• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.127-139
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• 2023

Daechung Reservoir has been suffering from severe cyanobacterial blooming periodically due to the water pollutants from the watershed, especially nutrients from nonpoint sources. As a countermeasure, an artificial wetland was constructed to mitigate the pollutant load from the watershed by utilizing the vegetation. We investigated the water quality of the influent and outflow of the wetland during years 2014~2020 to evaluate the performance of pollutant removal through the wetland. Major pollutants (e.g. BOD, COD, SS, T-N, and T-P) were largely reduced during the retention in the wetland while nutrients removal was more efficient than that of organic matters. Pollutant removal efficiency for different inflow concentrations was also investigated to estimate the wetland's capability as a way of managing nonpoint sources. The efficiency of water treatment was significantly higher when inflow concentrations were above 75^th percentile for all pollutant, implying the wetland can be applied to the pre-treatment of high pollution load including initial rainfall runoff. Furthermore, the yearly variation of removal efficiency for seven years was analyzed to better understand long-term trends in water treatment of the wetland. The annual treatment efficiency of T-P was very high in the early stages of vegetation growth with high concentration of inflow water. However, it was confirmed that the concentration of inflow water decreased, vegetation stabilized, and the treatment efficiency gradually decreased as the soil was saturated. The findings of the study suggest that artificial wetlands can be an effective method for controlling harmful algal blooms by alleviating pollutant load from the tributaries of Daechung Reservoir.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.91-101
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• 2023

In this study, we estimated the concentration of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) using hyperspectral water surface reflectance in an inland weir (Baekjae weir) and estuarine reservoir (Namyang Reservoir) for monitoring the occurrence of algae in freshwater in South Korea. The hyperspectral reflectance was measured by aircraft in Baekjae Weir (BJW) from 2016 to 2017, and a drone in Namyang Reservoir (NYR) from 2020 to 2021. The 30 reflectance bands (BJW: 400-530, 620-680, 710-730, 760-790 nm, NYR: 400-430, 655-680, 740-800 nm) that were highly related to Chl-a concentration were selected using permutation importance. Artificial neural network based Chl-a estimation model was developed using the selected reflectance in both water bodies. And the performance of the model was evaluated with the coefficient of determination (R²), the root mean square error (RMSE), and the mean absolute error (MAE). The performance evaluation results of the Chl-a estimation model for each watershed was R²: 0.63, 0.82, RMSE: 9.67, 6.99, and MAE: 11.25, 8.48, respectively. The developed Chl-a model of this study may be used as foundation tool for the optimal management of freshwater algal blooms in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.543-551
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• 2023

As climate change continues to prompt an increasing demand for advancements in disaster and safety management technologies to address abnormal high water temperatures, typhoons, floods, and droughts, sea surface temperature has emerged as a pivotal factor for swiftly assessing the impacts of summer harmful algal blooms in the seas surrounding Korean Peninsula and the formation and dissipation of cold water along the East Coast of Korea. Therefore, this study sought to gauge predictive performance by leveraging statistical methods and deep learning algorithms to harness sea surface temperature data effectively for marine anomaly research. The sea surface temperature data employed in the predictions spans from 2018 to 2022 and originates from the Heuksando Tidal Observatory. Both traditional statistical ARIMA methods and advanced deep learning models, including long short-term memory (LSTM) and gated recurrent unit (GRU), were employed. Furthermore, prediction performance was evaluated using the attention LSTM technique. The technique integrated an attention mechanism into the sequence-to-sequence (s2s), further augmenting the performance of LSTM. The results showed that the attention LSTM model outperformed the other models, signifying its superior predictive performance. Additionally, fine-tuning hyperparameters can improve sea surface temperature performance.

• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2023

Recently, water shortages have occurred due to climate change, and the need for water management of agricultural water has increased due to the occurrence of algal blooms in reservoirs. Existing algae prevention is operated by putting many people on site and misses the optimal spraying time due to movement through boats. In order to solve this problem, it is necessary to block contamination in advance and move within time to uniformly spray complex microorganisms uniformly. Control drones are used for pesticide spraying and can be applied to algae prevention work by utilizing control drones. In this paper, basic research for the establishment of a marine control system was conducted for application to the reservoir environment, and as one of the results, the characteristics of a drone nozzle, a core technology that can be used for control drones, were calculated. In particular, it was found that the existing agricultural control drones had a disadvantage that the concentration was non-uniform within the suggested spraying interval, and to compensate for this, nozzle positioning and nozzle spraying uniformity were calculated. Based on the experimental results, we develop a core algorithm for establishing an algal bloom monitoring system in the reservoir environment and propose a precision control technology that can be used for marine control work in the future.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.273-282
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• 2023

Hypochaeris radicata, native to Europe and Eurasia, is a perennial plant of the Asteraceae family. In Korea, H. radicata was reported in 1992, mainly in Jeju Island, and gradually spreading to the inland. It overwinters in the form of a rosette and blooms yellow flowers from May to June. H. radicata propagates by seeds and rhizomes. The germination temperature of the seed is 15/20℃ (day/night), and the rhizome forms a new plant at a depth of 2-3cm in the soil. The roots of H. radicata secrete allelochemicals that inhibit the development of other plants. Some use it as a salad or forage substitute but to a limited extent. However, extensive research on ampicillin contained in H. radicata has been conducted, and its anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects have been recognized. There are only a few methods to manage H. radicata both culturally and physically. In orchards, soil treatments such as oxyfluorfen and diclobenil, or nonselective foliar treatments such as glufosinate-ammonium and glyphosate are used. Notably, there are no known biological control agents.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.158-165
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• 2010

Phytoplankton community structure is one of the indicators that can explain the enviromnental characteristics of coastal waters. In this study, phytoplankton community structure and water quality of aquaculture area were investigated for understanding regional enviromnental characteristics. Thirty stations in aquaculture areas of Tongyeong, southeast coast of Korea, were investigated monthly from January to December, 2009. Phytoplankton community, meteorologic dada and enviromnent factors including temperature, salinity, transparency, nutrients and chlorophyll a were also examined. Chaetoceros spp. and unidentified small flagellates were dominant species in all the year round. Pseudo-nitzschia spp., Dictyocha spp., and Nitzschia longissima were dominant in June to October being summer season, and Skeletonema costatum, Thalassiosira spp., Eucamphia zodiacus, Akashiwo sanguinea, Gymnodinium spp. and Asterionella japonicus appeared as dominant species in the rest of months. Dinoflagellate blooms occurred 3 times in near Hansan Bay and around Saryang-do, and the highest chlorophyll a was found in Hansan Bay. Species diversity of phytoplankton was lower in Hansan and Womnum Bay, and diatom was more abundant than dinoflagellates in Mireuk-do waters. These results showed that phytoplankton community varied by the seasonal and geographical characteristics, and recent increase of water temperature and heavy rain may affect on phytoplankton community structure.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.127-134
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• 2024

The feathery branched green alga Bryopsis plumosa (Hudson) C. Agardh bloomed at Songji Beach, Haenam, Korea, in November 2022. A terrible stench was present on the beach, and the bottom was covered in a thick green mat of green algae. The alga was identified as B. plumosa, which is an opportunistic species currently distributed worldwide. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) were analyzed in the bloomed area and compared with those of other vicinities. The DIN and DIP concentrations were 1.067 and 0.461 mg L^-1, respectively, which were 6 to 19 times higher than the average concentrations on southwest coasts, including Haenam. The B. plumosa bloom at Songji Beach in November 2022 appears to have depended on DIN and DIP concentrations in seawater. In this study, we report on the mass occurrence of B. plumosa, which appeared for the first time in Korea. This occurrence was found to be closely related to the concentration of nutrients in seawater. Therefore, it is necessary to manage the concentration of nutrients on land flowing into coastal waters to control green algal blooms such as Bryopsis.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.245-253
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• 2024

Blue-green algal bloom, or harmful algal bloom has a negative impact on the aquatic ecosystem and purified water supply system due to oxygen depletion in the water body, odor, and secretion of toxic substances in the freshwater ecosystem. This Blue-green algal bloom is expected to increase in intensity and frequency due to the increase in algae's residence time in the water body after the construction of the Nakdong River weir, as well as the increase in surface temperature due to climate change. In this study, in order to respond to the expected increase in green algae phenomenon, an algal bloom forecast system based on hydro-meteorological factors was presented for preemptive response before issuing a algal bloom warning. Through polyserial correlation analysis, the preceding influence periods of temperature and discharge according to the algal bloom forecast level were derived. Using the decision tree classification, a machine learning technique, Classification models for the algal bloom forecast levels based on temperature and discharge of the preceding period were derived. And a algal bloom forecast system based on hydro-meteorological factors was derived based on the results of the decision tree classification models. The proposed algae forecast system based on hydro-meteorological factors can be used as basic research for preemptive response before blue-green algal blooms.

• ALGAE
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.101-130
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• 2017

The ichthyotoxic Cochlodinium polykrikoides red tides have caused great economic losses in the aquaculture industry in the waters of Korea and other countries. Predicting outbreak of C. polykrikoides red tides 1-2 weeks in advance is a critical step in minimizing losses. In the South Sea of Korea, large C. polykrikoides red tide patches have often been recorded offshore and transported to nearshore waters. To explore the processes of offshore C. polykrikoides red tides, temporal variations in 3-dimensional (3-D) distributions of red tide organisms and environmental parameters were investigated by analyzing 4,432 water samples collected from 2-5 depths of 60 stations in the South Sea, Korea 16 times from May to Nov, 2014. In the study area, the vegetative cells of C. polykrikoides were found as early as May 7, but C. polykrikoides red tide patches were observed from Aug 21 until Oct 9. Cochlodinium red tides occurred in both inner and outer stations. Prior to the occurrence of large C. polykrikoides red tides, the phototrophic dinoflagellates Prorocentrum donghaiense (Jun 12 to Jul 11), Ceratium furca (Jul 11 to Aug 21), and Alexandrium fraterculus (Aug 21) formed red tides in sequence, and diatom red tides formed 2-3 times without a certain distinct pattern. The temperature for the optimal growth of these four red tide dinoflagellates is known to be similar. Thus, the sequence of the maximum growth rates of P. donghaiense > C. furca > A. fraterculus > C. polykrikoides may be partially responsible for this sequence of red tides in the inner stations following high nutrients input in the surface waters because of heavy rains. Furthermore, Cochlodinium red tides formed and persisted at the outer stations when $NO_3$ concentrations of the surface waters were < $2{\mu}M$ and thermocline depths were >20 m with the retreat of deep cold waters, and the abundance of the competing red-tide species was relatively low. The sequence of the maximum swimming speeds and thus potential reachable depths of C. polykrikoides > A. fraterculus > C. furca > P. donghaiense may be responsible for the large C. polykrikoides red tides after the small blooms of the other dinoflagellates. Thus, C. polykrikoides is likely to outgrow over the competitors at the outer stations by descending to depths >20 m and taking nutrients up from deep cold waters. Thus, to predict the process of Cochlodinium red tides in the study area, temporal variations in 3-D distributions of red tide organisms and environmental parameters showing major nutrient sources, formation and depth of thermoclines, intrusion and retreat of deep cold waters, and the abundance of competing red tide species should be well understood.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.30-37
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• 2013

This study was carried out to assess the spatial and tidal effects on the water quality in the lower reaches of Taewha River, Ulsan, Korea and to understand the environmental factors affecting winter algal bloom in the river. From May, 2010 to January, 2011, water samples were collected at five locations (New Samho Bridge, Old Samho Bridge, Mungjung Stream, Taewha Bridge, and Mungchon Bridge) along the river at high and low tides of spring tide. We measured environmental parameters including salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), chlorophyll a (Chl a) and various nutrient concentrations. Salinity increased towards the downstream direction. Average values of Chl a concentrations ranged $10-26mg/m^3$ at high tide and $11-53mg/m^3$ at low tide depending on sampling locations. It was noteworthy that there were strong increases in Chl a concentrations during the November 21 to December 22 sampling period especially at the Taewha Bridge. At the location, Chl a concentrations were measured as $138-296mg/m^3$ for the period; Rhodomonas lacustris of class Cryptophyceae was the dominant algal species. Chl a concentrations at the Taewha Bridge were positively correlated with such parameters as salinity, BOD, DO, COD, pH, and T-N, and negatively correlated with temperature and $NO_3{^-}$-N. On the other hand, at the Mungchon Bridge the highest concentration of Chl a was $55mg/m^3$ on August 25, and Chl a concentrations were positively correlated with $NH_3$-N, T-N, $PO_4{^{3-}}$-P, T-P, and heterotrophic plate counts. The results suggested that water quality in the lower Taewha River fluctuated a lot with the sampling locations and the patterns of algal blooms were different between Taewha Bridge and Mungchon Bridge sampling locations.