KOREAN ENGLISH CHINESE JAPANESE         HomeEcology White Paper of DMZComposition of ecosystemInsects     Interview of professor Woo Kunsuk, Insect specialist The biota of the DMZ has maintained ecological stability for half century and is considered as the most suitable place for the study of biological diversity. The ecosystem has not been disturbed and preserved balance. Broadly, the animal and plant relation and by narrowing it down, the food chain of the producer, predator, consumer of the unit classification group can be explained. So, it could contribute to the establishment of the conservation strategy of the environment in the 21st century. Near the Daesung-bridge 7   orders, 16 species including the dragonflies order were found and near the Sacheon-bridge, 7 orders, 19 species including grasshopperorder were observed. The Comma, common straight swift etc. are observed at the community of aster yomena and were abundantly distributed at the two regions mentioned above. However at the field of reeds, the occurrence density of dragonflies (red dragonfly, MAYUTATE AKANE) was very high confirming that reed fields are the habitat of insects that the dragonflies feed on, and that it has important significance as the insect habitat at fall.   The discovered insects As the result of investigating the insects near the DMZ, 10 families, 57 species of Hemiptera order, 6 families, 86 species of butterfly order, 32 families, 171 species of beetles order was found. Among the collected species, 1 species of Hemiptera order and 9 species of beetles were the candidate species.   Most rare insects live in the mid-eastern mountainous region The present status of appearance of the protected species, rare, endangered species and the candidate species of Korea are presented in the chart below. These species were mostly found at the mid- eastern mountainous region and the appearance frequency at the mid-western region was quite low. The rare species and the candidate species were relatively found more frequently specially at the Gachilbong and at the Dutayeon region.   Decrease of butterfly diversity The species which are decreasing in population are the Alaskan Swallowtail, Leptidea amurensis, green-veined white butterfly, Gonepteryx mahaguru aspasia, brimstone butterfly, Nephargynnis anadyomene, Hungarian glider, Carterocephalus dieckmanni Graeser, Mycalesis gotama, Mycalesis francisca, Ypthima argus etc. It is considered that the environmental change at the nearby region of DMZ caused the decrease of butterfly abundance and diversity. [Present status of appearance of protected species, rare species, candidate species] Region Gun Investigation region Protected species Rare and Endangered species Candidate species of Korea east Goseong Gunbong Mt. - - 1 species of Polytoxus fuscovittatus Inje Sacheon-ri Fabriciana nerippe Fabriciana nerippe - - - Seohwacheon - - 1 species of long-horned beetles Yanggu Gachilbong - Acalolepta fraudatrix Acalolepta fraudatrix 1 species of Anisodactylus signatus , 1 species of Chrysomelidae, 1 species of rive weevil - Dutayeon - Acalolepta fraudatrix Acalolepta fraudatrix 1 species of Chrysomelidae, 1 species of weevil - Daewoosan Fabriciana nerippe Fabriciana nerippe Acalolepta fraudatrix Acalolepta fraudatrix - the central Cheorwon 589 Hill Fabriciana nerippe Fabriciana nerippe - - - Yeoncheon Cheonduk Mt. Fabriciana nerippe Fabriciana nerippe Acalolepta fraudatrix Acalolepta fraudatrix - western Gimpo Bogugot - - 1 species of Notoxus monoceros trinotatus - - Moonsoo Mt. - - 1 species of Chrysochroa fulgidissima [Date from the Forest service Forestry research institute]       Papilio machaon   Gonepteryx rhamni   Ypthima argus     Fabriciana nerippe   Cromogeotrupes auratus   Acalolepta fraudatrix   The scantiness of insects The tiger beetle discovered at the DMZ neighboring region excluding Baengnyeongdo and Daecheongdo for 4 years was 2 species 2 individuals of Cincidela elisae and Japanese tiger beetle. The tiger beetle is a predatory insect so there must be abundant insects coming in the mountain for them to survive. The fact that there are small numbers of tiger beetle show us that the insects of this region are not enough to support them.   The possibility of change in vegetation 30 species of the observed 41 species of Chrysomelidae were not observed at the past. Considering the fact that Chrysomelidae, as an insect that feeds on plant leaf, has deep relation with the plants than any other insects, we could say that this suggest the possibility of change in vegetation at the DMZ.