• Animal cells and systems
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.235-241
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• 2011

To examine variation in trophic pathways and the characteristics of food webs from organic matters to aquatic insects, we used stable isotopes to study an intermittent stream system of the Inukami River, Japan. The aquatic insects, including Glossosoma spp., Chironominae spp., Stenelmis spp., Rhyacophilla nigrocephala, and Hexatoma spp., were characterized by different feeding strategies. The ${\delta}^{13}C$ values for these species indicated that Glossosoma spp. graze upon periphyton; Chironominae and Stenelmis spp. mainly feed on benthic particulate organic matter, and R. nigrocephala and Hexatoma spp., which were identified as predators, feed upon Glossosoma, Stenelmis, and/or Chironominae spp. This suggests that the trophic position of consumers at each station may be determined by the trophic position of basal food sources in situ. For trophic pathways, the ${\delta}^{13}C$ values for both organic matter and aquatic insects tended to gradually decrease, whilst the ${\delta}^{15}N$ values increased from the upper reach to the lower reaches, relative to the physicochemical and geographical conditions. These parameters indirectly influence the flow of energy from organic matter to consumers within food web in an intermittent stream system.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2020

Background: Fish body size is a major determinant of freshwater trophic interactions, yet only a few studies have explored the relationship between the fish body size and trophic interactions in river upstream. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the body size and trophic position (TP) of Coreoperca kawamebari (Temminck & Schlegel, 1843) in an upstream of the Geum River. Results: A stable isotope analysis (based on δ¹⁵N) was used to determine the TP based on the body size of C. kawamebari. The regression analysis (n = 33, f = 63.840, r² = 0.68) clearly showed the relationship between the body length and TP of C. kawamebari. The TP of C. kawamebari was clearly divided by body size into the following classes: individuals of size < 10 cm that feed on insects and individuals of size > 10 cm feed on juvenile fish. This selective feeding is an evolutionarily selective tendency to maximize energy intake per unit time. Furthermore, the diet shift of C. kawamebari was led by different spatial distributions. The littoral zone was occupied by individuals of size < 10 cm, and those of size > 10 cm were mainly in the central zone. The littoral zone can be assumed to be enriched with food items such as ephemeropterans and dipterans. Conclusion: The TP of C. kawamebari, as a carnivorous predator, will have a strong influence on biotic interactions in the upstream area of the Geum River, which can lead to food web implication.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.432-440
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• 2017

Compound specific isotope analysis of amino acids (CSIA-AAs) is being highlighted as an alternative approach for overcoming some restrictions in application of stable isotope analysis of bulk tissue (SIA) for trophic position (TP) estimation. However, this approach has rarely been applied in Korea. The present study determines TP of two Polychaeta (Nephtyidae and Glyceridae) and two fish species(Platycephalus indicus and Lophius litulon) collected from the Geum River estuary using nitrogen isotope ratio of amino acid and compared with the TP values estimated by SIA. The Polychaeta species, sampled in two sites, showed similar TP between SIA(2.7 and 3.1) and CSIA-AAs (2.6 and 3.1). However, for both fish species, TP values displayed a large difference between SIA (3.1 and 2.3) and CSIA-AAs (3.8 and 3.7). In this study TP values estimated by CSIA-AAs showed more similar to the previously reported gut content analysis of both fishes compared with the results of SIA. Current study suggests the applicability of nitrogen isotope ratio of amino acid to understand coastal ecosystem structure and trophic ecology.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.218-228
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• 2023

Invasive predators are one of the most damaging species groups to biodiversity. In the Nakdong River, the lake skygazer Chanodichthys erythropterus is a dominant species that is fiercely carnivorous and a concern for commercial fish. Although it is important to understand the ecological characteristics related to the feeding habit, studies on the diets of lake skygazer in Nakdong River have been limited to studies of gut contents. In this study, the trophic position (TP) and feeding habits of C. erythropterus were studied by calculating TPs using samples collected from 13 sites throughout the Nakdong River. Compound-specific isotopic analysis of amino acids provided reliable TPs from the muscle of Lake skygazer C. erythropterus without any isotope baseline. The results were approximately 3 to 3.6 and suggesting a carnivorous but size-dependent prey variation. In particular, the TP variability of C. erythropterus observed in the Nakdong River showed that it had a selective feeding habit compared to carnivorous fish species of relatively similar trophic levels.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.493-505
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• 2020

Food web structures in the lower trophic levels of the seas around the Korean peninsula were investigated in August 2019 using stable isotopes. There were variable ratios of the carbon (-26.18 ~ -20.61 ‰) and nitrogen stable (5.36 ~ 15.20 ‰) isotopes in the particulate organic matter (POM). Most of the organisms ingested micro-POM as a major food source, but this varied spatially. The chaetognaths (3.40 ± 0.61) occupied the highest trophic level. The isotope mixing model showed that the proportions (13 ~ 51 %) of some organisms (i.e., copepods and euphausiids) reflected the relative contributions as major food sources for chaetognaths at each site.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.185-200
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• 2022

The risk of various hazardous substances in aquatic environment comprises not only the concentration of substances in the environmental medium but also their accumulation in fish through complex food web and the health risks to humans through the fish. In Korea, the monitoring of residual toxicant in aquatic ecosystems began in 2016 following the enforcement of the Acts on registration and evaluation for the management of chemicals used in daily life (consumer chemical products), and attention has been paid to potentially hazardous substances attributed to them. Recently, studies have been carried out to investigate the distribution of these hazardous substances in the ecosystem and calculate their emission factors. These include the accumulation and transport of substances, such as detergents, dyes, fragrances, cosmetics, and disinfectants, within trophic levels. This study summarizes the results of recently published research on the inflow and distribution of hazardous substances from consumer chemical products to the aquatic environment and presents the scientific implication. Based on studies on aquatic environment monitoring techniques, this study suggests research directions for monitoring the residual concentration and distribution of harmful chemical substances in aquatic ecosystems. In particular, this study introduces the directions for research on trophic position analysis using compound specific isotope analysis and trophic magnification factors, which are needed to fulfill the contemporary requirements of selecting target fish based on the survey of major fish that inhabit domestic waters and assessment of associated health risk. In addition, this study provides suggestions for future biota monitoring and chemical research in Korea.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Fisheries Technology Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.435-436
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• 2001

In sand beaches the benthic macrofauna feeding on primary food sources such as detritus and phytoplankton and being prey in turn for top predators such as fishes occupies a key position in the center of food chains. Amphipods are the most productive bentho-pelagic animals (Barnard, 1963) and are commonly consumed by fishes and larger crustaceans (Vetter, 1995). Consequently, amphipods play an important role in energy flow as a trophic link from primary producers to higher consumers(Chiaravalle et al., 1997).

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.96-104
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• 2018

Stable isotope approach for aquatic ecology and environmental sciences has been introduced as very useful technique since 1980s and also has been applied to investigate various issues in aquatic ecology and environmental study last 10 years in Korea. Especially carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios have been mainly used to understand food web energy flow and ecosystem structure. In addition, nitrogen isotope ratio has been applied for nitrogen cycle and source identification as well as biomagnification studies. However, large temporal or spatial variations of nitrogen isotope ratio of primary producer have been found in many aquatic environments, and it is regarded as the critical problems to determine trophic level of aquatic animals. Recently, the compound specific isotope analysis of nitrogen within individual amino acids has been developed as an alternative method for trophic ecology. This article introduces the progress history of stable isotope application in aquatic ecology and environmental sciences, and also suggests new direction based on future prospects in stable isotope ecology and environmental study.

• Mycobiology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.143-147
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• 2008

We have detected the slime mold, Diachea leucopodia (GNU06-10) in a strawberry greenhouse located in Sancheong-gun, Gyeongnam. Typical fruiting bodies had developed gregariously on the strawberry leaves, petioles, and plant debris on ground soil habitat, and also surprisingly on plastic pipes and a vinyl covering. Field samples were examined via stereomicroscopy, light microscopy, and SEM for the determination of morphological characteristics. Dark-brown to black spores formed gregariously within the stipitate cylindrical sporangium, and were covered by an iridescent peridium, which may be intact at maturity, or may have disintegrated. The upper portion of the peridium generally breaks up to expose the spores, whereas the lower portion was usually persistent. The results of energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) analysis showed that lime was present in the stalk and columella but absent from the spores, capillitium, and peridium. The above characteristics confirm its taxonomic position in the genus Diachea. However, this genus is intermediate in character between the Physarales and Stemonitales of the Myxogastromycetidae. Hence, this genus had been classified as a member of the Stemonitales until the mid-1970's, on the basis of its iridescent peridium and noncalcareous capillitial system, similar to Comatricha of the Stemonitaceae. By way of contrast, emphasis on morphological characteristics, most notably the calcareous stalk and typical columella, places Diachea within the order Physarales. The presence of a phaneroplasmodium during the trophic stage and lime deposition in its sporophores, as was confirmed in this work, supported the inclusion of Diachea in the Physarales, and the noncalcareous capillitial system verified its identification as a member of the Didymiaceae. Further characteristics of the species D. leucopodia include the following: phaneroplasmodium, spore globose 7.5 ${\mu}m$ in diameter, very minutely roughened; sporangia $500{\mu}m\times1mm$, more or less cylindrical, gregarious, stalked 1.2mm; stalk and columella white.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.80-88
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• 2016

In order to reconstruct a benthic foodweb structure and assess the role of benthic microalgaes as a diet source for benthos, we analyzed the carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes of diverse benthos (bivalves, crustaceans, gastropods and fishes) and potential diets (particulate organic matter, sedimentary organic matter, benthic microalgae, seagrass, and macroalgaes) in the intertidal mudflat surrounding Yeongheung Island. The ${\delta}^{13}C$ values of the diets indicated wide ranges (- 26.5‰ to - 8.4‰) while benthos showed a small range of ${\delta}^{13}C$ values (-12.1‰ to - 17.8‰), although they were in the same range. Except for green algaes among the macroalgaes as well as sedimentary organic matter, ${\delta}^{15}N$ values of the diet candidates ($5.7{\pm}1.0$‰) were lighter in comparison to those of the benthos ($11.8{\pm}1.9$‰). Based on the ${\delta}^{13}C$ and ${\delta}^{15}N$ data, the benthos were classified into 3 groups, indicating a different diet and trophic position. But benthic microalgae is the most important diet source for all three benthos groups based on their stable isotope ratios, suggesting benthic microalgae should be a main diet to the intertidal ecosystem. Hence this study highlights that the biomass of benthic microalgae as biological resource should be evaluated for the management of the intertidal ecosystem of Yeongheung Island.