of the temple is expected to be a major propagation path for invasive alien plants due to the large amount of interference and disturbance. Based on the results of this study, the management plans are suggested as follows. First, it is necessary to use native species suitable for the natural environment and traditional landscape of Korea for landscape planting of traditional temples, and development of planting guidelines centered on cultural properties is required. Second, it is necessary to refrain from planting invasive alien plants because traditional temples are located in an important environment and historically. Third, for the preservation of the temple environment, it is necessary to promptly remove the ecosystem disturbance species. Fourth, in order to express the landscape characteristics of traditional temples, a unique planting plan should be established in consideration of the location environment and historicity.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.202-211
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• 2019

Oceanic islands are biologically important for their unique assemblages of species and high levels of endemism and are sensitive to environmental change because of their isolation and small species source pools. Habitat destruction caused by human landscape development is generally accepted as the main cause of extinction on islands, with exotic species invasion a secondary cause of extinction, especially on tropical islands. However, secondary impacts of human development (e.g., general degradation through resource use and exotic species introduction) are understudied on temperate islands. To determine secondary impacts of human development on the understory vegetation community, 90 field sites on Ulleung Island, South Korea, were sampled during the summer of 2016. Understory vegetation was chosen as it is a proxy for ecosystem health. Diversity and percent cover of introduced, native, and endemic species were tested against proximity to developed areas and trail usage using a model selection approach. Diversity was also tested against percent cover of three naturalized species commonly found in survey plots. The main finding was that distance to development, distance to town, and trail usage have limited negative impacts on the understory vegetation community within best-supported models predicting native and introduced cover and diversity. However, endemic species cover was significantly lower on high usage trails. While there are no apparent locally invasive plant species on the island at the time of this study, percent cover of Robinia pseudoacacia, a naturalized tree species, negatively correlated with plot diversity. These findings indicate that forests on Ulleung Island are not experiencing a noticeable invasion of understory vegetation, and conservation efforts can be best spent preventing future invasions.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.488-496
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• 2018

This study examined the Gangwon Province's current implementation of its elimination of invasive plants and explored a plan to effectively manage invasive plants. The percentage of the distribution of the plants was 39.6% for riverside areas, 23.3% for roadside areas, 12.4% for roadside & riverside areas, and 4.6% for areas around farm land and river banks. To ensure the systematic management of invasive plants, the current study suggests a) developing an invasive plants monitoring and management system; b) reinvigorating the participation of residents, private organizations, and military posts; c) planting of native replacement plants and the conversion of the locations as attractions, and d) nurturing the project for using invasive plants. For policy directions to be pursued based on the results of the study, the following are suggested: a) improving laws and systems regarding invasive plants, b) developing a cooperative system for managing invasive plants, c) implementing the training of civilian professionals, d) implementing the elimination of invasive plants, e) developing replacement plants for cities and counties, f) fostering industries that tap into invasive plants, and g) using the Han River Water System Management Fund for funding and greater efficiency.