• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.165-171
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• 2022

The Chinese crested tern (Thalasseus bersteini) is one of the most globally endangered species, listed as "Critically Endangered (CE)" on the IUCN Red List, with only approximately 30-49 individuals surviving in the wild. Chinese crested terns were discovered to breed in South Korea for the first time in 2016 while conducting a census on uninhabited islands. The Ministry of Environment has declared the breeding habitat of the Chinese crested terns as "Specified Island" to protect this CE species. However, brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) inhabiting the breeding grounds of the Chinese crested terns and Black-tailed gulls may potentially pose a threat to the breeding of these avian species. Therefore, we conducted a study on the feeding behavior of brown rats involving stable isotope analysis to determine their food sources. Fecal analysis showed that brown rats mainly fed on plants, whereas they scarcely fed on animals, such as insects. In addition, the stable isotope analysis showed that the δ¹³C values of brown rats, insects, and Indian goosegrasses were approximately -16 to -11‰, whereas the δ¹³C value of Chinese crested terns that obtained their food from the marine ecosystem was approximately -22 to -18‰. Hence, we conclude that the source of carbon for brown rats on this island is the terrestrial ecosystem. We ruled out the possibility of any direct prey-predator interaction between the brown rat and the Chinese crested tern or Black-tailed gull.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.259-273
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• 2022

Interactions between species in a community are very complex, and they are visualized and analyzed through a food web in simple way. Food web is a network of species connected by trophic links showing energy flow from prey to predator. Various models were developed to characterize the food web in ecosystems. In this study, we classified food web models to static models such as Ecopath and dynamic models such as AQUATOX. We presented characteristics of several different types of food web models in each category, and reviewed their applications used in aquatic ecosystems. Finally, we presented issues to be considered to develop food web models.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.140-147
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• 2002

We investigated the temporal variations in the heterotrophic dinoflagellates (hereafter HTD), tintinnid ciliates(TC), and naked ciliates(NC) from August to November 1999 in the coastal waters off the southern Saemankeum areas where a huge red tide dominated by Cochlodinium polykrikoides/Gymnodinium impudicum was first observed in 1998. We took water samples from 2-5 depths of 4 stations in each of the 5 cruises and then measured the species composition and abundances of HTD, TC, and NC The maximum species numbers and densities of HTD, TC, and NC(11, 12, and 10 cells $m\ell$$^{-1}$ , respectively) were observed when the density of diatoms was highest (August 10), while the lowest values (1.0, 0.5, and 2.4 cells $m\ell$$^{-1}$ , respectively) were found when the red tide dominated by C. polykrikoides/G. impudicum took placed (October 18). On August 10 and November 11 when diatoms dominated the abundance of phytoplankton, the correlation coefficients between TC, NC and diatoms were relatively high. However, On September 16 and October 18 when autotrophic+mixotrophic dinoflagellates(ATD+MTD) were abundant, the correlation coefficients between HTD and ATD+MTD were relatively high. The large HTD Noctiluca scintillans was the most dominant heterotrophic protists during the C. polykrikoides/G. impudicum red tide on October 18. N. scintillans has been known to feed on the prey cells when the swimming speeds of C. polykrikikoides/G. impudicum markedly reduced at the decline stage of the red tide. Therefore, N. scintillans could be effective grazers on C. polykrikoides/G. impudicum. The maximum densities of HTD, TC, and NC in the study area were fairly lower than those obtained in the waters off Kohung-Yeosu areas in the summer-fall, 1997. The results of the present study provide the basis of understanding predator-prey relationships between dominant phytoplankton and heterotrophic protists and the roles of the protist grazers in bloom dynamics in the waters off the western Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.294-303
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• 2013

BACKGROUND: It is well known that rice-fields can provide excellent foraging places for birds including seasonal migrants, wintering, and breeding and hence the high biodiversity of rice-fields may be expected. However, how environmental change including climate-changes on life-history and population dynamics in birds on rice-fields has not been fully understood. In order to investigate how climate-change affects population migratory patterns and migration timing, I modeled a population dynamics of birds in rice-fields over a whole year. METHODS AND RESULTS: I applied the Lotka-Volterra equation to model the population dynamics of birds that have been foraging/visiting rice-fields in Korea. The simple model involves the number of interspecific individuals and temperature, and the model parameters are periodic in time as the biological activities related to the migration, wintering and reproduction are seasonal. As results, firstly there was a positive relationship between the variation of seasonal population sizes and temperature change. Secondly, the reduced lengths of season were negatively related to the population size. Overall, the effects of the difference of lengths of season on seasonal population dynamics were higher than the effects of seasonal temperature change. CONCLUSION(S): Climate change can alter population dynamics of birds in rice-fields and hence the variation may affect the fitness, such as reproduction, survival and migration. The unstable balances of population dynamics in birds using paddy rice field as affected by climate change can reduce the population growth and species diversity in rice fields. The results suggest that the agricultural production is partly affected by the unstable balance of population in birds using rice-fields.

• The Journal of Fisheries Business Administration
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.37-59
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• 1994

Many studies to cope with the present problems of Korean coastal and offshore fisheries has been performed, but these were done partly in necessities and general studies for Korean inshore and offshore fisheries are in early stage. Most of these studies adopted analytical way of approach for each fishery individually and they could not reflect the effect of correlated interaction among fisheries on the several common species/stocks, and thus optimal effort allocation was impossible. To consider general fisheries and optimal effort allocation among competing mixed species, a linear programming (LP) approach is applied in this study and introduced into 16 important inshore and offshore fisheries with 13 constraining species which were chosen by annual yield order. This study is not based on the biological interaction among species (i.e., prey - predator system) but the technological interaction between species and fishing efforts. For the application of LP model in these fisheries, the standardization of fishing efforts through different fishing gears could not be successful and a new way of effort standardization through CPUE for vessel tonnage was originated. Total standardized fishing effort on a particular species i, Ei, is computed as the linear summation of standardized fishing effort generated by each fishery j. That is, (equation omitted) where $f_{j}$ is the total vessel tonnage of fishery j and aij is the coefficients contributing to the standardized fishing effort per ton for species i taken in fishery j. The total fishing effort level on species i due to both directed fishing and by - catch can thus be accounted in the aij's. Optimal effort allocation among the j fisheries may be considered a minimizing problem (minimize $\Sigma$ $f_{j}$), subject to the constraints that standardized fishing effort levels on particular species are maintained at, above, and below certain predefined levels. Fishing effort goals for individual species can be based on various biological and/or economic criteria, i.e., fishing effort level generating maximum sustainable yield and/or maximum economic yield. But in this study the $F_{0.1}$ criteria which was accepted as an approximate level for $F_{mey}$ by Outland and Boerema's (1973) study. The findings of this study are, (1) LP model can be applied to the Korean inshore and offshore fisheries giobally. (2) Through a new way of combining multiple different fisheries' efforts for a particular species together generating standardized fishing effort, Schaefer curve could be applied to the complex system successfully. (3) The results of this study for total reduction scale were mostly the same as those of prior studies, but different much from the individual scales of reduction. This study showed the necessities for exploitation of more concrete parameters to put into consideration of profitability of fisheries and social factors, and this model can be modified according to the actual constraints. Also, considering the age structure of stocks, this model can be developed into better one for better fisheries management.ent.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.29-39
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• 2018

Long-term variation of zooplankton community and species composition was studied from 2003 to 2014 in a deep reservoir, Lake Soyang, in monsoon climate region, Korea. In addition, we examined the correlation with environmental factors. Annual precipitation of watershed showed a large variation in the $705{\sim}1,779mm\;yr^{-1}$ and more than 70% of it was being concentrated from June to September. The water quality of Lake Soyang was shown a clearly seasonal variations and particularly turbid water flowing into the lake during rainy season was the most important environmental factors. Zooplankton community in Lake Soyang showed a significant difference before and after 2006. Zooplankton biomass has shown a large increase and also showed a change in the zooplankton community structure since 2006. The of zooplankton showed positive correlation with temperature and BOD, Chl. a, TP concentration. These results are considered that nutrient and organic matter contained in the turbid water influences the increase in zooplankton biomass and species composition. However, water quality was limited to account for the increase in biomass of zooplankton. For example, increase of small zooplankton density (rotifer; Keratella cochlearis, Polyarthra vulgaris) in spring which is dominated by diatoms (large size; Melosira, Synedra etc.) is considered as a bottom-up effect by the microbial loop. And increased density of crustaceans in autumn was considered a top-down effects by the relationship between predator and prey of microzooplankton and mesozooplankton. In other words the inflow of allochthonous organic matter during rainy season also affected to zooplankton food web in Lake Soyang. In conclusion, biomass, diversity and long-term variations of zooplankton in Lake Soyang were determined by physico-chemical factors but also it is considered that biological interactions is important.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.427-433
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• 2010

Aquatic invertebrates are the major important fauna to sustain the paddy ecosystem as predators of the lower trophic level and prey for birds in food-web dynamics as well. The nationwide distribution of scavenger beetles (Hydrophilidae) that is the top predator in an aquatic insect in the paddy field was investigated. A total of 15 scavenger beetles were recognized. Enochrus simulans (98.6%) and Laccobius bedeli (87.7%) showed a high frequency of occurrence on a nationwide scale. The majority of scavenger beetles were higher frequency of occurrence in mountainous regions(33.7%) than in open field regions(5.0%). On the other hand, E. uniformis, Coelostoma stultum and Berosus japonicus showed a low occurrence frequency. Hydrochara affinis, Sternolophus rufipes, Amphiops mater, B. elongatulus, B. signaticollis punctipennis, B. lewisius and H. libera showed regional specific distribution aspect. Therefore, these species can be used as biological index to research the biotic changes in paddy ecology according to an agro-environmental changes including climatic change in the future.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.39 no.4 s.118
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• pp.424-434
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• 2006

This study investigates bacteria-zooplankton grazing link and factors affecting their grazing relationship at trophically different two sites (Paldang Dam and Kyungan Stream) of Lake Paldang Ecosystem from April to December, 2005. Zooplankton were divided into two size groups; microzooplankton (MICZ) : 60-200 ${\mu}m$ and macrozooplankton (MACZ): >200 ${\mu}m$), and their grazing rates on bacteria were conducted for each size group separately. Bacterial abundance and seasonal change pattern were similar between two sites. MICZ, mostly rotifers (e.g., Brachionus, Keratella, Polyathra) were numerically dominant at both sites, while carbon biomass was highest in cladocerans. Zooplankton biomass was higher at the Kyungan Steam site compared to Paldang Dam site, and their high biomass during spring decreased as they were passing through the storm events in summer season at both sites. Zooplankton clearance rate (CR) was high in spring and autumn while low in summer at Paldang Dam site. However, zooplankton CR was high during the summer at Kyungan Stream site. Bacterial C-flux was high in spring and autumn when MACZ (esp. cladecerans) developed at a high biomass level at both sites. Overall, MACZ community CR and carbon flux (C-flux) were higher than those of MICZ, and the degree of difference between them was higher at Kyungan Stream site. Short hydraulic residence time and physical disturbance caused by summer storm event appeared to affect the zooplankton grazing on bacteria at both sites. The results of this study indicate that bacteria are potentially important carbon source of zooplankton, and that both biotic (e.g,, prey and predator taxa composition and abundance) and physical parameters appear to alter energy transfer in the planktonic food web of this river-reservoir hybrid system.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.59-69
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• 2003

As part of study on the microbial food web in the southern Jeju Island of Korea, Planktonic tintinnids and aloricate oligotrichs were investigated from July 1998 to June 2000 to understand seasonal variation and water mass indication with environmental factors. 39 species of tintinnids were identified representing 1 order, 11 families, 20 genera. Tintinnid abundance ranged from 100 to 5,400 cells.1$^{-1}$ (mean 314 cells.1$^{-1}$ ), and oceanic species were mainly dominant in fall and winter season, while neritic species were a little pre- dominant in spring and summer season. 15 species of aloricate oligotrichs were identified representing 1 order, 5 families, 7 genera, and many belonged to genus Strombidium which was most abundant and most frequently occurred in many months. Abundance of aloricate oligotrichs ranged from 140 to 21,000 cells.1$^{-1}$ (mean 2,356 cells.1$^{-1}$ ). Species diversity and standing crops of tintinnids were quite different according to seasons, but few seasonal variations were detected in aloricate oligotrichs. In terms of water mass indication tintinnids represented obvious characteristics which were affected by marine environmental factors, but alor- icate oligotrichs had no such apparent indication as tintinnids. Ciliates were more abundant and more diverse in inshore than in offshore station. Total carbon biomass of ciliates ranged from 0.01 to 136.06 $\mu\textrm{g}$C.1$^{-1}$ (mean 5.01 $\mu\textrm{g}$C.1$^{-1}$ ). The carbon biomass, however, did not coincided with seasonal variations of abun- dance Vertical profiles of mean abundance of both tintinnids and aloricate oligotrichs were similar, and had same trend as those of mean chlorophyll o concentration. It suggests that phytoplankton and ciliates reflected the prey-predator relationship in the study area.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.149-155
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• 2019

Nematode-trapping fungi develop trap and consume nematodes are an important part of the subsoil ecosystem and they share a special predator-prey relationship. Four nematode-trapping species, there with adhesive network, Arthrobotrys oligospora, A. sinensis, A. thaumasia and one with constricting ring, Drechslerella brochopaga were collected from soils in Korea and tested their predacity against 12 different nematode species. They were three feeding groups, plant-parasitic (Meloidogyne incognita and Pratylenchus penetrans), fungivorous (Aphelenchus avenae), bacteriovorous (Betlerius sp. and Diplogasteritus sp. in diplogasterid, Panagrolaimus labiatus, P. multidentatus in panagrolaimid, Mesorhabditis irregularis, Pelodera strongyloides and Rhabditis sp., in rhabditid, and Acrobeloides sp. in cephalobid). Results showed that nematode-trapping fungi successfully captured most of nematodes in Petri dish in the group of plant-parasitic nematodes and rhabditids, moderately and variably in other nematodes in 15 days. But it didn't captured A. avenae and Acrobeloides sp. both belongs to c-p group 2. Numbers of Acrobeloides sp. and A. avenae even increased during the test period. The results of this study indicated that nematode-trapping fungi may have specificity among nematode species.