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Wetlands are important multifunctional systems that provide various ecological services for animal populations, particularly with regard to regulation and support. The biodiversity of wetlands is threatened by human activities that cause habitat fragmentation and destruction. The international community needs to make efforts to measure habitat quality and recognize the value of biodiversity. This study aimed to evaluate the value of Nannophya koreana habitat restoration in the Mujechineup wetland. First, through a literature review, this study estimated the expected ecosystem service value of the Mujechineup wetland compared to existing wetlands. The Mujechineup wetland's ecosystem service value ranged from a minimum of $109,296.00 (SD $32,752.00) to a maximum of $679,457.14 (SD $4,611,730.90). Second, we quantified the habitat quality of the Mujechineup wetland in Ulsan for biodiversity measurements using the integrated valuation of ecosystem services and tradeoffs (InVEST). The analysis showed that there was a difference in the quality of the habitat depending on the spatial unit. Samdong-myeon was processed for 2 min with a mean value of 0.094. Ulju-gun was processed for 1 h 14 min with a mean value of 0.146. In addition, as a result of the field survey, the ratio of Hemiptera, Odonata and Coleoptera (HOC) groups in the Mujechineup wetland where Nannophya koreana lives was more than 50%, but the ratio of predators was approximately 10% on average. Third, this study investigated the willingness to pay to restore the habitat of Nannophya koreana, which lives in the Mujechineup wetland. The average amount that people would be willing to pay annually for the restoration of the Mujechineup wetland was $33,652. The study found that awareness of the importance of Nannophya koreana and the need for restoration of its habitat environment was high. These findings can be used to recognize the value of the Mujechineup wetland as a habitat for Nannophya koreana and to communicate its importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Bergmann's rule explains the phenomenon where populations and species of larger sizes are found at higher latitudes and colder environments, whereas populations and species of smaller size are found at lower latitudes and in warmer regions. In insects, adult sizes tend to be smaller in warmer environments than at cooler temperatures and higher latitudes; the response is called the temperature–size rule. Nannophya koreana is an endangered species in Korea and represents a flagship species for wetland conservation. We found that the body size of the larvae was smaller in a cold-water-temperature region than in a warm-water-temperature area, which is contrary to the rules mentioned above. The two regions were geographically close to each other, with no differences in air temperature and precipitation. We identified the reasons for the difference in water temperature between the two regions and established the relationship between temperature and body size in N. koreana. In addition, we analyzed how N. koreana compensated for low water temperature to maintain its life cycle, which is known as univoltine. Ecological rules such as Bergmann's rule and the temperature–size rule state that body-size decline is a universal response to warm temperatures in both homeotherms and poikilotherms. In the present study, we investigated the biological responses of Nannophya koreana, an endangered dragonfly species in Korea, by comparing body size in two habitats with large differences in water temperature, Mungyong-si (MG, terraced paddy fields) and Muui-do (MU, a mountainous wetland). To conserve the dragonfly populations, the collected larvae were photographed and released, and their head widths and body lengths were measured. There was no difference in the annual mean air temperature and precipitation between the two sites; however, the annual mean water temperature was substantially lower in MU than in MG. There was little difference in larval head width between the two sites; however, body length in the MU population was smaller than that in the MG population. Larval growth rate per 100-degree-days was 0.75 mm for MG and 1.16 for MU. The relationship between temperature and body size of N. koreana larvae showed opposite trends to Bergmann's rule and the temperature–size rule. Since the larval growth period during a year in MU was shorter than that in MG, the MU population potentially exhibits a higher growth rate as a mechanism of compensating for the low water temperature. Our study established the relationship between temperature and body size of N. koreana in two wetlands that had an obvious difference in water temperature despite being geographically close. The results highlight the importance of considering detailed factors such as habitat type when studying the temperature–size responses of organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change due to global warming and changes in land use increase the development time and distribution, as well as the abundance, of mosquitoes, thereby negatively affecting human life and health. In this study, we investigated the habitat characteristics of mosquito occurrence sites in Danwon‐gu, Ansan city, Korea, based on a daily record of civil pest complaints lodged at the Danwon‐gu Community Health Center. We considered two types of factors (natural and artificial) known to affect mosquito occurrence. We confirmed a total of 554 cases of mosquito occurrence from March 2014 to August 2017. The total study area was 49.11 km2, with urban areas constituting the largest proportion. Additionally, we investigated habitat preferences of mosquitoes in terms of terrain factors; generally, mosquitoes occurred at low elevations and on low slopes. Regarding the preference of oviposition sites, mosquitoes occurred at higher rates near streams and crops lands. The rate of mosquito occurrence tended to increase in areas with dense human populations. Regarding climatic factors, the rate of mosquito occurrence increased in areas with high temperature and low precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study was performed to clarify the ecological characteristics of a cave‐dwelling moth species, Triphosa dubitata Linnaeus (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), at Baram cave and at Ssang cave within Pyeongchang‐gun of Gangwon province in south Korea. We investigated T. dubitata population for 3 days from March 2013 to October 2013 (except September) and in January 2014. We used a section investigation method in the caves every month to determine their ecological characteristic. A nocturnal investigation using a high intensity discharge lamp adjacent to the entrance of the cave was conducted in parallel with a diurnal investigation using butterfly traps to investigate the movement of T. dubitata. In order to investigate the range of habitat temperature of moths, we used a dual laser targeting infrared thermometer to measure the cave temperatures. We caught individuals of T. dubitata L.: 8,574 individuals in Baram cave and 828 individuals in Ssang cave. As 9,095 individuals (97 %) appeared at a temperature of −3°C ~ 8°C, it was verified that the adults were living at specific temperatures. In addition, T. dubitata adults were not active outside the caves; they entered the cave as soon as they developed from pupa into adults. These results showed that T. dubitata depended on food plants outside of the cave during the egg–larva–pupa stages, and they used the cave as a habitat for long‐term survival when they develop into adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climatic change often affects life history aspects of aquatic insects. Long-term monitoring was conducted to understand the life history variability of the riverine mayfly Ephemera orientalis in the Han river, where habitat is largely disturbed by summer floods. Water level of the study site, Godeok-dong area in Seoul, is regulated by the Paldang Dam located approximately 14 km above the study site. E. orientalis often emerged in large numbers around the study area. Larvae were sampled monthly from April 2006 to July 2010 using a Surber sampler (50 × 50 cm, mesh 0.25 mm, two replicates). Additional qualitative sampling was conducted using a hand net. As a result, based on the larval body size distribution, E. orientalis had a univoltine life cycle with two distinct slow growing cohort groups: the S1group emerged during May-June and the S2 group emerged during August-September. Our previous study conducted in Gapyeong stream in Gyeonggi-do showed that E. orientalis normally had three cohort groups, S-1 and S-2 groups and the F-group (a fast growing cohort developed during May-August). However, the Han River population of E. orientalis lacked such a fast growing cohort. It is most probable that habitat disturbances caused by high water level during the rainy season negatively affected the development of the fast growing cohort (F-group) in the Han River area. The relationships between monthly E. orientalis population data and water level in the Han River are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]