• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.452-460
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• 2017

Rice fields are important stopover sites for the conservation of shorebirds during long-distance migration. These fields serve as food sources providing energy for the next leg of the journey. Shorebirds are able to change their preferred food source at stopover sites. However, the type and distribution of food resources remain unknown for the shorebirds in the Republic of Korea. Therefore, we studied the type and distribution pattern of food resource (macroinvertebrates, remaining rice, and other seeds) for shorebirds in the rice fields. We have identified potential and actual food sources for shorebirds in the rice fields. The potential food sources were collected by using a core-sampling method and the actual food source was ascertained by observational analysis. As a result, a total 19 species of benthic macroinvertebrates in 15 families were recorded as potential food sources. A total of 9 families in 9 orders of benthic macroinvertebrates known to be actual food sources were also recorded during the study period, including loaches, and a tuber of sea club rush. Also, the distribution of the food source depended on soil conditions generated by cultivation such as plowing, harrowing, and the use of pesticides. In the present study, we identified the type and distribution of food sources for shorebirds. This information can be used as essential primary baseline data for conservation of shorebirds using the rice fields of the Republic of Korea.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.147-155
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• 2008

A series of experiments were conducted to find standard test organisms and to develop test protocols for sediment toxicity tests using indigenous amphipods inhabited in Korean coastal environments. The indigenous amphipods Mandibulophoxus mai and Monocorophium acherusicum were well associated with various sediment substrates from sand to mud. The tolerance limits to various physico-chemical factors affecting bioassay results such as temperature, salinity and total ammonium as well as the sensitivities to contaminants in water and sediments were investigated using M. mai and M. acherusicum in the present study. These amphipods were tolerable to the adequate ranges of salinity ($10{\sim}30\;psu$), temperature ($10{\sim}25^{\circ}C$) and ammonia (<50 ppm). They have relevant sensitivities to the reference toxicants, dissolved cadmium as well as other metals and organic pollutants, when compared to the standard test species used in other countries. Field-sediment toxicity tests revealed that M. mai would be more sensitive to sediment-associated pollutants than M. acherusicum, while the sensitivity of M. acherusicum was comparable to those of other sediment test species in other countries. Overall results of this first attempt to develop an amphipod sediment toxicity test protocol in Korea indicated that M. mai and M. acherusicum should be applicable in the toxicity assessment of contaminated sediments, following the further evaluation encompassing various ecological and toxicological evaluation and the standardization of test method.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.184-193
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• 1989

An investigation on the soft-bottom macrobenthic community in the inner Kyeonggi Bay was conducted in July, October of 1987 and February, May of 1988. The benthic fauna comprised a total of 87 species and showed mean density of 550 indiv./$m^2$. Major faunal groups are polychaetes, molluks, and crustaceans, corresponding to 64.7%, 17.4%, and 15.2% in total abundance respectively. The most abundant species was Tharyx sp. (10.9%), and followed by Mactra veneriformis (10.5%), Mediomastus sp. (8.6%), and Glycinde sp. (8.0%) etc.. The important species in the intertidal zone were Mactra veneriformis, Hinia festiva, and Nephtys californiensis, whereas those in subtidal channel region were Tharyx sp., mediomastus sp., Sternaspis scutata, and Nephtys polybranchia. The study area could be divided into 4 station groups based on the species composition; two groups within interidal flat and two in channel regions. Each station group sustained its specific benthic faunal assemblage; Mactra-Hinia, Aricidea-Haploscoloplos assemblages in the intertidal flat and Harpiniopsis-Urothoe, Mediomastus-Sternaspis assemblages in the subtidal channel region. The Mediomastus-Sternaspis assemblage showed the highest species number and population density, and also did the highest diversity and evenness indices. The Harpiniopsis-Urothoe assemblage showed the poor species composition and abundance, and so recorded the highest dominance index. Two assemblages in the intertidal flat had the intermediate values in all the biological parameters. The northern channel region of zone S-2 showed the high abundance in species composition, which seems to be caused by the heterogeneous sediment and the organic enrichment from the Han River and the Incheon industrial complex.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.374-383
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• 2021

In 2020, the diversity of benthic macroinvertebrate communities was investigated in the Sohan stream, an ecological and landscape conservation area, and the results were compared with the previous research conducted in 2011. In total, 42 species (two phyla, three classes, and seven orders) were found in the Sohan stream. Species richness and abundance sharply decreased at all sampling sites because of Typhoons Haishen and Maysak in 2020, which had a direct impact on the stream. In the functional feeding group, the ratio of collector-gatherers was the highest at all sampling sites. However, during the autumn season, the shredder ratio increased from 13.4% to 42.4% in the uppermost stream site. Compared with the diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates surveyed in 2011, a total of 53 species (two phyla, three classes, and eight orders) were found. The percentage of species richness and abundance of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera was more than 50% both in 2011 and 2020. Only the richness of Ephemeroptera was significantly different between them (2011: 2.9 and 2020: 6.7). In this study, the abrupt changes of species richness and abundance in benthic macroinvertebrate were not observed before and after the designation of an ecological and landscape conservation area. However, it is necessary to monitor benthic macroinvertebrates in order to confirm that biodiversity is continuously maintained long after the designation of the ecological and landscape conservation area.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.343-352
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• 1998

The relationship between summer hypoxia in bottom water layer and benthic community structure was discussed at forty sampling stations in semi-enclosed Youngsan River estuarine bay, Korea. The oxygen deficient layer less than $2.0 mg/\ell$ was widely developed in the inner estuarine stations in summer due to the summer stratification. A total of 141 species was occurred, with a mean density of $1,923 ind./m^2$ and biomass of $79.44\;g/m^2$ in summer season. The species number was significantly increased with the increment of the bottom dissolved oxygen, whereas density and biomass were partially correlated within the low oxygen level of $2.0\;mg/\ell$. These results imply that benthic community structures are affected by bottom oxygen depletion in summer. Cluster analysis showed that the benthic community could be classified into three station groups. These station groups from the species composition coincided with the groups based on the environmental factors. This fact suggests that the overall spatial distribution of macrozoobenthos in Youngsan River estuarine bay in summer should be controlled by the summer hypoxia and clay content of the area. Group-I was located the innermost estunrine bay from Mokpo Harbour to near the dike, where summer hypoxia was developed and one bivalve Theora fragilis, two polychaetes, Tharyx sp. and Lumbrineris longifolia were dominated. Group-II, the central transitory area of the estuarine bay between two another stational groups, where two bivalves Theora fragilis, Raetellops pulchella and a polychaete Tharyx sp. predominated with relatively low density compared to that of Group-I. Group-III, the mouth part of the estunrine bay exposed to the open sea, where a polychaetes Poecilochaetus johnsoni and a bivalve Yoldia Johanni predominated.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.195-205
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• 2013

Excessive input of organic matters from fish cage farming has been considered as one of the major factors disturbing benthic ecosystem, especially in semi-enclosed coastal waters. Recently offshore aquaculture in the vicinity of Jeju-do has been introduced to minimize that kind of negative impact. This study was conducted to investigate the ecological impacts of offshore aquaculture on the macrobenthic polychaete communities. A total of ten sampling works were carried out for 28 months, spanning from 10 days after starting giving feed to 3 months after stopping giving feed. During the study period, mean current velocity was quite strong with the range of 50 cm/s to 70 cm/s. TOC of surface sediment was constantly low. Significant changes in polychaete community were detected just three months after starting giving feed, which were the increase of the number of species and density at all stations. Up to 18 months after the start of farming, the amount of feed provided played an important role in the fluctuation of the number of species and density, especially at 0 m and 10 m stations. After reducing the amount of feed provided, dominance of some opportunistic species within 10 m distance from fish cages still lasted to the end of aquaculture. However, opportunistic species disappeared 3 months after the end of farming, which indicated the sign of recovery from the disturbance. From these results, the amount of food input and the period of cultivation were critical factors disturbing polychaete community and ensuing changes in this offshore and oligotrophic waters as well. In addition, study on the changes of polychaete community structure before and after fish farming showed more detailed changes in benthic ecological state than geochemical approach did.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.104-109
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• 2016

In Korea, the government has invested the installation of artificial reefs (ARs) which deploying to enhance the restoration of marine environment and productivity on the coastal area at the part of 222,627ha, from 1971 to 2014 for 44 years. The number of ARs are gradually increasing, while their comparison and corelation analysis were not much studied. Therefore, this study is to analyse temporal variation of ARs which composed of concrete named the Horn triangle reefs were deployed at Pohang, Jangkil-ri, a depth of 5 to 7m, in 2003, was monitored 4 times from 2009 to 2011. In results, the biodiversity investigated that the dominant species was Mollusca Omphalius pfeifferi except in 2009. The different species mainly depend on spatial-temporal variation. In this type of study can be used to the R&D, management and government policy of ARs as well improving marine environment.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.348-357
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• 2019

To investigate the changes of dominant species of benthic macroinvertebrates following summer precipitation variance, we surveyed twenty five sites of the main Seomjin River in May and September in 2014 and 2015. The temperature, precipitation, water quality factors and substrate composition, water depth and flow velocity, which are important factors in benthos habitat environment, were collected and measured. There is not much difference of the cumulative precipitation (CP) between 2014 (2,322.1 mm) and 2015 (2,371.0 mm) in May. However CP in september was decreased by more than half in 2015 (3,726.1 mm) than 2014 (7,678.2 mm). Due to washing effect by summer precipitation, total number of species and individuals for benthic macroinvertebrates were higher in May than in September. Chironomidae spp. and Choroterpes altioculus were dominated in May, Ecdyonurus levis, Ecdyonurus kibunensis were dominated in September. As a result of correlation analysis between community indices and environment factors, it was found that there is a significant correlation with flow velocity and substrate compositions. According to the results of cluster analysis and PCA based on environment fators and dominant species of benthic macroinvertebrates in Seomjin River, it was divided into four groups following CP and MT. Ecdyonurus levis and Ecdyonurus kibunensis reflect the effect of the decrease in summer precipitation.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.714-723
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• 2020

This study was conducted to investigate the community stability and similarity of benthic macroinvertebrates in the Giran stream between August and September 2018, and compare results to those reported by Lee (2004). As relates to the total number of species in each taxon in 2018, 45 species were additionally discovered compared to the 2003 study; the number of EPT taxa increased by 14 species and OCH taxa increased by 18 species. The diversity and richness indexes increased while the dominance index tended to decrease. According to analysis of functional feeding groups, 11 more Gathering-collector species were found, making it the highest functional feeding group with 24 species. According to analysis of functional habitat groups, 15 more clinger species were found than in the past, making it the highest functional habitat group with 41 species. A community stability comparison showed that species belonging to 'Stability Group I' had the highest stability rate at 57.1% in 2003 and 61.5% in 2018. According to the biological water quality assessment, in 2018, the average water quality level at each survey site was 'Ia' and 'Very Good' in terms of environmental conditions. As a result of the similarity analysis between the survey points for the species that appeared, two large groups of similarities were classified (similarity group 1: 2003 sites, similarity group 2: 2018 sites).

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.341-352
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• 2009

This study was carried out to investigated community structure of macrobenthic assemblages around the Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant, East Sea of Korea and seasonal sampling was performed from October 2007 to July 2008. A total of 163 macrobenthic fauna were collected. The overall average macrobenthos density and biomass were 1,005 individuals $m^{-2}$ and $21.81\;gWWt\;m^{-2}$, respectively. Based on the LeBris (1988) index, there were 10 dominant species accounting for approximately 69.00% of total individuals. The major dominant species were the polychaetes Spiophanes bombyx (349 inds. $m^{-2}$), Mediomastus californiensis (82 inds. $m^{-2}$), Sigambra tentaculata (55 inds. $m^{-2}$), Magelona japonica (50 inds. $m^{-2}$), Scoletoma longifolia (33 inds. $m^{-2}$) and the Unidentified amphipod (Amphipoda spp., 72 inds. $m^{-2}$). The conventional multi-variate statistics (cluster analysis and non-metric multi-dimensional scaling) applied to assess spatial variation in macrobenthic assemblages. Cluster analysis and nMDS ordination analysis based on the Bray-Curtis similarity identified 2 major station groups. The major group 1 was associated with sand dominated stations and was characterized by high abundance of the bivalves Mactra chinensis, Siliqua pulchella and the polychaete Protodorvillea egena. On the other hand, major group 2 was connected with mud dominated stations and was numerically dominated by the polychaetes M. californiensis, M. japonica, Sternaspis scutata, S. longifolia and the bivalves Thyasira tokunagai and Theora fragilis. However, macrobenthic community structure were no significant differences between the environmental variables (sediment type and depth) and heated discharge.