• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.81-95
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• 2012

This study was intended for Fagus engleriana stand in Is. Ulleung where the disturbance of vegetation has been caused by the exploitation and the increase of tourists. For the effective conservation and management on this issue, this study was conducted provide basic data. The sixteen study sites ($20{\times}20m$) were installed in the dominant Fagus engleriana stand and the base environment and vegetation were investigated. The Fagus engleriana stand was classified into two groups, The Fagus engleriana stand was classified into two groups, community A is Fagus engleriana-Sorbus amurensis and community B is Fagus engleriana-Acer pictum subsp. Mono by cluster analysis and community A were nothing signigicant by indicator species analysis. Community B were Eight species (Tsuga sieboldii, Camellia japonica, Dystaenia takesimana ect.) significant by indicator species analysis. The diameter class of 16cm to 25cm was 53.7% in population structure of Fagus engleriana, which was the highest and showed inverse J-distribution. Species diversity index (H') of investigated woody layer group ranged from 0.99 to 2.05 and that of under layer group ranged from 1.75~2.59. According to Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMS) analysis, the woody layer was divided into community A developed in the region having relatively high sand content at high altitudes and community B formed at the place having relatively high clay content at low altitudes. Then this classification was significant through Multi-Response Permutation Procedures (MRPP) analysis. The distribution of understory vegetation through Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) was induced by the silt content and cover degree of vegetation layer.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.419-428
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• 2013

The objectives of this research were to determine ecological characteristics and chemical gradients in two different loach populations-Misgurnus anguillicaudatus ($M_a$) and Koreocobitis rotundicaudata ($K_r$). Eight chemical parameters were compared to test the chemical preferences between the two species. The population of Kr occurred more in better water quality, compared to the $M_a$-population. The $M_a$-population co-occurred more with tolerant species (TS) and omnivores, whereas the $K_r$-population co-occurred more with sensitive species (SS) and insectivores. The differences in the tolerance and trophic composition matched well with the result of stream health assessment, based on the multi-metric model of Index of Biological Integrity (IBI). The IBI value in habitat with the $M_a$-population was "19.6" (range: 8~40) indicating a fair condition, and the IBI values of $K_r$-population was 29.4 (range: 12~40) indicating good condition. Similar results were found in physical habitat health analysis (QHEI). Overall, data analysis showed that the $M_a$-population belong to the tolerant species and $K_r$-population belong to sensitive species in the tolerance classification.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.260-269
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• 2009

Hwabuk Dam has been under construction to reduce flood damage in Nakdong River watershed and to supply stable water for middle area of Gyeongbuk Province. Therefore, fish investigation in up and downstream of the dam was conducted from 2004 to 2008 in order to determine any negative effect on fish community due to dam construction and to use as fundamental data for conserving species diversity and maintaining stream health. According to data analysis on water quality, temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, suspended solids, and total E-coli had seasonal variation, but they did not significantly differ in sites. However, biological and chemical oxygen demand, chlorophyll-a, nitrogen, and phosphorus representing organic matter and nutrient concentration were higher in upper site and decreased to lower site so that they differed by site. Concentration of arsenic among the heavy metals was less than 0.05 mg $L^{-1}$, which is regulated for protection of human health in water quality standard, except for 0.092 mg $L^{-1}$ in June 2005. During the study period, the total number of fish caught from the 6 sites was 10,263 representing 7 families 19 species. Among them, dominant and subdominant species were Korean chub (Zacco koreanus, 62.5%) and Chinese minnow (Rhynchocypris oxycephalus, 10.6%) which inhabit mostly in mid and upper streams, Korea. Among the 19 species, Korean endemic species were 9 species (47.4%) including Korean slender gudgeon (Squalidus gracilis majimae), Korean dark sleeper (Odontobutis platycephala), and Korean shiner (Coreoleuciscus splendidus). There was several individuals of the $1^{st}$-class endangered species, Naktong nose loach (Koreocobitis nahtongensis), caught in 2005${\sim}$2007, and no introduced species of fish was found in entire sampling period. According to result of community analysis, dominance index decreased toward lower site, but diversity and richness indices increased toward lower site. The equation of length-weight relationship on the dominant species was TW=0.000003$(TL)^{3.2603}$. The parameter b in the equation was greater than 3.0 indicating good nutritional condition in the populations. Compared to populations of Korean chub in other streams, the population in Hwabuk Dam watershed had higher mean of condition factor by size indicating better growth rate. With fish fauna and multi-metric health assessment model in each sampling attempt, index of biotic integrity (IBI) was evaluated and it resulted mostly in good (26${\sim}$35) and excellent (36${\sim}$40) condition in all sites, and the mean of IBI was the highest in site 5. The results indicate that it is very important to study not only environmental impact assessment with fish composition but also stream health assessment in order to conserve healthy aquatic ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.188-197
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• 2008

This research was a preliminary case study to determine the levels of total mercury in the tissues of sentinel species (Zacco platypus) and ecological health in relation to habitat characteristics and chemical conditions. We collected fishes in Gap Stream during June$\sim$October 2007 and analyzed the total mercury from five types of tissues such as liver, kidney, gill, vertebrae and muscle of Zaceo platypus using Direct Mercury Analyzer (DMA-80, US EPA Method 7473). Mean concentrations of total [Hg], based on all tissues, was 67.2 and $20.7\;{\mu}g\;kg^{-1}$, in the upstream and downstream site, respectively, indicating 3 times greater level in the upstream. In other words, the levels were higher in the pristine upstream than the downstream influenced by the wastewater disposal plant. Chemical water quality, based on BOD, COD and nutrients (TN, TP) showed that severe degradation occurred in the downstreams than the upstreams. Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) using fish multi-metric model averaged 32, indicating a "good$\sim$fair" condition and varied from 42 (excellent$\sim$good) at S2 to 22 (fair$\sim$poor) at S5 depending on the sites sampled. Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) in the all sites averaged 142, which was judged as "good" habitat health, but showed a high variation (181 in Site 2 vs. 67 in Site 5). Overall data suggest that health conditions, based on IBI and QHEI, was better in the upstream sites but the mercury bioaccumulation levels in the fish tissues were opposite. We believe that measurements of various parameters are required for a diagnosis of integrative ecosystem health.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.307-321
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• 2018

Fish fauna and lentic ecosystem health assessment in freshwater were analyzed in the two reservoirs (Uirim Reservoir(Ur) and Solbangjuk Reservoir(Sr)) of the Jecheon City during May-September 2017. Total numbers of the species and genus (7 family) sampled were 21 and 16, respectively. Cyprinidae was most dominant taxa, which accounted for 11 species (52.4%) of the total species, and the relative abundance, based on the number of individuals, was 318 individuals (46.2%). Subdominant families were taxa of Centrachidae (2 species; 264 ind. (38.4%). The dominant species, based on the relative abundance, were Squalidus chankaensistsuchigae(22.7%). Subdominant species were Lepomis macrochirus(19.5%, 134 ind.) and Micropterus salmoides(18.9%, 134 ind.). Trophic state index of Korea ($TSI_{KO}$), based on chemical oxygen demand (COD), total phosphorus (TP) and chlorophyll-a (CHL),ranged mesotrophic state. The purpose of this study was to apply a multi-metric model of Lentic Ecosystem Health Assessments (LEHA) for environmental impact assessments of two reservoirs and assessed the ecological health model values. Trophic composition's metrics showed that tolerant species (56.8%, 98.3%) and omnivore species (43.9%, 65.6%) dominated the fish fauna in the two reservoirs (Ur and Sr) of Jecheon City, indicating a biological degradation in the aquatic ecosystem. The relative proportions of Micropterus salmoides, also showed greater than 16.3% (Ur), 31.1% (Sr) of the total, indicating a ecological disturbance. The average value of LEHA model was 22 (Ur) and 12 (Sr) in the reservoirs, indicating a "poor condition (Ur)" and "very poor condition (Sr)" by the criteria of MOE (2014).

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.124-133
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• 2009

The study was performed to investigate the community structure of macrobenthic fauna during June 2005, in Hallyeohaesang National Park from Korea Strait. A total of 284 macrobenthic fauna were collected. The overall average macrobenthic density and biomass were 2,002 individuals m$^{-2}$ and 154.92 gWWt m$^{-2}$, respectively. Based on the Lebris (1988) index, there were 20 species accounting for approximately 47.64% of total individuals. And the highest densities were found in the polychaetes Scoletoma longifolia, Isolda pulchella, Mediomastus californiensis, Minuspio multibranchia, Tharyx sp. 1 and the bivalve Theora fragilis. On the other hand, the top twenty species made up 70.47% of the total biomass while the three most abundant, the echinoderms Schizaster lacunosus, Amphiura vadicola and the bivalve Fulvia mutica. The conventional multivariate statistics (cluster analysis and non-metric Multi-Dimensional Scaling) applied to assess spatial variation in macrobenthic assemblages. As a result of cluster analysis and nMDS ordination, this study area was divided into two different groups of stations and species. In case of station, there are two groups: one is a mud dominated station group and the other is dead shell and sand dominated group. And the 2 faunistic groups were established as follows: 1) a group of relatively higher abundances in mud dominated sediment. There were numerically dominated by the polychaetes Magelona japonica, Sternaspis scutata, Paraprionospio pinnata, Tharyx sp. 1 and the amphipods Monocorophium sinense and Eriopisella sechellensis. 2) a group of relatively higher densities dead shell and sand dominated sediment. These groups were characterized by the polychaetes I. pulchella, M. multibranchiata, the amphipods M. acherusicum, Gammaropsis japonicus and the echinoderm A. vadicola.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.311-322
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• 2008

The objectives of the study were to analyze chemical water quality and physical habitat characteristics in the urban streams (Miho and Gap streams) along with evaluations of fish community structures and ecosystem health, throughout fish composition and guild analyses during 2006$\sim$2007. Concentrations of BOD and COD averaged 3.5 and 5.7 mg L$^{-1}$, in the urban streams, while TN and TP averaged 5.1 mg L$^{-1}$ and 274 ${\mu}g$ L$^{-1}$, indicating an eutrophic state. Especially, organic pollution and eutrophication were most intense in the downstream reach of both streams. Total number of fish was 34 species in the both streams, and the most abundant species was Zacco platypus (32$\sim$42% of the total). In both streams, the relative abundance of sensitive species was low (23%) and tolerant and omnivores were high (45%, 52%), indicating an typical tolerance and trophic guilds of urban streams in Korea. According to multi-metric models of Stream Ecosystem Health Assessments (SEHA), model values were 19 and 24 in Miho Stream and Gap Stream, respectively. Habitat analysis showed that QHEI (Qulatitative Habitat Evaluation Index) values were 123 and 135 in the two streams, respectively. The minimum values in the SEHA and QHEI were observed in the both downstreams, and this was mainly attributed to chemical pollutions, as shown in the water quality parameters. The model values of SEHA were strongly correlated with conductivity (r=-0.530, p=0.016), BOD (r=-0.578, p< 0.01), COD (r=-0.603, p< 0.01), and nutrients (TN, TP: r>0.40, p<0.05). This model applied in this study seems to be a useful tool, which could reflect the chemical water quality in the urban streams. Overall, this study suggests that consistent ecological monitoring is required in the urban streams for the conservations along with ecological restorations in the degradated downstrems.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.986-995
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to analyze the distribution of endangered fish species and elucidate their relations on chemical water quality, physical habitat conditions and ecological stream health. The dominant species in the watershed was Pseudopungtungia nigra (Pn), Gobiobotia macrocephala (Gm), Gobiobotia brevibarba (Gb), Liobagrus obesus (Lo), and Iksookimia choii (Ic) in the order. The species of Pn designated as "critical endangered species (I) (CER)", was most widely distributed species among the endangered species, so the designation of the species should be re-evaluated. The endangered species was most popular (4 species, 384 individuals) in the Cho-River region of eighteen lotic regions. According to the analysis of chemical tolerance limits in the habitats with endangered fish species, biological oxygen demand (BOD) and total phosphorus (TP) was analyzed as "very good" (Ia) and "good condition" in the chemical criteria of the Ministry of Environment, Korea. Also, chemical conditions, based on ammonia-N ($NH_{4+}$), total nitrogen (TN), phosphate-P ($PO_{4^-}P$) were much better in the habitat with endangered species (Hw) than the habitat without endangered species (Ho). In the meantime, the species of Ic showed wide ranges on the chemical tolerance, so physical habitat conditions, such as the size of substrate particles (sand) and hydrological regime, were considered as more important factors than the chemical water quality, if the water quality is not largely degraded. The endangered species were also more distributed in the high-order (4-6) streams than the low-order (1-3) streams. The evaluation of ecological stream health, based on multi-metric model of the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI), showed the large difference between the Hw (21.6, fair condition)and Ho (30.5, good condition), indicating that the habitat maintained well chemically and physically had higher distributions of endangered species. Overall, the designation of CER on the Pn should be re-evaluated due to wide-distributions, and the protections from water pollution and the habitat conservations on the endangered species are necessary in the watershed.

• 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.