• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.144-154
• /
• 2007

The acute and chronic toxicity of ambient and effluent water discharged to Lake Shihwa were investigated by using Vibrio fischeri, Daphnia magna and Oryzias latipes. Physicochemical characteristics including biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and nine heavy metals in a total of 15 water samples were evaluated and were satisfied with relevant Korean Water Quality Standards (KWQS) except for Hg in one sample. Acute toxicity was observed in five samples collected from three sampling locations. When impacts on reproduction and growth after chronic exposure were evaluated with D. magna, all the samples showed significant chronic effects. Reproduction appeared relatively more sensitive endpoint. In 21 days chronic tests on O. latipes, survival, mean egg number per female per day, hatching success rate and time to hatch were affected by increasing sample concentration. The organ-level changes such as gonadosomatic index (GSI), and hepatosomatic index (HSI), and molecular biomarker of vitellogenin (Vtg) induction that evaluated with O. latipes increased as exposure concentrations increased. It is noteworthy that the samples that did not exceed the KWQS resulted in acute and chronic toxicities. The results suggested that numeric criteria based on physicochemical parameters may not be protective of aquatic ecosystem. Acute and chronic toxicity tests with organisms representing different trophic groups should be supplemented in order to provide adequate level of environmental protection.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.36 no.5
• /
• pp.431-444
• /
• 2020

The relationship between dam construction and water quality has recently come to be considered an important issue. A dam is a physical factor which causes changes to the river system around it. Considering these points, this study was conducted to obtain basic data by analyzing the relationship between water level fluctuations and water quality parameters in the short-term. In terms of methodology, the new construction of the Yeongju Dam (M5) in 2016 was divided into Stage 1 as the lotic system and Stage 2 as the lentic system, with four years in each period, and the water level fluctuations and water quality were analyzed using official data. As a result of this study, M5, a stagnant area in which organic matter and nutrients accumulate, was found to be an important factor in water quality management. In addition, the water level changed rapidly (0.9±0.2 m → 10.9±7.1 m) as the river environment condition was converted from the lotic system to the lentic system. In addition, water quality parameters such as BOD, COD, TOC, and Chl-a significantly changed in the short-term. Further, since the transport of organic matter and nutrients occurred well in the lotic system, sedimentation was expected to be dominant in the lentic system. Therefore, it was determined that when the river flow is blocked, autochthonous organic matter is an important factor for long-term water quality management in the future. This process can increase the trophic state of the water body. As a result of this study, the TSI_KO value was converted from mesotrophic in Stage 1 to eutrophic in Stage 2. Eventually, short-term changes in the river environment will affect not only changes in water level but also changes in water quality. Thus, a comprehensive and strategic approach is needed for long-term water quality management in the future.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.51 no.4
• /
• pp.322-330
• /
• 2018

Herbivory is a major functional component of forest ecosystems, and herbivorous insects comprise about 25% of all insect species. Increasing plant diversity is related to herbivore abundance and diversity, which affects the level of leaf damage caused by insects. This study was conducted to identify plant-related variables such as plant diversity and number of leaves and density-related variables, basal area, and diameter at breast height (DBH) in a temperate forest of southern South Korea. To assess the level of leaf damage caused by leaf chewing insects, we set up two 0.1 ha plots in a temperate deciduous forest on Mt. Jirisan National Park. Plant richness differed between two sites: 16 species in 14 families(site 1) and 19 species in 15 families (site 2). Fisher's alpha index based on plant species richness and abundance resulted in 4.41 (site 1) and 6.57 (site 2). However, the sum of basal area of each site was higher in site 1 ($6.6m^2$) than site 2 ($3.7m^2$). The total surveyed leaves at two sites were 3,832 and 4,691, respectively and the damage leaves were 1,544 and 2,136, respectively. The mean leaf damage level was 11.2% (${\pm}1.76%$) in two study sites: the leaf damage level of the site 1 (11.99%) was significantly higher than site 2 (10.59%). Stepwise regression analysis showed that species diversity and evenness were the significant variables for leaf damages by chewing herbivores. NMDS ordination also identified that high tree density and low species diversity were the significant variables. This suggested that the level of damage was significantly higher in plots with low plant diversity and high tree density. In the future, we will investigate other guilds of herbivores such as sap-suckers, miners and gallers in temperate deciduous forests.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.525-538
• /
• 2019

The purpose of this study was to analyze the habitat status and species diversity of benthic diatoms and estimate the applicability of TDI (Trophic Diatom Index) to obtain the basic data for the identification and management of created wetlands in the Nakdong River. We observed a total of 38 families and 173 species of benthic diatom during the survey period, and spring and autumn showed a similar number of species of 156 and 154, respectively. The result of the SOM (Self-Organizing Map) analysis showed that the distribution of benthic diatom was sensitive to environmental factors such as nutrient concentration and rainfall in each wetland. The cluster 1 was characterized by the survey sites of autumn mostly and consisted of points of high TDI, although the nutrients such as total phosphorus and total nitrogen were low, and the species number and abundance of diatoms were low. Conversely, cluster 4 was characterized by the survey sites of spring mostly and consisted of points of low TDI, even though total nitrogen was high. Considering that most of the created wetlands had the reduced inflow and outflow, the increased flow rate in the summer lowers nutrient values in autumn, and the species number and abundance of benthic diatom decreases due to the increase of turbidity, which reduces the light penetrations to the substrates. On the contrary, the TDI value is low in spring because the low water level causes insufficient substrate surface to the benthic diatoms, and it is too early for the establishment and development of saprophilous species. Although various studies have used TDI as an indicator for evaluating the habitat environment and water quality, it is not a good evaluation indicator in this study since the nutrient concentration in the wetlands mostly high as they have a low flow rate and are close to the stagnant area. Nevertheless, additional periodic surveys that comprehensively reflect the fact that the summer rainfall and inflow/outflow regulating function might affect the species diversity and distribution of benthic diatoms are necessary.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.614-621
• /
• 2010

A indigenous freshwater bivalve Unio douglasiae was introduced to compare the differences in the efficacy of algal bloom control and the appearances of mussel-mediated adverse effects between two different reservoirs such as mesotrophic (Shingu r.) and hypertrophic (Seokmun r.). We constructed the study mesocosm in the shore of each reservoir, stocked the mussel at density of $30indiv./m^3$ for 7 days, and measured daily the phytoplankton density and water quality. In mesotrophic reservoir, even though approximately 38% of suspended solids and chlorophyll-a was reduced by stocked bivalves for the first 3 days, algal density, ammonia and soluble reactive phosphorus gradually increased with increasing mussel death. In hypertrophic reservoir, mussels strongly inhibited suspended solids and chlorophyll-a by the termination of study with no increase of mussel death and nutrient, especially ammonia concentration. In both reservoirs, a strong selectivity showed mussels preferred to diatom rather than cyanobacteria and green algae without algal density and nutrient level. Our results indicate that an introduction of freshwater bivalve U. douglasiae is more strategic to improve water quality of hypertrophic than mesotrophic reservoir, but many preliminary studies on the treatment method and the selection of target water system are required.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.49 no.2
• /
• pp.130-141
• /
• 2016

This study was conducted to elucidate the structure of river ecosystem in the watershed of the Seom River and Hoengseong Reservoir located in Hoengseong of Kangwon Province from February to October 2007. Topics of the survey were mainly rainfall, discharge, water quality in abiotic factors and attached algae, benthic macroinvertebrates, fish, birds and mammals of flora and fauna in a biotic factors, respectively. Specifically, the Seom River could be seen as a typical flow rate of the stream is controlled to the effect of the dam. Basic water qualities were great to seasonal effects, it was relatively clean. Diatom Achnanthes, Cymbella, Gomphonema, and Navicula were distributed predominantly in the periphytic algae. Benthic macroinvertebrates were mostly aquatic insects and freshwater shellfish, the aquatic insects were abundant Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera. Freshwater fish was the dominant Zacco platypus, fish species varied toward the downstream. Birds were mainly observed in four species, and species Egretta garzetta, which was distributed in a wide area of the Seom River. In mammals, Lutra lutra of Mustelidae was identified that the number of inhabit widely. In aspects of the ecological trophic level, the Seom River was maintained at a relatively stable state in the producer and the consumer relationship. The results of this study will expected to be utilized as a useful data for understanding the structure and function of the lotic and lentic ecosystems.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.138-142
• /
• 2015

L-thyroxine (LT4) withdrawal prior to radioactive iodine (RAI) ablation therapy is a commonly used method for successful treatment of patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). However, a prolonged period of hypothyroidism induced by LT4 withdrawal is sometimes associated with impaired quality of life and cardiopulmonary dysfunction in PTC patients. Furthermore, LT4 withdrawal may have a trophic effect on residual cancer by means of increased thyrotropin. We report on 2 cases of metastatic PTC patients with malignant pleural effusion (MPE) whose disease showed rapid worsening after LT4 withdrawal and RAI therapy. The first case is a 65-year-old woman who had PTC with multiple distant metastases and MPE. During LT4 withdrawal for RAI therapy, MPE showed rapid worsening, and the patient required repetitive therapeutic thoracentesis. The second case is a 49-year-old woman with PTC who underwent 3 additional operations for cancer recurrence in the neck lymph nodes and 6 times of RAI treatments. While preparing for the $7^{th}$ RAI treatment by withdrawing LT4, she developed MPE which became progressively aggravated after RAI therapy. Both patients experienced increased pleural effusion during the LT4 withdrawal period and a rise in the thyroglobulin level was observed after RAI therapy. MPE was not controlled with therapeutic thoracentesis and pleurodesis. Eventually, both patients died of rapid disease progression after RAI therapy. In summary, LT4 withdrawal may have an adverse effect on metastatic PTC patients, particularly those with MPE.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.25 no.6
• /
• pp.879-885
• /
• 2009

The present study was carried out to develop biological criteria for water quality assessment using benthic diatoms. Selecting of the indicator diatoms, three parameters were considered: broad distribution (180 taxa occurred over 3% at upper level), species abundance (158 taxa occurred over $1.5{\times}10^5cells/cm^2$), and sensitivity (184 taxa occurred more than once as 1st and 2nd dominant species). Overall, total 208 taxa were selected, including 38 varieties, 170 species, 34 genera, 9 families, 3 orders, and 1 phylum. The most dominant taxonomic group (family) was Naviculaceae (52%), followed by Diatomaceae (15%), Nitzschiaceae (12%) and Achnantaceae (11%). COD and TP were proposed as new water quality standards (draft) to improve the existing BOD standard and to manage and control efficiently non-biodegradable organic pollutants. With this regard, we used TP standard (draft) in developing biological water quality criteria for diatoms. TP standards (draft) proposed as Ia = 0.02 mg/L or less, Ib = 0.05 mg/L or less, II = 0.1 mg/L or less, III = 0.2 mg/L or less, IV = 0.4 mg/L or less, V = 0.6 mg/L or less and VI = above 0.6 mg/L. Biological assessment system (4 class system) was developed and proposed for diatom using modified Tropic Diatom Index (TDI). Biological assessment of TDI appear B grade (Good).

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

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