• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.112-121
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• 2020

Organic pollution due to coastal development increases the distribution of organic pollution indicators (OPI) and disturbs benthic ecosystems by increasing the number of organic pollution indicators dominant in the target area. However, there is a little researches on the organic pollution levels of benthic ecosystems in subtidal target coast of all over Korea. Therefore, this study analyzed the distribution of macrobenthos in subtidal around the coast development sites of EIA, confirmed the distribution of OPI, and produced the benthic health index-map (organic pollution level) of all coasts of Korea. The benthic health index of the sites was calculated using the density of each OPI, and the image program was used for the benthic health index-map. Organic pollution levels varied by projects for EIA and OPI. Lumbrineris sp. was found to be dominant throughout the coast and correlated with the benthic health index in Korea. Through this study, we will be able to confirm the future organic pollution level in the subtidal ecosystems of the project for EIA through the results of research to macrobenthos in subtidal for EIA. In addition, the distribution of Lumbrineris sp. OPI can be used as an indicator to indirectly evaluate the organic pollution level of the development site.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.11-22
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• 2004

Benthic pollution assessment based on macrobenthic community structure with environmental variables was carried out at twelve stations during two periods on a presumed pollution gradient in Gamak Bay. Univariate and multivariate methods were applied to investigate structural changes in the benthic communities. A clear gradient of pollution effects on the macrobenthic community was observed from the interior to the exterior of the bay. The community on the northwestern basin was severely disturbed due to a low level of hydrodynamics and a large amount of pollutant input from nearby cities. Exterior regions on the southern basin appeared to have the best benthic environmental characteristics among all stations according to most methods of analysis. Central ridge regions and two stations around the islets in the mouth of the bay exhibited intermediate levels of perturbation when compared to the more disturbed interior and undisturbed exterior regions. Pollution effects on the communities were attenuated at the southern area of the central ridge during spring compared to those of summer, where aquacultural farming was densely distributed. The environmental variables primarily correlated to the macrobenthic community structure were total organic carbon (C), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and tributyltins (TBTs), contents found on the surface sediment, as anthropogenic variables indicating organic materials.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.771-781
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• 1997

In order to select an effective and appropriate evaluation method for the marine environmental protection and management, it is necessary to evaluate the present status of environmental conditions and to monitor and regulate the harzadous waste continuously. Among the evaluation methods that use benthic fauna, some graphical methods and biological index methods such as species abundance-biomass (SAB), Rank-frequency diagram (RFD), Abundance-Biomass comparison (ABC), log-normal distribution (LND), and Benthic Pollution Index (BPI) modified by Infaunal Trophic Index were used for the assessments of marine environment in the Inchon coastal area. Even though the graphic methods are convenient for easy glimpse of general trend of environmental condition but because they require sufficient ecological data, those methods do not fit for analysis or comparison of regional and detailed environmental condition. On the other hand, when BPI was applied, it was able to compare the spatial benthic conditions. Through considering the functional aspects of benthic fauna which can not be obtained in the cluster analysis, BPI was made it possible to measure or trace down the source of pollution. In the case of the environmental assessment result analyzed in Inchon coastal area, the north eastern part of Yongjongdo was more influenced by the pollution than the outer area of Inchon. The research indicates that especially Inchon harbor has been greatly affected.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.461-470
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• 1997

There are 7 classes, 17 orders, and 141 species of benthic macroinvertebrates at the 5 study sites from Feb, '91 to May, '92. Total species frequency number has less variations among sites than seasonal changes. Not considering seasonal changes this indicates that there are some influences from outside pollution sources. Seasonally, Ortho chadiinae sp. 2 take 21.2% share of total species. It was the dominant species in Feb. '91. With total average level Ephemeroptera take 51.3% of total species as first dominant species. Diptera 27.8% as second dominant species and Trichoptera 16.7% as third dominant species. Through these biological indexes, they appear to have unstable living environments in summer at sites 1 and 5. One can see that site 1 is more polluted than site 3 because site 1 has more pollution sources such as pastures and recreation areas.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.420-443
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• 2012

An Individual-Based Model (IBM) was developed by employing natural and toxic survival rates of individuals to elucidate the community responses of benthic macroin-vertebrates to anthropogenic disturbance in the streams. Experimental models (dose-response and relative sensitivity) and mathematical models (power law and negative exponential distribution) were applied to determinate the individual survival rates due to acute toxicity in stressful conditions. A power law was additionally used to present the natural survival rate. Life events, covering movement, exposure to contaminants, death and reproduction, were simulated in the IBM at the individual level in small (1 m) and short (1 week) scales to produce species abundance distributions (SADs) at the community level in large (5 km) and long (1~2 years) scales. Consequently, the SADs, such as geometric series, log-series, and log-normal distribution, were accordingly observed at severely (Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP<10), intermediately (BMWP<40) and weakly (BMWP${\geq}50$) polluted sites. The results from a power law and negative exponential distribution were suitably fitted to the field data across the different levels of pollution, according to the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The IBMs incorporating natural and toxic survival rates in individuals were useful for presenting community responses to disturbances and could be utilized as an integrative tool to elucidate community establishment processes in benthic macroin-vertebrates in the streams.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.157-177
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• 1995

Monthly changes in communities of benthic macroinvertebrates collected in the Suyong and Soktae stream of the Suyong river were investigated from September 1993 to August 1994. The total number of species collected during the study period ranged from seven to seventy six species according to pollution levels at the study sites. Monthly changes in species richness appeared differently in different taxonomic assemblages. In chironomids differences in species richness responding to different levels of saprobity were shown consistently as time proceeded. In Ephemeroptera species richness at the relatively clean sites responded sensitively to slight enrichment. In connection with species richness the monthly changes in densities in taxonomic assemblages also appeared to effectively represent environmental impacts. Species diversity generally represented the pollution status also, however the monthly variations at the study sites appeared to be relatively high. The clustering analysis showed that the communities collected at polluted sites were grouped closely, and the communities collected at the relatively clean sites were clustered to the same stream although the degree of community association was low, Through the Principal Component Analysis, the impact of Pollution was reflected in a great degree in overall community variations.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.514-536
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• 2018

GPI (Group Pollution Index) using 29 indicator groups of Korean benthic macroinvertebrates was proposed in 1992, a higher category taxa-level index developed for rapid field assessment of organic water pollution. This study was performed to revise the assessment scheme of GPI based on taxonomic performance and ecological information accumulated since 1992. The original GPI was renamed SBMI (Simple Benthic Macroinvertebrates Index), and SBMI was based on saprobic valency of 26 indicator groups composed of higher category taxa (mainly family ~ phylum) excluding some genus or species-level taxa. SBMI revealed highly significant correlation with concentration of 5-day biochemical oxygen demand ($BOD_5$) (correlation coefficient r = 0.78, n = 569 sites), total suspended solids (r = 0.69), and total phosphorus (r = 0.77). Also, SBMI revealed strong correlation with Shannon-Weaver's species diversity (r = -0.85), Margalef's species richness (r = -0.85), and McNaughton's dominance (r = 0.83). Determination coefficient of SBMI to concentration of water quality items and values of community indices such as species diversity was 3 ~ 8 % and approximately 11 ~ 14 % higher than that of GPI, respectively. Correlation between SBMI and water quality factors or community indices such as species diversity did not reveal much difference compared to that of species-level indices, such as BMI (Benthic Macroinvertebrates Index) and ESB (Ecological Score of Benthic Macroinvertebrates). SMBI is a simple-qualitative index with higher category taxa easily identified, and is applicable for rapid field assessment of water environment impairment.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.246-253
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• 2011

In this study, we investigated the effect of freshwater discharge on benthic community in Nakdong estuaries. The sediment was dominated by sand except few channels where heterogenetic sediment composition was observed. Sediment composition was rarely affected by freshwater discharge during the rainy season; however, organic content in the sediment slightly increased after the rainy season. Macrobenthic species composition differed spatially. For instance, species composition decreased after the rainy season near the barrage. Benthic community analysis revealed three groups, in which the first group was found between barrage and sand bars located at the mouth of estuary, the second group was observed outside the sand bars, and the last group was found in the channel. Opportunistic benthic species indicative of organic pollution, such as Sinocorophium sinensis, Magelona japonica, and Heteromastus filiformis, dominated areas close to the barrage. Organic pollution by freshwater discharge appears to be responsible for the emergence of opportunistic benthic species, and this influenced areas from the mouth of bay to sand bars. Outside the sand bars, freshwater discharge did not seem to have affected species composition.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.510-524
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• 2022

For the assessment of the benthic community health of Jinhae Bay using the Benthic Pollution Index, macrobenthic fauna samples were seasonally collected from 23 different sites between February, 2011 and November, 2012. The macrobenthic community health status was classified as "Poor" or "Very Poor" except for the bay mouth part of Jinhae Bay at the northern part of Geoje Island. A large proportion of functional Group IV and even azoic conditions appeared due to summer hypoxia at sites in sheltered regions of Jinhae Bay. Some of the dominant species recruited after summer hypoxia were Paraprionospio patiens, Sigambra bassi, and Theora fragilis belong to typical opportunistic species. By comparing the BPI values of the macrobenthic communities from other special management areas of Korea, Jinhae Bay was considered to have the lowest condition that was heavily polluted among special management areas.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2012

The Jinwi stream, which is located in the Gyeonggi Province, shows a large variation in water quality from the upper stream to downstream. Therefore the Jinwi stream is suitable for assessing changes to the benthic macroinvertebrate community structure according to saprobity. This study was conducted to find out the applicability of biotic indices for water quality pollution through an analysis of the correlation between water quality and benthic macroinvertebrate indices for the Jinwi stream. Along with the pollution of water, the species composition of Ephemeroptera decreased, while that of Annelida increased. The ecological score for the benthic macroinvertebrate community (ESB) showed more significant correlations than any other biotic index (H', DI, R1, J, EPT and KSI) with the water quality items.