Abstract

Estuaries provide beneficial ecosystem services such as providing habitats for various species, and continuous monitoring of species, including insects, is necessary to prevent the destruction of estuaries. In this study, we analyzed the status and aspect of insect fauna in two estuary wetlands based on the results of Survey on Estuarine Ecosystem conducted in Ga-Hwa Cheon in 2013 and 2021 and Gon-Yang Cheon in 2023. A total of 464 insect species were found in the Ga-hwa Cheon and 753 species were found in the Gon-Yang Cheon. At the species level, Coleoptera (159 species), Hemiptera (101 species), and Hymenoptera (50 species) were dominant in the GaHwa Cheon, while Lepidoptera (478 species), Coleoptera (89 species), and Hemiptera (62 species) were dominant in the Gon-Yang Cheon. In the case of invasive species, Ricania sublimata and Vespa velutina nigrithorax were found in both two sites, and Eurema hecabe and Hierodula patellifera were found in both two sites as climate-sensitive biologocal indicator species. In the Ga-Hwa Cheon, Coenonympha hero was found, which corresponds to the vulnerable species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Through this study, we analyzed the status and aspect of insect fauna in two estuary wetlands located in Sacheon-si, and it can be used as important basic data for establishing wetland conservation policies and plans, such as controlling invasive species.

• Keywords: Estuarine ecosystem, Insect fauna, Monitoring, Biodiversity