• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.443-450
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• 2015

The east coast of the Korean Peninsula is susceptible to fires because of the low rainfall in winter and spring, and large forest fires have occurred in this area. Lack of fresh water to combat fires has hampered efforts to prevent widespread forest fires in this region. Seawater has not been used as a suppressant because of possible detrimental effects of salt. We investigated the mobility of saline water in the forest soil and their effect on the microbial activity. Using a fire-fighting helicopter, seawater was sprayed over three plots (50 × 100 m) located on the eastern slope of the Baekdu mountain range in South Korea in April, 2011. We sampled the soil in April 4, May 20, and August 5 to determine the amount of salt that remained in the soil. The electrical conductivity value of the soil decreased to <400 μS/cm over a 1-month period. Approximately, four months after the application of seawater, the electrical conductivity value and Na⁺ content in all treatment plots did not significantly differ to those of the control plot, and total microbial activity also recovered to that of the control. Our results indicate that the amount of rainfall, soil physical-chemical properties, and topological factors may be a critical factor determining the mobility of saline water in forest soil.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.1013-1017
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• 2020

Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae) harbor diverse microbial symbionts that play essential roles in host physiology, ecology, and evolution. In this study we aimed to reveal microbial communities associated with two different mealybugs, papaya mealybug (Paracoccus marginatus) and two-tailed mealybug (Ferrisia virgata) collected from the same host plant. Comparative analysis of microbial communities associated with these mealybugs revealed differences that appear to stem from phylogenetic associations and different nutritional requirements. This first report on both bacterial and fungal communities associated with these mealybugs provides a preliminary insight on factors affecting the endomicrobial communities.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.45-54
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• 2002

Packaged Backsulgi cooked by steam/convection oven and then rapidly chilled was examined by research of microbiological test and sensory evaluation while storing them at the temperatures of 3$^{\circ}C$ and 3$0^{\circ}C$ for 0, 2, 4, 6, 10 days . The pH and reducing sugar content were seemed to change little at 3$^{\circ}C$. However the pH was rapidly reduced until 4 days and then decreased a little at 3$0^{\circ}C$, the reducing sugar content was inclosed little by little. In the microbiological test, any microbial growth in total aerobic, psychrophilic, anaerobic, spore forming bacteria, yeast and molds was not observed until 10 days at 3$^{\circ}C$, but microbial changes of aerobic, psychrophilic and anaerobic bacteria increased to 6 logCFU/g until 10 days at 3$0^{\circ}C$. However microbial changes of them decreased from 6 logCFU/g to 5 logCFU/g. As a result of the sensory evaluation, appearance, taste, color, softness, chewiness and overall Quality were significantly decreased during storage times(p<0.05), but scores of taste and overall quality on 6th days were 7.38${\pm}$1.06, 7.00${\pm}$0.93. Therefore we concluded that there was no problem about stability of storage 6 days at 3$^{\circ}C$.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.515-524
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• 2020

With the increasing demand for enzymes in industrial applications there is a growing need to easily produce industrially important microbial enzymes. This study was carried out to screen the indigenous refinery bacterial isolates for their production of two industrially important enzymes i.e. lipase and protease. A total of 15 bacterial strains were isolated using Soil Extract Agar media from the oil-contaminated environment and one was shown to produce high quality lipase and protease enzymes. The culture conditions (culture duration, temperature, source of nitrogen, carbon, and pH) were optimized to produce the optimum amount of both the lipase (37.6 ± 0.2 Uml-1) and the protease (41 ± 0.4 Uml-1) from this isolate. Productivity of both enzymes was shown to be maximized at pH 7.5 in a medium containing yeast extract and peptone as nitrogen sources and sucrose and galactose as carbon sources when incubated at 35 ± 1℃ for 48 h. Bacterial strain SAB06 was identified as Bacillus licheniformis (MT250345) based on biochemical, morphological, and molecular characteristics. Further studies are required to evaluate and optimize the purification and characterization of these enzymes before they can be recommended for industrial or environmental applications.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.217-221
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• 2005

In this study, the effect of microwave treatment on physico-chemical properties and microbial changes of beef and pork loin was investigated. Beef and pork were heated in microwave with an adjusted electric output at 500 W and operating frequency 2,450 MHz. The beef and pork samples were treated with microwave for 10 s or 20 s at 50% duty cycle. Drip losses and TBA values of beef and pork samples increased due to the microwave treatment. The samples became darker and more yellowish through microwaves, whereas their redness was unchanged. Microbial content of beef and pork samples declined as the treatment time increased. When pork samples were heated in a microwave oven, organisms were reduced by 2 log cycles in 20 s. It was concluded that a 20 second-long microwave treatment can great1y enhance the microbial safety of the pork sample.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.86-94
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• 2023

Climate change is more rapid in the Arctic than elsewhere in the world, and increased precipitation and warming are expected cause changes in biogeochemical processes due to altered microbial communities and activities. It is crucial to investigate microbial responses to climate change to understand changes in carbon and nitrogen dynamics. We investigated the effects of increased temperature and precipitation on microbial biomass and community structure in dry tundra using two depths of soil samples (organic and mineral layers) under four treatments (control, warming, increased precipitation, and warming with increased precipitation) during the growing season (June-September) in Cambridge Bay, Canada (69°N, 105°W). A phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis method was applied to detect active microorganisms and distinguish major functional groups (e.g., fungi and bacteria) with different roles in organic matter decomposition. The soil layers featured different biomass and community structure; ratios of fungal/bacterial and gram-positive/-negative bacteria were higher in the mineral layer, possibly connected to low substrate quality. Increased temperature and precipitation had no effect in either layer, possibly due to the relatively short treatment period (seven years) or the ecosystem type. Mostly, sampling times did not affect PLFAs in the organic layer, but June mineral soil samples showed higher contents of total PLFAs and PLFA biomarkers for bacteria and fungi than those in other months. Despite the lack of response found in this investigation, long-term monitoring of these communities should be maintained because of the slow response times of vegetation and other parameters in high-Arctic ecosystems.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.425-434
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• 1994

After two highly weathered soils were treated with glucose, ammonium nitrate, monobasic potassium phosphate and biocides, and incubated for 4 or 6 weeks, adsorption tests were carried out to determine their effect on P adsorption. Glucose addition generally decreased P adsorption. The addition stimulated microbial activity, which might contribure to the reduced adsorption, probably through chelation and anion competition. Consistent endency was not observed with N treatment. Addition of P initially decreased P adsorption, probably through blockage of adsorption sites. Biocides generally decreased adsorption, probably because the microbes that 몬 been killed. Soil 1 with naturally lower levels of C and higher levels of aluminium adsorbed more P than soil 2. These results suggest that in highly weathered soils, which are low in available P and high in exchangeable Al, cultivation techniques which increase soil organic matter will also result in higher levels of plant-available P.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.171-183
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• 1994

Soil condition, total number of bacteria, soil amylase activity and microbial biomass $(CO_2-C)$ were measured at soil of different forest types. And the difference of the allelopathic effect was determined between fresh leaf extract of Quercus acutissima and Pinus rigida to the bacteria isolated from soil of different forest types. 1. Total number of bacteria in Carpinus laxiflora forest soil was 4~7 times larger than that in pinus desiflora forest soil. 2. Soil amylase activity was positively correlated with total number of soil bacteria and soil organic matter content. The amylase activity at F layer was 4~5 times larger than that at H layer, and that at H layer was 2~4 times larger than that at A layer. 3. Seasonal changes of microbial biomass showed a peak in summer, and vertical distribution of microbial biomass decreased with increasing soil depth. The microbial biomass in Pinus densiflora forest soil was larger than that in Quercus serrata forest soil. 4. Fresh leaf extract of Pinus rigida and Quercus acutissima showed an acceleration or inhibition effect on the growth of soil bacteria, and that of !. acutissima inhibited larger number of soil bacterial strains than that of P. rigida. 4.2% and 25% of soil bacterial strains isolated from soil of P. rigida and Q. acutissima forests were inhibited by fresh leaf extract of P. rigida and Q. acutissima, respectively.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 2011

As a rare sugar alcohol, L-arabitol can be used in food and can prevent extra fat deposits in the intestinal tract. Commercially, L-arabitol is prepared from pure L-arabinose by hydrogenation, which needs a high temperature and high pressure, leading to a high production cost for Larabitol. Therefore, this study describes a novel L-arabitol production method based on biological purification from the xylitol mother liquor, a cheap and readily available raw material that contains a high concentration of Larabitol. First, a novel Bacillus megaterium strain was screened that can utilize xylitol, sorbitol, and mannitol, yet not L-arabitol. The isolated strain was inoculated into a medium containing the xylitol mother liquor under formulated culture conditions, where a high L-arabitol yield (95%) and high purity (80%) were obtained when the medium was supplemented with 50 g/l of xylitol mother liquor. Upon further purification of the fermentation broth by ion exchange and decolorization, L-arabitol was crystallized with a purity of 98.5%.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.279-291
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• 2015

This study analyzed the growth characteristics of multi-layer planted trees through their growth analysis and attempted to present a management strategy. The subject of research is the Citizen's Forest Area of Seoul Forest Park located in Seoul City. Field surveys were conducted three times over eight years from 2005 when the Seoul Forest Park was created through 2013. Labels were attached to all trees in the target area, and their species, height and DBH were investigated. To identify the growth differences by trees in each area, a detailed tree location map was drawn up for use in the analysis. To check soil health, soil organic matter, soil pH and soil microbial activities were analyzed. It turned out that the growth of the multi-layer planted trees in the target area of research was higher than that of the trees in existing urban parks, and that it was similar to that of trees in natural forests. Through a field survey in the area with a remarkably low growth, high-density planting problem, soil was found to have excess-moisture and there was the problem of Pueraria lobata covering. As a result of the analysis of the soil, it was found that its organic content in the soil was lower; soil pH was higher; and microbial activities in the soil were lower when compared to that of natural forests.