• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.305-319
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• 2022

The community temperature index (CTI) reflects the temperature and environmental preferences of the community. We investigated the distribution patterns of major aquatic insect assemblages (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera; EPT) based on CTI in streams of South Korea. We selected unpolluted 151 study sites at upper streams(less than 3^rd) with less than 1.5 mg L^-1 of biochemical oxygen demand. Study sites were clustered into six groups based on the similarities of their EPT composition. All three orders showed a continuous decrease in the number of species as CTI increased, especially in Plecoptera. In addition, the functional feeding groups were also significantly changed according the CTI changes. Temperature tolerance range of each group's indicator species varied according to the CTI of the group. Finally, changes of CTI reflected differences of EPT assemblages according to the differences of environmental condition including temperature. Therefore, CTI can be applied to the evaluation and preservation of stream ecosystems and prediction of community changes due to climate change.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.111-119
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• 2022

The occurrence of cyanobacterial blooming and the contaminant sources were analyzed in the downstream of Jecheon Stream, a tributary of Chungju Reservoir. The concentrations of chlorophyll a at the Myungseo Fishing Point (GPS; 37°03'25.5"N, 128°03'13.6"E) were 399.2 and 184.8 mg m^-3 on October 18, 2015 and September 25, 2016, respectively, and the concentrations of total microcystins, a cyanobacterial toxin mainly produced by Microcystis, were 124.09 and 79.71 ㎍ L^-1, respectively. The occurrence of cyanobacterial blooming at the downstream of Jecheon Stream was closely related to the water level of Chungju Reservoir. The cyanobacterial blooming occurred after the increase of water level in Chungju Reservoir, when the water body stagnated. As a result of analyzing National Water Quality Monitoring Data of the upper region of Jecheon Stream, the main source of pollutant was Jangpyeong Stream, the tributary of Jecheon Stream, and the discharge water from Jecheon Wastewater Treatment Plant located in Jangpyeong Stream was considered to be the most important source of contaminant.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.145-155
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• 2022

Koreoleptoxis nodifila (Martens, 1886) is an endangered species only living in the central and north streams of South Korea. However, there is a lack of information on physical habitat characteristics of K. nodifila. We aimed to determine preference ranges for water depth, current velocity, streambed substrate of K. nodifila. The weibull model was used to estimate the habitat suitability based on distribution of individual abundance by physical factors. Optimal depth preferences ranged from 0.53~17.17 cm, current preferences ranged from 48.40~81.03 cm s^-1 and substrate (𝜱_m) preferences ranged from -4.36~ -2.26. Median values of central tendency were determined as follows: water depth 16.73 cm, current velocity 65.23 cm s^-1, substrate -3.51. Mean values of central tendency were determined as follows: water depth 21.32 cm, current velocity 65.65 cm s^-1, substrate -3.63. Mode values of central tendency were determined as follows: water depth 5.17 cm, current velocity 64.77 cm s^-1, substrate -3.24. Based on the habitat suitability analysis, the microhabitat types of K. nodifila were determined as riffle and coarse-grained streambed.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.156-166
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• 2022

Understanding the characteristics of reservoir water quality is fundamental in reservoir ecosystem management. The water quality of reservoirs is affected by various factors including hydro-morphology of reservoirs, land use/cover, and human activities in their catchments. In this study, we classified 83 major reservoirs in South Korea based on nine physicochemical factors (pH, dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solid, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total organic carbon, electric conductivity, and chlorophyll-a) measured for five years (2015~2019). Study reservoirs were classified into five main clusters through hierarchical cluster analysis. Each cluster reflected differences in the water quality of reservoirs as well as hydromorphological variables such as elevation, catchment area, full water level, and full storage. In particular, water quality condition was low at a low elevation with large reservoirs representing cluster I. In the comparison of eutrophication status in major reservoirs in South Korea using the Korean trophic state index, in some reservoirs including cluster IV composed of lagoons, the eutrophication was improved compared to 2004~2008. However, eutrophication status has been more impaired in most agricultural reservoirs in clusters I, III, and V than past. Therefore, more attention is needed to improve the water quality of these reservoirs.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.175-183
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• 2022

In this study, 46 reservoirs in South Korea were characterized based on heavy metal concentration in sediments. We analyzed the relationship between heavy metal concentrations, physicochemical water quality and hydromorphological factors in each reservoir. Study reservoirs were classified into five groups of reservoirs, by hierarchical cluster analysis based on the similarities of heavy metal concentration. Group 1 had the most severe sediment heavy metal contamination among the groups, whereas Groups 2 and 3 showed low levels of heavy metal contamination. Group 4 displayed high value of Ni, and Group 5 showed high contamination of Pb, Cu, Cr, Ni, and Hg. Groups 1 and 5, which had high concentration of heavy metals in sediments, showed a high density of mines in the catchment of reservoirs. Heavy metal concentration was high in reservoirs with large capacity or the ones located at higher elevation, and also highly related with number of mines in the catchment of reservoir. This study can contribute to the systematic management of sediment heavy metals in reservoirs.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.294-304
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• 2022

This study carried out from March 2021 to October 2021 in the upper part (St. 1) and middle part (St. 2) section of Yongsu stream, a branch of the Geum river, using PIT telemetry to understand the movement patterns and habitat characteristics of Odontobutis interrupta, a Korean endemic species. O. interrupta collection was used kick net (5×5 mm) and fish trap (5×5 mm). After collecting fish, PIT tag insertion was performed immediately in the site. Reader (HPR Plus Reader, biomark, USA) and portable Antenna (BP Plus Portable Antenna, biomark, USA) were used for detection of fish to monitoring the tagged O. interrupta. As a result of PIT telemetry applied to 70 individuals, mean movement distance was 36.5 (SE, ±6.6) m. There was a significant difference between total length and movement distance (P≤0.05). O. interrupta was mainly identified in average water depth, 36.2±1.9 cm, average water velocity, 0.03±0.07 m s^-1 and average distance from watershed, 4.4±0.3 m. Extent of rock used for habitat was varied from 32 to 4,000 cm². There was no statistical difference between the area of the first selected rock and the area of the after selected rock (P>0.05). but there was significant difference between total length and the area of the rock except for detection before 24 hours (P<0.01). Therefore, to restore the habitat, it is considered necessary to create various substrate structures by providing various habitat environments (water depth, flow rate, stone, etc.) for each individual size.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.221-230
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• 2022

The spread of invasive alien plants is one of the most important causes of habitat and biodiversity loss. This research was conducted to secure basic data for the control of the invasive alien plant Solidago altissima. The following research objects were examined: the control; one-time mowing in June (1M6); two-time mowing in June and July (2M6M7); one-time mowing in Jun plus one-time Uprooting in July (2M6U7). The length growth in October, when the growth of S. altissima was completed, was in the order of control (199±19.96 cm), 1M6 (152±13.41 cm), 2M6U7 (54±3.17 cm), and 2M6M7 (45±19.96 cm). The 2M6M7 and 2M6U7 treatment was the most effective at inhibiting S. altissima of density, of 50.8% and 26.2% compared to the control, respectively. In contrast, one-time mowing (1M6) resulted in an increase in density compared to the control by 119.7%. In addition, this treatment also reduced flowering rate (%) of S. altissima. The most effective treatment among those tested was 2M6U7.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.212-220
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• 2022

An estuary is a water ecosystem with a high abundance of the species diversity, due to a variety of complex physicochemical factors of the area where freshwater and ocean mixed. The identification of Corbicula species in the estuary environments is difficult because of various morphological characteristics. In this study, we provide taxonomic information on Corbicula species with taxonomic difficulties using morphological and genetic analysis. This study was conducted on clams from the Seomjin River-Gwangyang Bay, one of the major production area of marsh clam in Korea. As a result, we characterized Cytocrome C Oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences of the Corbicula. The 636 bp nucleotide sequences of COI have 98% homology among Corbicula species collected from 2 sites of Seomjin River-Gwangyang Bay. The phylogenetic analysis with 17 species of Corbicula indicated that most of the species collected from Seomjin River-Gwangyang Bay were brackish water clam (Corbicula japonica), and only one Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea). The evolutionary distance between C. japonica and C. fluminea was less than 0.003. Therefore, it was confirmed that C. japonica is phylogenetically closely related to C. fluminea. In 9 species of Cyrenidae, phylogenetic tree was classified into three lineages. These results will be used as an important data for an identification of clam species by providing genetic information for Corbicula species with a morphological diversity.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.320-329
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• 2022

Urban areas in watersheds increase the impervious surface, and agricultural areas deteriorate the water quality of rivers due to the use of fertilizers. As such, anthropogenic land use affects the type, intensity and quantity of land use and is closely related to the amount of substances and nutrients discharged to nearby streams. Riparian vegetation reduce the concentration of pollutants entering the watershed and mitigate the negative impacts of land use on rivers. This study analyzes the data through correlation analysis and regression analysis through point data measured twice a year in spring and autumn in 21 selected damaged tributary rivers within the Han River area, and then uses a structural equation model to determine the area land use. In the negative impact on water quality, the mitigation effect of riparian vegetation was estimated. As a result of the correlation analysis, the correlation between the agricultural area and water quality was stronger than that of the urban area, and the area ratio of riparian vegetation showed a negative correlation with water quality. As a result of the regression analysis, it was found that agricultural areas had a negative effect on water quality in all models, but the results were not statistically significant in the case of urban areas. As a result of the model estimated through the structural equation, BOD, COD, TN, and TP showed a mitigation effect due to the accumulation effect of river water quality through riparian vegetation in agricultural areas, but the effect of riparian vegetation through riparian vegetation was found in urban areas. There was no These results were interpreted as having a fairly low distribution rate in urban areas, and in the case of the study area, there was no impact due to riparian forests due to the form of scattered and distributed settlements rather than high-density urbanized areas. The results of this study were judged to be unreasonable to generalize by analyzing the rivers where most of the agricultural areas are distributed, and a follow-up to establish a structural equation model by expanding the watershed variables in urban areas and encompassing the variables of various factors affecting water quality research is required.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.91-99
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• 2023

Plus tree selection is the essential first step in a tree improvement program. This study was carried out to select plus trees of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) for tree improvement in Korea. The candidate plus trees of black locust were selected from twenty-one places in the four provinces (Gangwon, Gyeonggi, Chungcheong and Gyeongsang) following comparison selection. The trees were examined for qualitative and quantitative traits of economic interest like tree height (H), diameter at breast height (DBH), clear bole height (CBH), stem straightness (SS), crown size (CS) and disease resistance. The 64 selected trees showed higher quality in growth characteristics than control trees. Average of height, DBH, CBH, SS and CS were 20.5 m, 31.1 cm, 10.1 m, 1.2 and 5.2 m respectively. In particular, it was shown that the growth characteristics were higher in Chungcheong population. The superiority percentage of selected candidate plus trees of black locust over their respective check trees ranged from 7.3% to 18.9% in height, 20.0% to 40.6% in DBH, 32.8% to 73.5% in CBH, 42.9% to 55.2% in SS and -11.1% to 9.4% in CS, respectively. The selected black locust will be useful in future tree breeding programs based on their clonal and progeny performance.