• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.771-781
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• 1997

In order to select an effective and appropriate evaluation method for the marine environmental protection and management, it is necessary to evaluate the present status of environmental conditions and to monitor and regulate the harzadous waste continuously. Among the evaluation methods that use benthic fauna, some graphical methods and biological index methods such as species abundance-biomass (SAB), Rank-frequency diagram (RFD), Abundance-Biomass comparison (ABC), log-normal distribution (LND), and Benthic Pollution Index (BPI) modified by Infaunal Trophic Index were used for the assessments of marine environment in the Inchon coastal area. Even though the graphic methods are convenient for easy glimpse of general trend of environmental condition but because they require sufficient ecological data, those methods do not fit for analysis or comparison of regional and detailed environmental condition. On the other hand, when BPI was applied, it was able to compare the spatial benthic conditions. Through considering the functional aspects of benthic fauna which can not be obtained in the cluster analysis, BPI was made it possible to measure or trace down the source of pollution. In the case of the environmental assessment result analyzed in Inchon coastal area, the north eastern part of Yongjongdo was more influenced by the pollution than the outer area of Inchon. The research indicates that especially Inchon harbor has been greatly affected.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.825-826
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• 2010

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.533-544
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• 2017

In this study, the fauna of freshwater fish were investigated from March until October of 2016 in 24 independent streams in the Jeonnam and Jeonbuk provinces, which were flowing into the Yellow Sea. The health of the aquatic ecosystem in those streams was assessed through the biological and abiological character index (BAc index). During the surveyed period, a total of 4,127 individuals were collected; they belonged to 59 species of 44 genera in 18 families. The most dominant species identified was Zacco platypus, and 12 species were endemic species of Korea, including Rhodeus uyekii. The BAc index indicated a statistically significant correlation (p<0.01 or 0.05). The stage distribution of the aquatic ecosystem health assessment showed the highest rating of 41.7% at the "Fair" stage. The "Good" and "Poor" stages accounted for 20.8% while the "Excellent" stage took up 16.7%. It has been confirmed that the aquatic ecosystem health of independent streams is influenced more by the abiological character index as a consequence of geographical characteristics and artificial/natural limiting factors, than by the biological character index.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.440-447
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• 2013

The ecological health, based on the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) and Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) was evaluated in 10 stream sites of Southern Han River. Eleven parameters of 12 parameters (Karr 1981) were modified for the application of regional Korean circumstance. The ecological health, based on IBI grade, was in "good condition" and the IBI score ranged from 33 to 47. Nine parameters of the original 12-parameter metrics in QHEI model (Plafkin et al. 1989) were applied in the habitat assessment. The mean QHEI model values were judged as "partially supporting" and ranged from 75 (non-supporting) to 109 (supporting). Comparative analyses revealed that values of IBI and QHEI models were greater in Gj stream than Ig- and Dn streams. The analysis of fish compositions showed that the proportions of insectivore, omnivore, and carnivore were 61.9%, 19%, and 9.5%, respectively. According to tolerance guild analysis, sensitive species and tolerant species were 76.1% and 4.7%, respectively, indicating a healthy trophic state in terms of food chain. The analysis by habitat guild type indicated that riffle benthic species dominated (57.1%) when compared to water column species (28.5%). The introduced species and individuals with diseases or external abnormality were not observed. Overall, the model values of IBI and QHEI suggested that the ecological health was maintained well in this upstream region.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.34 no.3 s.95
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• pp.153-165
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• 2001

We evaluated the health condition of Pyong-Chang river, the tributary of Han- River, using the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) and Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) during September 1999${\sim}$August 2000. The annual mean of IBI,　which was estimated using eleven metrics, was 49 (range: $45{\sim}51$) and the mean of QHEI, which was estimated using seven parameters, was 88 (range: $76{\sim}94$) during　the study. The river health, based on the IBI criteria of Karr (1981), ranged from "excellent" to "good" conditions, while based on the habitat criteria of Plafkin et al. (1989), it ranged from "pristine" (comparable to reference) to "supporting" conditions. Values of IBI showed slight differences between upstream and downstream sites and QHEI values varied weakly depending on characteristics of variables. Regression analyses showed that annual values of QHEI had no functional relations with stream order (p = 1.82; n = 8) but showed some decreases near slight point-sources. This result indicates that conditions of physical habitat did not change highly with increases of the stream order. According to analyses of feed guilds, relative abundance of insectivores, omnivores and carnivores was 85.1%, 3.5% 0.3%, respectively. Also, relative abundance of sensitive and tolerant species was 75% and 4.6%, respectively, while exotic and morphological anomalies were not found in the river. These outcomes indicate that health condition of fish, based on the trophic conditions of U.S. EPA (1993), was excellent in the river. Regression analyses of IBI values against the QHEI showed that the variation of habitat conditions accounted 57% for the variation of the Index of Biological Integrity (p<0.05; $R^2\;=\;0.57$; n = 7).Overall data of IBI and QHEI suggest that the river health in the present is in optimal conditions but may be degradated by acceleration of chemical inputs and physical-habitat disturbance.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.373-380
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• 2017

This study identified the effect of changes in the riverbed on the benthic macroinvertebrate communities. The benthic macroinvertebrates collected from the surveyed sites belonged to 119 species, 65 families, 20 orders, and 7 classes in 4 phyla. The number of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (E.P.T) species was 42, 10, and 8, respectively, in the tributary, confluence, and Nakdong River sites. Lotic species (Hydropsychidae) showed a high density at the tributary sites, whereas lentic species (Chironomidae) showed a high density at the confluence and Nakdong River sites. Community analysis showed that the Dominance Index (DI) was 0.54 in tributary sites, and dominance indices increased closer to the Nakdong River sites. The diversity index (H') was inversely proportional to DI. The ratio of Burrowers species (BU) at the surveyed sites increased closer to the Nakdong River sites. Analysis of common species showed 37 species (34.6%) between the tributary and confluence sites and 66 species (51.5%) between the confluence and Nakdong River sites.

• Plant Resources
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.130-139
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• 2001

Four major naturally populated areas around the Jindong valley in Inje-Gun, Gangwon province for wild Pyrus ussuriensis, Malus sieboldii, and Malus baccata are mostly located on the southeast side of the mountains at 630-745m in altitude at sea level and are in very good sunny areas. The total of 77 taxa dividing into 32 families, 58 genera, 65 species, and 12 varieties has been inhabited in these areas. Most of these plants are heliophytes, which love sunshine, but some of rhizo-plants such as Sasa borealis, climbing plants such as Actinidia arguta and Celastrus orbiculatus, or naturalized plants like Bidens frondosa are also shown. These areas have been continually destroyed, so it is possibly thought that the second transition has been progressed. The index of species diversity of plant groups in these areas is 0.672∼1.465 based on the Shannon-Wiener's method, but its index for the area that rhizo-plants like Sasa borealis are growing as an under planting decreases relatively. In this study, the oldest plant of Pyrus ussuriensis in Korea, which is 120cm in diameter at breast height (DBH), 19m in tree height and 25m in width, has been found.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.24-34
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• 2010

This study was carried out to analyze some influences on ecological health conditions, threaten by various stressors such as physical, chemical and biological parameters. We collected samples in 2008 from three zones of upstream, midstream and downstream, Gap Stream. We applied multi-metric fish assessment index (MFAI), based on biotic integrity model to the three zones along with habitat evaluations based on Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI). We also examined fish fauna and compositions, and analyzed relations with MFAI values, QHEI values, and various guild types. Chemical parameters such as oragnic matter (BOD, COD), nutrients (TP, $NH_3$-N), coli-form number (as MPN), and suspended solids (SS) were analyzed to identify the relationship among multiple stressor effects. Using the sentinel species of Zacco platypus, the population structures and condition factors were analyzed along with DNA damages related with genotoxicant effects by comet assay. This study using all these parameters showed that stream condition was degraded along the longitudinal gradient from upstream to downstream, and the downstream, especially, was impacted by nutrient enrichment and toxicant exposure from the point source, wastewater treatment plant. Overall results indicated that our approaches applying various parameters may be used as a cause-effect technique in the stream health assessments and also used as a pre-warning tool for diagnosis of ecological degradation.

• 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.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.9
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• pp.1537-1549
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• 2014

The objectives of this study were to analyze reservoir trophic state, based on Trophic State Index (TSI), spatial variation patterns of three zones (riverine, transition, and lacustrine zone), and empirical models through 20-years long-term data analysis. Trophic variables of TP and CHL-a were highest during the summer monsoon, and decreased along the main axis from the riverine to lacustrine zone. In the mean time, TN did not show the trend. Ratios of N:P and Secchi disc transparency (SD) increased from the riverine to lacustrine zone. The analysis of trophic state index (TSI) showed that mean TSI (TP) and TSI (CHL-a) were 62 and 57, respectively, and these values were highest in the transition zone during the summer. This zone should be managed well due to highest lake water pollution. The analysis of Trophic State Index Deviation (TSID) showed that algal growth was primarily limited by light penetration, and this was most pronounced in the monsoon season. The analysis of empirical models showed that the value of $R^2$, based on CHL-SD model, was 0.30 (p < 0.0001) in the transition zone and the $R^2$, based on TP-SD model, was 0.41 (p < 0.0001) in the transition zone.