• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.154-164
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• 2018

We investigated the ichthyofauna and fish community structure of the Mudeungsan National Park, Korea from 2014 to 2016 to prepare a conservation plan. We collected 21 species of 6 families collected from 8 survey stations through skimming nets and cast nets during the period. The dominant and subdominant species were Zacco temminckii (43.0%) and Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (15.1%), respectively. The other abundant species were Z. platypus (11.2%), Pungtungia herzi (10.1%), Squalidus gracilis majimae (8.9%), and Z. koreanus (4.5%). Among the fish collection, 13 species (61.9%) were Korean endemic species, but, endangered species and exotic species were not found. Similarity indices based on species composition and abundance showed the clear division of the fish community into two river systems (Yongsan River drainage system (St. 1-7) and Seomjin River drainage system (St. 8)). The Youngsan River system was further divided into the uppermost (St. 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7) and the upper-middle (St. 3 and 5) regions. The number of species appearing in a year was similar at 19 to 20 throughout the survey period. However, the individual number of fish in 2015 (2,670) was 20% less than that of 2014 (3,366) and 2016 (3,429), respectively. The probable reason for this decline is the rapid decline of stream level in 2015 compared to the other years. During the survey period, river works were undergoing at 3 out of 8 stations, having created disturbance in fish habitat and especially impacted on benthic fishes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2010

Oyster production is playing an important role in domestic aquaculture, but facing some problems such as exports decrease, a slowdown in domestic demand and marine environmental deterioration. In order to obtain the suitable and sustainable oyster production, suitable sites selection is an important step in oyster aquaculture. This study was conducted to identify the suitable sites for lunging culture of oyster using Geographic Information System(GIS)-based multi-criteria evaluation methods. Most of the parameters were extracted by Inverse Distance Weighted(IDW) methods in GIS and eight parameters were grouped into two basic sub-models for oyster aquaculture, namely oyster growth sub-model(Sea Temperature, Salinity, Hydrodynamics, Chlorophyll-a) and environment sub-model(Bottom DO, TOC, Sediment AVS, Benthic Diversity). Suitability scores were ranked on a scale from 1(leased suitable) and 8(most suitable), and about 80.1% of the total potential area had the highest scores 5 and 6. These areas were shown to have the optimum condition for oyster culture in GeojeHansan Bay. This method to identify suitable sites for oyster culture may be used to develop bivalve culture management system for supporting a decision making.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.898-906
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• 2018

To investigate the effect of yellow dust on phytoplankton, a field survey and physiological experiments were carried out in the waters near Taean Peninsula from April 22 to 26, 2006, when yellow dust occurred. Phytoplankton populations during the yellow dust period were in the range of $26{\sim}290{\times}10^3cells{\cdot}L^{-1}$, a somewhat low standing crop. An increase in diatoms (a main taxonomic group), especially benthic diatoms such as Paralia sulcate, a typical species for active mixed sea water areas, was also remarkable. In addition, the Chl-a concentration after yellow dust exceeded the Chl-a concentration change range according to the tide before yellow dust. As the concentration of yellow sand increased in a yellow sand treatment experiment, primary productivity decreased, and the maximum assimilation number showed the same tendency. In the 48h culture experiment, primary productivity of the test group was lower than that of the control group at the early stage (T0) of yellow sand treatment, but after 48 hours (T48), the test group showed higher primary productivity than the control group. In particular, the primary productivity of the test group significantly increased to 321 % after 48 hours. Therefore, strong physical environment accompanied by yellow dust may temporarily inhibit the growth of phytoplankton in the waters adjacent to China in the early stage of yellow dust, but the formation of stable water mass has also been identified as a potential factor promoting the growth of phytoplankton.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2019

Heavy metals resulted from the increase of human industrial activity are introduced into the environment through rainfall and wastewater, and have harmful effects on inhabitants. In this study, we investigated biological responses such as survival rate, growth rate, emergence rate and sex ratio, and morphological effects of mentum deformity in Chironomus plumosus, an indicator organism to evaluate pollutions on aquatic ecosystem. The survival rate of C. plumosus showed time- and dose-dependent decrease after chromium and copper exposures. Growth rate decreased at $4^{th}$ day after chromium exposure and significantly reduced at exposure to relatively high concentration (copper $1000mg\;L^{-1}$) for all exposure times. In addition, we observed that the emergence rate by exposure to copper $1000mg\;L^{-1}$ was significantly lower than that of the control group. The imbalance of sex ratios showed at relatively low concentrations (chromium 10 and $50mg\;L^{-1}$) with the high proportion of female and at the relative high concentration (copper $1000mg\;L^{-1}$) with the high proportion of male. Furthermore, the morphological mentum deformities of C. plumosus observed in the exposed group according to chromium and copper exposure. These results suggest that the heavy metal exposure in environment may influence biosynthetic and morphological stresses of benthic invertebrate C. plumosus, and aquatic midge C. plumosus are potential indicators for toxicity assessment of heavy metals such as chromium and copper.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.95-107
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• 2016

The gold-spotted pond frog(Pelophylax chosenicus) classified as an Anura in Amphibia is sharply decreasing due to various changes of habitats environment, and designated as IUCN Red List Threatened species(VU; Vulnerable) internationally and domestic endangered species Class-II; therefore, it's in urgent need of the research on habitats restoration of the gold-spotted pond frog in order to prevent its extinction. This study was carried out to verify the effect after restoration by introducing the inhabitation elements deducted by the literature research and a field survey on the habitats for the gold-spotted pond frog in danger of regional extinction in the urban area of Ansan city, Gyeonggi-do, Korea. Accordingly, the capacity for bio-species was increased by expanding the area of habitats into $11,845m^2$, and securing the place for hibernation and corridors and discharge within the habitats, etc. As a result of the monitoring the number of individuals increased by 9.5 times as the reproductive success rate of the gold-spotted pond frog got higher, and by virtue of improvement in the habitats, biodiversity increased to 183 species(4 species of amphibians and reptiles, 4 species of mammals, 17 species of birds, 53 species of insects(terrestrial/Benthic), 4 species of fish, and 102 species of plants). It might be possible to verify the restoration effect of the habitats through continuous monitoring, and suggest the restoration model on the habitats for continuously survivable the gold-spotted pond frog in the urban area by deducting the matters to be improved.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2016

Background: It is very difficult to set a regulatory guidance or criteria for the protection of non-human species from the ionizing radiation, because there are no generally or internationally accepted methods for demonstrating the compliance with such criteria. It is needed that Korea develop the primary dose rate standards for the protection of both aquatic and terrestrial biota in the near future. Materials and Methods: The potential dose rates due to both external and internal radiation exposures to marine organisms such as plaice/flounder, gray mullet, and brown seaweed collected within territorial seas around the Korean Peninsula were estimated. Results and Discussion: The total dose rates to plaice/flounder, gray mullet and brown seaweed due to $^{40}K$, a primordial radionuclide in marine environment, were found to be 0.2%, 0.08% and 0.3% of approximately the values of the Derived Consideration Reference Levels (DCRLs, i.e. $1-10mGy{\cdot}d^{-1}$), respectively, as suggested by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) publication 124. The total dose rates to marine fishes and brown seaweed due to anthropogenic radionuclides such as $^{90}Sr$, $^{137}Cs$ and $^{239+240}Pu$ were considered to be negligible compared to the total dose rate due to $^{40}K$. The external exposure to benthic fish due to all radionuclides was much higher than that of pelagic fish. Conclusion: From this study, it is recommended that the further study is required to develop a national regulatory guidance for the evaluation of doses to non-human species.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.631-648
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• 2012

The integrative ecological approaches of chemical assessments, physical habitat modelling, and multi-metric biological health modelling were applied to Gwanpyeong Stream within Gap-Stream watersheds to evaluate environmental impacts on the constructions of residential and commercial complex. For the analysis, the surveys conducted from 45 sites of reference streams within the Gap-Stream watershed and 3 regular sites during 2009 - 2010. Physical habitat health, based on the habitat model of Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index(QHEI) declined from the headwaters(good - fair condition) to the downstream(poor condition). Chemical water quality, based turbidity and electric conductivity(EC), was degraded toward to the downstream, and especially showed abrupt increases, compared to the values of control streams(CS). Also, concentrations of chlorophyll-a in the downstreams were greater compared to the control stream(CS), indicating an eutrophication. Biological health conditions, based on the Index of Biological Integrity(IBI) using fish assemblages, averaged 19.3 which is judged as a fair condition by the biological criteria of the Ministry of Environment, Korea. The comparisons of model metric values in sensitive species and riffle-benthic species on the Maximum Species Richness Line(MSRL) of 45 reference streams indicated a massive disturbances in all sampling locations. Also, tolerance guild and trophic guild analyses suggest that dominances of tolerant species and omnivores were evident, indicating a biological degradation by habitat disturbances and organic matter pollutions. There was no distinct longitudinal variations of IBI model values from the headwater to the downstream in spite of slight chemical and habitat health gradients among the sampling sites. Overall, integrative ecological health(IEH) scores, based on the chemical, physical, and biological parameters, were low compared to the 45 reference streams due to physical and chemical disturbances of massive constructions of the residential and commercial complex. This stream, thus showed a tendency of typical urban streams which are disturbed in the chemical water quality, habitat structures, and biological integrity. Effective stream management plans and restoration strategies are required in this urban stream for improving integrative stream health.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.423-435
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• 2014

Verifying the similarity of environmental characteristics between an artificial impact site and a preserved or reference site is necessary to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate the environmental impact of mining activity. Although an impact site (BIS station) and a preserved site (called KOMO station) that have been selected in the Korea manganese nodule contract area may share similar environmental characteristics, similarities in terms of the water column environment between both sites has not been investigated. In this study, we compared the chemical properties of the water columns and sinking particle fluxes between BIS and KOMO stations through two observations (August 2011 and September 2012). Additionally, we observed particle fluxes at the KOMO station for five years (July 2003~July 2008) to understand long-term natural variability. Vertical distributions of water column properties such as dissolved oxygen, inorganic nutrients (N, P, Si), total organic carbon below surface layer (within the depth range of 200 m) were not considerably different between the two sites. Especially, values of water column parameters in the abyssopelagic zone from 4000 m to bottom layer (~5000 m) were very similar between the BIS and KOMO sites. Sinking particle fluxes from the two sites also showed similar seasonality. However, natural variation of particle flux at the KOMO site varied from 3.5 to $129.9mg\;m^{-2}day^{-1}$, with a distinct temporal variation originating from ENSO events (almost forty times higher than a minimum value). These results could provide valuable information to more exactly evaluate the environmental impact of mining activity on water columns.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.1407-1418
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to analyze seasonal variations of seaweed community structure according to ocean environment at three areas in the east coast of Korea. Mean water temperatures of Gosung, Samchuk, and Gyeongju were $8.3^{\circ}C$, $11.2^{\circ}C$, and $13.1^{\circ}C$, respectively, during the growing winter season of 2011. Subtidal benthic macroalgal flora and community structure were investigated at the sites between February to November 2011. The numbers of seaweed species at the areas were 38, 12, and 15, respectively. The amounts of biomass were 7.35 kg $m^{-2}$, 1.80 kg $m^{-2}$, and 0.84 kg $m^{-2}$, respectively, during the period. The values of C/P, R/P, and (R+C)/P representing flora characteristics at Sokcho area were 0.1, 1.1, and 1.2, respectively. The values of flora characteristics at Samchuk were 0.3, 0.6, and 1.0, respectively. The values of flora characteristics at Gyeongju were 0.4, 4.0, and 1.2, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.2 s.112
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• pp.188-195
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• 2005

The dynamics of the fish community in the Lake Hoengseong region, Korea, were investigated from April 2000 to November 2004. During the surveyed period 39 species belonging 10 families were collected, and there were 17 Korean endemic species (43.59%) including Rhodeus pseudosericeus. Dominant species were Acheilognathus lanceolatus (20.10%), Zacco platypus (15.94%), Z. temmincki (6.92%), Carassius cuvieri (6.33%), A. rhombeus (6.18%), Pungtungia herzi (5.13%), and Pseudorasbora parva (4.93), In the comparison community of fish according to ecotype by each studied years, benthic fished are gradually decreasing and pelagic fishes creasing. Also, according to the fish distribution, the fish community of each studied years was divided into 3 groups by UPGMA. Being based on the fish community, similarity analysis results of each artificial lakes and this lake were divided 2 groups by water system, and divided again 3 groups in the same water system. Fish Community of the Lake Hoengseong was similar with that of the Lake Chuncheon and Cheongpyeong of the Bukhan-River.