• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.125-129
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• 2008

To predict Daphnia secondary productivity along a trophic gradient indexed as total phosphorus (TP) concentration, we estimated energy transfer efficiencies from food quality for Daphnia such as eicosa-pentaenoic acid (EPA) or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content. Eleven flow-through Daphnia magna growth experiments were conducted with seston from 9 lakes, ponds and river waters. Primary productivities were estimated from food supply rates in the flow-through experiments, producing energy transfer efficiencies from seston to D. magna. We found DHA content was the best predictor of energy transfer efficiencies among the essential fatty acids. An asymptotic saturation model explained 79.6% of the variability In energy transfer efficiencies. Based on empirical data in this study and empirical models from literature, we predict that Daphnia productivity would peak in mesotrophic systems by decreasing food quality and Increasing food quantity along trophic gradient.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.184-195
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• 2005

A preliminary quantitative model of the trophic structure in Gwangyang bay, Korea was obtained using ECOPATH and data from relevant studies to date in the region. The model integrates and analyzes biomass, food spectrum, trophic interactions and the key trophic pathways of the system. The bay model comprises 9 groups of benthic primary producer, phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthos, bivalve, pelagic fish, demersal fish and piscivorous fish. The total system throughput was estimated at $2.4\;kgWW/m^2/yr$, including a consumption of $41\%$, exports of $9\%$, respiratory flows of $24\%$ and flows into detritus of $26\%$. All of which originate from primary producers measured at $52\%$ and detritus of $48\%$. The total biomass was seen to be high compared to the levels of Somme, Delaware, Chesapeake Bays and Seine Estuary. This seems to be possibly due to artificial bivalve aquaculture and overestimation of benthos and benthic primary producer groups. The deviation can be calibrated by neglecting aquaculture and decreasing the habitat area for the groups. The trophic network of the bay shows a low level of recycling and organization as indicated by Finn's cycling index $3.3\%$, Ascendancy $3.1\;kgC/m^2/yr$ bits, Capacity $5.1\;kgC/m^2/yr$ bits and Redundancy $2.2\;kgC/m^2/yr$ bits. A high relative ascendancy of $62\%$ and a low internal relative ascendancy of $18\%$ indicate the system is not fully organized and stable towards disturbances, depending upon external connections. Although the model should be continuously provided with field data and calibrated further in depth, this study is the first trophic model applied to the region. The model can be a useful tool to understand the ecosystem in a quantitative manner.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.180-195
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• 2011

A balanced trophic model for Sinjido marine ecosystem was constructed using ECOPATH model and data obtained 1994 in the region. The model integrates available information on biomass and food spectrum, and analyses ecosystem properties, dynamics of the main species populations and the key trophic pathways of the system, and then compares these results with those of other marine environments. The model comprises 17 groups of benthic algae, phytoplankton, zooplankton, gastropoda, polychaeta, bivalvia, echinodermata, crustacean, cephalopoda, goby, flatfish, rays and skates, croaker, blenny, conger, flatheads, and detritus. The model shows trophic levels of 1.0~4.0 from primary producers and detritus to top predator as flathead group. The model estimates total biomass(B) of 0.1 $kgWW/m^2$, total net primary production(PP) of 1.6 $kgWW/m^2/yr$, total system throughput(TST) of 3.4 $kgWW/m^2/yr$ and TST's components of consumption 7%, exports 43%, respiratory flows 4% and flows into detritus 46%. The model also calculates PP/TR of 0.012, PP/B of 0.015, omnivory index(OI) of 0.12, Fin's cycling index(FCI) of 0.7%, Fin's mean path length(MPL) of2.11, ascendancy(A) of 4.1 $kgWW/m^2/yr$ bits, development capacity(C) of 8.2 $kgWW/m^2/yr$ bits and A/C of 51%. In particular this study focuses the analysis of mixed trophic impacts and describes the indirect impact of a groupb upon another through mediating one based on 4 types. A large proportion of total export in TST means higher exchange rate in the study region than in semi enclosed basins, which seems by strong tidal currents along the channels between islands, called Sinjido, Choyakdo and Saengildo. Among ecosystem theory and cycling indices, B, TST, PP/TR, FCI, MPL and OI are shown low, indicating the system is not fully mature according to Odum's theory. Additionally, high A/C reveals the maximum capacity of the region is small. To sum up, the study region has high exports of trophic flow and low capacity to develop, and reaches a development stage in the moment. This is a pilot research applied to the Sinjido in terms of trophic flow and food web system such that it may be helpful for comparison and management of the ecosystem in the future.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.239-251
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• 2012

The food web dynamics in a coastal ecosystem of Korea were predicted with Ecosim, a trophic flow model, under various scenarios of primary productivity due to ocean warming and ocean acidification. Changes in primary productivity were obtained from an earth system model 2.1 under A1B scenario of IPCC $CO_2$ emission and replaced for forcing functions on the phytoplankton group during the period between 2020 and 2100. Impacts of ocean acidification on species were represented in the model for gastropoda, bivalvia, echinodermata, crustacean and cephalopoda groups with effect sizes of conservative, medium and large. The model results show that the total biomass of invertebrate and fish groups decreases 5%, 11~28% and 14~27%, respectively, depending on primary productivity, ocean acidification and combined effects. In particular, the blenny group shows zero biomass at 2080. The zooplankton group shows a sudden increase at the same time, and finally reaches twice the baseline at 2100. On the other hand, the ecosystem attributes of the mean trophic level of the ecosystem, Shannon's H and Kempton's Q indexes show a similar reduction pattern to biomass change, indicating that total biomass, biodiversity and evenness shrink dynamically by impacts of climate change. It is expected from the model results that, after obtaining more information on climate change impacts on the species level, this study will be helpful for further investigation of the food web dynamics in the open seas around Korea.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.389-401
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• 2003

The changes in structure and abundance of taxon or species groups in the East Sea ecosystem were compared between pre- and post-Climatic Regime Shift (CRS) occurred in the mid 1970s using an ECOPATH model. Although the East Sea ecosystem consisted of primary producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers and terminal consumers most species groups were classified as secondary consumers. The mean trophic level between pre- and post-CRS increased from 3.09 during the pre-CRS period to 3.28 during the post-CRS period. Total biomass of the species groups in the East Sea ecosystem increased by $9\%$ due to the CRS, and total catch increased by $48\%.$ The most significant differences between pre- and post-CRS models occurred at the mid/high trophic levels occupied by fishes and cephalopods. Relative contribution of the different species groups to the total energy flow was calculated for the trophic level III. As a result, the status by the dominant species in the East Sea ecosystem shifted from cephalopods to walleye pollock due to the CRS. Relative contribution of 5 species, which were commercially important, such as Pacific saury, Pacific sardine, filefish, walleye pollock and sandfish in trophic level III, were also changed due to the CRS. Finally, the CRS turned out to cause large variations in biomass and catch of fisheries resources as well as the status and role of the major species.

• Journal of the Korea Society for Simulation
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.97-105
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• 2011

In rivers and streams, biofilms are thin layers of greenish-brown slime attached to rocks, plants, and other surfaces. Biofilms play key roles in primary production and cycling of nutrients, water quality remediation, suspended sediment removal, and energy flow to higher trophic levels. In the present study, we developed a two-dimensional cellular automata model to simulate mixed biofilms of toxin-sensitive and toxin-producing species in hydrodynamic flow. The flow was generated by a stochastic process for uniform flow and by using the Navier-Stokes equation for non-uniform flow. Minimized local rules governing reproduction and mortality of the species were executed in the self-organizing processes to elucidate interactions between toxin-producing and toxin-sensitive species in competition over nutrients. We briefly discuss the morphology of the simulated biofilm under different flow conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.750-763
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• 2018

This study conducted 10 sampling sites survey 4 times to determine the trophic structure and energy flow of marine ecosystems for Uljin marine ranching area, Korean East Sea from March to October 2013. Based on the ecological characteristics of biological species, one used the non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling method based on the similarity of species. A total of 19 classified species groups formed categories including, top predators, seabirds, large pelagic fishes, small pelagic fishes, rockfishes, pleuronectiformes, benthic fishes, semi-benthic fishes, cephalopods, benthic feeders, epifauna, bivalves, abalone, Cnidaria, zooplankton, benthic algae, microalgae, phytoplankton and detritus. The biomass, production/biomass, consumption/biomass, diet composition data of each species groups to input data used in Ecopath mode estimated the trophic structure and energy flow of marine ecosystems in the Uljin marine ranching area. One estimated each species groups on the trophic level from 1 to 5.687. The sum of all consumption was estimated at $229.7t/km^2/yr$ and the sum of all exports was as estimated $3,432.4t/km^2/yr$. Total system throughput was at $6,796.2t/km^2/yr$, and the sum of all production was estimated at $3,613.1t/km^2/yr$. Net system production according to these results was estimated at $3,490.3t/km^2/yr$ and total biomass (excluding detritus) was estimated at $167.3t/km^2/yr$ in the Uljin marine ranching area.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.270-284
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• 2018

Paldang is a river reservoir located in the Midwest of Korea, with a water volume of $244{\cdot}10^6m^3$ and a water surface area of $36.5km^2$. It has eutrophied since the construction of a dam at the end of 1973, and the phosphorus concentration has decreased since 2001. Average hydraulic residence time of the Paldang reservoir is about 10 days during the spring season and 5.6 days as an annual level. The hydraulics and water quality of the reservoir can differ greatly, both temporally and spatially. For the spring period (March to May) in 2001 ~ 2017, the reservoir mean total phosphorus concentration calculated from the budget model based on a plug-flow system (PF) and a continuous stirred-tank reaction system (CSTR) was 13 % higher and 10 % lower than the observed concentration, respectively. A composite flow system (CF) was devised by assuming that the transition zone was plug flow, and that the lacustrine zone was completely mixed. The mean concentration calculated from the model based on CF was not skewed from the observed concentration, and showed just 6 % error. The retention coefficient of the phosphorus derived from the CF was 0.30, which was less than those of the natural lakes abroad or river reservoirs in Korea. The apparent settling velocity of total phosphorus was estimated to be $93m\;yr^{-1}$, which was 6 ~ 9 times higher than those of foreign natural lakes. Assuming CF, the critical load line for the total phosphorus concentration showed a hyperbolic relation to the hydraulic load in the Paldang reservoir. This is different from the previously known straight critical load line. The trophic state of the Paldang reservoir has recently been estimated to be mesotrophic based on the critical-load curve of the phosphorus budget model developed in this study. Although there is no theoretical error in the newly developed budget model, it is necessary to verify the validity of the portion below the inflection point of the critical-load curve afterwards.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.259-273
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• 2022

Interactions between species in a community are very complex, and they are visualized and analyzed through a food web in simple way. Food web is a network of species connected by trophic links showing energy flow from prey to predator. Various models were developed to characterize the food web in ecosystems. In this study, we classified food web models to static models such as Ecopath and dynamic models such as AQUATOX. We presented characteristics of several different types of food web models in each category, and reviewed their applications used in aquatic ecosystems. Finally, we presented issues to be considered to develop food web models.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.470-486
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• 2018

This study is to investigate the allochthonous load and water quality of a typical river-reservoir, Paldang during spring (March ~ May) of 17 years (2001 ~ 2017). Phosphorus loading from point sources seems to have been reduced by 74 % in the 2010s. As a result, trophic state of the Paldang reservoir, eutrophic during the 2000s, has returned to the lmesotrophic state. Along with decrease in phosphorus concentration, standing crops of algae (Chl.a) decreased, and concentration of biodegradable organic material decreased to the past level. Concentration of total suspended solids has decreased, and it is due to the decrease of phytoplankton standing crops since the mid-2000s. As transparency increased, it is estimated that euphotic area increased by 22 % and euphotic capacity expanded by 27 %. In the river/transition zone of Paldang, concentration of organic matter increases slightly due to algal growth, but concentration of all water quality items decreases in the lacustrine zone. Although algal growth rate revealed positive correlation with concentration of phosphorus, it was insignificant. Algal growth appeared to be dependent on renewal of phosphorus by flow, than either flow rate or phosphorus concentration. The empirical model including inflow phytoplankton concentration fit well with observed values, and indicates the Paldang reservoir is greatly influenced by allochthonous loads.