• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.3 s.113
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• pp.322-333
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• 2005

Total phosphorus (TP) and suspended solids (SS) were measured in the discharge waters from 5 drainage basins of Lake Yongdam, from April, 2002 till March, 2004. The responses of SS and TP to rainfall were analyzed and their loadings into Lake Yongdam were calculated. The inflowing rivers into Lake Yongdam were the Juja River, the Jeongja River, the Jinan River, the Geum River and the Guryang River. Among these rivers Jinan River showed the highest TP that fluctuated very much according to the flow rate. TP and the flow rates (Q) of each river showed positive correlations with empirical relationsip of $TP\;=\;6.32Q^{0.30}$ for the Juia River, $TP\;=\;8.58Q^{0.49}$ for the Jeongia River, $TP\;=\;307.92Q^{0.10}$, for the Jinan River, $TP\;=\;17.91Q^{0.47}$, for the Geum River, $TP\;=\;20.11Q^{0.53}$ for Guryang River. In April 2002 ${\sim}$ March 2003, phosphorus loadings from the Juja River, the Jeongja River, the Jinan River, the Geum River and the Guryang River were calculated to be 3,677, 11,430, 36,412, 89,651, and 42,226 kgP ${\cdot}$ $yr^{-1}$ respectively. And the specific loadings from the Juja River, the Jeongia River, the Jinan River, the Geum River and the Guryang River were calculated to be 0.3, 2.9, 13.6, 9.3, and 13.0 kgP ${\cdot}$ $km^{-2}$ ${\cdot}$ $yr^{-1}$ respectively. In April 2002 ${\sim}$ March 2004, the suspended particles loading from the Juja River, the Jeongia River, the Jinan River, the Geum River and the Guryang River were 673, 1,232, 4,232, 30,902, 80,202 ton ${\cdot}$ $yr^{-1}$ respectively. The Guryang River showed the largest contribution of SS loading.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.3 s.113
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• pp.372-381
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• 2005

This study was conducted to test the efficiency of water quality improvement using the dissolved air flotation (DAF) technique in a shallow eutrophic reservoir. The application of DAF was followed by the addition of a chemical coagulant (poly aluminum chloride; PAC). The experiment was conducted in the mesocosm scale (wide ${\times}$ length ${\times}$ depth: 6 m ${\times}$ 6 m ${\times}$ 3 m). Suspended solids (SS) and volatile SS (VSS) concentration decreased by 54 ${\sim}$ 71% and 57 ${\sim}$ 79% of the initial concentrations, respectively. Total phosphorus and Chl- a concentration also decreased by 74 ${\sim}$ 92% and 54 ${\sim}$ 98%, respectively. BOD decreased by>86% while COD decrease ranged 29 ${\sim}$ 63%. Dissolved inorganic P (DIP) and dissolved total P (DTP) concentration decreased by 34 ${\sim}$ 88% and 62 ${\sim}$ 88%, respectively. After DAF application further onto the sediment, DIP-release rates from the sediment decreased by 17% (0.82 ${\to}$ 0.68 mg $m^{-2}$$day^{-1}$ in the oxic condition and 23% (2.27 ${\to}$ 1.76 mg $m^{-2}$$day^{-1}$) in the anoxic condition, compared to the release rate from the untreated sediment. DTP-release rate from both the oxic and anoxic sediments also decreased by 33% (5.62 ${\to}$ 3.78 mg $m^{-2}$$day^{-1}$) and 20% (6.23 ${\to}$ 4.99 mg $m^{-2}$$day^{-1}$), respectively. These results suggest that the DAF application both to the water column and onto the sediment be effective to improve water quality by removing particulate matters in the water column as well as reducing P-release from the sediment.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.34 no.3 s.95
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• pp.153-165
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• 2001

We evaluated the health condition of Pyong-Chang river, the tributary of Han- River, using the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) and Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) during September 1999${\sim}$August 2000. The annual mean of IBI,　which was estimated using eleven metrics, was 49 (range: $45{\sim}51$) and the mean of QHEI, which was estimated using seven parameters, was 88 (range: $76{\sim}94$) during　the study. The river health, based on the IBI criteria of Karr (1981), ranged from "excellent" to "good" conditions, while based on the habitat criteria of Plafkin et al. (1989), it ranged from "pristine" (comparable to reference) to "supporting" conditions. Values of IBI showed slight differences between upstream and downstream sites and QHEI values varied weakly depending on characteristics of variables. Regression analyses showed that annual values of QHEI had no functional relations with stream order (p = 1.82; n = 8) but showed some decreases near slight point-sources. This result indicates that conditions of physical habitat did not change highly with increases of the stream order. According to analyses of feed guilds, relative abundance of insectivores, omnivores and carnivores was 85.1%, 3.5% 0.3%, respectively. Also, relative abundance of sensitive and tolerant species was 75% and 4.6%, respectively, while exotic and morphological anomalies were not found in the river. These outcomes indicate that health condition of fish, based on the trophic conditions of U.S. EPA (1993), was excellent in the river. Regression analyses of IBI values against the QHEI showed that the variation of habitat conditions accounted 57% for the variation of the Index of Biological Integrity (p<0.05; $R^2\;=\;0.57$; n = 7).Overall data of IBI and QHEI suggest that the river health in the present is in optimal conditions but may be degradated by acceleration of chemical inputs and physical-habitat disturbance.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.3 s.113
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• pp.341-351
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• 2005

Ecological stream health, based on the index of biological integrity (IBI) , was evaluated at five sampling locations of Youdeung Stream during August-October 2004. For the study, we also analyzed spatial and temporal patterns of conventional water quality over tine period of 1995 ${\sim}$ 2004, using the water chemistry dataset, obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Korea. The water quality parameters used here were conductivity, total suspended solids (TSS), biochemical oxygen demand $(BOD_5)$, chemical oxygen demand $(COD_{mn})$, total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP). The multi-metric model values averaged 27.8 in the stream and ranged 24 ${\sim}$ 32. The health condition was judged as 'Fair' to 'Poor' conditions, according to the stream health criteria of US EPA (1993). Longitudinal variation occurred from the upstream to downstream reach; largest differences in all water quality variables occurred between Site 5 and the other sites. This was mainly attributed to the impacts of wastewater treatment plants near the locations. Also, relative proportions of tolerance and omnivore species increased in downstream reaches. The model values, however, did not match the values, based on water quality parameters. We assume that this may be associated with primarily reduced water volumn during dry season in the stream along with modified physical habitat conditions.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.3 s.113
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• pp.361-371
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• 2005

The objective of study was to diagnose integrative ecological health of Daejeon Stream, one of the tributaries of Guem River, during May 2004 ${\sim}$ April 2005. The research approach was primarily based on a Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) and the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) using fish assemblage. These outcomes were compared with conventional chemical dataset. For the experiment, four sampling sites were chosen from Daejeon Stream and long-term water quality data during 1995 ${\sim}$ 2004 (obtained from the Ministry of Environment) were analyzed in the spatial and temporal aspects. For the biological health assessment, we developed a stream health assessment model (SHA model) far regional applications. We found that current water quality conditions, based on the COD, BOD, TN and TP, were enhanced by 1.6 ${\sim}$ 5.3 fold over the period of 1995 ${\sim}$ 2004 and that the parameters showed a typical longitudinal decline from the upstream to downstream reach. The differences of water quality between the two reaches were more than 4.4 times, indicating a large spatial variations within the stream. The health conditions, based on the SHA model, averaged 23 and varied from 20 to 26 depending on the sampling stations. Values of the QHEI varied from 39 (Poor condition) to 124 (Cood condition)and values of QHEI in the reach of S2 ${\sim}$ S4 had significantly lower than in the headwater site (S1). Also, biological stream health, based on the criteria of US EPA (1993), was judged as 'Poor condition', in the S4 where TN, TP, BOD and COD were highest. In the meantime, maximum value of SHA (26) was found in the upstream reach (S1) where the water quality and QHEI were best. We also found that compositions of sensitive species showed a linear function with water quality conditions and this pattern was evident in the tolerant species. Thus, the biological stream health, based on the SHA model, matched well water chemistry. Overall outcomes suggest that the biological health impact was a function of chemical degradation and physical habitat quality in the stream.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.37 no.4 s.109
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• pp.436-447
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• 2004

Wetland plants have evolved specialized adaptations to survive in the low-oxygen conditions associated with prolonged flooding. The development of internal gas space by means of aerenchyma is crucial for wetland plants to transport $O_2$ from the atmosphere into the roots and rhizome. The formation of tissue with high porosity depends on the species and environmental condition, which can control the depth of root penetration and the duration of root tolerance in the flooded sediments. The oxygen in the internal gas space of plants can be delivered from the atmosphere to the root and rhizome by both passive molecular diffusion and convective throughflow. The release of $O_2$ from the roots supplies oxygen demand for root respiration, microbial respiration, and chemical oxidation processes and stimulates aerobic decomposition of organic matter. Another essential mechanism of wetland plants is downward water movement across the root zone induced by water uptake. Natural and constructed wetlands sediments have low hydraulic conductivity due to the relatively fine particle sizes in the litter layer and, therefore, negligible water movement. Under such condition, the water uptake by wetland plants creates a water potential difference in the rhizosphere which acts as a driving force to draw water and dissolved solutes into the sediments. A large number of anatomical, morphological and physiological studies have been conducted to investigate the specialized adaptations of wetland plants that enable them to tolerate water saturated environment and to support their biochemical activities. Despite this, there is little knowledge regarding how the combined effects of wetland plants influence the biogeochemistry of wetland sediments. A further investigation of how the Presence of plants and their growth cycle affects the biogeochemistry of sediments will be of particular importance to understand the role of wetland in the ecological environment.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.3 s.104
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• pp.336-343
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• 2003

Two types of statistical models, simple and multivariate log linear models, were studied for continuity simulation and trend analysis of water qualities in incoming flows to Lake Paldang. Water quality is a function of one independent variable (flow) in the simple log linear model, and of three different variables (flow, time, and seasonal cycle) in multivariate model. The independent variables act as surrogate variables of water quality in both models. The model coefficients were determined by the monthly data. The water qualities included 5-day Biochemical Oxygen Demand ($BOD_5$), Total Nitrogen (TN), and Total Phosphorus (TP) measured from 1995 to 2000 in the South and the North branches of Han River and the Kyoungan Stream. The results indicated that the multivariate model provided better agreements with field measurements than the simple one in a31 attempted cases. Flow dependency, seasonality, and temporal trends of water quality were tested on the determined coefficients of the multivariate model. The test of flow dependency indicated that BOD concentrations decreased as the water flow increased. In TN and TP concentrations, however, there were no discernible flow effects. From the temporal trend analyses, the following results were obtained: 1) no trends on BOD at all three upstreams, 2) increase on TN at the South Branch and the Kyoungan Stream, 3)decrease on TN at the North Branch,4) no trends on TP at the North and the South Branches and 5) increase on TP at the Kyoungan Stream by 3 to 8% per years. The seasonality test showed that there were significant seasonal variations in all three water qualities at three incoming flows.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.1 s.102
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• pp.83-94
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• 2003

Concentrated releases of zinc into water usually results from discharges associated with industrial purpose. The released zinc into soil is corroded and released into water. In aquatic environment, exess zinc is toxic to the organisms and causes the growth inhibition and malformation of them as a heavy metal. In this study, excess zinc toxicity was tested by FETAX (frog embryo teratogenetic assay with Xenopus)as in vivo system. Xenopus embryos at st.9 were exposed to $100{\sim}900\;{\mu}M$ of zinc for 7 days and 81% of individuals were survived in 100 ${\mu}M$, and 25% were survived in 1000M of zinc solution. In external malformations, swelled belly and intestinal dysplasia were common, and all of tested individuals showed these malformations in 200 ${\mu}M$ or higher concentration of zinc. In 400 ${\mu}M$ or higher concentration, all of tested tadpoles showed faded heart. Also, hypo-pigmentation, lens hernia and loose digestive track were very frequently found in 100 ${\mu}M$ of zinc. The histological study with paraffin section of zinc treated tadpoles showed following abnormalities; regeneration of photoreceptor on retina, reduced vitreous chamber in eye, reduction of red blood cells in heart, abnormal liver, swelling of pronephric cell, muscle dysplasia and palatal papilloma. These abnormalities may be caused by the degeneration of mitochondria, inhibition of cell adhesion, and the formation of leghemoglobin by zinc due to the substitution of $Ca^{2+}$ by $Zn^{2+}$. The body length was reduced due to the excess zinc. From a statistical result, body lengths of 300 ${\mu}M$ or higher concentrative g개ups was significantly reduced comparing that of control group. Recently, many spontaneous malformations and reduction of amphibians are reported, From the results of present study, excess zinc mi호t be a factor of amphibian reduction, and the control of zinc discharges is very important.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.3 s.104
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• pp.322-335
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• 2003

Nutrient fluxes and sediment oxygen demands (SOD) were measured with intact sediment cores collected from three stations in the downstream of Nagdong River. The sediments were subjected to controlled oxic and hypoxic conditions and temperature gradients (from $10^{\circ}C$ to $30^{\circ}C$) of the overlying waters in laboratory batch system. The effect of temperature and labile layer thickness of the sediment on SOD were examined. $PO_4\;^{3-}$ and $NH_4\;^+$ fluxes were elevated above $20^{\circ}C$ and large mobilities were observed when they were coupled with a hypoxic and high-temperature condition. In the well oxygenated conditions, $PO_4\;^{3-}$ fluxes were negative or negligible but $NH_4\;^+$ fluxes ranged from 1.3 mg N $m^{-2}\;hr^{-1}$ to 2.3 $m^{-2}\;hr^{-1}$. Temperature quotients($Q_{10}$) of $PO_4\;^{3-}$ fluxes were 3.7 ${\sim}$ 7.3 ranges to have the most high values. $PO_4\;^{3-}$ and $NH_4\;^+$ fluxes had the logarithmic increase with temperature, while $NO_3\;^-$ was negatively absorbed to the sediment and linearly correlated with the temperature. $SiO_2$ fluxes showed no difference among oxic and hypoxic conditions and sediment texture. The nutrient fluxes would be closely correlated with pore water chemistry of sediments and activated by the top sediment layer composition such as labile organic matters or algal detritus. The ecological implications of the nutrient fluxes were discussed in terms of sources and sinks of nutrients coupled to algal productions in the Nagdong River.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.1 s.102
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• pp.38-47
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• 2003

The water quality of the Pyeongtaek Reservoir and its main streams has been eval uated far water pollution state in March, June, September and December,2000. The following are the findings: $NH_4$ accounts for the majority of TN in the inflow streams. In the reservoir, TN and $NH_4$ are the more present in the winter season and less in the summer season, with $1.6{\sim}2.4$ times of $NO_3$ and $5.3{\sim}11.4$ times of $NO_2$ found in December and June compared with other seasons. The concentration of each component is different between streams: $NH_4$ among inorganic nitrogen has the highest concentration in the upstream, and $NO_3$ is more prevalent in the downstream. SRP accounts for $25{\sim}69%$ of TP in the stream. Unlike N component, P component in the reservoir rapidly decreases from upstream toward downstream, except in the summer. Average SRSi slightly increases in the fall, i.e., immediately after rainfall. In the streams, the average concentration of chlorophyll-a ranges from 9 to $33{\mu}g/l$, and is relatively high in the downstream. In contrast, in the reservoir, it is the highest in the upstream where $NH_4$ and SRP are frequently found. In particular, diatom and cryptomonad algae are bloomed in March, and blue-green algae in September; their maximum values are $108{\mu}g/l$ and $130{\mu}g/l$, respectively. Considering the concentration of N and P nutrients, pollution loads can affect the Pyeongtaek Reservoir in the downstream in this order: Ansong Stream