Estimation of the Damage Risk Range and Activity Period of Termites (Reticulitermes speratus) in Korean Wooden Architectural Heritage Building Sites
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Open AccessArticle
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Restoration Technology Division, National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, Daejeon 34122, Republic of Korea
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Safety and Disaster Prevention Division, National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, Daejeon 34122, Republic of Korea
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Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Forests 2024, 15(4), 602; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15040602 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 19 January 2024
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Revised: 20 March 2024
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Accepted: 25 March 2024
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Published: 26 March 2024
Abstract
Korean wooden architectural heritage buildings are often damaged by termites, and climate change is expected to exacerbate the problem. To prevent termite damage, it is necessary to identify the habitat range and activity period of termites. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed the ecological characteristics of Reticulitermes speratus, the dominant termite species in South Korea, past termite damage records of wooden architectural heritage buildings, and climate data (2000–2019). We determined that termite infestations could potentially occur in 98.5% of the total studied area, except for a few mountainous regions in South Korea. In addition, termites were active for an average of 209 days per year. The habitat range of termites appears to be gradually expanding, possibly as a result of a combination of anthropogenic interventions, rising temperatures caused by climate change, and the ecological characteristics of termites. In the future, it is imperative to implement enhanced preventive and active termite control measures to preserve the original wooden architectural heritage buildings of South Korea.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Kim, S.; Kim, J.
Estimation of the Damage Risk Range and Activity Period of Termites (Reticulitermes speratus) in Korean Wooden Architectural Heritage Building Sites. Forests 2024, 15, 602.
https://doi.org/10.3390/f15040602
Kim S, Kim J.
Estimation of the Damage Risk Range and Activity Period of Termites (Reticulitermes speratus) in Korean Wooden Architectural Heritage Building Sites. Forests. 2024; 15(4):602.
https://doi.org/10.3390/f15040602
Chicago/Turabian Style
Kim, Sihyun, and Jisoo Kim.
2024. “Estimation of the Damage Risk Range and Activity Period of Termites (Reticulitermes speratus) in Korean Wooden Architectural Heritage Building Sites” Forests 15, no. 4: 602.
https://doi.org/10.3390/f15040602
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