Spider Fauna on Ulleungdo Island in Korea

The concentrations of taxol and related compounds in the bark and needles of Taxus cuspidata grown on Mt. Jiri, Mt. Sobaek, and Cheju Island, and T. cuspidata var. latifolia on Ullung Island in Korea were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The taxane content significantly varied with the location and plant part. The taxol content in the bark of native yews from Mt. Jiri and Mt. Sobaek was high when compared to that reported for Pacific yew (T. brevifolia), whereas bark from trees on Cheju and Ullung islands contained a much lower level. Surprisingly, the needles from Cheju and Ullung islands contained a much higher level of taxol (0.022% and 0.0173%, respectively) than those of intermountain locations (0.0058% to 0.0085%), on the basis of dry weight. The bark and needles of T. cuspidata var. latifolia on Ullung Island also contained relatively high concentrations of 10-deacetylbaccatin III, 0.0497% and 0.0545%, respectively, and indicated that environmental factors may affect the quantity. Taxol in the needles was confirmed by electrospray mass spectrometry. These results suggest that foliage from yew trees growing in their natural habitats on Cheju and Ullung islands may provide a renewable source for taxol.

Ulleung Island is an oceanic volcanic island in Korea, which has never been connected to the adjacent continent. Previous studies highlighted Ulleung Island as an excellent system to study the pattern and process of early stages of flowering plant evolutions on oceanic island. The predominant mode of speciation in flowering plants on Ulleung Island appears to be anagenesis. However, the potentially important role of hybrid speciation among incompletely reproductively isolated lineages cannot be ruled out. Viola woosanensis (Violaceae) is of purportedly hybrid origin between V. ulleungdoensis (i.e., formerly recognized as V. selkirkii in Ulleung Island) and V. chaerophylloides, based on morphology. To examine the origin of V. woosanensis, we sampled a total of 80 accessions, including V. woosanensis and its putative parental species and sequenced nrDNA ITS, and four highly variable chloroplast noncoding regions (trnL-trnF, rpl16 intron, atpF-atpH, and psbA-trnH). Representative species of Viola from Korea were also included in the phylogenetic analyses (maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference). Additive polymorphic sites in the nrDNA ITS regions were confirmed by cloning amplicons from representative species. The molecular data strongly supported the hybrid origin of V. woosanensis, and the maternal and paternal parent were determined to be V. ulleungdoensis and V. chaerophylloides, respectively. The presence of two parental ribotypes in V. woosanensis (with the exception in one population) was confirmed by cloning, suggesting V. woosanensis is primarily the F1 generation. No trace of backcrossing and introgression with its parents was detected due to low fertility of hybrid species. We found a multiple and unidirectional hybrid origin of V. woosanensis. Additional studies are required to determine which factors contribute to asymmetric gene flow of Viola species in Ulleung Island.

In a study of the fungal diversity on Ulleung Island in Korea, three novel strains of Penicillium were isolated. Different sites on Ulleung Island were selected for collecting endophytic fungi, and three endophytic fungal strains showed unique morphological characteristics. DNA sequence of the internal transcribed spacer, β-tubulin, calmodulin, and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit regions of the strains were analyzed and they showed unique taxonomic position from the other species of Penicillium section Sclerotiora. The new strains were named Penicillium ulleungdoense sp. nov. As the novel endophytic Penicillium taxa were discovered in a unique environment, the data could be meaningful for understanding the geographical distribution of Ascomycetes on Ulleung Island.

본 연구에서는 울릉도 특산 약용 작물 추출물이 항염증에 대한 실험연구가 이루어져 있지 않은 것에 착안하여 LPS에 의해 활성화된 대식세포로부터 유도되는 염증반응에 대한 억제효과를 조사하였다. 울릉도 자생 식물인 곰취, 미역취, 삼나물의 세가지 식물 추출물을 이용하여 피부 염증에 대하여 연구를 하였다. 산화질소와 cytokine의 생산은 면역세포의 대표적인 염증인자이다. 세포는 LPS 처리 후 한 시간 뒤에 곰취, 미역취, 삼나물 70% 아세톤 추출물을 처리를 하였다. 세포 독성이 나타나지 않는 농도인 1, 10, 100 ug/ml를 사용하였다. 곰취, 미역취, 삼나물 70% 아세톤 추출물은 NO, <TEX>$PGE_2$</TEX>, TNF-<TEX>${\alpha}$</TEX>, IL-1<TEX>${\beta}$</TEX>, IL-6, iNOS, COX-2의 생성을 저해 시켰다. <TEX>$PGE_2$</TEX>는 100 ug/ml의 농도에서 60%에 가까운 저해율을 나타내었다. iNOS와 COX-2 역시 100 ug/ml의 농도에서 각각 54%, 65%가 저해가 되었다. 게다가 곰취, 미역취, 삼나물 70% 아세톤 추출물은 염증성 사이토 카인인 TNF-<TEX>${\alpha}$</TEX>, IL-1<TEX>${\beta}$</TEX>, IL-6의 생성을 감소 시켰다. 이러한 결과로 곰취, 미역취, 삼나물 추출물은 염증 예방과 치료에 효과적임을 확인할 수 있었다. The objective of this study was to evaluate the skin inflammation effects of three herb mixture extracts, Ligularia fischeri, Solidago virga-aurea and Aruncus dioicus, which are from Ullung island in Korea. Regulatory mechanisms of cytokines and nitric oxide (NO) are involved in the immunological activity of Raw 264.7 cells. Tested cells were pretreated with 70% acetone extracts of Ligularia fischeri, Solidago virga-aurea and Aruncus dioicus (LSA-A) and further cultured for an appropriated time after lipopolyssacharide (LPS) addition. During the entire experimental period, 1, 10, and 100 <TEX>${\mu}g/ml$</TEX> of LSA-A had no cytotoxicity. In these concentrations, LSA-A inhibited the production of NO and prostaglandin <TEX>$E_2$</TEX> (<TEX>$PGE_2$</TEX>), tumor necorsis factor-a (TNF-a), interleukin-1<TEX>${\beta}$</TEX> (IL-1<TEX>${\beta}$</TEX>), interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). LSA-A showed a 60% <TEX>$PGE_2$</TEX> inhibition rate at 100 <TEX>${\mu}g/ml$</TEX>. iNOS and COX-2 inhibition activities were 54%, and 65% at 100 <TEX>${\mu}g/ml$</TEX>, respectively. In addition, LSA-A extract reduced the release of inflammatory cytokines including TNF-a, IL-1<TEX>${\beta}$</TEX> and IL-6. These results suggest that LSA-A may have significant effects on inflammatory factors, and may be a potential anti-inflammatory therapeutic agent.

Forest vegetation types and growth characteristics of Seongin-bong at Ulleung Island in Korea were studied by using importance values, distributions of diameter classes, and annual growth analysis. Vegetation types were classified into 7 groups. The number of existing woody plant and herbaceous plant species varied from 17 to 21 species per . In case of life-forms importance values, woody and herbs showed average values of 47% and 53% across 5 groups. But in Tsuga sieboldii-Pinus parviflora and Fague engleriana- Taxus cuspidata var. latifolia groups, woody importance values were 68% and 54%, respectively. Diameter classes in most stand types were regularly distributed and showed continuous growth in annual diameter growth. from these results, this site is expected to maintain a stable vegetation structure continuously. F. engleriana, which forms major species in this site, showed 0.46-0.62 cm in annual average diameter growth. The annual average diameter growth of broad-leaved tree species was 0.2-0.6 cm, while the growth rate of T. sieboldii and P. parviflora was 0.38 cm and that of T. cuspidata var, latifolia was below 0.1 cm.

This study was conducted to derive the regional design rainfall by the regional frequency analysis based on the regionalization of the precipitation. The optimal regionalization of the precipitation data were classified by the above mentioned regionalization for all over the regions except Jeju and Ulleung islands in Korea. Design rainfalls following the consecutive duration were derived by the regional analysis using the observed and simulated data resulted from Monte Carlo techniques. Relative root mean square error (RRMSE), relative bias (RBIAS) and relative reduction (RR) in RRMSE for the design rainfall were computed and compared between the regional and at-site frequency analysis. It has shown that the regional frequency analysis procedure can substantially more reduce the RRMSE, RBIAS and RR in RRMSE than those of at-site analysis in the prediction of design rainfall. Consequently, optimal design rainfalls following the classified regions and consecutive durations were derived by the regional frequency analysis using Generalized extreme value distribution which was identified to be more optimal one than the other applied distributions. Diagrams for the design rainfall derived by the regional frequency analysis using L-moments were drawn according to the regions and consecutive durations by GIS techniques.

A new species, Euseius ulleungensis sp. nov. is described from Korea. The new species was collected on Aster glehni Fr. Schm. at Jeodong, Ulleung-up, Ulleung-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do.

Completed chloroplast genome of Campanula takesimana Nakai isolated from Dokdo island in Korea is 169,719 bp long (GC ratio is 38.8%) and has four subregions: 102,381 bp of large single-copy (37.8%) and 7,750 bp of small single-copy (32.6%) regions are separated by 29,794 bp of inverted repeat (41.3%) regions including 131 genes (87 protein-coding genes, eight rRNAs, and 36 tRNAs). Phylogenetic analyses suggested that C. takesimana from Dokdo Island form a clade with C. takesimana from Ulleungdo Island and that chloroplast genomes of the two accessions are diverged.

Fagus multinervis is an endemic plant found in Ulleungdo Island in Korea. We present a second complete chloroplast genome of Fagus multinervis. The length of chloroplast genome is 158,349 bp, consisting of four subregions: 87,660 bp of LSC and 18,903 bp of SSC regions separated by a pair of 25,893 bp of IR regions. It includes 128 genes (83 protein-coding genes, eight rRNAs, and 37 tRNAs). There are two SNPs and two INDELs between two accessions of F. multinervis. The phylogenetic tree shows that the two accessions of F. multinervis form a clade, sister to F. engleriana.

Diversity of vascular plants native to the Ulleungdo and Dokdo Islands in Korea

울릉도의 특산 식물종으로서 희귀식물종이며, 춘계 단명성 식물로서 개미에 의해 종자 산포가 이루어지는 섬현호색(Corydalis filistipes Nakai) 4개의 아집단에 대하여 합리적인 보전 및 관리 대책 수립을 위하여 9 개의 동위효소 marker를 이용하여 유전적 다양성과 구조를 분석하였다. 그 결과 평균 대립 유전자의 수(A)는 1.73개, 95% 수준에서 다형적 유전자좌의 비율은(P)은 61.2%, 이형접합체의 평균 관측치(Ho)는 0.201, 기대치(He)는 0.167로서 분포역이 넓은 특산 식물 종들에 비해서는 낮은 수준이지만, 섬에 고립된 유사한 생활사를 갖는 특산식물 종들에 비해서는 높은 유전적 다양도를 유지하고 있는데, 그 이유는 소집단이기는 하나 적정수준의 개체수가 유지되고 있고, 타가수정을 주로 하며 개미에 의해 종자 산포가 이루어져 적응력이 높고, 또한 폐쇄화에 의한 유 무성 번식 체계를 겸하기 때문인 것으로 판단된다. 그리고 유전적 구조분석 결과 아집단내(<TEX>$F_{IS}$</TEX>)와 전체 아집단(<TEX>$F_{IT}$</TEX>)의 근친교 배계수가 각각 -0.1889 와 -0.1226로서 H-W의 평형구조에 비해 이형접합자의 빈도가 높았으며, 아집단간 유전적 분화도는 매우 낮은(<TEX>$F_{ST}=0.0557$</TEX>)결과를 보였다. 그리고 우리나라 희귀 및 특산 식물종인 섬현호색의 유전적 변이의 유지 기작과 합리적인 보전과 관리 대책을 논의하였다. For the spring ephemeral and myrmecochorous perennia, Corydalis filistipes Nakai (Fumariaceae), rare and narrow endemic to Ullung Island in Korea, genetic diversity and structure of 4 subpopulations of the species were investigated with allozyme markers. Levels of genetic diversity (A=1.73, <TEX>$P_{95%}$</TEX>=61..2%, Ho=0.201, He=0.167) were relatively lower than those of other endemic species with widespread distribution range, but considerably higher than other endemic species with similar life history traits isolated in island. The moderate level of genetic diversity within subpopulations in C. filistipes is characteristic of the species with predominantly outcrossing, myrmecochorous seed dispersal by dual function of the elaisome and mode of sexual and asexual reproduction by the cleistogamy. The analysis of fixation indices showed an overall excess of heterozygotes (mean <TEX>$F_{IS}=-0.1889,\;F_{IT}=-0.1226$</TEX>) relative to H-W expectations. About 5.6% of the total genetic variation was found among subpopulations (<TEX>$F_{ST}$</TEX>=0.0557). The strategies of reasonable conservation and management, and the maintenance mechanism of genetic diversity of Corydalis filistipes Nakai, endemic plant species in Korea were discussed.

The ornamental plant Cotoneaster wilsonii Nakai is a rare endemic species to the Ulleung Island in Korea. There is an urgent need to develop efficient propagation methods to preserve this endangered plant species. The cytokinin thidiazuron (TDZ) at a concentration of 0, 1.0, 2.0, or 3.0 mg·L−1 combined with 0, 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 mg·L−1 a-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) was used to induce calli from young leaf explants on the Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. The TDZ and/or 6-benzyladenine at a concentration of 0, 0.5, or 1.0 mg·L−1 combined with 0.2 mg·L−1 NAA was supplied to the MS medium to induce shoots from calli. Four auxins at 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, or 1.0 mg·L−1 were supplied to half-strength MS medium for root induction. The treatment of TDZ at 1.0 mg·L−1 combined with 1.5 mg·L−1 NAA not only had 100% callus induction ratio, but also induced the heaviest calli. The shoot induction ratio was the greatest with TDZ at 1.0 mg·L−1, and the greatest root induction ratio was obtained with IAA at a concentration of 0.8 mg·L−1. In conclusion, an effective indirect organogenesis system was established for C. wilsonii Nakai.

Propagation and restoration of destroyed original habitat of Adenophora erecta S. Lee, Joongku Lee et S. Kim, an endemic species of Ulleung island in Korea

Berberis amurensis var. latifolia Nakai is a plant native to the Ulleung Island in Korea. In this study, we aimed to identify seed dormancy-breaking and germination requirements of this species using water imbibition experiments, gibberellic acid (GA3) treatment (0, 10, 100, or 1000 mg/L), cold stratification (0, 2, 4, 8, or 12 weeks at 5 °C), move-along experiments, and phenological studies. In the water imbibition experiment, the seed weight increased by more than 120% after 24 h. Analysis of the internal morphological characteristics of the seeds revealed that the embryo in freshly matured seeds was fully grown and did not grow thereafter. The final germination percentages after 12 weeks of cold stratification at 5 °C were 49 ± 6.4% and 63 ± 3.4% under light and dark conditions, respectively. In move-along and phenological studies, a longer cold stratification treatment period resulted in a higher germination percentage; however, the warm stratification treatment did not affect germination significantly. The GA3 treatment had little effect on seed germination. Therefore, we concluded that B. amurensis var. latifolia seeds have intermediate physiological dormancy, and pre-treatment with cold stratification for 12 weeks and incubation in the dark are required for effective seed propagation.

A feasibility study on HTS SMES applications for power quality enhancement through both software simulations and hardware-based experiments