LA-MC-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating was conducted to constrain the timing of fossil formation and the depositional age of the uppermost Jinju Formation located in Natural Monument No. 534 (Tracksite of Pterosaurs, Birds, and Dinosaurs in Hotandong, Jinju), and 87 Cretaceous, 1 Precambrian, and 2 Jurassic zircons were obtained from 90 valid analytical points. Most Cretaceous zircons were found to have a youngest graphical peak age of ca. 106.5 Ma, suggesting the depositional age of the uppermost Jinju Formation. Based on this study and previous works, the average sedimentation rate of the Jinju Formation was calculated to be approximately 0.17-0.31 mm/year in the Milyang Subbasin, and the Cretaceous zircons of the uppermost Jinju Formation seem to have originated mainly from the western or northwestern parts of the Gyeonggi Massif. Unlike the Nakdong and Hasandong formations of the Sindong Group, most zircons analyzed in the uppermost Jinju Formation were Cretaceous. This suggests that volcanic activity occurred in the area closer to the Gyeongsang Basin due to the roll-back of subducting paleo-Pacific Plates during the Jinju period.

In the present study, we report the first complete mitochondrial DNA genome of the genus Callipogon based on C.relictus, a natural monument and endangered species in South Korea. The mitogenome is 15,742 base pairs with 13 proteincoding genes (PCGs), two rRNAs, 22 tRNAs, and a 1033 bp long AT-rich region. The overall base composition was67.3% AT and 32.7 GC. Among 13 PCGs, seven genes (Nad2, Atp8, Atp6, Nad4L, Nad6, Cob, Nad1) harbour the typicalstop codon TAA or TAG, whereas remaining five genes terminate with T. Interestingly, Cox3 employs AGA as the terminationcodon.

Landscape and natural monuments protection policy in North Korea is rarely understood because of lack of information in scientific and legislative fields. Legislative system is very important to protect landscape and natural monuments, which are described at “Landscape and natural monuments protection law (LNMPL)” in North Korea. Cabinet of North Korea has authorities to lead the Central Agency for Landscape and Natural Monuments Protection (CALNMP). Designation and managements of landscape and natural monuments are regarded as CALNMP’s and local governments’ responsibilities. There are many differences between South and North Koreas’ landscape and natural monuments protection system. Especially legislation system has profound differences in its legal structure. North Korea’s Labor Party is superior to the Cabinet and Labor Party’s administrative order has at least the same authority to regulate and manage the national policy and means. With LNMPL, CALNMP organizes the national plan for landscape and natural monuments protection and regulate the activities of the Agencies for landscape and natural monuments protection in the aspects of action plan for each administrative agency, budget and other resources. For the reunification in the future and economic cooperation, legislative and administrative system of landscape and natural monuments protection in North Korea should be understood.

Larval stages of Callipogon relictus (Semenov) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), a gigantic longhorn beetle designated as a natural monument of Korea, has never been studied as it is hardly discovered in nature. The DNA barcoding gene, mt-COI, was used to identify a dead larva found in the Gwangneung forest of the Korea National Arboretum. Based on the result, we provide the morphology of the immature stage, with the illustrations of diagnostic characteristics.

한반도 신두리 해안사구를 대상으로 TWINSPAN 분류법과 DECORANA 배열법에 의한 미지형과 식생의 대상구조 및 변화를 예측한 결과는 다음과 같다. 해안사구의 미지형과 식생은 해안선에서 내륙을 향해 뚜렷한 띠모양의 대상구조를 이루었다. 해안선 방향의 사빈은 수송나물의 출현이 많았고 일차사구는 갯그령이 우점하였다. 사구저지는 좀보리사초와 띠가 군락을 이루었으며 사구습지는 산조풀이 넓게 분포하였다. 이차사구는 띠와 갯쇠보리가 주종을 이루는 가운데 순비기나무와 해당화가 분포하는 양상이었고 내륙방향의 배후구릉지는 아까시나무와 곰솔이 우점하였다. 그러나 해안사구는 해안선 방향의 선구종으로 알려진 통보리사초가 후방의 이차사구에서 우점하였고 내륙성의 억새와 귀화식물의 겹달맞이꽃이 해안사구 전체에서 불규칙하게 덮고 있어 미지형의 안정화가 불확실하였다. 특히 억새는 해안사구의 안정화가 진행될수록 유집성이 높은 사구저지, 이차사구, 일차사구의 우점종으로 변화가 예측되었으며 일차사구와 이차사구 사이의 도로와 사구습지의 확대는 식물분포의 대상구조에 영향을 줄 것으로 판단되었다.

울릉도 성인봉 원시림의 식생구조를 밝히기 위해 400m2(20m×20m)의 조사구 10개를 설치하였다. 성인봉원시림은 우산고로쇠, 너도밤나무가 우점종이었으며 너도밤나무군집. 우산고로쇠-너도밤나무군집. 우산고로쇠군집으로 나누어졌다. 울릉도의 지리적 입지와 식생 특성상 각 군집의 Shannon 종다양도는 0.5150~0.8437로 낮은 편이었다. 상대우점치 분석, 흉고직경급별 분포 분석 등 군집구조 분석 결과, 성인봉 원시림은 성숙한 산림으로 현 상태를 오랜 기간 동안 지속적으로 유지할 것으로 판단되었다. 수목 생장유형 분석 결과, 과거 너도 밤나무림이 우점하던 성인봉 원시림에서 교란에 의해 우산고로쇠의 세력이 확대된 것으로 추정되었다.