• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.69-81
• /
• 2010

This study was conducted at 25 sites of 6 mainstreams and 19 tributaries sites within Heuck Stream watershed during May~October 2003 for the survey of fish distributions, compositions, and community characteristics. The survey showed that total fish was identified as 9 family and 26 species in all sites, and Cyprinidae dominated the community as 15 species. The dominant species of >20% of the total were Zacco temminckii (29%), Zacco platypus (22%), and Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (21%) in the watershed. Community analysis, based on the stream spatial gradients, indicated composition differences along the main axis of the stream from the headwater to the downstream; R. oxycephalus predominated in the most headwater zone and Z. temminckii dominated in the lower headwater zone, whereas Z. temminckii -Z. platypus dominated in the mid-to-downstream, and Z. platypus dominated the community in the most downstream zone. Total endemic species was 7 family and 15 species, which is made of 50% in the fish community, so that the high proportion of endemic species indicated a healthy region in terms of fish community, compared to average 23% in Korean peninsula in general. The total number and species of fish increased as the stream order (stream size) increased, indicating that impacts on chemical pollution or habitat disturbance were not so large to the fish community in this watershed. Trophic and tolerance guilds analysis showed that relative proportions of sensitive and insectivore species were >50% in the watershed and decreased as the stream order increased, whereas relative proportions of tolerant and omnivore species showed an opposite results. These outcomes suggest that the natural condition of watershed is preserved relatively and the region should be protected from the chemical and habitat disturbace by agricultural activity and urban developments.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.530-542
• /
• 2020

This study surveyed the central mountain area of Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) from March to October 2018 to reveal the appearance patterns of freshwater fish. We collected 7,744 individuals of 43 species in 12 families with skimming nets and cast nets in 12 stations during the survey. The dominant species was Zacco koreanus (30.3%), and the subdominant species was Z. platypus (18.5%), followed by Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (10.0%), R. steindachneri (6.7%), Microphysogobio yaluensis (5.9%), Acheilognathus signifer (4.5%), Pungtungia herzi (4.2%), and Orthrias nudus (2.6%). Among the collected species, four were legally protected. They included Hemibarbus mylodon, which was a natural monument, and Lethenteron reissneri, A. signifer, and Pseudopungtungia tenuicorpa, which were class II endangered wildlife designated by the Ministry of Environment. Twenty Korean endemic species (46.5%) and one exotic species, Micropterus salmoides, were also collected. Additionally, three climate-change sensitive species, R. kumgangensis, Ladislavia taczanowskii, and Cottus koreanus, and three landlocked species, L. reissneri, C. koreanus, and Rhinogobius brunneus appeared. The dominant species in each station were Z. koreanus (15 stations), Z. platypus (four stations), R. oxycephalus (four stations), and C. koreanus (one station). The species dominance index decreased from upstream to downstream (mainstream of Gimhwanamdae Stream), while the species diversity index and the species richness index increased. The community structure of the rivers was divided into the uppermost stream, upper stream, Han River, and Imjin River. Compared to antecedent surveys, this study collected the highest number of species. Two new species (Sarcocheilichthys variegatus wakiyae and Micropterus salmoides) were caught, while six species (Siniperca scherzeri, Leiocassis ussuriensis, Brachymystax lenok tsinlingensis, Rhodeus ocellatus, Abbottina springeri, Aphyocypris chinensis) did not appear. Gimhwanamdaecheon Stream has high biological value with the inhabitation of many species, including species under legal protection and high diversity and richness index scores. This paper also discussed a protection plan for this area.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.677-685
• /
• 2019

We investigated the ecological characteristics of kumgang fat minnow (Rhynchocypris kumgangensis) in the Eocheon stream from October 2017 to September 2018. The water temperature was 10.2- 14.3℃ and remained below 15℃ during the year. The fishes in cohabitation with kumgang fat minnow were Cottus koreanus (16.62%), Phoxinus phoxinus (10.74%), Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (1.55%), Oncorhynchus mykiss (0.56%), Zacco koreanus (0.28%), and Iksookimia koreensis (0.14%%). The ratio of females to males was 1:0.91 and did not vary widely. The frequency analysis of total length indicated that the fishes with less than 40 mm in total length were one year old, those with 40 - 69 mm were two years old, those with 70 - 84 mm were three years old, and those with 85 mm or more were four years old for individuals collected in May through June. The sexually mature fishes were over two years old. The spawning season was from late May to late August, and the water temperature was 12.5~14.5℃ during the period. The prosperous spawning season was from June to July, and the water temperature was 13.6 - 14.5℃ during the spawning period. The average number of eggs in the ovaries was 1,006 (664 - 1,666) per matured female, and the matured eggs were yellowish and spherical with a mean diameter of 1.34±0.17 mm. The length-weight correlation of R. kumgangensis was BW = 0.00003TL^2.77 with the constant a as 0.00003, b as 2.77, the average condition factor (K) as 1.04(0.65~1.48), and the slope as -0.0012. The kumgang fat minnows inhabiting in the spring water had a longer spawning period, a fewer number of eggs in ovaries, and the lower condition factor (K) than those inhabiting other areas.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.51 no.4
• /
• pp.354-364
• /
• 2018

In this study, we surveyed the fish community at the four sites(St. 1, 3, 5, 7) in Jungrang Stream from 2008 to 2016. We found 37 species grouped into nine families. There were three exotic species; Cyprinus carpio, Carassius cuvieri and Micropterus salmoides after rainfall. Dominant species was Zacco platypus (57.3%) and subdominant species was Carassius auratus(10.4%) in a community. The water quality, surveyed at the six sites(St. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), based on eight factors(Water temperature, pH, DO, BOD, SS, EC, TN and TP), largely varied depending on each site and period. Minimum values in four factors(BOD, EC, TN and TP) were observed in rainy season, indicating an ionic and nutrient dilution of stream water by precipitation. In contrast, a maximum value in SS was occurred in rainy season at St. 2 and St. 5. The precipitation, Maximum value observed in July ($497.5{\pm}297.2mm$), minimum value in January ($12.9{\pm}8.6mm$). In July and August, the precipitation was divided into before and after the rainfall season in Jungrang stream. Using cluster analysis three fish sites (St. 1, 3, 5) were identified as significantly influence 11 fish species; Hemiculter eigenmanni, Squalidus japonicus coreanus, Hemibarbus labeo, Gnathopogon strigatus, Pungtungia herzi, Rhynchocypris oxycephalus, Pseudogobio esocinus, Pseudorasbora parva, Cyprinus carpio, Carassius auratus and Zacco platypus by rainfall.

• Journal of fish pathology
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.111-118
• /
• 2020

The genus Edwardsiella belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae is a member of Gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria that cause disease in diverse aquatic organisms such as fish, amphibians and reptiles as well as avians and mammals including human throughout the world. This genus had been composed of three species, E. hoshinae, E. ictaluri and E. tarda, but recent researches erected two novel species, E. anguillarum and E. piscicida that were conventionally identified as E. tarda. In this study, we isolated seven strains belonging to the genus Edwardsiella from freshwater fishes that had been reared at inland fish farms in South Korea and investigated their biochemical characteristics and molecular phylogenetic relationships. The seven strains showed typical characteristics of four Edwardsiella species, E. anguillarum, E. ictaluri, E. piscicida and E. tarda, by biochemical analyses of Gram staining, indole and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) production, and API (Analytic Profile Index) 20E test. Molecular phylogenetic analyses inferred from DNA sequence data of both 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and DNA gyrase subunit B (gyrB) genes were congruent with the biochemical characteristics. As a result, both biochemical and molecular phylogenetic analyses identified four strains isolated from three Anguilla species as E. anguillarum, E. piscicida and E. tarda, two strains from Pelteobagrus fulvidraco and Silurus asotus as E. ictaluri, and one strain from Moroco oxycephalus as E. piscicida. In this study, we isolated and successfully identified recently newly erected species, E. anguillarum and E. piscicida in addition to historically notorious pathogenic species, E. ictaluri and E. tarda. In the future study, systematic and comprehensive monitoring of the four Edwardsiella species are required for studying differences in pathogenicity among freshwater fishes.