• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.973-983
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• 2007

The eco-hydrologic effects of maintenance water supply on Oncheon stream are studied using hydrologic, hydraulic and ecologic models. SWMM (Storm Water Management Model) is used for long-term simulation of runoff quantity and water quality from Oncheon stream watershed. Using the output hydrologic variables from SWMM, HEC-RAS (River Analysis System) is then used to simulate the hydraulics of water flow through Oncheon stream channels. Such hydrologic, hydraulic and water quality output variables from SWMM and HEC-RAS are served as input data to execute PHABSIM (Physical Habitat Simulation) for the purpose of predicting the micro-habitat conditions in rivers as a function of stream flow and the relative suitability of those conditions to aquatic life. It is observed from the PHABSIM results that the weighted usable area for target fishes has the maximum value at $2m^3/s$ of instream flow. However, mid and down stream areas that have concrete river bed and covered region are unsuitable for fish habitat regardless of instream flow increment. The simulation results indicate that the simple maintenance water supply is limited in its effect to improve the ecological environment in Oncheon stream. Therefore, it is imperative to improve water quality and to recover habitat conditions simultaneously.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.46-54
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• 2018

The habitat characteristics and the age of endangered miho spine loach, Cobitis choii, were investigated in Ji Stream, Guem River, Korea in 2011 to provide baseline data for its restoration. The habitat of the C. choii was the downstream portion composed of sand, and the sand particle sizes was mostly 0.21~1.18 mm (88.7%). Juveniles (age 0+) preferred slower water velocity (0~25 cm/sec) and a lower water depth (5~20 cm) than did individuals who were more than 1 year old, as this group inhabited rapids with 10~25 cm/sec of water velocity and 20~50 cm of water depth. The C. choii rapidly grew during the active period from April to October and they stopped growing during the hibernating period from November to March. The estimated age of the C. choii (females) based on their total length distribution during the spawning period (June) indicated that 1-, 2-, 3- and more than 4-year-old were 40~61 mm, 64~79 mm, 80~91 mm and 92~106 mm, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.527-536
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• 2007

In this study, we applied 10-metric health assessment model, based on the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) during 2006 in the Changwon Stream, which is located in the Changwon city, Gyeongnam province, S. Korea, and then compared with water quality data. The Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) in the Changwon Stream varied from 18 to 38 in the watershed depending on the sampling location and averaged 30.3 (n=6) during the study. Analysis of tolerance guilds showed that the proportion of sensitive species was 13%, but tolerant and intermediate species were 34% and 53%, respectively. Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) averaged 43.3 (range: 65-104, n=6) indicating non-supporting condition, based on the criteria of U.S. EPA (1993). Values of QHEI showed a typical longitudinal decreases from the headwater reach to the downstream location, except for Site 1 with a low QHEI value by artificial habitat by concrete construction. Minimum QHEI was found in Site 4 where fish diversity was minimal. Conductivity increased continuously along the gradients and especially showed abrupt increases in the downstream sites along with turbidity. Stream ecosystem health of IBI matched to the values of QHEI except for S6. Low IBI values in the sites 4 and 5 was considered to be a result of combined effects of chemical pollutions and habitat degradations. Our results support the hypotheses of Plafkin et ai. (1989) that physical habitat quality directly influences the trophic structure and species richness, and is closely associated with IBI values.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.62 no.6
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• pp.51-62
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• 2020

The objective of this study was to estimate an optimum ecological flow rate in the Banbyeon stream based on the two representative fish species. Hydraulic stream environment was simulated with HEC-RAS for two water flow regimes and used for the PHABSIM hydraulic simulation. A dominant species of Zacco platypus and an endemic species of Squalidus chankaensis tsuchigae were selected as the representative fishes whose habitat conditions were evaluated for the spawning and adult stages. Weighted usable area (WUA) was estimated based on habitat suitability index (HSI) and PHABSIM habitat simulation. Overall deep water zone in the stream demonstrated greater WUA which implies better habitat status. The estimated WUA for Zacco platypus as the dominant species was about five times greater than Squalidus chankaensis tsuchigae at the stream flow of 12 ㎥/s. The optimum ecological flow rates were 15 ㎥/s and 25 ㎥/s for the respective spawning and adult stages of Zacco platypus, while 5 ㎥/s was estimated for both the life cycles of Squalidus chankaensis tsuchigae. Assuming that the dominant species may survive better in wider flow regimes, the optimum ecological flow rate should be determined rater based on the endemic species and flow rate of 5 ㎥/s was suggested for the Banbyeon stream.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.33-44
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• 2019

Due to the recent climate change realization (timing, rainfall pattern changes), the flow regime is changing according to the watershed. The long-term change of flow regime is causing a significant change in structure and function of aquatic ecosystems. However, there is no analysis from the viewpoint of the aquatic ecosystem including flow rate alteration and ecological characteristics as well as the climate change connection in Korea yet. Therefore, We quantitatively assessed the impact of present-future flow regime alteration due to climate change on the Pseudopungtungia nigra habitat in the Mankyung river and floodplain area. As a result, it was confirmed that extreme hydrological conditions such as flood and drought are intensified in the future than the present. Especially, the changes of flow regime characteristics were clarified by comparing and analyzing the magnitude, frequency, duration, rate of change, and by linking flow regime characteristics with physical habitat analysis, it could be suggested that climate change would significantly increase the risk of future ecological changes.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.274-288
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• 2018

This study investigated the environmental factors and fish assemblage in 42 wetlands between spring and autumn of 2017 to evaluate the fish distribution and deduce the management strategy for improving biodiversity in created wetlands located at the Nakdong River basin. The investigation identified a total of 30 fish species and found that the most of wetlands were dominated by exotic fishes such as Micropterus salmoides and Lepomis macrochirus. Fish species such as Rhinogobius brunneus, Opsariichthys uncirostris amurensis, Zacco platypus were less abundant in the area with high density of Micropterus salmoides (static area) because they preferred the environment with active water flow. The pattern analysis of fish distribution in each wetland using the self-organizing map (SOM) showed a total of 24 variables (14 fish species and 10 environmental variables). The comparison of variables indicated that the distribution of fish species varied according to water depth and plant cover rate and was less affected by water temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen. The plant cover rate was strongly associated with high fish density and species diversity. However, wetlands with low plant biomass had diversity and density of fish species. The results showed that the microhabitat structure, created by macrophytes, was an important factor in determining the diversity and abundance of fish communities because the different species compositions of macrophytes supported diverse fish species in these habitats. Based on the results of this study, we conclude that macrophytes are the key components of lentic freshwater ecosystem heterogeneity, and the inclusion of diverse plant species in wetland construction or restoration schemes will result in ecologically healthy food webs.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2009

The stomach contents of Lumpenella longirostris, Malacocottus gibber and Bothrocara hollandi from the East Sea were examined to determine their feeding ecology. Specimens were caught seasonally from 2004 to 2006. The primary prey items of each species included crustaceans and mollusks. L. longirostris is a benthophage that primarily consumes bottom crustaceans and bivalves. M. gibber and B. hollandi are meso-pelagicphages that primarily consume amphipods and cephalopods. However, the species are opportunistic feeders that exploit the available prey in their habitat. The empty stomach ratio of the species is larger than that of offshore species (e.g. hairtail fish and yellow goose fish), and the prey diversity of the species evaluated in this study was much smaller than that of offshore species.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.343-349
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• 2012

A variety of fish species undergo an ontogenetic change in prey selectivity, and several potentially interacting factors, including nutrient requirement, microhabitat change, and foraging ability, may account for the occurrence of the shift. Here we examine the foraging ecology and ontogenetic diet shift of a micro-carnivorous goby, Pterogobius elapoides (serpentine goby), dominant component of fish assemblage in shallow rocky areas off the coast in Korea and Japan. Although most other gobies are primarily benthic carnivores, P. elapoides is a semipelagic fish; however, little is known about how those species change their foraging tactics with growth. In our diet analyses, the most common diet was pelagic copepods and benthic amphipods, and diet shift was observed from pelagic to benthic with growth. The ontogenetic diet shift seems to be the result of the preference for energetically more profitable prey in larger-size classes as well as the results of different prey availability due to among-habitat variation in diet. However, differential food preference does not appear to affect individual scope for searching food. Several factors such as predation pressures and interspecific resource partitioning might contribute to the changes in diet observed among size classes, which were included in our ongoing tests.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.148-156
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• 2010

This study was conducted to collect the information on the behavioral characteristics and the habitat environment of mandarin fish (Siniperca schezeri) and catfish (Parasilurus asitus) with acoustic telemetry method in Chungju Lake, Korea. Mandarin fish tended to stay within 1km from the release points in downstream, and had a strong diurnal behavior. They approached to the lakefront at night. They also preferred to stay at deep water off the lakefront. The average swimming speed was faster at night (0.4BL/s) than during a day (0.2BL/s). They swam the shallow water area at night. Catfish frequently moved between upstream and downstream. Catfish tended to act during a day. The average swimming speed was faster during a day (0.3BL/s) than at night (0.2 BL/s). The average swimming depth was 14.3m, and they tended to float about 4m during a day.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.130-142
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• 2007

This study was to examine impacts of turbid water on fish community in the downstream of Yongdam Dam during the period from June to October 2006. For the research, we selected six sampling sites in the field: two sites were controls with no influences of turbid water from the dam and other remaining four sites were the stations for an assessment of potential turbid effects. We evaluated integrative health conditions throughout applications of various models such as necropsy-based fish health assessment model (FHA), Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) using fish assemblages, and Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI). Laboratory tests on fish exposure under 400 NTU were performed to find out impact of turbid water using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results showed that fine solid particles were clogging in the gill in the treatments, while particles were not found in the control. This results indicate that when inorganic turbidity increases abruptedly, fish may have a mechanical abrasion or respiratory blocking. The stream health condition, based on the IBI values, ranged between 38 and 48 (average: 42), indicating a "excellent" or "good" condition after the criteria of US EPA (1993). In the mean time, physical habitat condition, based on the QHEI, ranged 97 to 187 (average 154), indicating a "suboptimal condition". These biological outcomes were compared with chemical dataset: IBI values were more correlated (r=0.526, p<0.05, n=18) with QHEI rather than chemical water quality, based on turbidity (r=0.260, p>0.05, n=18). Analysis of the FHA showed that the individual health indicated "excellent condition", while QHEI showed no habitat disturbances (especially bottom substrate and embeddeness), food-web, and spawning place. Consequently, we concluded that the ecological health in downstream of Yongdam Dam was not impacted by the turbid water.