• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.2 s.90
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• pp.109-118
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• 2000

The dynamics of inorganic nutrients and phytoplankton population were examined at eight stations of Shihwa Reservoir, which situated near the cities newly constructed and the industrial complex of West-sea in Korea, from January to December 1999. Among environmental factors, average concentration of $NH_4$, SRP and SRSi were $522.7\;{\mu}g\;N/l$, $9.8\;{\mu}g\;N/l$ and $0.26\;{\mu}g\;Si/l$, respectively. Water quality was extremely deteriorated by a great amount of pollutants load into inner reservoir after the event of rainfall. Nutrients concentration was suddenly decreased toward the lower part. While $NO_3$ concentration did not much varied among stations, but it was relatively high in winter season. Chlorophyll-a concentration was high at the upper part of the reservoir, with average of $37.2\;{\mu}/l$, and closely related to the fluctuation of $NH_4$, SRP and SRSi concentrations. The phytoplankton development in the water column was dominated by diatom (autumn), prasinoid (winter) and dinoflagellate (summer). Dominant phytoplankton were composed to Skeletonema costatum of diatom, Prorocentrum minimum of dinoflagellate, Chroomonas spp. of cryptomonad, Eutreptiella gymnastica of euglenoid and Pyramimonas spp. of prasinoid. The large bloom of phytoplankton at the upper zone of the Shihwa Reservoir after inflow of a seawater were consistently observed. In consequence, water quality management of the inlet stream was assessed to be very important and urgent.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.2 s.90
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• pp.128-135
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• 2000

The authors surveyed the seasonal variations of environmental factors, the distributions of heterotrophic bacteria and Anabaena cylindrica growth-inhibiting bacteria at each water layer in Daechung Reservoir to verify the role of bacteria during the extinction of bloom. Average water depth at site 1, 2, and 3 were 25.5 m, 15.0 m and 12.3 m, respectively. Water temperature showed a typical pattern seasonally. The variation of DO was relatively inverse proportional to that of water temperature, although it was irregular during summer time. DO decreased gradually to early May, fluctuated sharply after then, and followed by gradual increasement after middle of September. This variation pattern was notable at surface layer. There was remarkable difference in DO concentraion between surface layer and the other water layers during the period in which DO irregulary varied. The variation range of chlorophyll-a concentraion at surface layer in summer time was broad, and it was relatively high when DO was high. The population size of heterotrophic bacteria was high from Spring to Autumn, an declined after September when the water temperature droped rapidly. Especially this variation pattern was prominent at the surface layer. Bacteria that inhibit the growth of A. cylindrica was almost not detected by June, and its distribution increased in July. Afterward, it showed different variation pattern between each site. The distribution of A. cylindrica growth-inhibiting bacteria was higher at the middle and bottom layer than the surface layer in July and October, when it was larger at all sites for the study period. This result suggests that the antagonistic bacteria exhibit higher activity when host activity drops. These results also suggest that natural water bacteria control the distirbution of cyanobacteria, especially its activity as controller is remarkable when cyanobacterial growth declines.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.2 s.90
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• pp.176-186
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• 2000

The present study was carried out to clarify the structure and dynamics of copepod community and the relationship between this community and environmental factors during the period from February 1998 to July 1999. Copepods consists of 21 genera and 32 species, monthly variations of number of species were 15 species in May, 1998 and 2 species November, 1998. The number of species were 22 species in station 12 and station 1, 2, 3 occurred nauplii of copepoda only. Average abundance ranged from $8,330\;ind./m^3$ (in June, 1999) to $177\;ind./m^3$ (in November, 1998). Relationships between water temperature and number of species were as follows: 20 species occurred from 20.1 to $25.0^{\circ}C$ and nuplii of copepoda only occurred from 0.0 to $5.0^{\circ}C$. The number of species by salinity range were 19 species in $20.1{\sim}25.0%_o$ and 9 species in $0{\sim}0.5%_o$. The number of species by trophic state index (TSIm) of chlorophyll a were 25 species in oligotrophic state and 9 species in eutrophic state. Relationships between pH and number of species were as follows: 20 species occurred from 7.6 to 8.0 and from 9.1 to 9.5 was none. The number of species by DO range were 22 species in 6.5 to 7.5 mg/l and 1 species in 14.5 to 15.5 mg/l. The percentage calculated effect by stepwise multiple regression of the pearson correlation coefficient value of environmental factors and copepoda abundance (station 1-station 4) revealed that positive effect was 15.49% in COD, 25.86% in $Cl^-$, 19.75% in $NO_2-N$ and negative effect was 28.30% in $NO_3-N$. Also, Positive effect (station 5-station 12) revealed that 29.49% in water temperature, 28.27% in $NO_3-N$, 22.87% in $NO_2-N$ and negative effect was 30.18% in conductivity and 13.53% in DO.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.253-262
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• 2015

The sustainability of Cypripedium japonicum, a rare plant designated by the Korea Forest Service, is threatened due to artificial factors such as habitat loss and climate change etc. and internal factors such as changes in biological properties of the habitat etc. but conservation research has not been performed in South Korea. The objective of this study is to establish the species conservation strategies by analyzing the characteristics of their habitats, including: 1) Population characteristics, and 2) habitat analysis of the vegetation and abiotic environments. From April to September, 2014, population characteristics [density (stems $m^{-2}$), flowering rate (%), and leaf area ($cm^2$)] in Cypripedium japonicum habitats such as Chuncheon (CC), Hwacheon (HC), Muju (MJ), and Gwangyang (GY) and vegetation characteristics (plant sociological research and ordination analysis), and abiotic environments [temperature ($^{\circ}C$), relative humidity (%), transmitted light ($mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$) and canopy openness (%)] were measured. Cypripedium japonicum was mainly distributed at elevation 450 to 990 m and 5 to $30^{\circ}$ slope. Slope direction was shown as 0 to $110^{\circ}$. Habitats temperature (mean $18.94^{\circ}C$) was well matched to seasonal changes. Differences among sites showed greater level according to latitude difference. It showed the highest in habitat, GY located in the South. On the other hand, relative humidity (77.38%) didn't show much difference among sites. The average degree of canopy openness was 18.17%. It showed the highest at HC (22.1%) and the lowest at MJ (16.1%). The average degree of transmitted light was $9.1mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$. It showed the highest at CC ($10.6mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$) and the lowest at GY ($6.87mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}d^{-1}$). Chlorophyll content showed average 26.12 SPAD. It showed the highest at MJ (30.64 SPAD value) and the lowest at HC (23.69 SPAD value). Leaf area was average $253.35cm^2$. It showed the highest at CC ($281.51cm^2$) and the lowest at HC ($238.23cm^2$).

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.219-228
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• 2015

To secure water resources, dams are normally constructed on the upper - middle part of streams, and it generates physical disturbances such as habitat alteration and stream fragmentation. Such construction can restrict movement of aquatic organisms, especially for freshwater fish which is one of top predator in aquatic ecosystem, and cause genetic fragmentation and community change. In this study, to investigate impact of habitat alteration after dam construction on freshwater fish, we monitored fish community changes, and compared fish fauna between dam reservoir and inflows. Additionally, movement characteristics and habitat boundaries of four species were identified by radio telemetry method. The study was conducted in the Gunwi Dam which was constructed in December 2010. Radio telemetry was applied to Pungtungia herzi, Zacco platypus (living lotic and lentic), Silurus asotus (lentic preferred species) and Zacco koreanus (lotic preferred species). The number of species was remarkably decreased (4 family, 10 species) comparing with before the dam construction (7 family, 15 species). Specifically, Coreoleuciscus splendidus, Niwaella multifasciata, Liobagrus mediadiposalis, Coreoperca herzi and Odontobutis platycephala that inhabit in the lotic environment were not collected in the study area. A total of 8 species were caught in both the dam reservoir and tributaries except 2 species (C. auratus and S. asotus). Sorenson's similarity between the reservoir and its tributaries was high (0.842). All of the radio tagged species stayed in the reservoir except S. asotus which moved to the tributary. These species mainly utilized the shallow littoral zone as a habitat. These results could be useful as a baseline data for efficient management of fishes in lakes.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.229-237
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• 2015

This study aims to offer basic data to effectively preserve and manage pine forests using more precise pine forests' distribution status. In this regard, this study predicts the geographical distribution change of pine forests growing in South Korea, due to climate change, and evaluates the spatial distribution characteristics of pine forests by age. To this end, this study predicts the potential distribution change of pine forests by applying the MaxEnt model useful for species distribution change to the present and future climate change scenarios, and analyzes the effects of bioclimatic variables on the distribution area and change by age. Concerning the potential distribution regions of pine forests, the pine forests, aged 10 to 30 years in South Korea, relatively decreased more. As the area of the region suitable for pine forest by age was bigger, the decreased regions tend to become bigger, and the expanded regions tend to become smaller. Such phenomena is conjectured to be derived from changing of the interaction of pine forests by age from mutual promotional relations to competitive relations in the similar climate environment, while the regions suitable for pine forests' growth are mostly overlap regions. This study has found that precipitation affects more on the distribution of pine forests, compared to temperature change, and that pine trees' geographical distribution change is more affected by climate's extremities including precipitation of driest season and temperature of the coldest season than average climate characteristics. Especially, the effects of precipitation during the driest season on the distribution change of pine forests are irrelevant of pine forest's age class. Such results are expected to result in a reduction of the pine forest as the regions with the increase of moisture deficiency, where climate environment influencing growth and physiological responses related with drought is shaped, gradually increase according to future temperature rise. The findings in this study can be applied as a useful method for the prediction of geographical change according to climate change by using various biological resources information already accumulated. In addition, those findings are expected to be utilized as basic data for the establishment of climate change adaptation policies related to forest vegetation preservation in the natural ecosystem field.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.238-252
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• 2015

The effect of weir construction (2009~2011) was investigated on algal bloom dynamics and surrounding conditions in the Youngsan River by analyzing the long-term (2001~2014) data provided by the Water Information System, Ministry of Environment. The data include chlorophyll a and water properties such as total suspended solids (TSS), ammonium ($NH_4{^+}$), nitrate ($NO_3{^-}$), orthophosphate ($PO{_4}^{3-}$), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and DIN/DIP molar ratio collected from 12 stations along the channel of the river. Temporal variations were examined using data collected monthly from 2001~2014 and Box-Whisker plot was used to examine the difference in algal bloom dynamics between before (2006~2008) and after (2012~2014) the weir construction. Pearson's correlation analysis was also used to analyze the correlation of parameters. The results showed that TSS affecting water turbidity increased during the construction but decreased especially at the stations located in the upper and middle regions of the river after the construction. Ammonium concentrations increased whereas the concentrations of other nutrients decreased after the construction inducing an increase in N:P molar ratio. Chlorophyll a decreased suddenly during the construction but increased clearly after the construction at the stations where TSS decreased. This indicates that algal blooms can develop in the Youngsan River due to a decrease in turbidity that increases light penetration in water column although the concentrations of nutrients such as orthophosphate were reduced after the weir construction.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.212-218
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• 2015

In South Korea, various nature-like fishways recently been installed for use by a wide variety of fish species. However, limited attempts have been made to monitor the fish utilization. The present study was conducted to ascertain the frequencies and patterns of utilization of the fishway installed at Beakjae Weir. We collected fish species that use the fishway by installing a fyke net at the exit of the fishway at least once a month from April 2013 to October 2013. Additionally, in order to identify all fish species that can potentially use the fishway, we investigated the fish fauna downstream to Beakjae Weir (mainstream of the Geum River). We found that 10 species belonging to 2 families used the fishway; this accounted for 64% of the total species inhabiting the mainstream. The species that used the fishway most frequently were Microphysogobio jeoni, followed by Squaliobarbus curriculus and Opsariichthys uncirostris amurensis. The highest number of fish using the fishway was observed in August, which was positively correlated with the water temperature (Spearman rank correlation, $r_s$=0.743, P=0.035). The sizes of the fish using the fishway varied widely, with the total body length ranging from 39 mm to 550 mm. Analysis of the time-dependent utilization frequency revealed that most fish used the fishway during the night (20:00~08:00). Compared to other fishways installed along the Geum River, the fishway installed at Beakjae Weir was used by fewer species and fish. This may be attributed to the structural inadequacy of the fishway, thereby resulting in a low attraction efficiency. Therefore, measures should be adopted to enhance the fishway attraction and passage efficiency. The results of this study can be used to ensure efficient operation and management of the Beakjae Weir fishway as well as serve as basic data for developing and building nature-like fishways tailored to Korean situations.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.203-211
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• 2015

Forest vegetation of Hwangjangsan (1,077.3 m) in Woraksan National Park is classified into mountain forest vegetation. Mountain forest vegetation is subdivided into deciduous broad-leaved forest, mountain valley forest, coniferous forest, riparian forest, afforestation and other vegetation. Including 55 communities of mountain forest vegetation and 4 communities of other vegetation, the total of 59 communities were researched; mountain forest vegetation classified by physiognomy classification are 28 communities deciduous broad-leaved forest, 12 communities of mountain valley forest, 3 communities of coniferous forests, 2 communities of riparian forest, 10 afforestation and 4 other vegetation. As for the distribution rate for surveyed main communities, Quercus mongolica and Quercus variabilis communities account for 65.928 percent of deciduous broad leaved forest, Fraxinus rhynchophylla - Quercus mongolica community takes up 41.459 percent of mountain valley forest, Pinus densiflora community holds 86.100 percent of mountain coniferous forest holds. In conclusion, minority species consisting of Quercus mongolica, Pinus densiflora, Quercus variabilis, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, and Quercus serrata are distributed as dominant species of the uppermost part in a forest vegetation region in Woraksan National Park. In addition, because of vegetation succession and climate factors, numerous colonies formed by the two species are expected to be replaced by Quercus mongolica, Quercus variabilis, and Fraxinus rhynchophylla which are climax species in the area.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.327-336
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• 2011

Temporal and spatial variations of primary productivity were investigated in the estuary of Youngsan River and Mokpo coastal areas in 2009. After heavy rain, concentrations of ammonium, phosphate, and silicate increased at six stations in August. The torrential rainfall may cause an increase in nutrient concentrations during summer. There is no limitation of nutrients (except for February at the mid-Youngsan estuarine region YS2) but a potential phosphate limitation was apparent at all stations. Silicate depletion was observed at YS2 in February due to a massive diatom bloom. The trophic status of the Youngsan estuary and Mokpo coastal areas were inferred from an assessment of the primary productivity. In February and May, YS1 (upper Youngsan estuary site) and YS2, YS3 (near the Youngsan river estuary barrage), MP1 (upper Mokpo coastal region site) were appropriately assigned to the mesotrophic category. MP2 (mid-Mokpo coastal region site) and MP3 (outer site of Mokpo coastal region) were assigned to the oligotrophic category. All stations were classified to the oligotrophic status in November. In August, after heavy rain, Youngsan estuary stations maintained mesotrophic status. On the other hand, MP1 and MP2 were classified in the eutrophic category and MP3 to mesotrophic status. In particular, primary productivities of MP1 and MP2 were 9 and 7 times higher respectively than the standard of eutrophic status ($1,000-mgC\;m^{-2}d^{-1}$). These results suggest that a massive freshwater discharge from the Youngsan River estuary should be considered a main factor in the occurrence of phytoplankton bloom in Mokpo coastal areas during summer. Seasonal variations of primary productivity are closely related with depth-integrated Chl. a.