• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.133-142
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• 2010

This study was performed to investigate the community structure of the macrobenthic invertebrates around Ui Island, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea. Benthic invertebrates were collected during May and September 2008 at seven stations. A total of 63 macrobenthic species was collected. The overall average macrobenthos density and biomass were 268 inds. $m^{-2}$ and 11.54 gWWt $m^{-2}$, respectively. Based on abundance data, there were 5 dominant species accounting for approximately 72.00% of total individuals. The polychaetes Notomastus latericeus, Scolelepis sagittaria, Amaeana occidentalis, Glycera chirori and the amphipoda Mandibulophoxus mai were found in high densities. The conventional multi-variate statistics (cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling) applied to assess spatial variation in macrobenthic assemblages. As a result, three communities could be distinguished: a sand dominated, a mixed sediment and a third community in the mud dominated station. The community in the sand dominated station was characterized by high abundance of the polychaetes S. sagittaria and the amphipods M. mai, Monoculodes sp. and Grandifoxus malipoensis. However, the most common species within the mixed sediment station were the polychaetes N. latericeus, A. occidentalis and amphipoda Urothoe sp.. Finally the mud dominated station was numerically dominated by the polychaetes Scolelepis sp., Heteromastus filiformis and Sigambra tentaculata. In conclusion, the sediment composition may be important factors controlling of the macrobenthic community structure in the study area.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Sciences Society Conference
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• 1998.10a
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• pp.2-4
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• 1998

Proliferation of Nocardia amarae cells in activated sludge has often been associated with the generation of nuisance foams. Despite intense research activities in recent years to examine the causes and control of Nocardia foaming in activated sludge, the foaming continued to persist throughout the activated sludge treatment plants in United States. In addition to causing various operational problems to treatment processes, the presence of Nocardia may have secondary effects on the fate of heavy metals that are not well known. For example, for treatment plants facing more stringent metal removal requirements, potential metal removal by Nocardia cells in foaming activated sludge would be a welcome secondary effect. In contrast, with new viosolid disposal regulations in place (Code o( Federal Regulation No. 503), higher concentration of metals in biosolids from foaming activated sludge could create management problems. The goal of this research was to investigate the metal sorption property of Nocardia amarae cells grown in batch reactors and in chemostat reactors. Specific surface area and metal sorption characteristics of N. amarae cells harvested at various growth stages were compared. Three metals examined in this study were copper, cadmium and nickel. Nocardia amarae strain (SRWTP isolate) used in this study was obtained from the University of California at Berkeley. The pure culture was grown in 4L batch reactor containing mineral salt medium with sodium acetate as the sole carbon source. In order to quantify the sorption of heavy metal ions to N amarae cell surfaces, cells from the batch reactor were harvested, washed, and suspended in 30mL centrifuge tubes. Metal sorption studies were conducted at pH 7.0 and ionlc strength of 10-2M. The sorption Isotherm showed that the cells harvested from the stationary and endogenous growth phase exhibited significantly higher metal sorption capacity than the cells from the exponential phase. The sequence of preferential uptake of metals by N. amarae cells was Cu>Cd>Ni. The specific surFace area of Nocardia cells was determined by a dye adsorption method. N.amarae cells growing at ewponential phase had significantly less specific surface area than that of stationary phase, indicating that the lower metal sorption capacity of Nocardia cells growing at exponential phase may be due to the lower specific surface area. The growth conditions of Nocardia cells in continuous culture affect their cell surface properties, thereby governing the adsorption capacity of heavy metal. The comparison of dye sorption isotherms for Nocardia cells growing at various growth rates revealed that the cell surface area increased with increasing sludge age, indicating that the cell surface area is highly dependent on the steady-state growth rate. The highest specific surface area of 199m21g was obtained from N.amarae cell harvested at 0.33 day-1 of growth rate. This result suggests that growth condition not only alters the structure of Nocardia cell wall but also affects the surface area, thus yielding more binding sites of metal removal. After reaching the steady-state condition at dilution rate, metal adsorption isotherms were used to determine the equilibrium distributions of metals between aqueous and Nocardia cell surfaces. The metal sorption capacity of Nocardia biomass harvested from 0.33 day-1 of growth rate was significantly higher than that of cells harvested from 0.5- and 1-day-1 operation, indicatng that N.amarae cells with a lower growth rate have higher sorpion capacity. This result was in close agreement with the trend observed from the batch study. To evaluate the effect of Nocardia cells on the metal binding capacity of activated sludge, specific surface area and metal sorption capacity of the mixture of Nocardia pure cultures and activated sludge biomass were determined by a series of batch experiments. The higher levels of Nocardia cells in the Nocardia-activated sludge samples resulted in the higher specific surface area, explaining the higher metal sorption sites by the mixed luquor samples containing greater amounts on Nocardia cells. The effect of Nocardia cells on the metal sorption capacity of activated sludge was evaluated by spiking an activated sludge sample with various amounts of pre culture Nocardia cells. The results of the Langmuir isotherm model fitted to the metal sorption by various mixtures of Nocardia and activated sludge indicated that the mixture containing higher Nocardia levels had higher metal adsorption capacity than the mixture containing lower Nocardia levels. At Nocardia levels above 100mg/g VSS, the metal sorption capacity of activate sludge increased proportionally with the amount of Noeardia cells present in the mixed liquor, indicating that the presence of Nocardia may increase the viosorption capacity of activated sludge.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.138-152
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• 2014

The objective of the study survey was to determine the effect of marine sand extraction on community composition and rate of recolonization of the meiobenthos following cessation of mining activities. Because of meiobenthic distribution in nature, high abundance, intimate association with sediments, fast reproduction, benthic larva period, sensitivity to pollution and rapid life histories, meiobenthos are widely regarded as ideal organisms to study the potential ecological indicator of natural and anthropogenic stresses. The community structure of meiobenthos was studied at seven stations within sandy tidal and sub tidal zones in Jangbongdo in the Yellow Sea, Korea from Aug. 2006 to Dec. 2007. Meiobenthic samples were collected by three core samples, with a 3.6 cm in diameter, from each sediment sample taken with a Smith-McIntyre Grab. It was found that sand mining often causes complete removal of the sediment and the damage to the habitats of meiobenthos. This study in the effect showed that sand mining resulted in a reduction in total abundance and biomass of meiobenthos in mining area. The finding of this study further showed that initial restoration of abundance and biomass within one year of the cessation of sand mining.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.112 no.2
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• pp.173-187
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• 2023

The forest protection policies implemented in South Korea have resulted in the significant accumulation of forest. Moreover, the associated public interest has also been closely evaluated. As forests mature, there arises a need for forest management (FM) practices, such as thinning and harvesting. It is therefore essential to perform a scientific analysis of the long-term effects of FM. In this study, conducted in Mt. Gariwang, the effect of FM on forest succession and wood production (WP) were evaluated based on changes in aboveground biomass (AGB) using the LANDIS-II model. The FM consists of three scenarios (Selection, Shelterwood, and Two-stories), characterized based on the harvest intensity, frequency, and period. The model was applied to changes in the forest over 200 years. All scenarios show that the total AGB decreased immediately after thinning and harvesting. However, AGB recovery time differed among scenarios, with recovery to preharvest level occurring from 15 to 50 years after harvest; further, after 200 years, harvested forests had a greater total AGB than forests without FMs In particular, the changes in AGB of each species was different depending on its shade tolerance. The AGB of currently dominant shade-intolerant and mid-tolerant species decreased dramatically after harvesting. However, shade-tolerant species, dominant in the understory, continued to grow but were not harvested due to their small size. The cumulative WP for each scenario was estimated at 545.6, 141.6, and 299.9 tons/ha in Selection, Shelterwood, and Two-stories, respectively. The composition of WP differed according to harvest intensity and period. Most WP originated from shade-intolerant and mid-tolerant species in the early period. Later, most WP was from shade-tolerant species, which became dominant. The modeling approach used in this study is capable of analyzing the long-term effects of FM on changes in forests and WP. This study can contribute to decision making to guide FM methods for a variety of purposes, including WP and controlling forest composition and structure.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.27-41
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• 2008

Distribution characteristics of phytoplankton community were investigated by HPLC and flow cytometry in Jeju Strait and the Northern East China Sea (NECS) in May 2004, in order to understand the relationship between physical environmental factors and distribution pattern of phytoplankton communities. Based on temperature and salinity data, three distinct water masses were identified; warm and saline Tsushima Warm Current (TWC), which is flowing from northwest of Jeju Island, warm and low saline water at the center of Jeju Strait, which is originated from China Coastal Water (CCW) and relatively cold and high saline water originated from Yellow Sea at the bottom of the Jeju Strait. At Jeju Strait, less saline water (<33 psu) of 15 km width occupied surface layer up to 20 m which located at 20 km offshore and strong thermal front between warm and saline water and cold and less saline water was found in the middle of the Jeju Strait. Vertical transect of temperature and salinity at the NECS also showed that low saline (<33 psu) water occupied the upper 20 m layer and cold and saline water was present at the eastern part. Chl a was measured as $0.06{\sim}3.07\;{\mu}g/L$. Spring bloom of phytoplankton was recognized by the high concentrations of Chl a at the low saline water masses influenced by the CCW and subsurface chlorophyll maximum layer appeared between $20{\sim}30\;m$ depth, which was at thermocline depth or below. Abundances of Synechococcus and picoeukaryote were $0.2{\sim}9.5{\times}10^4\;cells/mL$ and $0.43{\sim}4.3{\times}10^4\;cells/mL$, respectively. Dinoflagellate, diatom and prymnesiophyte were major groups and minor groups were chlorophyte+prasinophyte, chrysophyte, cryptophyte and cyanophyte. Especially high abundance of dinoflagellate was identified by high concentration (>1\;{\mu}g/L$) of peridinin at the bottom of the thermocline, which showed an outbreak of red tide by high density of dinoflagellates. Abundances of picoeukaryote in Jeju Strait were about $5{\sim}10$ times higher than abundance measured in Kuroshio water and showed a good correlation with Chl b (Pras+Viola), which implies the most of population of picoeukaryote was composed of prasinophytes. Prochlorococcus was not detected at all, which suggests that Kuroshio Current did not directly influenced on the study area. Based on the strong negative correlations between biomass of phytoplankton (Chl a) and temperature+salinity, the primary production and biomass of phytoplankton in the study area were controlled by the nutrients supply from CCW.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2024

Plant Microbial Fuel Cells (P-MFCs) are biomass-based energy technologies that generate electricity from plant and root microbial communities and are suitable for natural fundamental solutions considering sustainable environments. In order to develop P-MFC technology suitable for domestic waterfront space, it is necessary to analyze international research trends first. Therefore, in this study, 700 P-MFC-related research papers were investigated in Web of Science, and the core keywords were derived using VOSviewer, a word analysis program, and the research trends were analyzed. First, P-MFC-related research has been on the rise since 1998, especially since the mid to late 2010s. The number of papers submitted by each country was "China," "U.S." and "India." Since the 2010s, interest in P-MFCs has increased, and the number of publications in the Philippines, Ukraine, and Mexico, which have abundant waterfront space and wetland environments, is increasing. Secondly, from the perspective of research trends in different periods, 1998-2015 mainly carried out microbial fuel cell performance verification research in different environments. The 2016-2020 period focuses on the specific conditions of microbial fuel cell use, the structure of P-MFC and how it develops. From 2021 to 2023, specific research on constraints and efficiency improvement in the development of P-MFC was carried out. The P-MFC-related international research trends identified through this study can be used as useful data for developing technologies suitable for domestic waterfront space in the future. In addition to this study, further research is needed on research trends and levels in subsectors, and in order to develop and revitalize P-MFC technologies in Korea, research on field applicability should be expanded and policies and systems improved.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.57-65
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• 2008

Wastewater containing strong organic matter is very difficult to treat by utilizing general sewage treatment plant. but the wastewater is adequate to generate biomass energy (bio-gas; methane gas) by utilizing anaerobic digestion. EcoDays Plug Flow Reactor (E-PFR), which was already proved as an excellent aerobic wastewater treatment reactor, was adapted for anaerobic food wastewater digestion. This research was performed to improve the efficiency of bio-gas production and to optimize anaerobic wastewater treatment system. Food wastewater from N food waste treatment plant was applied for the pilot scale experiments. The results indicated that the efficiency of anaerobic wastewater treatment and the volume of bio-gas were increased by applying E-PFR to anaerobic digestion. The structural characteristics of E-PFR can cause the high efficiency of anaerobic treatment processes. The unique structure of E-PFR is a diaphragm dividing vertical hydraulic multi-stages and the inversely protruded fluid transfer tubes on each diaphragm. The unique structure of E-PFR can make gas hold-up space at the top part of each stage in the reactor. Also, E-PFR can contain relatively high MLSS concentration in lower stage by vertical up-flow of wastewater. This hydraulic flow can cause high buffering capacity against shock load from the wastewater in the reactor, resulting in stable pH (7.0~8.0), relatively higher wastewater treatment efficiency, and larger volume of bio-gas generation. In addition, relatively longer solid retention time (SRT) in the reactor can increase organic matter degradation and bio-gas production efficiency. These characteristics in the reactor can be regarded as "ideal" anaerobic wastewater treatment conditions. Anaerobic wastewater treatment plant design factor can be assessed for having 70 % of methane gas content, and better bio-gas yielding and stable treatment efficiency based on the results of this research. For example, inner circulation with generated bio-gas in the reactor and better mixing conditions by improving fluid transfer tube structure can be used for achieving better bio-gas yielding efficiency. This research results can be used for acquiring better improved regenerated energy system.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.288-299
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• 2011

Freshwater fish fauna and community structure were surveyed through 21 lakes in the Yeungnam area including Gyeongsangbukdo and Gyeongsangnamdo provinces, Korean Peninsula from April 2008 to October 2009. Among 21 lakes, 16 lakes belong to the Nakdong River and 5 are independent drainages. From the present study, 61 species (44 genera, 15 families) were collected including 32 cyprinid species (52.5%), 6 cobitid species (9.8%) and so on. The dominant and subdominant species in aspect of the number of individuals were Hypomesus nipponensis (26.6%) and Squalidus gracilis majimae (14.8%), respectively. On the other hand, in aspect of in biomass, dominant and subdominant species were Lepomis macrochirus (19.8%) and Cyprinus carpio (14.7%), respectively. Among 61 examined species, there were found 20 Korean endemic species and 2 Korean endangered species (Pseudobagrus brevicorpus and Pungitius kaibarae). P. brevicorpus was found in Yongyeonji and Yeongcheonho, and P. kaibarae in Yongyeonji. In addition, 5 exotic species were identified such as Cyprinus carpio nudus (leather carp), Carassius cuvieri, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Lepomis macrochirus and Micropterus salmoides. Interestingly, a bluegill L. machrochirus appeared dominant or subdominant species in 5 of 21 examined lakes. Five species introduced from the other rivers in Korean Peninsula were additionally described. In the present study, it was first reported that Micropercops swinhonis inhabits in the Nakdong river basin. The fish species diversity, evenness and dominant indices were examined, and a dendrogram based on similarity indices of inhabiting species among the 21 examined lakes was constructed and discussed.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.73-83
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• 2005

The fish fauna and the dynamics of fish community structure in Lake Uiam, Korea, were investigated from July 2003 to May 2004. During the surveyed period, 41 species belonging to 13 families were collected. There were 11 Korean endemic species (26.8%), including Rhodeusuyekii, Acheilognathus yamatsutae, Sarcocheilichthys nigripinis morii, Squalidus gracilis majimae, Squalidus japonicus coreanus, Microphysogobio yaluensis, Iksookimia koreensis, Koreocobitis rotundicaudata, Silurus microdorsalis, Liobagrus andersoni, and Odontobutis platycephala. Dominant species were Hemibarbus labeo (16.2%), Zacco platypus (13.8%), A. yamatsutae (11.8%), S. gracilis majimae (10.4%), Pungtungia herzi (5.8%), and Hypomesus olidus (4.3%). The biomass of collected fishes were H. labeo (35.9 kg), Cyprinus carpio (22.5 kg), Micropterus salmoides (5.5 kg), Lepomis macrochirus (5.2 kg), Carassius cuvieri (3.3 kg) and Z. platypus (2.4 kg). Of the 9 introduced fishes in Lake Uiam, Cyprinus carpio (Israeli type), Carassius cuvieri, Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus, Lepomis macrochirus, and Micropterus salmoides originated in foreign countries, but Anguilla japonica, Hypomesus olidus, Chaenogobius urotaenius, and Rhinogobius giurinus were introduced from other native river systems.