최창용 교수

The rapid decline of a few Emberiza bunting species is increasing conservation concerns, especially in Asia. However, temporal changes in communities and populations of buntings, ones of the most common migratory songbirds in Korea, have not been quantitatively assessed. To understand how the status of buntings has changed over the past 100 years, we collated abundance data from museum collections and bird-banding records between 1910 and 2019. We also used presence-absence data for buntings col

Abstract We recorded the diurnal behaviors of the endangered Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor) for 16 days during the wintering season in Jeju Province, Korea to find an appropriate and effective sampling technique for behavioral study. Two main techniques were used and compared: focal sampling with continuous recording and scan sampling with instantaneous recording at various time intervals. As a result, recording the behavior of a focal bird for more than 20 min per h was the best techniq

Migratory birds, by crossing significant ecological barriers, carry and may subsequently introduce exotic seeds into new ecological zones during period of migration. The study of epizoochory, which includes seed dispersal by adhesion to bird feathers, has been relatively neglected compared to the study of seed dispersal by frugivores. To determine whether exotic seeds are being imported to stopover islands by migrating birds, and to estimate the quantity of seeds of exotic species being introduc

Microplastics (< 5 mm) have been found in marine ecosystems worldwide, even in Antarctic ecosystems. In this study, the stomach and upper intestines of 14 dead gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) chicks were collected and screened for microplastics on King George Island, a gateway to Antarctic research and tourism. A total of 378 microplastics were identified by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, with 27.0 ± 25.3 microplastics per individual. The detected number of microplastics did not incr

This article examines daily life in North Korea from the perspectives of recent North Korean defectors from a variety of social backgrounds. The following three questions are explored: how does the individual live from day to day; what tactics does one continuously evolve in order to survive; and, most importantly, what theoretical and methodological frameworks are available to explain the strategies for survival employed by the country's population? Employing the concept of “everyday politics,”

Lipoptena deer keds (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) are blood-sucking ectoparasites of mammals, and only one species, Lipoptena cervi (L.), has previously been reported from the Republic of Korea. A study of Siberian roe deer Capreolus pygargus Pallas on Jeju Island, south of the Korean mainland, led to the discovery of a second species of deer ked, Lipoptena fortisetosa Maa, for Korea. In total, 518 deer keds were collected from 19 adult and juvenile deer examined from May to October 2012. The infesta

Agro-ecological conditions associated with the spread and persistence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) are not well understood, but the trade of live poultry is suspected to be a major pathway. Although market chains of live bird trade have been studied through indirect means including interviews and questionnaires, direct methods have not been used to identify movements of individual poultry. To bridge the knowledge gap on quantitative movement and transportation of poultry, we intro

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has officially ended, the persistent challenge of long-COVID or post-acute COVID sequelae (PASC) continues to impact societies globally, highlighting the urgent need for ongoing research into its mechanisms and therapeutic approaches. Our team has recently developed a novel humanized ACE2 mouse model (hACE2ki) designed explicitly for long-COVID/PASC research. This model exhibits human ACE2 expression in tissue and cell-specific patterns akin to mouse Ace2. When we

Context Behavioural responses can be used to understand the impacts of disturbance on animals and to develop management strategies, and there is considerable conservation interest in quantifying the effects of disturbances on wild animals. Aims We seek to formulate a management plan for the endangered black-faced spoonbills (Platalea minor) in a non-breeding ground, on the basis of their behavioural responses to different types of stimulus categorised by threat level (threatening vs non-threaten

Abstract Utilizing state–society relations as a theoretic framework, this study investigates whether the Internet is used to facilitate or impede democratization in authoritarian regimes. The present paper uses governance practice as the mediating mechanism, along with a regime's degree of authoritarianism as a moderator, to measure the direct and indirect effects of the Internet on democratization. This research found that the Internet can be mobilized to suppress political freedom in authorita

To shed light on the inner workings of policymaking in North Korea, this study examined the process behind economic policy change through an analysis of the official state economics journal. Semantic networks are used to trace the introduction and evolution of policies during four distinct economic periods in North Korean history between 1986 and 2009. Although reform is catalyzed by political and economic crises, the emergence of new policy topics occurs incrementally prior to change. Specifica

Waterbird survival rates are a key component of demographic modeling used for effective conservation of long-lived threatened species. The Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides) is globally threatened and the most vulnerable goose species endemic to East Asia due to its small and rapidly declining population. To address a current knowledge gap in demographic parameters of the Swan Goose, available datasets were compiled from neck-collar resighting and telemetry studies, and two different models were used

Migratory birds have evolved diverse migration strategies in response to a variety of factors, but information about the detailed migration patterns of Asian songbirds is not yet available. To understand the short-distance migration pattern of declining Yellow-throated Buntings (Emberiza elegans) in East Asia, we analyzed stable isotopes from the outermost tail feathers (rectrices) of individual buntings collected in Korea and Japan. Temporal changes in feather hydrogen (δ2Hf) and oxygen (δ18Of)