An outbreak of stick insects, Ramulus mikado, as forest pests in South Korea has become a topic of concern. While other countries have reported these insects being severely affected by the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium spp., comprehensive research in South Korea remains limited on this topic. In our two-year investigation, we investigated the infection rate and mortality of R. mikado caused by Metarhizium anisopliae. In 2022, specimens were collected from Cheonggyesan, and in 2023 from Geumamsan. Although no infections were confirmed in the specimens collected in June of both years. Beginning in July, mortality and infection rates were greatly increased. In conclusion, the summer monsoon appears to create hot and humid conditions in the forest, contributing to reduced survival rates for these insects due to infection by M. anisopliae.

대벌레(Ramulus mikado)는 1990년 이후부터 2000년대 초반까지 경북을 중심으로 대발생을 하였던 돌발 해충 으로 2020~2023년에 수도권에서 대발생 사례가 다수 보고 되었다. 대벌레의 대발생 원인으로 기후변화가 지목되 고 있지만, 대벌레 개체군과 생물적·비생물적 환경 조건과의 관계를 이해하기 위한 연구는 매우 부족한 실정이 다. 본 연구에서는 주요 기주식물과 대벌레 발생 양상에 대한 관계를 이해하고자 수행하였다. 2022년부터 2023년 까지 대벌레 대발생 지역 중 하나인 청계산 일대 등산로를 따라 조사구를 선정한 뒤 주요 기주식물이자 우점종인 신갈나무, 아까시나무, 잔털벚나무를 대상으로 대벌레의 발생 밀도를 조사하였다. 그 결과, 조사지점 간의 대벌 레 평균 밀도는 유의한 차이가 발견되지 않았지만, 기주식물에 따른 밀도의 차이는 뚜렷하게 나타났다.

The walking-stick insects, Ramulus mikado, are outbreaks in several mountainous areas from 2020 to 2022. In recent, some population of the insect are showed rapidly decline in their abundance, while some of them are still maintained high population density. In worldwide, insects belonging to Phasmida are reported to outbreak in their habitats as mentioned above environments, but knowledge about outbreak pattern of the walking-stick insects is still lacking. In this study, we aimed which biological and environmental factors are related to wax and wane of the insect population. From 2022 to 2023, we studied host tree preferences in natural conditions, ecological stoichiometry in major host trees, overwintering ecology of R. mikado eggs, and infection rate by entomophathogenic fungi during growing season.

The invasive red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, is native to southcentral United States and northeastern Mexico. Recently, it has been being spreading in the wild in South Korea. However, its primary sources, introduction routes, establishment, and expansion in South Korea remain unclear. Here, we analyzed genetic diversity and population genetic structures of its domestic natural populations during early invasion, commercial stock from local aquaria (a suspected introduction source), and original United States population using mitochondrial COI gene sequences for 267 individuals and eight microsatellite markers for 158 individuals. Natural and commercial populations of P. clarkii showed reduced genetic diversity (e.g., haplotype diversity and allelic richness). The highest genetic diversity was observed in one original source population based on both genetic markers. Despite a large number of individuals in commercial aquaria, we detected remarkably low genetic diversity and only three haplotypes among 226 individuals, suggesting an inbred population likely originating from a small founder group. Additionally, the low genetic diversity in the natural population indicates a small effective population size during early establishment of P. clarkii in South Korea. Interestingly, genetic differentiation between natural populations and the United States population was lower than that between natural populations and aquarium populations. This suggests that various genetic types from the United States likely have entered different domestic aquariums, leading to distinct natural populations through separate pathways. Results of our study will provide an insight on the level of genetic divergence and population differentiation during the initial stage of invasion of non-indigenous species into new environments.

연못하루살이의 성장에 필요한 유효적산온도를 구하고 자 2011년 8월 7일부터 10월 10일까지 야외에 설치한 실 험 수조에서 실험을 수행하였다. 실험 수조 설치일로부터 4일 경과 후 수면에서 죽은 암컷 성충 한 개체가 발견되 어 산란이 이루어졌을 것으로 추정하였으며, 산란추정일 로부터 39일째부터 성충이 우화하기 시작하여 61일째에 마지막 개체가 우화하였다. 우화한 성충은 총 229개체였 고, 성비(암컷 수/전체 수)는 0.45로 수컷이 많았으나 통 계적으로 유의하지 않았으며(p¤0.05), 전체적으로 수컷 이 먼저 우화하는 경향을 보였다. 최저 발육임계온도를 0􀆆C로 하여 유효적산온도를 산출한 값은 1,221.8±116.0 DD였으며, 대조습지의 연간 유효적산온도가 5,650.0 DD 임을 고려할 때, 연못하루살이는 본 연구결과를 적용할 경우 야외 서식처에서 최대 1년 4세대의 생활사를 가질 가능성이 있다.

Members of the non-biting midge family Chironomidae are the most widespread and abundant group of aquatic insects in fresh waters. Although the composition of chironomid communities is considered to be a potential biotic index for water quality assessment, it has not been used easily because of the difficulties with species level identification for larvae. This study was to analyse the molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTU) in chironomid communities to appropriately apply a species level identification. A total of 41 chironomid larvae collected from 7 sampling sites in the Han river system according to water quality were used for analyses. Partial mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) genes were sequenced and analyzed. As a result, 35 different haplotypes (MOTU01-13) were obtained from the 673bp COI sequences. Average genetic distance was 0.0041 (range 0.000 to 0.013) within the MOTU and was 0.1703 (range 0.1181 to 0.2456) between the MOTUs. Nine MOTUs were found at the stream sites represented water quality A, 2 MOTUs at water quality C, and 1 MOTU at water quality D.

UNUSUAL FLORAL ORGAN (UFO), a novel gene, is involved in controlling flowering initiation and development. In Arabidopsis, UFO is required for floral organ identity in the second and third whorls. However, the mode of expression and function of TaUFO have not been studied yet. The cDNA sequence of TaUFO is comprised of 1344 bp open reading frame which encodes 50.82 KDa polypeptide consisting amino acid residues. F-box protein, the components of TaUFO, plays an important regulatory role in a wide diversity of developmental and physiological responses. In almost all F box proteins, the N terminus of the protein contains the F-box motif, and the rest of the protein contains the protein-protein interaction domains required for target protein binding. In order to elucidate the function of the TaUFO, various phytohormones and abiotic stresses were applied on young seedlings (14 day after germination) and its transcripts were evaluated. TaUFO:GFP fusion construct was transformed into onion epidermal cells by particle bombardment to elucidate the subcellular localization of the TaUFO protein. The function of the F-box protein is to interact with target proteins. With the use of a yeast two-hybrid screen to isolate proteins interacting with the TaUFO (F box protein), we identified potential TaUFO interactive protein in wheat spikelet library.