- Apply for Authority
- P-ISSN2765-2203
- E-ISSN2765-2211
- KCI Candidate
Abstract
The study investigated species diversity, relative abundance, and decline of flying insects and plants within a fragmented forest in the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Ondo State, Nigeria. It is known that habitat fragmentation can reduce biodiversity. Thus, it is important to perform comprehensive assessments to understand implications of the habitat fragmentation for flora and fauna. Species richness and abundance of flying insects and plants across fragmented forest patches were quantified using field surveys and taxonomic identification. This study revealed shifts in species diversity, with fragmented areas exhibiting reduced biodiversity compared to contiguous forest ecosystems. Flying insects crucial for ecosystem functioning and pollination services demonstrated decreased species richness and relative abundance within fragmented habitats. This decline was attributed to habitat loss, altered microclimates, and limited movement pathways known to hinder insect dispersal. Similarly, plant species richness and abundance showed decline in fragmented forest due to disrupted mutualistic interactions with pollinators, altered nutrient cycling, and increased competition among plant species. This study underscores the importance of maintaining intact forest habitats to sustain healthy ecosystems and preserve biodiversity. Effective conservation strategies should focus on habitat connectivity, reforestation efforts, and protection of essential ecological corridors to mitigate effects of fragmentation. In conclusion, this investigation provides empirical evidence for effects of habitat fragmentation on flying insects and plants in a forest ecosystem in FUTA Akure, Nigeria. Findings emphasize an urgency of adopting conservation measures to safeguard these invaluable components of biodiversity and ecosystem stability in the face of ongoing habitat loss and fragmentation.
Abstract
Areas (WPA) were classified based on their habitat characteristics and on the analysis of their emergent fish communities, as estuarine (n=2), coastal dune (n=1), marsh (n=2), stream (n=2), and stream-marsh (n=1) types. The environmental factors revealed to have the greatest influence on the species diversity of emergent fish were maintenance and repair, installation of reservoirs, and construction of artificial wetlands around them. The present study offers basic information on the diversity of fish species in different Wetland Protected Area types that can be used to inform conservation and management decisions for WPA.
Abstract
The objective of this study was to provide basic data for the conservation of wetland ecosystems in the Civilian Control Zone and the management of Yongyangbo wetlands in South Korea. Yongyangbo wetlands have been designated as protected areas. A field survey was conducted across five sessions between April 2019 and August of 2019. A total of 248 taxa were identified during the survey, including 72 families, 163 genera, 230 species, 4 subspecies, and 14 varieties. Their life-forms were Th (therophytes) - R5 (non-clonal form) - D4 (clitochores) - e (erect form), with a disturbance index of 33.8%. Three taxa of rare plants were detected: Silene capitata Kom. and Polygonatum stenophyllum Maxim. known to be endangered species, and Aristolochia contorta Bunge, a least-concern species. S. capitata is a legally protected species designated as a Class II endangered species in South Korea. A total of 26 taxa of naturalized plants were observed, with a naturalization index of 10.5%. There was one endemic plant taxon (Salix koriyanagi Kimura ex Goerz). In terms of floristic target species, there was one taxon in class V, one taxon in Class IV, three taxa in Class III, five taxa in Class II, and seven taxa in Class I. Three invasive alien species (Ambrosia trifida L., Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., and Humulus japonicus Siebold & Zucc) were observed. For continuous conservation of Yongyangbo Wetlands, it is necessary to remove invasive alien plants and block the inflow of non-point pollutants.
Abstract
Iris dichotoma Pall. found on Daechung Island in Korea has been designated as an endangered species. To aid in conservation efforts of this species, this study investigated its germination characteristics and seed dormancy type. Four sets of seeds were incubated at different temperatures (4/1°C, 15/6°C, 20/10°C, and 25/15°C). One set of seeds was cold stratified (4 weeks at 4/1°C). The final germination rate and mean germination time showed that the optimal germination temperature was 25/15°C. Final germination rates were ~70%, showing no significant difference among temperature treatments. However, mean germination time were significantly different among all temperature treatments except for 4/1°C. Mean germination time for seeds with temperature treatments of 15/6°C, 20/10°C, and 25/15°C were 3.2, 2.1, and 1.5 weeks, respectively. At 25/15°C, the mean germination time was half of that at 15/6°C. Seeds of I. dichotoma had fully developed embryos at the time of dispersal. No additional growth of the embryo was observed. Cold stratification did not affect the final germination rate or the mean germination time. This study shows that seeds of I. dichotoma have no physiological or morphological dormancy, unlike other members of the Iris genus known to have seed dormancy that needs a relatively high incubation temperature (≥25/15°C) for mass propagation to occur. These results will be useful for understanding ecophysiological mechanisms related to the species’ habitat. They are also useful for mass propagation of I. dichotoma for the purpose of conserving this endangered species.
Abstract
The analysis of seven islands in Gogunsan archipelago, Korea with insect fauna and vascular plant flora was carried out based on a field survey conducted in May, July, and September. As a result, a total of 2,817 insect individuals including 264 species and 315 taxa of vascular plant were recorded. Bangchukdo the largest island among the seven islands showed the largest number both insect species and plant taxa. The similarity analysis suggested that the nearness of each island strongly affected the insect fauna and vascular plant flora on each island. In addition, there was significant correlation between the areas of each island and the numbers of insect species (Spearman’s correlation coefficient=0.857, P-value=0.014). In the future, the results of this study can be used as data related to island ecology and conservation.
Abstract
Polyphylla laticollis manchurica Semenov, 1900, is a critically endangered species in the Republic of Korea and is strictly protected as a Class I endangered species. Although this beetle species faces a threat of extinction, its ecological understanding is limited. Previous studies conducted on this species in the Republic of Korea have focused only on its taxonomy and mitochondrial genome sequences. Herein, we report an observation of the mating of adults of P. l. manchurica in June 2021, during an ongoing study on Korean beetles. This incidence was reported around light sources from newly constructed townhouses near Geumgang River. Larval habitats were observed along the river between April 2022 and March 2023. Particularly, two larvae were found inside the plant debris, and three were found under the roots of reeds. This study provides key information on the mating ecology of P. l. manchurica that can assist conservation efforts of this critically endangered species.
Abstract
The leopard (Panthera pardus) is one of the most widespread felids worldwide. Despite their wide distribution, reliable data on leopard population densities are still inadequate for conservation and management strategies in different landscapes. In the present study, we estimated leopard density using camera traps in the Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve (RTR), Rajasthan, India, between December 2010 and February 2011, where leopards coexist alongside a high density of tigers (Panthera tigris), a larger predator (RTR). A sampling effort of 4,450 trap days was made from 178 camera trapping stations over 75 days, resulting in 46 suitable photo captures (25 right flanks and 21 left flanks). In total, 18 individuals (7 males, 8 females, and 3 unknown sexes) were identified using the right flanks, and the estimated leopard density was 8.8 (standard error=2.8) individuals/100 km2. Leopard density appeared to respond to small prey (<50 kg weight) richness. As this is the first systematic study to provide baseline information on leopard density in RTR, it could form a baseline for comparison in future investigations.
Abstract
Korean fir (Abies koreana) is an evergreen coniferous tree species that is unique to South Korea. A. koreana is found in a limited sub-alpine habitat and is considered particularly vulnerable to climate change. Identification of populations vulnerable to climate change is an important component of conservation programs. In this study, a heat stress-induced transcriptome RNA-seq dataset was used to identify a subset of six genes for assessment as candidate marker genes for ecologically vulnerable populations. Samples of A. koreana were isolated from ecologically stable and vulnerable regions of the Halla and Jiri mountains, and the expression levels of the six candidate markers were assessed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. All six of the candidate genes exhibited higher expression levels in samples from vulnerable regions compared with stable regions. These results confirm that the six high temperature-induced genes can be used as diagnostic markers for the identification of populations of A. koreana that are experiencing stress due to the effects of climate change.
Abstract
The objective of this study was to analyze the genotype of black-spotted pond frog (Pelophylax nigromaculatus) using seven microsatellite loci to quantify its genetic diversity and population structure throughout the spatial scale of basins of Han, Geum, Yeongsan, and Nakdong Rivers in South Korea. Genetic diversities in these four areas were compared using diversity index and inbreeding coefficient obtained from the number and frequency of alleles as well as heterozygosity. Additionally, the population structure was confirmed with population differentiation, Nei’s genetic distance, multivariate analysis, and Bayesian clustering analysis. Interestingly, a negative genetic diversity pattern was observed in the Han River basin, indicating possible recent habitat disturbances or population declines. In contrast, a positive genetic diversity pattern was found for the population in the Nakdong River basin that had remained the most stable. Results of population structure suggested that populations of black-spotted pond frogs distributed in these four river basins were genetically independent. In particular, the population of the Nakdong River basin had the greatest genetic distance, indicating that it might have originated from an independent population. These results support the use of genetics in addition to designations strictly based on geographic stream areas to define the spatial scale of populations for management and conservation practices.
Abstract
The Asiatic black bear, Ursus thibetanus, is among the most threatened or endangered species in Asia. For its conservation and management, sex identification of U. thibetanus using non-invasive samples (e.g., hair and/or feces) is potentially valuable. In this study, a non-invasive molecular method for sex identification of U. thibetanus samples collected from various countries was first utilized, and it was based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the amelogenin gene via PCRs. Thirty-three bear DNA samples, extracted not only from blood (n=9) but also from hair (n=18) and feces (n=6), were used. We performed sex-specific PCR amplifications of the amelogenin gene using a primer set, SE47 and SE48. The primer set could successfully amplify a single X-specific band for females and both X- and Y-specific bands for males from all blood (100%) and hair (100%) samples. In addition, the primer set could distinguish the sex of bears in four out of a total of six fecal samples (approximately 67%). This study’s findings suggest that this molecular method can be applied to sex identification of Asiatic black bears from various Asian regions using non-invasive samples, such as hair and feces.
